Wow! There are just too many to choose from... I am just a big vampire fan overall --- I appreciate all adaptations :) I think it is pretentious to slam the modern day interpretations on the basis that you love the "original" by Bram Stoker!! He was NOT the original!!! Even he was influenced by other writers such as Joseph Sheridan le Fanu who wrote about the charming and beautiful Carmilla...
And there so many others who wrote vampire tales before him --- like John Polidori who wrote the first vampire short story to be written in English - "Vampyre"; James Malcom Rymer who wrote "Varyney The Vampyre" - considered by many to be the first vampire novel written in English; Mary Elizabeth Braddon who wrote "Good Lady Ducayne" which was published a year before Bram Stoker's "Dracula"; and even Mary Shelley got in on the act with her "The Mortal Immortal".
And even more modern stories of vampirism do not necessarily model their ideas on Bram Stoker - Count Eric Stenbock was inspired in his "The True Story of a Vampire" by Northern European culture and folktales; and Sir Richard Francis Burton based his "Vikram and the Vampire" on an old Hindu legend.
Geez I could go on and on!
The story of the vampire is probably the most adapted story in history. That is how it has always been and that is how it should be.
Writers like Stephenie Meyer, Christopher Pike, LJ Smith, Jennifer Armintrout, Anne Rice, Kerri Hawkins, Laurell K Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson and so many others are all keeping up the tradition!!! And each of their characters are just as worthwhile as the others…
haha and what about Joss Wheden with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, David Goyer with Blade; and  Kevin Grevioux with Underworld? They are all brilliant!!!
A true vampire story connoisseur can appreciate them all!!!
But to address the writers block topic today --- I would have to say my favourite of all time is Cyrus in Jennifer Armintrout’s “Blood Ties” series :) Although I do have a soft spot for Spike :p

Here is a little somethig I discovered how to do today thanks to angieswenson's lovely advice here: angieswenson.livejournal.com/7460.html  






 

Well V Day is steadily approaching and, given my restricted spending capacity this year, I have opted for making my boyfriend's present.... This is our first Valentines Day --- we officially got together mid-march last year --- so I wanted to make an extra special effort for him this year :)

So I have made two playlists of songs that remind me of him and all the things we have been through so far!!! And I have designed the CD covers for both!!!

Here they are...

   

The first compilation is called "Unmistakable" and relates to the time early on in our relationship when we were just discovering eachother and I was a bit scared of getting close to someone again...

   

The second compilation is called "Everything" and relates to our relationship as a couple :)

I am very excited about these cds!!! I can't wait to give them to him :) All I have to do now is print them out and I will be going to my son's uncles house tomorrow to do so... Here's hoping it goes alright!!!

xo yani
 

Well hello everyone...

I guess I am a noobie here... so you will need to be patient with me whilst I find my feet...

A few days ago I was searching the net looking for Twilight wallpapers for my beast (my ASUS G2S which I have solely for the purpose of playing World of Warcraft) and I stumbled across antonella87's gorgeous designs... Holy goodness her pieces are absolute works of art!!!

So I was inspired... I wrote a message to antonella87 asking her about photoshop and complimenting her on her beautiful artwork and she was kind enough to even reply to me!!! I thought "wow --- she's a nice girl too!"...

I have spent many moments since then browsing her collections and must say that I love the feel of her pages and the world that she captures within them --- her world... a world of fantasy, beauty and imagination... a world where she really revels in those books, stories and movies that she loves... and all at the same time with an air of sharing and open arms :) It's cool...

And I want to kind of be a part of that....

So I have become a member of Live Journal and I have also begun messing around with Photoshop :) haha

Not that that is all that I want to do... I want to share other things in my life as well... Yes, I am an fan of vampire novels and historical/paranormal romance stories.. I also love movies with a vengeance... so I do wish to celebrate these things in these pages...

But I also have a wonderful and incredible life...

I often find that I get caught up in the fantasy world and find myself not truly appreciating the wonderful things that do actually exist in my llife... Now I am not talking about work here!! haha in fact escaping the hum drum of every day living is my sole motivation when it comes to indulging my flights of fancy...

But what I do have is one of those amazing love stories that you see in the movies and read about in those books as well as a beautiful son whom I love more than anything in the whole world...
 
So whilst simultaneously expressing my love of certain novels, movies and ideas on these pages, I most certainly intend to also revel in the beauty of my real life love affair like a pig in mud ... :)

But for starters --- I have placed my first attempts at wallpapers in my scrapbook :) Here is just a sneak peak :p

 

Haha gosh photoshop is addictive :)
 

 

And one final word --- my condolences go to those families struck by the Victorian bushfire tragedies going on right now in Australia...

xo yani