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Urban Fantasy Week: Chris Marie Green
There always comes a time when someone asks me just what my Vampire Babylon series is.? A ?paranormal romance??? Or could it be categorized more appropriately as an ?urban fantasy??? Because the two subgenres offer a reader different experiences, I?m ready with an answer.
Urban fantasy.
Why?? First, there?s a pretty big difference between PR (paranormal romance) and UF (urban fantasy).? It?s the romance, baby.? Romance is the element that offers the highest stakes in a PR.? In urban fantasies, the highest stakes element is saving the world.? However, both types can contain either element, but the emphasis on one or the other can vary.
More differences?? Urban fantasy usually has a more acerbic wit and most of the time uses first-person point of view, though this isn?t always the case; my Vampire Babylon series uses third-person point of view for the heroine, and the vampires and other characters get third-person points of view, also.? PR seems to maintain a third-person point of view balance between the hero, the heroine, and maybe a villain or subplot character or two.
More food for thought: UF can contain more graphic, grittier violence while PR usually has a lower level of violence.? For UF, the supernatural element is ominous whereas in PR, the supernatural is normally more intriguing or alluring.
When I started writing the Vampire Babylon series, I had no idea it?d be called an urban fantasy.? I wanted to play around with an old-school vamp hunter who goes after some entrepreneur-minded fangers.? I wanted there to be mystery, action, blood, and a touch of romance, like a vampire Indiana Jones movie that takes place in an erotically charged Underground as well as up above in the nourish, faded, grotesque glamour that is Hollywood.
Then, as the series continued past the initial trilogy, the setting moved to London, which offered a chance to explore that old-school vamp hunting to an even greater degree, with fairy tale elements and gothic trappings.? As the label of ?urban fantasy? gained steam in the marketplace, I could see that Vampire Babylon fit comfortably into the subgenre, especially since my heroine definitely fits into the UF mold: feisty, strong, and complete with major real life issues that conflict with her burgeoning?and sometimes reluctant?hunting career.? Slaying is an albatross around Dawn Madison?s neck but, at the same time, it?s forced her to grow as a person, which sounds weird, considering that her humanity is deeply in question at the moment in book five, THE PATH OF RAZORS.? She?s gone from a somewhat bratty and sarcastic ex-stuntwoman on the skids in NIGHT RISING, book one, to a full-fledged, more intense monster whacker.? Her boyfriend is what you could call a possessed vampire.? And her mother might be even more messed up than Dawn is.
Yup, urban fantasy.? It?s Halloween all year around in this dark subgenre.
Contest:? A random winner will be chosen from the comment section in two days.? I?ll be sending an autographed copy of A DROP OF RED, Vampire Babylon, Book Four, to someone who posts here, so comment away!
Latest Book:
Chris Marie Green/Crystal Gree
Website: http://www.crystal-green.com/
Blog: http://crystal-green.blogspot.com/
Vampire Babylon: http://www.vampirebabylon.com/
The Vampire Babylon series sounds awesome. I’ll have to check it out.
And it never hurts to have crossbows and leather on the cover. ^_^
It is an awesome series! *Grin*
I really enjoy UF, although I haven’t read your series. “The paranormal aspect is ominous.” Duh, moment for me. It’s obvious now that you’ve said it. *grin*
I love your cover. Very nice.
Hi Chris,
I love this series. How many books do you plan for the Vampire Babylon series?
Dawn R.
Hi, you guys! Thanks, Keith–and I was so happy when I got this cover. She looks bad ass. : )
Shelley, you’re like me. When I sit in a workshop or read a blog, I often have “duh” moments. That’s why I always have my scribble pad handy, LOL.
Selena, as always, I appreciate it. You’re the best!
OMG! I love this series; a lot of my customers at work (I work at a book store) come in looking for a “vampire series that actually has some depth” and I ALWAYS recommend Vampire Babylon…we’re actually sold out of the books at the moment because of it! Haha. I can’t wait for the 6th book!!
I love the series! I hadn’t read a book in years when I came accross these, I just decided to check out the local library after I moved and there they were.
Looking forward to more!
Love the Vampire Babylon series. Have read all the books and would love a signed copy!
I can’t wait for book 4 to come out. It can’t get here soon enough. I am using this series as wall paper for my work computer.
I really enjoy this series, and have found the relationship between Jonah and Dawn. I have become more and more addicted after each story!! Love them, Please keep up the good work!!!
I love the Vampire Babylon Series! I started reading them a few years ago, and from the first chapter I was hooked! The characters are all interesting and well devolped, the story line is intriging and I love Chris Marie Green’s take on the tradition vampire ideas. Awesome series, and I can’t wait for more!
My sister stole my first three books for Vampire Babylon, so I haven’t actually moved beyond the first twenty pages of book 1, that being said…she’s going away soon for vacation. I’ll be raiding her room XD
Lexie
Lexie.Cenni(@)gmail.com
I stumbled upon Urban Fantasy books by accident almost 10 years ago, while browsing through the SciFi/Fantasy section of the bookstores. I had become sooooo bored with the historical romances, and general literature that I was reading at the time. Urban Fantasy is now my genre of choice.
I have your first three Babylon Books, it would be so great to get the fourth! (hint, hint-)
Hey, you all–sorry for coming in so late today, but it was one of those mornings…. But hearing all this kindness and support here really made my day better! LOL. Thank you *so* much for all the kind words. I love writing for such great people.
Dawn R! Good to see you here from your “cafe,” . (Wanna plug it as the place to find great books?) Right now, the Vampire Babylon series will have six books (DEEP IN THE WOODS comes out in March.). After the launch of my next series, which is a postapocalyptic urban fantasy western noir (!) called BLOODLANDS, we’ll see what the future holds for VB. Thank you so much for reading and asking!
Serephita, bless you for hand selling these books! Seriously, without book sellers like you, this series would’ve stopped at three installments. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your spreading the word. : )
Dawn J. and Brandy, awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Kirk, those covers *do* make for great wallpaper. I’ve thought about framing them as artwork for my place, but that seemed kinda vain…??? Book 5, THE PATH OF RAZORS, came out in August, and the art for that is fantastic, too. I just got the cover for book six and it’s on my blog. If you go to http://www.crystal-green.com and access my blog, you can see it! Thank you.
Missy, thanks, also! Book six is going to further that relationship between Dawn and Jonah…and Costin. What a weird love triangle, LOL.
Stephie, more thanks! I love tweaking those traditional vamps. I try to think about what talents they’d need to survive in their chosen setting, whether it’s in Hollywood or London. Also, I like to latch on to a certain theme with their traits echoing that. Lots of fun.
Lexie, LOL about your sis. My brother and I play tug of war with books all the time. Thank you!
Mardel! LOL. You know, urban fantasy was the best thing to happen to books in a long time. I grew up reading creepy John Saul and Stephen King, but I also loved romance (especially my historicals!). Writing in a genre that uses both elements is a wonderful thing.
BTW, you guys can get me on Twitter and Facebook. I do a SUPERNATURAL recap every Thursday night, and I’m in the midst of watching some horror movies now to get me in the mood Halloween. I love this time of year.
Thank you so much again, you guys.
I LOVE the Vampire Babylon series! It’s such an engaging and unique spin on vampires!
XOXO
Hey, Tiffany, and thank you! It’s good to hear you feel that way about the “different vampires.” : )
I’ll be announcing a winner later today!
Hi, all!
And the winner is…
Stephie! I see I know you from Twitter (Usako!), so I’ll contact you there.
Thanks for playing you all! A big thank you to Selena, as well. : )
Happy Halloween Hunting,
Chris
Thank you! I’ve never won anything like this before and for it be an autographed book by one of my favorite authors is just awesome!
( I have tried to contact you via twitter, but I can’t DM anyone who isn’t following me! Is there any other way I can get my info to you?)
Got ya, Stephie! And I’m happy that this is a cool thing. : ) Thank you–and to everyone else!
[...] Chris Marie Green, author of the Vampire Babylon series, at Selene Illyria [...]