Jill Myles - Guest Blog and Contest

Today PVN welcomes Jill Myles author of the bestselling Succubi series. Jill has some interesting info on the succubi myth that will be of interest to readers and writers. She is also offering a fabulous contest for 5 lucky winners.

[See contest details at end of post]
[This contest is closed. Thanks to everyone who participated.]

Changing Mythology to Make Your Book Work

Way back in the day, I decided to write a book about a succubus.  In a genre full of soulmates and men driven to possess their woman, I liked the idea of turning the tables and making the woman the one with the need. However, the more I read about succubi, the more I was a little…concerned.

Let me share some of my findings with you. Succubi? Female demons. That’s easy enough to handle, right? Further reading tells me that succubi are:

In folklore traced back to medieval legend, a succubus (plural succubi) is a female demon who takes the form of a human woman in order to seduce men, usually through sexual intercourse.^[1] In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as a highly attractive seductress or enchantress, while in the past succubi were generally depicted as frightening and demonic. (Wikipedia)

Well! *Nervous laugh* One always loves a challenge, right?

Then I read this:

[A] succubus collects semen from the men she seduces. The incubi or male demons then use the semen to impregnate human females,^[9] thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. Children so begotten – cambions – were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences. (Heinrich Kramer, Malleus Maleificarum)

After reading that, I was certainly rethinking my plans of “SEXY TIMES AHOY”. I mean…how can you possibly make a character like that sexy? A sperm stealer? Who gives the sperm to incubi so they can make deformed babies?

In a word, gross.

So I had a decision to make. Was I going to stick with traditional lore for my story? Or was I going to go out on my own? In the end, I decided to go out on my own. And since I was changing the very nature of succubi, I decided to change…everything.

For example!

The traditional idea of an angel:

My idea of an angel:

The traditional idea of a vampire:

My idea of a vampire:

Needless to say, I think you should do what you have to do to bring the sexy to your story. And I like my idea better than the traditional ones, don’t you? ;)

CONTEST

For 5 winners, Jill will give away a copy of each of the book in the series:

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, Succubi like it Hot and My Fair Succubi.

*To enter the contest all you have to do is make a comment on Jill's post.

*The contest is open to US residents only. No P.O. Box please. 

*Contest ends 12-23-2010 midnight PST.

*Be sure your email address is associated with your comment.