August 19th, 2007
I was in the shower this morning, thinking as I do (I do all my best plotting while in the shower). Suddenly, a plot idea formed involving vampires. Astonishing for one who does NOT like the sight of blood, but whoever said a writer’s mind had to be orderly? Anyway, I came up with a random thought, one that has been on my mind ever since.
Do you think a vampire can drown? Yes. No. Why?
BTW - I think they can, but I don’t want to give away my fledgling plot… 
You know… I never really thought about it. But what a great plot it sounds like you have! You’re so creative!
by Shelli Stevens August 19th, 2007 at 11:47 pmI’m no expert on vampires, either personnaly or as a writer, but isn’t running water a bar to their progress?
by Amy Gallow August 20th, 2007 at 5:19 amI suppose they could drown in a pond, but how does the undead become dead other than by exposure to daylight.
The problem I find with vampires and shape-changers is that everybody knows more about them than I do.
Amy
Well, it depends on whether your vamps can breath or not. I’ve read stories in which the vamp doesn’t move for a while after being submerged in water. Then suddenly they start “living”again. Also, it depends on whether you see water in overall as cleansing thing. In some lits vampires can’t stand water of any kind since water is considered something pure. In other lits, it depends on the type of water. If it contains salt, it can kill them, as well as holy water.
by Tempest Knight August 20th, 2007 at 11:03 amShelli - thanks! Doing a wee preening thing here
Amy - Hi! How are you? I don’t know much about vampire lore either, other than what I’ve read in other author’s books.
Tempest - you know, I don’t think I’ve read any books where huge amounts of water are involved. Usually it’s small bottles of holy water. I’d forgotten about the salt aspect. I obviously need to buckle down to some research
by Shelley Munro August 20th, 2007 at 12:33 pmI’m not a specialist on vampires, either, but I think you can make them what you want if it works withing the logic of your world.
Not much help here, I know.
by Gabriele August 20th, 2007 at 1:22 pmHi Shelley,
by Amy Gallow August 20th, 2007 at 3:30 pmI have the solution.
Drown the vampire in a pool of sunlight!
Amy
Gabriele - that’s what I figured. I’d make up my own world, but I wondered what everyone thought. I can’t believe I’m actually considering writing a vampire book
Amy - ah, but you have to get them there in the first place. That sounds tricky to me
by Shelley Munro August 20th, 2007 at 3:55 pmHey lady,
The vamps I write aren’t “undead” but genetically different from humans. They are more like Blade or the beings in the movie Doom. And they can drown considering they breathe air like every other living organism (except those that live in our intestines - but that’s another icky story!)
TJ
by TJ Michaels August 21st, 2007 at 10:34 amHmmm, I don’t think so. Lestat didn’t drown in the swamp. I think that they have to be stabbed or burned to die. I guess it’s up to you and the story you write. There are so many different vampires out there. Anne Rice’s Vamps don’t have sex, yet JR Wards do (and quite well I may add). It’s all about taking some lore and world building.
by Amy Ruttan August 21st, 2007 at 4:39 pm