As part of the celebration of her latest fantastic Blood Hunter book (see today’s review for deets) I’d like to welcome Nina Croft back to Reading Reality. In addition to the tour for Blood and Metal, Nina sent me a fantastic guest post about one of the central themes in a lot of her fiction. “Who wants to live forever?” along with that age-old romantic question, “If you could live forever, who would you want to spend it with?” As so many of her marvelous stories involve vampires and other immortals, this question comes up a lot. The answer, at least when Nina is answering the question, is always interesting.
Who wants to live forever?
by Nina Croft
Well, I do for one.
Of course, I might change my mind in a few thousand years, but until then it seems a way better option than the alternative.
I’m Nina Croft, and I write all sorts of romance often with a speculative element, and this week, BLOOD AND METAL, book 5 in my Dark Desires series releases.
The series is essentially science fiction romance with a paranormal twist and follows the adventures, romantic and otherwise, of the crew of the space ship, the Blood Hunter.
I hope readers find the series fun and sexy, but there is also an underlying deeper theme to all the books—that of man’s fear of death and the search for immortality, whether through science, religion or by some paranormal means.
The idea of immortality, and the price people would be willing to pay to obtain it, has always fascinated me, and I believe it’s one of the things that draws people to paranormal. It’s part of the lure of the vampire—the fact that they cannot die (well not easily anyway). It’s certainly one of the main things that draws me, as a writer, to the paranormal.
My Dark Desires series takes place in a future when man has fled to the stars and there they have discovered the secret of immortality—Meridian—a rare substance available to only a few. A new class has evolved; the Collective, super rich and immortal, they rule the universe. And just about everyone else is desperate to earn enough money to pay for the Meridian treatment. Though as the series goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that money isn’t the only price to be paid. And some members of the Collective are getting a little squeamish.
The series began with Break Out. Ricardo Sanchez, my hero, is the owner and pilot of the ship. Unlike most of the civilized universe, Rico isn’t interested in Meridian. He doesn’t need it, because he’s already immortal. Rico is a vampire and has lived a long time (he was born on Earth in the middle ages).
Move onto book 5. In Blood and Metal, Daisy, the co-pilot of the Blood Hunter, has never wanted immortality, rather it was thrust upon her when she was dying and Rico did the only thing he could to save her life…turn her into a vampire.
Fergal, our hero, on the other hand, doesn’t so much want to live forever as he doesn’t want to die (a slightly different goal but with the same results.) With that aim, he signed up for a totally experimental cybernetics programme, and is now dealing with some unexpected results.
So neither Daisy nor Fergal really wanted to live forever, but both are now immortal (if they get to survive the book), and they both have to learn to deal with that.
So what do you think? Would you like to live forever? And just how much would you be willing to pay? Let me know for a chance to win an ecopy of Break Out (book 1 in my Dark Desires series), Bittersweet Blood (book 1 in my Order series) and Operation Saving Daniel (book 1 in my Melville Sisters series).
![[photo of Nina Croft]](https://www.readingreality.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Nina-12.jpg)
About Nina Croft
Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.
To find out more about Nina, look for her at her website, Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.
~~~~~~ GIVEAWAY ~~~~~~
I have adored all of Nina’s series, so I’m absolutely thrilled that she is letting me give away an ebook prize pack of the first books in her three series. The winner will receive ebook copies of Break Out (reviewed here) Bittersweet Blood (reviewed here) and Operation Saving Daniel (reviewed here). I’m a fan, so I’m happy to be able to share some of my favorites with a lucky commenter.
It would be awfully hard to outlive family and friends, but maybe if they came along too? It could be exciting to see what the future would bring, but it could also lead to angst and ennui. Definitely maybe.
eh… I wouldn’t pay to live forever, but if it was an accident out of my control, I’d take advantage of it 🙂 Think of all the books I’d be able to read!!! LOL.. and it would be neat to see all of the technology changes. Thanks for sharing!
I would if my family could too.
Thanks for the chance to win!
I am an avid reader of paranormal stories and a lover of vamps, shapeshifters, etc and I think I’d love having an extended life but I’m not sure about living forever. Being immortal sounds awfully tedious! Although I could live comfortably with the ability to grow a lot of interest on my accumulated savings accounts! Lol I’d spend most of my time gaining knowledge and own an extensive library including books with inscriptions from the authors. A nice comfy window seat on the upper level of my library (that also has skylights & floor to ceiling rolling ladders).
On the one hand, I’d love to live forever and see all the changes in store for us, but on the other hand, I think it would be very lonely because you would outlive all of your friends and family and you wouldn’t want to get close to new people because they’d always be dying on you. This sounds like a great series. I hadn’t paid much attention to it before. I’ll definitely have to check it out.
I wouldn’t want to live forever.
no