BOTS 2: Merrie DeStefano

Why Vulcans are so cool, they’re HOT
By Merrie Destefano


My number one, favorite sidekick of all times comes from the TV show/movie/book franchise: Star Trek. The TV show came long before the movies or the books and it not only got me hooked on science fiction, it introduced me to real, live aliens. I immediately fell in love. As a teenager, I had a secret crush on Spock, the Vulcan. What was it about that pointy-eared alien that made him so memorable? I mean, he and the other Vulcans always got supporting roles, right? In the first season of Star Trek, almost every woman alive was in love with Captain Kirk, played by a young and studly William Shatner. In nearly every episode, the writers found a way to get Kirk’s shirt off and then toss him in the arms of some mini-skirted, model-perfect female—who, of course, was powerless against his male testosterone.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the scene, a lean, smoldering alien would arch a brow, arms crossed. Spock. King of the one-named, superstar, unforgettable aliens. First of his kind and expertly played by Leonard Nimoy, Spock almost instantly became an iconic figure. Captain Kirk fit a mold, used and reused in action-adventure movies for decades. He was the gold standard of the day, James Bond in Space, charming, womanizing, invincible.

But, Spock was another story. He was a brand new creature, an alien who seemed without emotion, but wait—when you scratched the surface you found out that he actually felt emotions even stronger than we did. In fact, in his history, Vulcans almost killed their entire race with their violent behavior before they got their emotions under control.

Yeah. They got emotions under control all right. Until they’d suddenly EXPLODE like dynamite and lightning. Suddenly you’d be face-to-face with a creature who looked human, but was actually much stronger than any human, someone who could fell an enemy with a single pinch to the neck. However, a mad Vulcan rarely stopped there. Once he or she started fighting, look out!

And what about when a Vulcan accidentally fell in love? Oh, baby, that was smoking hot. Anybody here follow the romance between T’Pol and Trip on Voyager? I’m surprised my TV screen didn’t melt from the heat. Poor Trip was so enamored of the gorgeous T’Pol and she tried really hard to pretend like she didn’t care. But in the end, she couldn’t ignore those feelings.

Smoke. And flame. And everything combustible.

So, here’s my list of Ten Reasons Why Vulcans are the Hottest Thing Ever:

1. They’re really smart
2. They smolder when they get mad
3. They’re aliens (yes, that counts)
4. When they freak out, worlds collide
5. They’re extremely loyal

6. Come on, those ears are cute
7. They can win any fight by simply pinching the bad guy’s neck
8. They’ve got a bizarre sense of humor
9. They’ve got a great poker face
10. When they give in to passion, LOOK OUT

And just for fun, here’s a link to a video from the new Star Trek movie, where you can see how Zachary Quinto is ready to pick up that smoking-hot torch and carry it forward:

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsDHqtU1AJY

Do I love creatures from other worlds? I do. I really do. In fact, I like them so much that the main character—Ash—in my new release, FEAST: HARVEST OF DREAMS, is from another world.

I’m giving away a copy of FEAST and I’d really like to hear what aliens you’ve liked. You could have loved them (how about the main character in I Am Number Four) or hated them (like that monster in Aliens). Just let me know which one is your favorite.

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Giveaway

Halloween is a bad time to return to the woods . . . 
Madeline MacFaddin ("Mad Mac" to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she's always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.
But Maddie doesn't remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area's terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the harvest . . . the time to feast.
Once again Maddie's dreams—and her soul—are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own . . .

Giveaway Guidelines:
* Open to US only
* Leave a comment with your email address & answer Merrie's question
* This giveaway ends September 7th
* IMPORTANT: I will not be contacting winners! Be sure to check back after September 7th to see if you've won this or any of the other giveaways! 

Extra Entries:
* Link back to this giveaway on some social networking site or on your blog. Be sure to include the link to your post in your giveaway entry--and make sure that I can view it! (For every site you do this on, you'll receive one extra entry)