(He's Pretty Serious)
*****
“Evgeny, side of the house. Something from the window.”“Tracking.”
It was big, bigger than a man and on the ground with a crouching movement, like a big cat hitting the ground. Even though they were several blocks away, Hauck had to fight the urge to draw his gun. It was up and moving so fast toward the back of the house that it left one screen and shot onto the other as quick as Hauck could turn his head.
“Shestapolov,” shouted Hauck. “To your right.”
Shestapolov and Rodin turned simultaneously, pivoting on their heels and bringing their pistols around. A fury of bright movement was on them before they could fire and Hauck heard a vicious, triumphant snarl that flooded him with fear. Light swirls smeared with something dark spiraled across the screens. A cry from Rodin that sounded like “mother,” but must have been something else.
“Evgeny?” called Hauck.
Above the snarls and snapping and howls, he thought he heard the slap of bullets and Shestapolov's terrified cursing. Either Shestapolov or Rodin was down and the other tried to sprint across the yard, but it was on him and dragging him toward the fence line faster than Hauck could believe.
“Evgeny,” he called again.
"On the move."
A fat finger jutted into view before the monitor. One of the back windows of the house was glowing. Smears of furious light bled into the night. A quick, sharp blast rocked the speakers and Hauck stepped back against the immovable figure of his watcher. The man snorted and pushed him away, but bent over suddenly as he did so as though in pain. Hauck ignored him and stared at the monitor. Flames and sparks shot out the windows as though the house were a fireworks display. excerpted from "Tainted Blood," by Ferrel D. Moore
*****
There are some people who make you a little uneasy. You're not sure if you should add them to your guest list without doubling up on your home owner's insurance policy. Rasputin falls into that category. A charismatic wild man steeped in scandal and secret plots- yep, a perfect character for the novel I'm writing.
Born January 22, 1869 in Siberia, he rose from a simple peasant upbringing to the level of advisor to Tsar Nicolas II and his Tsarista Alexandra. He was such a bad influence on them, that many historians consider him a major contributing factor to the fall of the Romanov empire.
He was sexually promiscuous, mesmeric and charismatic and lived for plots and counterplots. His influence of the Tsarista Alexandra was so complete that many suspected them of being lovers enslaved by passion.
Yet, he was a great comfort to the family, as only he seemed to have the power to dismiss the incredible pain suffered by their hemophiliac son. Physicians seemed to do nothing much at all compared to this mysterious man.
The church fathers considered him steeped in sin because of his alleged involvement in the khylsty sect, whose services reportedly resulted in physical exhaustion and orgies. The ritual known to the khylsties as "rejoicing" involved group sex which, the khylsty leaders felt encouraged members to turn towards God after yielding to temptation. If people did not first sin, they thought, why would they ever turn their eyes heavenward for forgiveness?
And, he was reputed to be the hardest man ever to kill. He enemies (notably Prince Yusupov), fed him enough cyanide to kill several men, then shot him in the back, came back and stabbed him and shot him again when he was still up and getting really upset, then reportedly castrated him and threw into an ice cold river. An autopsy report showed that he took water into his lungs before finally dying- which meant that he was still alive when thrown into the water!
Later, his body was stolen and burned, but observers were horrified that while burning, Rasputin's body sat bolt upright in the flames. I started my werewolf novel over from scratch when I started thinking that the reason Rasputin was so hard to kill was that he was actually a werewolf. So I began researching the topic, started from scratch again, and, 10,000 words later, I'm hard at it again. Sometimes you just have to find the antagonist.
34 comments:
Sounds like you've got the right leading man now, Rick. I'm fascinated by Rasputin - not because I admire him, oh no! I just remember reading "Nicholas and Alexandra" so many years ago and being amazed by the ability of one person to radically alter the history of an entire nation. I wish you happy writing and the best of luck with your novel.
Nevine
Hi Nevine! Actually, the novel has a leading woman- Rasputin is more the antagonist. He was one rather strange dude, but what a hotbed of conspiracy swirled around him!
hum, sin so you'll have a reason to turn toward God. Now that's an interesting way to look at it. I've heard that story about his body sitting up on the pyre. neat legend and could work well fitted into a story.
I'm sure hoping it fits in well, Charles. The plotting is giving me a headache, but I'm still having fun!
(Rick -"Indie" booksellers just means "Independent" *smiling* - now pick up yer head!!!)
I always wondered if those stories about Rasputin were really true. He sure looks creepy in photographs.
He really is a creepy looking guy, isn't he, Travis. In the photo he already looks half-way to being a werewolf!
Well... I really do have to get out more, Kathryn! And now I can say that "Indie" bookstores are my favs.
That's damn good writin'
Definitely one of the more interesting characters of the 19th century. I hope that you are well able to find the way to merge the myth's and realities. It is an interesting twist on Rasputin's supposed supernatural abilities. You may even wind up rehabilitating the werewolf myths at the same time.
Why, thanks, Ivan!
I'm giving it a try, Walking Man. At the very least, the research had been hugely interesting and I'm having fun!
That novel is now well on it's way. You are a great writer Rick.
But who would have a passionate affair with such a horrible looking man!!
A fascinating story. I have read quite a lot about him. The influence some people have is just unbelievable.
Monique, I know! Rasputin was not exactly Brad Pitt. He must have found the "Fountain of Charisma!" On the other hand, the lighting may not have been so good back then...
Nice set of fangs on that wolf, Rick.
There will always be wild stories about Rasputin, some true, and others false; but definitely the man was unbalanced. Though I loved the story about Nicholas and Alexandra when I first learned it in childhood.
Rather a vain concept about sinning first to receive forgiveness later. I can imagine the penance their souls partook in to clean it away.
Yep, that's a serious looking werewolf, Barbara. And I loved the story of Nicholas and Alexandra, too. Russia has an amazingly complicated and richly woven tapestry of love stories set midst terrible violence.
love it all, rick... my kinda stuff!
here, dance til ye drop! ;) lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvDMlk3kSYg
...song ends: ohhhh, those russians!
[cut off in the vid :( ]
Laughingwolf, that video is absolutely great!! I've played it 5 times already.
Thanks, buddy!
Wow, Rick. That's creepy-good. Good luck with your story!
Thanks Jewel/Pink Ink! Creepy-good is a great way to describe what I'm aiming for. And thanks so much for stopping by.
any time, bro... :)
they also have other great music!
Highly entertaining post, Rick. I can't believe you started from scratch on the novel....but, Oh, what a great premise.
Hi K! I'm absolutely having a great time writing this newest novel. I'll keep you up to date on how it's going.
I've been checking around to listen to other tunes of theirs- this group is quite the party!
To "listen to Your voice"
is like watching a painter
or enjoying great music
A true master of the pen
that is Rick, my friend
;-)
You are not only a beautiful spirit, Anna-Lys, you are immensely kind as well.
My favourite line?
"Smears of furious light bled into the night."
Rasputin was certainly a colourful and interesting character!
Yes, Miladysa, Rasputin was all about colorful! But in his pictures he is such a strange looking beast that I have a hard time understanding how he kept so many women, including the Tsarista Alexandra herself, under his spell. There are a lot of us guys out there who would like to know his secret.
Excellent, excellent post. This is exactly how I feel about my novel's villain: Erzsebet Bathory. She is bad through and through, but after reading her life story I have grown rather fond of this barbaric countess. And, like you, I love the idea of having someone who really existed, in my plot.
Here's to both of us and our villains! :)
Darn straight, Akash. How far are you along with your story. I'm just hitting 13,000 words and would like to have this thing done by January so I can shove it in a drawer for a month or so and ignore it. Then I'll take it out again and see how much editing it needs!
I am on the fourth and (hopefully) final draft of Bathory, about 90,000 words as it stands at present. I am determined to have the MS completed and polished and ready to send off into the big wide world in the early part of next year - fingers crossed - the one fly in the ointment is I don't have a lot of time to put aside for my writing; life, family and work all get in the way!
That's great, Akasha! Congratulations. Four drafts says to me that you want this to be a great manuscript- you should be so proud of you.
What a thrilling excerpt, Rick! Very cinematographic. I love it!
And yes, Rasputin was a very interesting character. I think the idea of turning him into a werewolf is great. When I noticed that the update to Cry Wolf has disappeared from your sidebar I thought you’ve finished it…
LOL, I just had to change the name, Vesper! You know what I'm enjoying tremendously now? The research. I love the research. And I'm having fun. Except for the lack of sleep. But that's overrated. But visiting your blog makes up for that.
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