Give from Your Heart (Vampire Approved)

Give from the Heart (Vampire Approved!) blog post by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com, give blood, donate blood, donate platelets, pet blood, blood donation, save a life, save lives.
Photo by Allec Gomes on Pexels.com

Considering how much of it exists in the world, it’s surprising (or maybe not) that blood banks are perpetually short of their key product. Blood and blood components are needed to help people with various medical conditions (including those with blood cancers), for surgery, and for emergency situations, like during childbirth or after a car accident. When there isn’t enough blood to go around, the consequences are devastating. So today’s post is to ask you to please consider donating blood, if you can– it takes only about 30 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with the warm sense of having done some good in the world (and a treat).

While you’re at it, ask about donating platelets–there’s a major need for platelet donors, as not everyone qualifies. If you can give, please consider doing so.

Your local vampires would approve 🧛

For more information on donating blood/Platelets:

Canadian Blood Services: https://www.blood.ca/en

Société canadienne du sang: https://www.blood.ca/fr

American Red Cross: https://www.redcrossblood.org/

NHS Blood Services: https://www.blood.co.uk/

If your local agency isn’t listed, try doing an online search for blood services in your country/region.

(By the way, veterinary clinics need blood too. Find out more here, or search for pet blood donations in your local area: https://www.canadiananimalbloodbank.ca/#!cabb )

Wishing you a bloody good weekend…

Aspasía S. Bissas

PS: Reading is a great way to pass the time while you’re donating blood. Stay on theme and download my books!

Aspasia S. Bissas books: Love Lies Bleeding, Blood Magic, Tooth & Claw, book, books, free book, free books, freebies, freebie, free ebook, free ebooks, vampire, vampires, dark fantasy, dark romance, historical fiction, gothic fiction, gothic fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, horror, dark reads, indie author, indie fiction, strong female protagonist, aspasiasbissas.com

Greece’s Vampire Islands

Greece's Vampire Islands, blog post by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. Vrykolakonisia, Vrykolakas, Skyros, Greece, Greek islands, Sparta, vampire, vampires
Photo by Nikos Monezis [Creative Commons]

Atlas Obscura posted a short article about Greece’s “Vrykolakonisia,” or vampire islands, located off the coast of Skyros.

At first I was upset that I’d never heard about these islands. Then I was upset that the “vampires” who were allegedly abandoned on the islands to die of exposure were supposedly plague victims.

I know Ancient Greece has a bit of a reputation for coldhearted treatment of the sick and weak–most infamously the story about Spartans throwing “ill-born” infants off a cliff (for which there’s no actual evidence), but abandoning suffering people to die horribly seems far-fetched.

There’s no evidence for this, either, beyond local stories. Apparently a “…1918 account says that the citizens of the nearby Skyros heard howls and screams coming from the islet, believing that the dead from the plague buried there many years ago had risen.”

Or it could have been the wind, which seems a lot more likely.

Do you know of any other places (besides Transylvania) connected with vampires? Share in the comments…

You can read my post about lesser-known vampires, including the Vrykolakas here.

Want more vampires? Don’t forget to download my books!

Book covers: Love Lies Bleeding, Blood Magic, Tooth & Claw, Bleeding Heart. Books by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. Dark fantasy, gothic, paranormal, urban fantasy, vampires, shifters

Love Lies Bleeding: AmazonApple BooksBarnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Bleeding Heart: Amazon | Smashwords | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Tooth & Claw: SmashwordsApple BooksBarnes & NobleKobo

Blood Magic: SmashwordsApple BooksBarnes & NobleKobo

If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Bleeding Heart is also available in paperback at Amazon. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥

Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas

Bloganuary Day 30: What Do You Complain about Most?

Bloganuary Day 30: What do you complain about most? Blog post by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. There is no planet B.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Humans do like to complain, don’t we? It’s a part of us almost from the moment we’re born– babies cry to communicate, but what they’re communicating are complaints: I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m wet. It must help us in some way to complain– on an emotional level for sure, but maybe on a biological level, as well.

Another word for complaining is venting. When you vent you release pressure. You let go of the things that otherwise might build up inside you until you either explode or implode. It’s not healthy to keep things in. Much as we think not complaining is a virtue, most (maybe all) of us need to, at least once in a while.

These days I find myself complaining a lot about the people in the world who destroy it for their own short-term gain. I’m not sure how we collectively decided to accept a few people taking control of every resource the Earth has, and doing whatever they want with it all. Even now some people are still pushing for the few to keep controlling and exploiting those resources, even though it’s at the expense of everyone else. It’s difficult not to complain about this.

What do you need to vent about right now? Share in the comments…

Don’t forget to download my books!

Book covers: Love Lies Bleeding, Blood Magic, Tooth & Claw, Bleeding Heart. Books by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. Dark fantasy, gothic, paranormal, urban fantasy, vampires, shifters

If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop (Bleeding Heart will be available soon). A portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥

Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas

Bloganuary Day 26: Write about a Few of Your Favourite Family Traditions

Bloganuary Day 26: Write about a few of your favourite family traditions. Blog post by Aspasia S, Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. Herbal tea.
Photo by Ray Piedra on Pexels.com

Since I’m currently battling the most miserable cold, my mind instantly went to my favourite sick day tradition. My mom would always give me a cup of Greek Mountain Tea and some homemade cookies called Koulourakia.

Greek Mountain Tea can be found in Greek bakeries or grocery stores. It’s a herb (which means no caffeine) and it was the only tea I liked for many years.

Koulourakia are simple, sweet cookies that are perfect for dipping into Greek Mountain Tea (even better if they’re lightly buttered). (For an occasional treat, my mom would break two or three cookies into a bowl and pour milk over them. I’d eat that instead of cereal for breakfast!)

As a kid who hated medicine, most teas, ginger ale, and Vicks VapoRub, Greek Mountain Tea and koulourakia were the perfect cold remedy. I think I need to do some baking…

What’s your favourite home remedy? Share in the comments…

Don’t forget to download my books!

Book covers: Love Lies Bleeding, Blood Magic, Tooth & Claw, Bleeding Heart. Books by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com. Dark fantasy, gothic, paranormal, urban fantasy, vampires, shifters

If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop (Bleeding Heart will be available soon). A portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥

Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas

Give from Your Heart (Vampire Approved)

Give from Your Heart (Vampire Approved), blog post by Aspasia S. Bissas, aspasiasbissas.com.  Give blood, donate blood, blood banks, giving, charity, pet blood donation, acts of kindness
Photo by Allec Gomes on Pexels.com

Considering how much of it exists in the world, it’s surprising (or maybe not) that blood banks are perpetually short of their key product. Blood and blood components are needed to help people with various medical conditions (including those with blood cancers), for surgery, and for emergency situations, like during childbirth or after a car accident. When there isn’t enough blood to go around, the consequences are devastating. So today’s post is to ask you to please consider donating blood, if you can– it takes only about 30 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with the warm sense of having done some good in the world (and a treat).

Your local vampires would approve 🧛

For more information on donating blood:

Canadian Blood Services: https://www.blood.ca/en

Société canadienne du sang: https://www.blood.ca/fr

American Red Cross: https://www.redcrossblood.org/

NHS Blood Services: https://www.blood.co.uk/

If your local agency isn’t listed, try doing an online search for blood services in your country/region.

(By the way, veterinary clinics need blood too. Find out more here, or search for pet blood donations in your local area: https://www.canadiananimalbloodbank.ca/#!cabb )

Wishing you a bloody good weekend…

Aspasía S. Bissas

PS: Reading is a great way to pass the time while you’re donating blood. Stay on theme and download my books!

Aspasia S. Bissas books: Love Lies Bleeding, Blood Magic, Tooth & Claw, book, books, free book, free books, freebies, freebie, free ebook, free ebooks, vampire, vampires, dark fantasy, dark romance, historical fiction, gothic fiction, gothic fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, horror, dark reads, indie author, indie fiction, strong female protagonist, aspasiasbissas.com