Years ago, Night to Dawn published Neil Benson’s Unholy Embrace, a vampire romance which garnered many 5-star reviews. A different company has given new life to Unholy Embrace, and the second edition is now available.
Blurb:
Frank Thornton’s night of passion with the vampire Nessa Harcanu ignites the love that binds them to each other. He learns of the great power she gained from her 500-year fight for survival. Their commitment to each other forces Frank to enter a dark world he never imagined. Together, they battle werewolves, vampires, and other creatures of the night, leading to a confrontation with an immortal, seemingly invincible demon. They must use all their strength and wit to survive the greatest battle of their lives.
Excerpt:
On a crisp April night, Nessa and I held hands as we walked to Broadway on a narrow side street from a theater on the Upper West Side. Without warning, she pushed me aside and turned toward the alleyway on our left. A dark, hairy form raced at her, emitting a growl that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Nessa ducked, put her hands under its body, and flipped her attacker through the air into a light blue delivery truck. A second dark-haired creature emerged from the same alley, snarling and displaying three-inch-long incisors glistening with saliva. When the second beast tried to bite Nessa, she grabbed the creature’s throat and snapped its head backward. She sank her fangs into its neck and ripped the carotid artery. I gagged at the sight of the blood spurting from the gaping wound.
The first beast rose and was about to charge Nessa when I raced forward to tackle it.
“No!” Nessa yelled, and she put herself between the beast and me. The creature swiped a hairy paw at her head, but she ducked and stepped behind her lethal adversary. The creature tried to turn, but she grabbed its throat and raised the beast two feet into the air. She squeezed its neck until the sounds of bones cracking made me cringe. She let go, and the creature fell to the ground. Nessa closed her eyes and sniffed the air.
“Any more of them?” My thumping heart banged against my ribcage, and perspiration ran down my forehead.
“I don’t smell or hear anything for a quarter of a mile,” she replied. “How do you feel after surviving your first attack by werewolves?”
Nessa inspected the creatures she had killed with such little effort.
“Terrified but happy to be alive.” I stood by her side at the nearest werewolf and examined its paws. Three-inch claws tapering from one inch around at the base to razor-sharp tips made lethal weapons.
“That’s why I screamed at you. I admire your courage, but the creature would have eviscerated you in one swift stroke.”
“I know you’ve told me about the damage werewolves can inflict, but hearing about them isn’t the same as watching them in action.” I shivered at the thought of how easily either of them could have killed me.
She stared at me. “Frank, are you OK?”
“I think so.” My pulse had slowed down, and my lungs no longer screamed for air. I glanced upward at the night sky. “No full moon?”
“They can inject themselves with a serum that enables them to become a werewolf whenever they choose.” The werewolves terrified me, but the creature Nessa became frightened me almost as much. I stepped back and watched her fangs disappear, and her eyes return to normal.
Neil
Pull up Unholy Embrace. Read the words you wrote.
Frank Thornton’s night of passion with the vampire Nessa Harcanu ignites a love that binds them to each other. He learns of the great power she gained from her 500‑year fight for survival. Their commitment forces Frank to enter a dark world he never imagined. Together, they battle werewolves, vampires, and other creatures of the night, leading to a confrontation with an immortal, seemingly invincible demon. They must use all their strength and wit to survive the greatest battle of their lives.
You retired after thirty‑seven years as a psychologist in mental health and behavioral managed‑care to become a full‑time writer. The idea for Unholy Embrace came to you after watching Kate Beckinsale in Underworld. You were intrigued by the idea of a totally alpha female vampire and what type of relationship she might have with a tall, muscular mortal male. You wrote a novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. One reviewer called it an action‑packed love story and said she wanted more of Nessa and Frank.
But your book was first published in 2010. The second edition on Amazon is from December 2018. That is nearly seven years ago. Eight reviews. Your rank is five million eight hundred seventy two thousand two hundred thirty eight.
That number means the vampire romance reader who craves a powerful alpha female, a mortal man willing to risk everything, and a battle against ancient demons cannot find your book. The fan of Underworld who would love Nessa is scrolling past. A novel that could have started a series is stranded.
The Deeper Search
Neil, I went looking for your digital footprint. You spent thirty‑seven years as a psychologist. You understand the human psyche, trauma, resilience, and the dark corners of the mind. That background could make your vampires and werewolves more psychologically complex than the average supernatural thriller. But your Amazon page does not leverage that credential.
You have a second book, Dark Journeys, an anthology of vampire short stories and dark poetry published in 2012. It is not visible on this page. You also announced a novel, Wizard under Fire, scheduled for publication in 2019. That was six years ago. It does not appear to exist on Amazon. A reader who finishes Unholy Embrace and wants more has no sequel, no pre‑order, no indication that you are still writing.
Your author bio ends with should be published in 2019. That outdated language tells readers that you have abandoned your writing career. Whether that is true or not, your Amazon page presents a retired psychologist who wrote one novel and then disappeared.
Your categories are Horror at 113,374 and Horror Literature & Fiction at 191,882. Those are very deep. Your book belongs in Vampire Romance, Alpha Female Paranormal Romance, and Urban Fantasy with Demons. Those categories have active, hungry readers.
The Three Challenges Keeping Nessa and Frank from Finding Their Audience
Challenge one. 8 reviews in 7 years (second edition) or 15 years (original) is a silent tomb.
A 4.7 star rating is exceptional. But eight voices are not enough to convince a new reader to take a chance on an unknown author. You are trapped. No visibility means no sales, no sales means no new reviews, no reviews means no visibility.
Challenge two. Your author bio promises a sequel that never arrived.
Wizard under Fire was announced for 2019. It is 2026. That promise is broken. A potential reader who researches you will see that you have not published in years and may assume you are no longer writing. Worse, loyal readers who loved Unholy Embrace have been waiting for more for over a decade.
Challenge three. Your professional background as a psychologist is an untapped marketing asset.
You spent thirty‑seven years studying the mind. You understand fear, desire, trauma, and attachment. That credibility could set your vampire romance apart from hundreds of others. But your Amazon page mentions it in passing, and you do not use it in your description or marketing.
The Three Solutions to Let Nessa and Frank Rise from the Darkness
Solution one. Revise your author bio and remove the broken promise.
Replace the outdated bio with:
Neil Benson retired after thirty‑seven years as a psychologist in mental health to become a full‑time writer. His understanding of fear, trauma, and resilience informs every page of his dark fiction. He is the author of the vampire novel Unholy Embrace and the short story collection Dark Journeys. He lives in [location] and is currently working on a new project.
Do not mention Wizard under Fire unless you are actually going to publish it. A broken promise damages trust.
Solution two. Publish a sequel, a novella, or a short story collection featuring Nessa and Frank.
Even a 50‑page e‑book priced at $0.99 would give readers a next step. Call it Unholy Reckoning or Nessa’s Vengeance. Create a pre‑order page. Add back matter to Unholy Embrace that says:
Nessa and Frank story is not over. Their greatest enemy has returned. Pre‑order the next chapter now.
If you are not planning to write more, be honest. At least bundle Dark Journeys with Unholy Embrace as a box set.
Solution three. Generate 20 new reviews by activating your network and leveraging your psychologist background.
You have colleagues, former patients (ethically), fellow writers, members of psychology and horror communities. Reach out to them. Offer free Kindle copies of Unholy Embrace in exchange for honest reviews. Post in vampire fiction groups on Facebook and Reddit. Lead with your unique angle: A psychologist writes vampire romance. The alpha female you have been waiting for, grounded in real emotional depth. A 4.7 star rating with 8 reviews is a hidden gem. A 4.7 with 30 reviews is a trusted recommendation.
Here Is the Truth
You spent nearly four decades helping people understand their own minds. You retired and wrote a vampire novel that readers call exciting, action‑packed, and romantic. You have a 4.7 star rating. You have a credential that no other vampire author can claim.
But your book has eight reviews. Your author bio promises a sequel that never came. Your rank is 5.8 million. The reader who would love a powerful, centuries‑old vampire woman and the mortal man who stands beside her cannot find you.
You are a psychologist. You know that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Your readers have been waiting for more. Either write the sequel or rebrand Unholy Embrace as a standalone with a satisfying conclusion. Update your bio. Generate new reviews. Let Nessa and Frank find their second life.
If you would like to talk about how to make that happen, reply with interested, and I will send you a proposal within 24 hours.
With respect and a belief that every alpha female deserves her moment,
Stella Carter
Thank you for your comments, but as Neil Benson no longer publishes with NTD, he won’t see your message. I can give you his Facebook address, but he hasn’t posted since 2021. I’ll remove the post about his book for now. Here’s his Facebook address: https://www.facebook.com/p/Neil-Benson-Author-100046244889917/ I apologize for the confusion. Barbara