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Welcome to Independent Paranormal! To start with, tell us a bit about the inspiration for Vampires Rule.
My books always start with questions that pop into my head. The question that led to VAMPIRES RULE was this: What would happen if a vampire became mortal again? I wondered if he could start over with his family. Would he even want to? Would his brother accept him, welcome him home, or would there always be tension between them? And what would happen if Jack (my vampire) became friends with the antagonist in the story before realizing he was dealing with the bad guy?
There were a lot more questions that popped into my head concerning this story, but you get the drift.
I was twelve and just finished watching a movie. I can’t remember the name, but I do remember that my favorite character died at the end. It upset me so much that I picked up a pencil and grabbed several sheets of blank paper. Then I rewrote the ending. From there I went on to writing short stories and eventually novels.
High-five! I thought I was the only child that did that! *ahem* So, moving on, what are your writing patterns like? Do you set aside a large chunk of the day for writing or is it more spaced out?
I have a full-time job, so I write when I can. Sometimes I get up a couple hours before I need to and write then. Sometimes I stay up extremely late and write until I can’t keep my eyes open. But even when I’m not writing, I’m thinking about it. I carry a notebook around so I can jot down ideas. When I listen to music, sometimes I can hear my characters talking, and sometimes it leads to an entire scene in the book. I even dream about my characters on occasion.
Good question. I hadn’t actually thought about it, but I guess I would like Jack if I met him in person. As long as it was post-vampire and he didn't want to bite me. He’s basically a good guy. The thing I love most about Jack is how he’ll jump in there and risk his life because someone needs help and he’s the only one around. I definitely would be friends with Silver, the werewolf hunter. She’s strong, smart, and stands up for what she believes. Although, I think we’d probably butt heads over a lot of issues.
I also like Jack’s brother Billy and how he constantly grabs for a stake because he’s afraid Jack is turning back into a vampire.
I hate to say it, but I like the bad guy too. He’s charismatic, charming, and fun. While I love Jack’s dry sense of humor, he’s got nothing on Jersey Clifford. It’s easy to see why the two of them are drawn into such a tight friendship.
Sounds like the book is full of all kinds of intriguing individuals! To focus on books in general: ebook or paperback and why?
VAMPIRES RULE is an ebook but will probably be available in print at Amazon at some point. From a writer’s perspective, I never thought I’d publish an ebook because I always loved holding books in my hands, but then the Kindle came along. Now I love ebooks. I don’t know what I would do without my Kindle. It’s just so convenient and you can even read it outside without getting a huge glare on the screen.
Do you read the same kinds of books you write? If there are any differences between the two, what are they?
Yes, I do. I fell in love with YA when I was a teenager. Although I’ve sampled other genres, Paranormal is where it’s at for me. I love Urban Fantasy, the way writers weave dark creatures into everyday life is pretty cool.
My favorite books at the moment are the Mortal Instrument series, Vampire Diaries, and I have to give a shout-out to Twilight, the book that drew so many young people to the world of fantasy.
So, tell us what you think is alluring about Vampires Rule? Why should someone pick it up?
Humans become vampires, but vampires don't become mortal again... until now.
They don't call him Jackpot for nothing.
Seventeen-year-old Jack always beats the odds... at least until now. When a werewolf tried to kill him ten years ago, vampires saved his life. At first he was grateful. Then he realized he couldn't go home to his brother, couldn't return to his old life. Humans can become vampires; vampires can't become mortal again, but somehow Jack gets lucky. Like a cat, he always lands on his feet. He wakes up one morning without fangs, and the sunlight doesn't set him on fire. This is it, his dream, only it's real this time. What could possibly go wrong?
Enter a pretty hunter with dark secrets, a brother who wants to stake him just to be on the safe side, and a psychotic werewolf. Now we have a party.
VAMPIRES RULE is action-packed with a touch of romance and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat.
Sounds like a party to me! Do you find music inspirational when writing? If so, what kind of music inspired Vampires Rule?
I like to listen to different music for different scenes. When I write a tender scene between two people in love, I listen to something romantic. When I write a fighting scene, I listen to Heavy Metal. So I listened to a variety of songs while writing VAMPIRES RULE.
One song was ‘Love Bites’ by Def Leperd.
So, you cater to whatever scene you're writing. That's a good idea. What is your greatest marketing tip for any struggling authors out there?
Develop a web presence early on. I wish I’d started years ago. Spend time on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Also, get your book reviewed by as many Bloggers as you can. They have Followers and those Followers might become your readers someday.
If you can tell us, what is it you're working on now?
I am working on a new series that I call Witch-Game books. The first is CRUSHED. It is about three sisters, witches, who like to play a game at school each year called CRUSHED. They each blow a handful of magical dust into a boy’s face and give him orders to do things for them. If the boy complies, the witch’s power gets stronger. At the end of the year, the girls call back their spells to see who has the strongest one and that girl wins.
This year, their senior year, Kristen Noah picks on the wrong boy. She blows the dust into the face of Titan High’s number one bad boy, Zach Bevian. It doesn’t take Kristen long to figure out she’s made a huge mistake. Zach does what she orders him to do, sometimes, but there is a flash of resentment in his eyes. Also, he starts asking personal questions as he tries to get to know her. Then he asks her out on a date... which is unheard of. He should be walking around with a goofy smile on his face. Something is definitely wrong.
There are only three kinds of people who can withstand the spell she put on him: vampires, witches, and people already under a spell. Now which one is Zach?
After VAMPIRES RULE, I will be releasing WEREWOLVES RULE and MORTALS RULE to finish out the series. Then CRUSHED will be next, hopefully by the end of this year.
Wow! Looks like you've got a full writing schedule for a while! And finally, everyone is so gaga over the idea of vampires vs werewolves. What two supernatural beings do you want to see do battle?
Ghosts and ninjas. :)
Astounding answer; I love it! Anyway, thank you for dropping by, and I wish you the best of luck! And if you, dear reader, are looking to buy Vampires Rule, here is where you can:
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54214
This sounds like an interesting story with a unique vampire lore premise. I'll have to check it out.
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