I change from minute to minute, but lately I’ve been stuck
on Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream as my favorite food group, that’s just
until the Girl Scout Cookies arrive. I collect vintage jewelry and I have amassed
enough shoes to make Imelda Marcos proud. I love art fairs, flea markets, and
resale bookstores. I have an artist’s temperament, I believe in true love, and
that no one has to be a victim of his or her circumstances.
How did you decide to enter the world of writing?
I won a writing contest in grade school and I’ve been
writing ever since. About seven years ago, I started writing a novel, but I
never finished it, it’s under my bed collecting dust bunnies. My second book
was Binding Arbitration and before I published it I won a writing contest with
it, so I figured it was ready for the masses.
What does your family think of your writing?
Ceasel the Nosferatu Prince |
They are all very excited about my work and supportive.
Although, I’m sure they all think I work too many hours and I do, but that’s
what an author has to do to get their work in the hands of readers.
Where do you get your ideas?
From everywhere and everything I see, so movies, books, and
research. For the Red Veil Series when I started researching vampires, there
were so many different imaginings of what vampires could be and I’m not talking
about the sparkly kind, but the scary kind. When you come across images like
the Nosferatu, which are very demon like, they leave an impression. I knew I
wanted to do some world building and have several clans of vampires knowing
that there would be a power struggle inherently between them.
Can you tell us a little about your book?
There are two titles in the Red Veil Series, the first,
Descent of Blood, is about how the seven Clans of Cain were united under the
House of Imperials by a very powerful vampire during the War of the Roses. The
second book, Ascent of Blood, is set in 1990 and tells the story of the progeny
of the first book meet with new challenges in the modern world. Not only is there
a continuing power struggle among the houses, but also there’s a battle brewing
between modern science to recreate life and legend and myth. Each title has a
smoking hot, determined, and ruthless vampire who is used to having things go
his way, until they fall under the power of the red veil, which is all
consuming attraction. Unfortunately, both father and son fall for fragile
humans, but humans have a way of being resourceful and of shaking up family
trees.
What’s your writing process?
I usually come up with an idea or concept and I write a few
scenes off that. Then I create a rough outline/timeline of events and scenes
that have to happen. During this process I form a concrete idea of how the
climax will occur. Then I go back and develop the scenes that follow the
outline. Then I flush out the scenes by writing them, do research along the way
and start to fill in the fine details. Finally, as I edit I make sure I don’t
have any gaps or inconsistencies in the story. Then I send it to my editor and
find some beta readers.
What was the hardest part when you were writing your book?
Finding the time to actually write. Promoting, advertising
and all the marketing we have to do to get our product in front of readers
takes enormous chunks of time and energy, sometimes its easy to get sidetracked
and forget to actually write.
What influenced or inspired you to write?
My mother was an exceptional writer in spite of the fact
that she never published anything. She instilled in me a deep and abiding love
for books and storytelling.
Was there a scene that you didn’t add or removed in your
finished work?
Not in either Descent of Blood or Ascent of Blood, but I
learned while writing Binding Arbitration sometimes you as the author need to
know certain things, but just because you need to flesh that information out,
it doesn’t mean you need to write it out. Sometime you’re the only one who
needs to know certain information, not your audience or other characters.
Do you have a favorite character from the book?
Charlie Hannum as Cain |
I think I’d have to go with Cain; he appears in both Descent
of Blood and Ascent of Blood. Cain is a very old vampire and we don’t exactly
who he really is or how long he’s been around. He’s very mysterious but
trustworthy, stern but funny, sexy but aloof. We are only given hints about
what he knows and who he really is. He is charming, determined, and very
matter-of-fact.
Do you already know what to write next? Can you tell us?
I’m working on a New Adult title: Stained. Scarlett is a
Yankee girl who has strong southern roots that she has to face in order to
uncover the truth about who she really is while trying to avoid falling in
love.
Where can we find out more about you and your books?
Also, both of my series are on sale right now!
Thanks so much for having me,
Elizabeth Marx
Thank you Elizabeth it has been a pleasure.
P.T.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for featuring me on your blog. It was a fun interview and looking forward to getting to know you better!
E