What
inspired you to become an author?
I began writing
poetry at a very young age and through that realized I was a writer. I didn’t know what kind of a writer I would
become. I just knew that I was meant to
write. Even the other students in my
classes would ask me to help them with their stories and poems. There was just something about me that
screamed “scribe”. I was also the main lyricist in almost every
band I was in. I even tried to write my
first novel before I was twenty, but failed miserably at it. In college, I took all the creative writing
classes, playwriting and screenplay writing class, journalism, and essay
workshops that I could take because I had this overwhelming sense and drive
that I was “meant” to be a “writer”…but I still didn’t know what kind of a writer
I would become. It took over twenty
years to learn how to write fiction-based novels. And to get there I bobbed and weaved,
collided, created pathways of interest, destroyed self-imposed and social
fences, murdered my dogma, dealt with karma, dreamed; swallowed enough
self-help and motivational crap to pee Chicken Soup for the Soul, and then
finally gave up to find it all over again.
Once I went through all that mess I started working on nonfiction. Because, honestly, I still don’t know what
kind of a writer I am.
So, you write in different genres?
Yes. At the moment, Fiction and Nonfiction.
Which is your favorite genre to write?
I guess I prefer
fiction because I can be any character and go anywhere in time and space. But writing nonfiction is freeing in a way,
as I don’t have that epic responsibility of being a creative-parent. I just
have to double check my facts and make sure my grammar is spot on.
How
did you come up with the title for your latest book?
When Bertena and I
had decided to produce another volume of Vampire News, and it was obvious that
2012 was going to be our landscape, it just kind of found me. I mean, leading up to, and all throughout,
2012, people were talking about how it was the end of days. Not only was there references to the Mayan
calendar, but fingers were being pointed at asteroids, a plague, mad cow, bird
flew, nuclear annihilation, and the zombie apocalypse. I’m simply too sarcastic to not poke fun at
the fact that we are all still her and doomsayers had to eat crow. So, Vampire
News: The (not so) End Times Edition! was born.
Do
you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?
It’s different for
each book. The energy surrounding each
individual concept is as unique to itself as the story. For Blood
Junky, once I realized the main poetic thrust of the tale, it was
obvious. Love in Vein was originally entitled Bite Me Really Hard. But I knew that was a working title. It was only when I began transposing the
screenplay into fiction that I begin looking for another name. And by this time, I had a complete idea as to
what the vampire mechanics were and how I was going to tell each story within
the pantheon. So, I needed to title it in such a way that its sequel, book
three, could be fitted with a similar name.
So, I went hunting. And yeah, I
know Poppy Z. Brite has two erotic vampire collections under Love in Vein, you
can Google it and they’ll come up before my book, but I honestly did not recall
that at the time. It literally took me 2
months of drafting concepts into my journal, talking with friends about
potential monikers, and making extensive and fairly detailed logos in Photoshop
before I found the title that worked.
And that only came about once I had decided that the third book would be
called, Blood in Vein. Ironically, Love in Vein had been on my list
all along, but had not jumped out until the moment when BIV became viable.
Then, I did the dreaded Internet search and
Poppy’s books popped up. But as my
complete titles are Däm’Um: Song of the Vam Pŷr’s Blood Junky and Däm’Um: Song
of the Vam Pŷr’s Love in Vein it was cleared through legal. Däm’Um in the Omjadda language literally
means One Blood. Hence, the whole series
being called the One Blood Series.
There is a part of
me that hates that there is pre-existing reference, but it is absolutely
perfect for what the story is and how it moves into Blood in Vein. For those that have read the book, they know
Lin’s sacrifice and how it was motivated selflessly through love. At the time, I looked for a different title,
but the thing is what the thing is.
Eventually, I had to succumb to that simple truth.
For Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge
I had the first half with the initial concept and added the later half while
writing it. I wanted to craft a way to
promote the book within its title, and “A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge” does
just that. For the first volume of Vampire News, Bertena had the title and
the main concept. She just gave me the
license to go for it, and I did.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I think so. Moralistic and ethical ideas tend to crop up
in my consciousness only after I’ve written and edited a piece and it’s about
to be published. It’s a kind of an “ah
huh” moment. I know the main thrust of
the first story arc of the One Blood series is that murder is wrong. But each individual book also has other
messages that crop up, as well as sub-themes.
I don’t want to add any spoilers for those who will read ‘em. But they’re there. Jamie Lund’s decision at the end of Dead Girl
can transport a message through her actions, but it’s not preachy. I hate preachy. And I like to think that Vampire News, by its
sheer existence and collection of both real and nonreal vampiric events, art,
and people helps to illustrate just how wide and wonderful, how eclectic, our
world actually is.
Is
the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone
you know, or events in your own life?
Vampire News is
nonfiction, so it’s all real events. The
One Blood series is incredibly cathartic for me and takes much of the most
devastating and fearful parts of my life and expels them in poetic and dramatic
ways. But I won’t get into any
details. The fiction is much better than
my boring life, and should speak for itself.
What
books/authors have influenced your life?
Frank Herbert’s God Emperor of Dune and the entire
series helped to form the backbone of crafting a realistic and unified
vision. Oscar Wilde’s The Portrait of Dorian Gray is the
poetic genius that I strive to reach with every keystroke. Patrick Suskind’s Perfume collects the essence of the emotional core of what I long
to write. And believe it or not, The Destroyer series encapsulates the
yummy popcorn goodness of creating an entertaining read.
What
book are you reading now?
I’m editing Havoc: Infection by Robert Kiser for
release through Crazy Duck Press later this year, or early next. After that, I have a Bruce Campbell biography
that I’ve been eyeing.
What
is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects?
I’m working on book three of the One Blood Series, Blood In Vein, and adapting Dead Girl into a full fledged comic book. I have a few new photos I’m working on and making fangs and zombie teeth through Kaos Kustom Fangs.
Who
designed the cover of your latest book?
I did. I’m lucky that as a freelance graphic
designer and photographer that I can create my own artwork. I did a photo shoot with model Vanessa
Alexander, whom I had met through her submission into Vampire News: Tasty Bits To Sink Your Fangs Into! It just so happened that the pictures that we
took during that July shoot worked out for the cover image. I like how Vanessa’s presence on the cover of
book two ties into book one. I’m just
geeky like that.
Do
you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this
book?
Ha. Ha. I rock out
when I am putting together nonfiction work, like Vampire News – Drowning Pool, Tool, Tenacious D, The
Runaways, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Primus, PIL
(Public Image Limited), Megadeth, Violent Femmes, Soul Coughing, Iron &
Wine, Fefe Dobson, Stone Temple Pilots, Infectious Grooves, Kiss, Korn, Beastie
Boys, Lone Justice, and an assortment of
Afro-Cuban jams that I’ve downloaded.
But I can’t listen
to any music at all when I write fiction.
Though despite that, the One Blood Series is rife with music throughout. It’s an integral part of telling the story. There is always a reference to a song
somewhere. So I encourage people to
choose their own playlists. Music is our
only universal language. I have a
section on my blog, www.bitemereallyhard.com,
where I Go Beyond the Book, giving details into the music mentioned throughout
the series.
Thanks, Roxanne,
for letting me enter your Realm!
Fang-tastic Books
June 12 Spotlight
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
June 20 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm
June 21 Interview
Pembroke Sinclair.
June 28 Guest blog
Fae Books
Friday June 28/Saturday June 29
Live Interview
Bewitching Book Tours Radio
12 midnight EST Saturday morning, Friday night Central time 11 pm,
Mountain time 10pm, west coast Pacific time 9pm,
Alaska time 8pm
July 8 Interview
Immortality and Beyond –
July 10 Spotlight and review
penny For Them....
July 18 Guest blog
Share My Destiny
July 22 Spotlight Book One
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
July 23 Spotlight Book Two
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
July 24 Spotlight and review
Faerie Tale Books
July 26 Guest blog and review
Escape Into A Book
Vampire News: Tasty Bits To Sink Your Fangs Into!
Vampire News Book One
Vampire News Book One
Stavros & Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed
Genre: Nonfiction Vampires
Publisher: Crazy Duck Press (CDP)
Date of Publication: April 2012
ISBN: 9780982812143
Number of pages: 100
Cover Artist: Stavros
Vampire News Trailer:
Vampire News: The (not so) End Times Edition
Vampire News Book Two
Vampire News Book Two
Stavros & Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed
Genre: Nonfiction Vampires
Publisher: Crazy Duck Press (CDP)
Date of Publication: Kindle - March 2013 Print – April 2013
ISBN: 9780982812150
Number of pages: 188
Cover Artist: Stavros
Vampire News Book Description:
Collected & Edited by Stavros & Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed
Vampire News is a nonfiction annual anthology that collects all the tasty happenings in vampiredom. Straddling both the real and unreal realms of this most famous and hidden culture, Vampire News is the only anthology of its kind. Now with the release of Vampire News: The (not so) End Times Edition, this second installment of The Vampire News Network's annual anthology delivers even more undead goodness with just a twist of apocalyptic Mayan humor! So, whether you love the romantic, dangerous, or traditional vampires, whether you prefer a good book or to wait up late at night to catch the noir classics; or whether you stand anxiously in movie lines, blog, or are a member of a daring vampire community, drink blood, psychically feed, or support famous and up-n-coming authors, get vamp tattoos, make fangs, bite people, go to Cons, or are waiting in the wings of some dark dream, then Vampire News is for You!
With more articles, interviews, essays, and the largest Vampire Timeline ever compiled by man, Vampire Professor, Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed, and acclaimed author, artist, and fangsmith, Stavros, have established themselves with a truly delightful tome for vampyre/vampire fans of all ages! Researched thoroughly with love and dedication, Vampire News features some of the most insightful facts, tips, blips, quips, notes, essays, articles, interviews, art, news reports, weblinks, and radical thoughts from many of today’s leading authors, professors, fangsmiths, enthusiasts, musicians, models, photographers, and fun-loving nuts working within the vampire genre today!
Vampire News gives readers a unique look at what lies behind the biggest social subgenre of all time. It exposes the hype and uncovers the real-life world that awaits you just around the corner. So, enter and step into a world that you may think you know from the people that craft the stuff of nightmares and walk the twilight glade between this world and the stuff of dreams! We dare you!!!
About the Author- Stavros:
In 1999, he won an Official Selection into the Writer’s on the Edge Festival for his play, The Redline. In 2001, he created the Poetry Television Project for public cable access in Albuquerque, NM. All eight volumes of Ptv’s ground-breaking show were broadcast to over 100,000 viewers on a network of regional PAC channels throughout the Southwest and Baltimore. He helped to launch Unpublished Magazine, sponsored the monthly poetry series, The Word Café, in the Duke city, and produced a political compilation, Poetic Democracy. In 2007, he released the award-winning documentary film, Committing Poetry in Times of War.
In 2010, he launched the production management company, Organic Ghetto, and released its first imprint, Crazy Duck Press, with his first novel, Blood Junky. Blood Junky received exceptional praise and review, even being called "one of the best vampire novels ever written," by Living Dead Media. The following year he helped to launch BioGamer Girl, undertook a bigger East coast tour where he began selling his original photographic art, and released two new novels through Crazy Duck Press. Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge features a stunning full-color cover and twelve black and white illustrations from tattoo artist, Charles Hearn. Blood Junky’s sequel, Love in Vein, cemented the One Blood series with its continuation of the story, garnering such review as to claim that the book and the series is "comparable with, and at times surpasses, the 'Vampire Chronicles' by Anne Rice."
In 2012, Stavros joined forces with the Vampire Professor, Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed, to co-create the nonfiction annual anthology, Vampire News, and officially became a Fangsmith with the creation of Organic Ghetto's second imprint, Kaos Kustom Fangs. He rounded out the year by writing and editing screenplays for the One Blood Transmedia Project, recording Dead Girl as an audio book, and undertaking his biggest national marketing campaign, The Book & Fang Tour.
In 2013, he and the Vampire Professor released the second volume of Vampire News: The (not so) End Times Edition and is currently working on writing and growing his imprints. Stavros is also a musician who has scored commercials, film shorts, documentaries, and television programs.
Stavros FB Page:
Author Blog:
Kaos Kustom Fangs:
Vampire News CDP Page:
Vampire News FB Page:
CDP eShop:
CDP Twitter:
Stavros Twitter
2 comments:
Thanks, Roxanne.
thanks for the great giveaway
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