Have you met Faith Marlow? She is SUPER talented and just re-released her book Being Mrs. Dracula which is in a genre that's near and dear to my heart any and all things vampire!
She stopped by for a candid (and really fun!) interview!
Tell us a little about yourself?
I have enjoyed
writing since I was a child, but I did not pursue it seriously until about seven
years ago when I first attempted to write a novel. That story has yet to see
the light of day, but my second novel did. Being Mrs. Dracula is when I started
to take my writing more seriously. I self published it for about a year and
just a few months ago I was blessed to become a member of the Crushing Hearts
and Black Butterfly Publishing family.
Tell us a little about your books?
My books and stories seem to all (at least
so far) have some sort of paranormal connection or twist in them. I love the
idea of taking things that are well know or that we comfortable with, like the
story of Dracula, and making it my own. I like taking common experiences and
making them uncommon.
So
what sparked your interest in vampires?
I have always liked vampire, except for
when I was a little girl and I was afraid of them. The fear turned into
interest. I love that vampires are the “all purpose” monster. They can be
beautiful and sexy or monstrous and animalistic depending on the needs of the
story. I love that more the human looking vampires have a mystery beneath the
surface, something that makes them irresistible to humans, and even the
monsters spurn curiosity. They were humans once, after all.
Do you believe there are real vampires in the world?
I do not believe there are
vampires in the world as presented in my book, immortal, shape shifting,
creatures. I believe there are individuals who consider themselves to be
vampires. I know there are very ordinary, yet very toxic people who can suck
the life out of you if you let them. Holy water and crucifixes have no effect
on them unfortunately.
Where
did you get such a fabulous working knowledge of vampires?
I have read several
books, and spent hours of research time online. I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula
and then re-read portions of it multiple times, examining the rules he set
forth, how he thought the creatures should behave, their weaknesses and
strengths. I did not want to write a sequel to Dracula, but I did want my book
to live within that world as accurately as possible.
How do you feel about the different takes on vampires like The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, and True Blood?
Like everyone, I like some these vampires more than
others. I read the Twilight novels and watched two of the movies and I have
watched some True Blood. The Vampire Diaries never caught my eye, so I never
started watching it or read it. I like that there is a vampire for every taste,
but I have to worry about the market getting oversaturated right when my books
are hitting the market.
Which one is the closest to your vampires?
Since I have no knowledge of The
Vampire Diaries, I can only compare them to Twilight and True Blood. Between
the two, I think my vampires would have to be more like the vampires of True
Blood. I have no YA aspect to my story, no teenage angst, no worrisome parents.
My characters are very much adults and experience more adult issues. The love
scenes in my book, while they are not as steamy as erotica, are certainly not
YA material like those described in Twilight.
What inspires you?
Anything and everything can
be an inspiration. Tales of the historic Vlad III (Vlad the impaler), his
marriages, and the battles he fought inspired several scenes in Being Mrs.
Dracula. Of course Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the multitude of Dracula inspired
films that have came afterward were also very influential. I also love taking
ordinary people and situations and making them scary or paranormal. I think
that is very unnerving, to take something comfortable and make it disturbing.
If you could sit down with 3 people (living or
dead) for a conversation who would they be and why?
Just three? I would love to
talk to Bram Stoker. Dracula was not well received during his lifetime. I think
he should know that his book changed history, that we look at vampires
differently because of his work. I think he deserves to know his book was a success.
The second person I would like to meet would probably be the first wife of Vlad
III, the inspiration for Valeria. Her name has been forgotten by history. As the
wife of one of the most famous individuals in history, I think it is a shame
her name was lost. I would like to ask her to tell mer her name and about her
life. The third and most importantly would be my Mother, Anna. She passed away
ten years ago and never knew about this book. I wish she could see it and see
what a great young man her grandson is becoming.
What
would you tell your 12 year old self if you could go back in time to speak
to yourself?
I would tell myself to write more, as much as possible. I would
tell myself to exercise more, to make it important before my thirties. I think
I would leave the rest alone. I have been fortunate in my life to be happy,
surrounded by people that love me, married to a wonderful man and we have a
great son. I would not change a thing!
Do you need special conditions to write?
I have to be at my computer, with my
music, and a cup of coffee, everything else is negotiable.
Are
you a typer or a longhand writer?
I am certainly a typer when I work, but I
make a lot of longhand notes.
Favorite
color?
My favorite color to wear is black, even my car is black. I love blue
and green too, earthy colors.
Favorite
Holiday?
Halloween but Christmas is a close second. But you get to dress up on
Halloween and it has lots of scary movies, so it is the winner. I am not a big
fan of the bittersweet style of most Christmas movies but Christmas has better
food.
Favorite
Drink?
Coffee
Is
your Christmas tree up?
Yes. When I was a kid, my Mom always put our tree up
before my birthday, so I usually do, too. This year we have two little trees instead
of one big tree.
Favorite
tradition?
We always have chocolate cream pie for Christmas at dessert, only
time I make them because they are too good to have around all the time!
Favorite
food?
Chinese food, especially Chicken Teriyaki.
Favorite
writing snack?
Coffee, with or without the snack. One of my favorites is a late
night run for cappuccino and banana nut muffins.
Do you
write in a specific color?
I always type in black font, but I highlight things
in multiple colors.
Favorite vacation spot?
We love to hike, so
camping is a favorite thing for us. I love hiking a new trail and then spending
the night by the campfire. We went to the beach last year and cannot wait to
get back.
What would your dream car be?
We just got a new car last year and it was the
exact car I wanted. It may not be a dream car for some but I would not trade it
for anything, a black Toyota Yaris, two door hatchback. I call it my little
spaceship.
Where do you see yourself in 10 yrs?
I see
myself living someplace warm, because I am getting tired of cold weather. I see
myself still writing, because I cannot imagine ever not wanting to. I see
myself looking back at the Being Mrs. Dracula series with pride, knowing I have
told the best story I could tell.
What is your favorite song?
11 am (Daydreamer)
by 10 Years
Favorite
music artist?
I have so many. I love 10 Years, Florence + The Machine,
OneRepublic, Coldplay, but when it is time to write it always go back to Sigur
Ros. Takk is my favorite album and I have probably listened to it over a
thousand times by now.
Favorite
holiday song?
I love Blue Christmas by Elvis but I also like Ave Maria, and instrumentals
like Carol of the Bells.
Check out Being Mrs. Dracula:
Here's her official book Trailer:
http://youtu.be/mYuQMwub8A0
Synopsis:
When Valeria’s hand was given in marriage to the handsome and powerful Count Vlad Dracula, she dreamed of happiness but instead her life was filled with longing for her absent husband, their country ravaged by war. When Vlad at last returned from the battlefield he was a changed man, an alluring and dangerous creature with a thirst for her blood…and for more wives.
For over one hundred years, tales of Count Dracula have haunted and seduced the imagination of readers worldwide. Now experience the story of Dracula from a new perspective, as told by the three women who knew him best. Discover their stories, their secrets, and find out what it would be to love and be loved by history’s most powerful vampire in Being Mrs. Dracula.
In a marriage that spans centuries, one man shared between three women, love may be eternal but happiness is not guaranteed.
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