Vampires » interview

Contest and Exclusive Interview with Seth Grahame-Smith!

Moonlight — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:00:53 +0000

I recently had the honor of interviewing Seth Grahame-Smith, the author of the bestselling novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Seth has a kickass vampire book coming out (which I wrote about here) titled Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Not only do you get a short interview but we’re also having a contest, if you want to enter in to win a copy of the new book check out the details at the bottom.

1. Why Abraham Lincoln? Why vampires?

A couple of years ago, it seemed like every new book that came out was either a Lincoln biography or a steamy vampire romance. It was one of those “hey, what if I put chocolate and peanut butter TOGETHER!?” moments. The idea of Honest Abe swinging his ax at vampires began as a fleeting little thought in a bookstore. But it was an idea that wouldn’t go away. The more I researched Lincoln’s actual life (and it was an unbelievably tragic, epic life), the more I saw opportunities to weave in the walking dead.

2. Who would win in a fight? A zombie, a vampire or a werewolf?

Well, you have to take zombies right out of the equation – right off the bat. I mean, they’re terrible fighters. Vampires have the edge in terms of intelligence (especially if they’ve been around a few centuries), and they’re extremely hard to kill since they’re technically already dead. Werewolves, on the other hand, probably have the edge in terms of sheer strength, but they’re blinded by rage (i.e. rabies). It’d be a close fight, for sure – but I’m going to go with vampire. They’re just cooler.

3. What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it?

Truman by David McCullough, and yes.

4. Via Twitter I have learned that a most authors have certain music that they write to. Do you listen to music while writing, and if so what music?

I mix it up, but yes – I almost always write with headphones on and music blaring. Some of the staples over the last year or so: Thomas Newman scores, James Newton Howard scores, Jerry Goldsmith scores, Ulrich Schnauss, Air, Boards of Canada, I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness, My Bloody Valentine, Jonny Greenwood, Nine Inch Nails, and so on.

THE CONTEST: It’s pretty simple, all you have to do is send us an e-mail at contest@darkness.com with the title “ABE LINCOLN CONTEST” and tell us why you want the book. See how easy that is? The contest ends February 28, 2010 so submit your entries soon!
5 winners will be picked at the beginning of March.
Winner must be in the US and must have a non PO – Shipping address

- Moonlight

Transylmania Interview

Moonlight — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:00:29 +0000

Hey readers, remember back when I did the post on Transylmania, the spoof movie that pokes fun at the current vampire craze (and is now in theaters)? No… ok, well here it is. Read it and come back. Anyway, one of the actors in the flick, Patrick Cavanaugh, recently did an interview with Cinemablend.com discussing the new hilarious movie. Check it out…

How does Transylmania compare to other spoofs?
I think some people when they hear the word ‘spoof’ they think of like Scary Movie or Epic Movie where they’re spoofing specific pop culture references or movies that are current or TV shows where as this is more of a spoof in the vain of like a Young Frankenstein where it’s kind of spoofing a genre as opposed to something very specific.

There’s actually one instance where Transylmania takes a direct jab at a current movie. Have you seen the trailer that mocks the Twilight voiceover and fonts?
Oh! Does it? I never even realized that! I don’t think it was by chance that we are releasing a couple weeks after the Twilight movie just came out. It definitely was a smart time for us to release our movie and, I mean, I think that’s why we ended up getting the extra funding to put into the theaters, to be honest, was this big craze of all the vampire TV shows and with Twilight being so astronomically huge for the movie industry right now. We definitely hit the lottery when it comes to that situation.

How do you get your vampire fix?
True Blood is my vampire fix actually. I love it. It’s so over the top and I think Alan Ball is a genius. He’s such a good writer to go from something like Six Feet Under and have such critical success with that and then transition over to something – it’s very much a soap opera with vampires, a late night sexy soap opera.

What’s your character in Transylmania like?
Well, Pete is a total stoner kid and is paired up with Wang – Paul Kim plays Wang – and they just like to get into trouble. They like to drink and get high and not go to class and just enjoy – and go explore what they think is culture which is basically drinking and getting high some more. They definitely get into some wacky situations and try to make the best of them when they do.

The characters Pete and Wang actually comes from the Dorm Daze movies, right?
Yeah, they did! Pete was a very small role in the very first Dorm Daze and then transitioned in the second one when he kind of became a pothead with Wang and Scott and David Hillenbrand liked the characters a lot and there were a couple other characters that transitioned from Dorm Daze into Transylmania. They decided to take a couple of us and spin off and do what they call a bigger movie this time and kind of make it a little more epic for us and I was sure glad I was in the mix for that because I had a blast shooting Transylmania.

For the rest of the interview go here.

And check out the trailer.

Click here to view the embedded video.

- Moonlight

‘New Moon’ Interview and Video

Moonlight — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

More Twilight news! Yes, even more. Ok, it’s not so much news as it’s just more goodies for fans. MTV recently interviewed Michael Sheen, who plays the Volturi vampire Aro in the upcoming Twilight film, New Moon. MTV also premiered the latest New Moon trailer, which shows even more of the flick. The new trailer gives us a much better look at the Volturi. But first the interview…

MTV: Michael, at MTV News, we’re obsessed with all things “Twilight,” and we recently premiered the new trailer. Have you seen it?

Michael Sheen: Yes, I did see it. I was amazed to see I was in there.

MTV: Have they shown you a cut of the film?

Sheen: No, nothing yet. I’m very excited about seeing it, as most people are — especially with my daughter, who is a big fan. I look forward to going to the premiere with her.

MTV: You must have a whole new fanbase now.

Sheen: I’m very big with the under-12s. They’re very big fans of “Frost/Nixon.”

MTV: Tell us about your character in “New Moon.”

Sheen: I play Aro. For people who aren’t fans of the books, I play one of the Volturi — somebody described it as being like the royal family of vampires, which I guess is a good description. He’s very calming on the surface, very gentle and soft on the surface. But beneath, he is a psychopathic killer. … He’s a great character, and I had a great time doing it.

MTV: When will we see Aro next?

Sheen: Well, he doesn’t appear in “Eclipse.” He appears again in “Breaking Dawn.”

MTV: Have they told you to set aside some time for that one?

Sheen: Who knows? Nothing has been spoken about yet.

MTV: We can also see some teases of a dark Dakota Fanning in the “New Moon” trailer. How is she in the film?

Sheen: She’s fantastic. She’s scary as hell, but she looks so sweet. She’s got a great character there. People are really going to love her.

MTV: You’ve worked with all kinds of actors. But is there anything quite like working with the maelstrom that is Robert Pattinson?

Sheen: [Laughs.] I don’t know how he copes with it all. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to deal with it when I was his age. He and Kristen are really amazing. They’re fully committed to what they’re doing, and I wish them all the best.

MTV: What’s the one “New Moon” scene you’re most excited to see come together?

Sheen: There’s a great scene that involves all of them. Robert, Kristen — Ashley is there as well. All the Volturi are there, and we’re on this amazing set, and there’s a lot of effects and stuff. I think that will be amazing.

There you go Twilight fans; the Aro interview, giving you even more to be excited about. And on that note, here is the third trailer for New Moon, which gives us a much more intense and awesome look at the movie…

Click here to view the embedded video.

- Moonlight

The Strain: Book One of The Strain Trilogy

Moonlight — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:38:08 +0000

Written by the genius writer of the Academy Award winning Pan’s Labyrinth and fan loved Hellboy films, Guillermo Del Toro and award winning thriller writer Chuck Hogan The Strain is everything one could want in a horror vampire novel. Gory, dark and full of evil and chaos. According to the book’s tag line…

The Strain

They have always been here. Vampires. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come.

In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country.

In two months–the world.

This isn’t your young teen’s romantic vampire novel, this is an epic story of blood, death and a horrifying battle between man and vampire.

The story starts out with Dr. Ephraim Goodweather of the Centers for Disease Control, part of the rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, investigating a plane at the JFK airport that had arrived from Germany. He finds all but four of the plane’s passengers and crew dead, drained of blood. Despite Ephraim’s efforts to keep the four survivors quarantined, they get discharged into the general population. Soon after, the corpses of the plane victims disappear. Ephraim then begins to believe the wild and crazy stories of Abraham Setrakian, an elderly pawnbroker and determines that a master vampire has arrived in the U.S. Now Eph and Abraham, with the help of others must stop the vampiric virus spreading through the city before it is too late.

The Strain mixes classic vampire mythology with new inventive ideas, giving a whole new spin to the vampire and horror genres. The Strain grabs readers by the neck and pulls them into a dark corner of suspense and thrills. A must read for fans of intense suspense thrillers and vampire horror.

Want to know more? Check out the video below featuring author Guillermo Del Toro as he speaks about his love for vampires and discusses The Strain Trilogy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

- Moonlight

Review for ‘That Which Bites’ & Exclusive Interview with Author Celis T. Rono

annimi — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:42:28 +0000

Horror-Fantasy genres, and the vampire/human romance literature craze can welcome a refreshingly new addition: That Which Bites, by Celis T. Rono. Our heroine is Julia Poe, surviving in a post-apocalyptic world where her fellow humans are few and far between, but there are vampires aplenty. Before you start assuming the worst; this is no amalgam of Harris/Hamilton/Rice fiction. Julia Poe is a scarred, serious hunter, who relies on qualities like her aim, instead of a supernatural talent for reading minds, and vampires are clearly the enemy. Novelties like justice are controlled entirely by vampires, and the few humans are cattle.

The vampires in That Which Bites are also refreshingly varied; there is the presence of various bizarre gifts, however, few are the stereotypical “vampire powers” we’ve come to expect from the genre. The lack of leather anything also speaks volumes (see interview below); the take on fashion is retro rock’n'roll, less modern club wear. Poe is emotional, but rarely cries, angry, but not overly impulsive, and furthermore, holds her own when a situation gets out of control. The book has a little something for everyone, including those addicted to vampire/human romance, but more, I cannot say, without giving away too much. Want to know more about the author, the series, the characters and concept? Read the interview with brilliant author Celis T. Rono below!

Q. Have you always had a deep interest in vampires, and the supernatural? If so, what was the catalyst?

My mom would always take us to the library when we were kids and let us choose books from the 25 cent donation bin. I found great treasures there and by age eleven, I’d discovered Bram Stoker, H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, and Clive Barker. I loved their old-fashioned, yet timely style. I know paranormal romance and urban fantasy (like my book) are the rage nowadays, but really, I miss the classics. Seeing Salem’s Lot and Christopher Lee vampire flicks gave fuel to my imagination as well.

Q. Where do you stand on the emotional spectrum with vampires; are they scary, or sexy, or an amalgamation of different emotional adjectives?

I would go with an amalgamation of adjectives. I liked what Richard Matheson did which was to de-romanticize vampires and turn them into a nightmarish hungry mess, turning away from Bram Stoker’s heady and alluring Dracula. But you can only go so far with that. I like action and well-developed characters and my vampires are evil, good, hilarious, notorious, and what have you. I wanted them to be like humans but with a bit of power.

Q. What do you think of the rising teen fascination with vampires?

It’s great to have kids reading…period. I suppose this question has something to do with Twilight and other books mainly targeting the teens. I’ve read my fair share of young adult books, including vampire books that speak to a younger audience. I pretty much like what I read except for the fact that the female characters often can’t seem to protect themselves, tripping all the time which means they have to be rescued by a vampire with a mercurial mood. A friend of mine who counsels abused women once said to me that many teen stories boil down to the Beauty and the Beast syndrome. Beast locks her up. He throws her in the dungeon. He screams in rage at her yet she wants to tame him by giving him her utmost love hoping he’d change. That’s a battered woman’s mentality, my friend said to me. Anyway, these books are harmless and they make girls fall in love with cute vamps. This makes them read. Then it’s okay, as long as they keep girl power going.

Q. What do you think of the new trend in vampire novels; the human/vampire romance?

My book is part of such a trend. I suppose it’s the new type of romance novel. Vampires have been portrayed as something sexy and enchanting since Stoker’s Dracula…then there’s Anne Rice. Now it’s paranormal romance. The trend is very popular and one of the things that makes it so is the sex. I believe Ms. Hamilton was one of the progenitors of this genre. However, I have to say that I love action and my book is full of it but there are a couple of steamy scenes…but as an aside instead of the focal point.

Q. Your book has been compared with works by Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Stephenie Meyer; did any of these authors inspire you, and what are your feelings about the comparisons?

Actually, I’ve written five books, four of which are non-vampire related. I wrote a vamp book because of a dare. My friend wanted to find out if I could do it. So I did and whatdoyouknow, it was the first one to get published. I read three LKH books in the ’90s when I was in college, but that’s about all. I read mostly American Lit (that was my major) and non-fiction books – boring, I know. I don’t know how the other authors’ books are, but my heroine is pretty much an innocent that’s thrown into a situation where she thought she was the only human alive (this was an influence of Richard Matheson in I am Legend which I think is the best vampire book ever). The violence, guns, and mayhem are taken from everything the media throws on us.

Q. The character Julia Poe is no demure, southern bar wench, and she’s definitely not a savvy detective; what was your inspiration for the edgy, possible-reincarnation-of-a-rock-goddess?

I wanted Poe to be pure even though she is surrounded by foulness. Little by little, she gets her humanity tested. She’s small but she’s tough. She’s tough but she gets hurt. Poe can definitely take care of herself and getting rescued is far from her vocabulary. I like the fact that her beauty gets marred and is not the central point of her sex appeal. That fact that she will not lie down even though she’d been beaten to death is in essence her glory. Also, I made it a point to make her vegetarian and anti-leather because I find that in most of the vamp novels out there, wearing leather is a requirement like in Anne Rice novels. She’s completely indie rock.

Q. Maybe a touchy subject, but with all the vampire fiction being pumped into the literary world, are you nervous about your novel’s reception?

Yes. I’m definitely nervous. I’m a nervous person in general! When people write me on myspace, they always ask if my style is like LKH or Kim Harrison or Anne Rice’s… I don’t believe so. I mean, you’ve read my book…do you see any comparison? As far as the reception, however, I’ve gotten all five-star ratings so far from Amazon and Barnes reader reviews. My myspace page is full of praise for my book. I guess the crazy cover gave them the wrong idea about my book but once they read it, they tell me they love it.

Q. I loved the book, so I have to ask, will there be a sequel, or a series?

There will be a sequel. I’m actually writing it now. I have my other books to work on so I’m thinking that this should be a short series, not a sixteen-parter. I think three books will be enough to do justice to the story I want to tell without taking too many drifty detours along the way.

Q. Willing to share any inside info on the next book, if there is?

Well, I can tell you that some of the book will take place in the California Central Valley. There’s going to be an interesting man by the name of James Maclemar…and the return of Trench. This will occur two years later so Poe will be more mature – and hopefully more calmer.

Q. Last question! The cover art for That Which Bites is a little rough and struck me as misleading, since the book itself was fantastic; what’s going on there, and is there any chance of a makeover?

I’ve been getting that feedback myself. I had the same feeling when the cover was presented to me. I threw in my ten cents but nobody listened. I’m hoping there will be a new cover…soon!

Vampires » interview

Contest and Exclusive Interview with Seth Grahame-Smith!

Related Reading:

Transylmania Interview

Related Reading:

‘New Moon’ Interview and Video

Related Reading:

The Strain: Book One of The Strain Trilogy

Related Reading:

Review for ‘That Which Bites’ & Exclusive Interview with Author Celis T. Rono

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