Exclusive Interview with Alyxandra Harvey

Thanks to the awesomeness that is Twitter, I landed an interview with Alyxandra Harvey, author of the Drake Chronicles. This incredible novelist “loves medieval dresses, used to be able to recite all of ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Tennyson, and has been accused, more than once, of being born in the wrong century. She believes this to be mostly true except for the fact that she really likes running water, women’s rights, and ice cream.”

Check out the interview:

Can you tell us about The Drake Chronicles?

The Drake Chronicles follows a vampire family, focusing mostly on the only daughter Solange Drake and her human best friend Lucy. Book 1 “Hearts at Stake” is a vampire retelling of the Snow White story… but with 7 yummy vampires brothers instead of dwarves. There’s a prophecy, vampire hunters, corsets, snark, cool weaponry, and long forbidden kisses.

What got you interested in writing about vampires?
Between Tanya Huff’s Blood Price books and then Buffy, I was hooked. I enjoy the historical aspects and the folklore the most.

Here’s a question I ask all authors I interview: I’ve noticed that most of the authors I follow on Twitter talk about the music they’re currently writing to. What kind of setting/atmosphere do you find most conducive to your writing?
I have a musical soundtrack for the Drake Chronicles but I’ve used it mostly only for Book 5 which I’m working on now. I generally like quiet when I write or music without lyrics. The soundtracks are mostly for the inspirational parts of the writing process.

There’s usually a cup of tea or coffee in there somewhere as well. I love the idea of writing in cafes and out in the garden but I’ve yet to find a laptop that doesn’t require contortions and whose battery lasts more than 2 hours!

How would you describe yourself in three words?
snarky, poetic, bookworm

Who’s your favorite fictitious vampire (other than your own)?
I have a soft spot for Tanya Huff’s Henry Fitzroy from the Blood Price series. TV vampires: Spike from Buffy and Mick St. John from Moonlight

What is your favorite vampire book/movie/show?
Buffy, hands down!

Women seem to feel specially attracted to vampires, why do you think that is?
Before the Romantic poets in the early 1800’s vampires were, frankly, gross. They were scary and gooey and smelled bad.

After the Romantics (not only them but they certainly started the ball rolling!) vampires were still scary…but they were seductive too. Handsome and aristocratic and sardonic.

I think women were particularly drawn to them in the 19th century because of the repressed society and women’s lack of any real power, political or personal. The vampire is the other, so far outside society that new rules apply. There’s a real seduction to that when you don’t like the current rules.

And frankly, vampires have been out and about kissing and flirting for centuries…I imagine after all that practice , they must be really good at it.

If you could ask an ancient vampire one question, what would it be?

If they were ancient, I would have a hundred questions about historical details….what people really ate, did they smell as bad as people assume, did he/she meet Robin Hood or Jane Austen, was the library at Alexandria as amazing as it sounds? I would be very annoying.

And finally, what other projects are you currently working on? Anything we should watch out for?
Book 3 of the Drake Chronicles “Out for Blood” is out this November (UK) and December (North America) followed by Haunting Violet in Spring 2011 (Victorian ghost YA).

And I have an essay in this fall’s BenBella Smart Pop anthology “A Visitor’s Guide to Mystic Falls”.

You can internet stalk Alyx here:
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook

– Moonlight

By Moonlight

Moonlight (aka Amanda) loves to write about, read about and learn about everything pertaining to vampires. You will most likely find her huddled over a book of vampire folklore with coffee in hand. Touch her coffee and she may bite you (and not in the fun way).

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