att R. Jones is the author of 'Hollywood Vampires: Unholy War' -
a gargantuan 608 page wonder professed to be 'an unorthodox take
on the familiar genre of vampire fiction, mixing action, drama,
and romance, along with a very healthy dose of humor'. I have a
copy which is next in the queue to read, so stay tuned for my own
review. Til then, you can see his book listing in the vampire library
on this site, click HERE.
illona:
What inspired you to write your first book?
Matt: Probably the biggest driving force behind creating both
Unholy War and the entire Hollywood Vampires universe was that
I was looking for livelier, less tragic-gothic vampire stories
to read and wasn't having any luck finding any. Don't get me wrong,
I love Anne Rice's stuff, particularly her earlier Vampire Chronicles
tales, and Nancy Collins is probably my favorite vampire writer,
but there's always that air of dread, tragedy, and despair hanging
over a lot of their work, as well as that of many other vampire
authors. That's fine, I dig reading it, and I know a ton of other
people do, but sometimes you want something different, you know?
I wanted to read about vampires that reveled in what they were,
loved and laughed it up, and kicked ass with no regrets.
Immortality's something mankind's been searching for since time
immemorial, and while some people definitely couldn't hack it
if they found it, there are some of us who'd simply go hog-wild
with it. I'm dead certain that not all incidents of immortality
are doomed to end in suffering. It's just like mortality, really
. . . some people can't manage 20 years without giving in to boredom
and sorrow, and there are others who can't cram all they want
to do with life into a mere 80 or so years. So instead of focusing
on the tragic breed of vampire that had troubles dealing with
the long years or lost a good chunk of their humanity because
of it, I chose to focus on the breed that thrived on their immortality
and tried to make the most out of every day they're cheating Death.
Not only that, but I'm terrible at writing gothic-style prose,
nor can I write in a gritty, incisive mode to save my ass, so
there's no way the Hollywood Vampires could ever be anything similar
to what Anne Rice or Nancy Collins can cook up, at least not while
I'm writing them. I can, however, write in a personable, comic
book sort of style, with dashes of action movie and laughing hyena
thrown in, so instead of trying to ape what other writers are
doing, I just do what comes naturally. So the Hollywood Vampires
and Unholy War were not only inspired by my own ideas of what
I wanted to see in vampire fiction, but also by my own writing
strengths and weaknesses. I'm not so hot at melodrama, but give
me an explosion to work with, and I'll run with it!
illona: Why do you think the vampire myth is so appealing?
Matt: Vampires mean different things to different people, and
I think everybody has a different answer to that particular question.
Some are lured in by the dark eroticism of vampires, others go
for the dominating power of them, while still others are entranced
by the thought of being able to walk through the halls of time
unscathed; as for me, I love the thought of the freedom that immortality
can give you if you can handle it. The idea of having fantastic
powers and not having to answer to anybody or anything is an intoxicating
one, and I find myself very strongly drawn to it. If a vampire
chooses, he or she can just pick up stakes and strike out into
the night and live like a gypsy, or otherwise settle down and
create a little empire for themselves, or maybe just sit and do
nothing but paint for a century . . . it's their choice, and nobody,
not even time itself, can stop them. It's the ultimate freedom
of choice, the ability to simply break the chains and run wild,
and practically the only limitations imposed on you are the ones
you yourself create. For me, I think it's that power without chains
that draws many people to the vampire myth.
illona: Most publishers say the vampire has been 'done to death'.
Do you think "The Vampire" as a genre is dying, does
it have any real horror left in it?
Matt: There will always be some real horror in the vampire genre,
because there's always going to be someone figuring out new ways
to scare the shit out of their readers. Once upon a time, simply
the thought of some pasty-white guy in a cape coming through your
bedroom window and chomping on your neck was scary as hell, and
today we have splatterpunk and neo-gothic vampire writers that
are coming up with some really nasty, evil ways to disturb their
readers. Anne Rice doesn't bother me with her sado-masochistic
stylings, but Nancy Collins' decadent vampire Grotto in one of
her Sonja Blue books creeped the shit out of me big-time, while
I bet for some people it's the exact opposite. Every reader, no
matter how jaded, has got at least one thing that'll horrify them,
and it's just a matter of the writers homing on those things and
getting their stories to the proper audience, at least if the
writers are looking to actually scare their readers. So yes, I
believe that the vampire genre still has a lot of real horror
left, it's just up to the writers to tap into it.
Personally, I'd rather take vampires into a different direction
than simply horror; one of the things that frustrates me about
many vampire writers is that so many of them can't get beyond
the horror aspect of the vampire, and remain fixated on it when
there are so many directions they can go. Vampires, as literary
creatures, are sublimely adaptable and flexible, and with a little
imagination on the writer's part, a vampire can do so much more
than just drink blood and feel miserable . . . vampires can do
anything. Though I've done a few horror-type stories, I prefer
to try other things with the Hollywood Vampires, choosing to look
at how vampires interact with the modern world, each other, love,
and their immortality.
For instance, the potential for comedy with vampires is limitless,
as there's so many more ways they can be goofed on than regular
mortals, and with their strength, invulnerability, and other enhancements,
nobody can touch them in the realm of physical comedy. Imagine
the stunts the Three Stooges could have pulled had they been vampires!
Yet hardly anybody chooses to go that route, instead preferring
to remain stuck in the horror mindset. What about love, both romantic
and otherwise? Relationships and friendships that last centuries
can have so many levels and facets, and one could write entire
books on them alone. And good grief, think of what kind of a vampiric
military or strategic-type thriller a writer with a good understanding
of the subject could write! Imagine conquests and stratagems laid
down over centuries, a millennium-long game of real-world chess,
with entire nations and cultures as the playing pieces . . . Then
there's sci-fi. How will vampires deal with the future? What will
biotechnology mean to them, especially if it can grant them invulnerability
to the sun? When intergalactic travel becomes a reality, will
vampires travel to the stars and boldly go where no vampire has
ever gone before? Or what about a planet colonized entirely by
vampires? The sky's the limit, folks. We've only just begun.
While the vampire genre is in constant danger of being done to
death in terms of the horror aspect, there's always some clever
devil out there upping the ante and figuring out new ways to scare
us, so as long as there's creative souls out there, the horror
will always be there. As for the vampire genre in terms of everything
else, the surface has barely been scratched, and sooner or later
there's going to be all kinds of inventive and original vampire
writers breathing life into the genre and giving it a whole slew
of new tricks to try, and I damned sure intend to be one of them.
illona: Describe a typical 'writing day' for you
Matt: I never really have a 'typical' writing day, as it seems
like I'm always on the go, either working at the music store,
visiting with friends, or taking care of other things, and I drag
my laptop around with me everywhere I go, writing when the opportunity
presents itself. I know some writers need a regular routine to
get their creativity flowing, but as for me, all I really need
is some background racket and a keyboard in front of me, and I'm
good to go. I used to need isolation and quiet to be able to think,
but after a few years of living with my best friend at college,
with loud music and him constantly screaming at his video games
always going on in the background, I now work best in a noisy,
chaotic environment. I've done some of my best work in the middle
of a busy day at the store or with my friend yelling his head
off in frustration at his Playstation, and to this day I'll often
go over to his place and write while he's screeching at his games.
I just write when I get the opportunity, and really, I prefer
it that way, as I'm not tied into any sort of a routine, and I
can write in virtually any environment I'm thrown into. Not only
that, but when I'm interrupted, I don't lose my train of thought,
so a distraction doesn't mean that I'm screwed. I just think about
what I'm working on and do a lot of mental planning and revision
until my fingers return to the keyboard, and I'm off and running
again, sometimes with a better angle than I had before the interruption.
Let me tell you, it's handy as hell! So for me, a typical writing
day is carting my laptop around and hammering away on a story
whenever I get a chance. You'd be surprised at how much work you
can get done this way!
illona: What aspect of the Vampire did you most enjoy writing
about?
Matt: Their versatility. A vampire can wear just about any hat
you can imagine, from rocker to writer to paranormal investigator,
and with their age and extra abilities, they can add layers and
facets that wouldn't be available with regular mortal characters.
The list of things you can't do with a vampire is far shorter
than the list of things they can do, especially if you like to
mess around with the formula. For me, vampires are like fantastic
toys that you can do just about anything with, and you just can't
argue with a cool set of toys.
illona: Is this a genre you plan on revisiting?
Matt: For the rest of my life.
illona: What do you think is the greatest vampire story ever
written?
Matt: Man, that's a tough one. There's, of course, the stock answer
of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which, for just about all intents and
purposes, is the granddaddy of 'em all. Without Dracula, the modern
vampire genre either wouldn't exist or would be radically different,
and you can't have a discussion of the greatest and most important
vampire stories without Dracula. I also think that Anne Rice's
Interview With The Vampire is the greatest vampire story of the
modern era, and definitely in the running for greatest vampire
story ever written. Though her latter-day work is lacking at times
and often doesn't have the same fire that her early books did,
the importance and greatness of Interview can't be denied. Interview
brought vampires into the modern age and made them into sensual,
emotional creatures, taking them far beyond their usual roles
as soulless monsters and diabolical villains. Countless vampire
stories written today are somehow affected by Interview and its
legacy, either in homage or defiance of it, and you can't dabble
in the vampire world without looking up and seeing Anne Rice's
name hovering above so much of it. Love it or hate it, Interview
With The Vampire is one of the most important vampire stories
ever written, and it's a good story anyway, so even if it's not
the greatest, it's definitely up there, and Anne Rice has done
nearly as much for the genre as Bram Stoker has, in my opinion.
So to condense my long-winded answer, Dracula is the greatest
vampire story of the old world, and Interview is the greatest
vampire story of the modern era.
illona: Who is your favorite author in the genre?
Matt: As of right now, it's definitely Nancy Collins. I love her
sharp-edged, blood-and-guts style, which completely throws the
flowery, romantically-goth style of vampire writing out the window
and gives it a modern, cynical flavor that I find very refreshing.
I also get a kick of how she populates Sonja Blue's world with
some fantastic and terrible creatures of myth, effortlessly fitting
them into modern society in some very believable ways. Though
often very dark, and even occasionally disquieting, all of the
Sonja Blue books are very fun reads, and Nancy's got a hell of
an imagination . . . great stuff.
illona: If you could give aspiring writer three pieces of advice,
what would they be?
Matt:
1. Be a stubborn bastard. You're not going to get anywhere giving
up every time you get rejected or shot down by editors, critics,
readers, or whatever. There's no room for thin skin in the writing
world, and if you can't stand the thought of receiving verbal
asskickings from people that don't like your work, then you may
as well give it up. Some people out there just live to rip you
and your writing apart, so get used to it. Don't let anybody discourage
you, and just keep beating your head against the wall until you
finally knock it down. I'm not saying to ignore constructive criticism
or anything of that sort, because there can be a lot of good ideas
in criticism, but don't let it get you down . . . just get back
up and keep at it. Stubbornness is a virtue where writing is concerned.
2. Write! When you get an idea, write it down. Fiddle around with
your ideas and write anything that comes to me. If you get stuck,
write something else to get your creativity working in a different
frame, and then go back to see if the new perspective helps. But
whatever you do, keep writing. Write like crazy, because even
if you don't use what you write, you're still developing your
technique, and the only way to get better at writing is to do
it. And save everything you write, too, no matter how terrible,
because you never know when you might be able to mine old work
for a new idea. I started up on a second Hollywood Vampires novel
years ago, and though I've put it on indefinite hiatus until I
think the time is right, I pull ideas from it all the time, and
have built numerous stories around ideas taken from it. Not bad
for a novel draft that's basically been sitting in a drawer since
1998.
3. Don't be afraid to be original. While writing fan-fiction for
Buffy or Angel might be fun and entertaining, as well as an easy
way to reach a large, voracious audience, it's much more satisfying
to craft your own unique world and characters and watch them grow,
free of somebody else's constraints. Don't take that as a bash
against fanfic, because I personally love trolling around for
fanfics on stuff I'm into, as fanfic writers can come up with
some fantastic ideas, but if you've got a knack for writing and
want to take things further, don't be afraid to step out of the
mold and see what you can come up with on your own. Fanfic is
actually a good place to cut your writing teeth and sharpen up
your skills, and the time I spent writing Star Trek fanfic was
a tremendous learning experience for me, teaching me many things
about how to properly craft a story and work with a cast of varied
characters. But when I started working on my Hollywood Vampires
universe, it was an entirely different world: I was free to make
the rules and could do whatever I wanted with them, and when I
receive letters from people telling me that they enjoy my characters
and/or my stories, it's one of the best feelings in the world.
There's nothing like nurturing your own creations and watching
them take on a life of their own in your writing, and it's something
that all fiction writers should experience.
illona: And if Count Dracula came up to you and offered you
the chance of immortality?
As long as I didn't have to be his bitch, you better believe I'd
take it!
illona: Thank you so much for the interview.
You
can read about & buy Matt's book HERE
Matt's
Official Website is HERE
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