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Interview with

Shannon Leigh

 

Shannon's Books are listed in THE LIBRARY

Authors Official Site

illona: What inspired you to write your first book?

SL: I love to create characters and bring them to life through words. I've read a multitude of books including romance, fantasy, horror, thriller, etc. After a while, I got to thinking "I could write a book if I tried." So I did. Only it was so much better than reading because I could control what happened to the characters. I started with short novellas in high school, and finally moved up to a full-length novel a few years ago.

illona: Why do you think the vampire myth is so appealing?

SL: I think people are naturally drawn to things that are considered social taboos, or no-nos. I guess there's some people who want to have concrete proof of everything they believe in, but for the rest of us, we want to think there's more out there than this. We want to believe in ghosts and vampires and magic. People are curious about the paranormal. The vampire myth incorporates so many emotions that people crave: eroticism, romance, desire, deviancy, power, etc. that I think its nearly impossible not to find it appealing.

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?

SL: I think it depends on the writer and how well they weave their story line. Its like vampire movies, some are really good, and some are horrible, but I love vampire flicks so much, that I watch the good ones and the bad ones because I'm drawn to it. I believe it's the same with books. If you're a vampire lover, you're going to read it. Like anything else, fads come and go. It will come around again.

illona: Describe a typical 'writing day' for you

SL: I do most of my writing at work. I know this sounds horrible. But it's the only time I have enough peace to think. In my job, there's a lot of down time, so it works out great for me. When I get home, I have four young boys demanding my full attention so I seldom write until after they go to sleep. Sometimes, amidst the 500 "moms" that are issued every night from the time I get home until everyone is finally in bed, I squeeze in a few lines.

illona: What aspect of the Vampire did you most enjoy writing about?

SL: The psyche. I think they have such intense intellectual makeup that you can really have a lot of fun with it. They are dramatic and demanding and extreme in all they do. Love for instance, when they fall in love, it is not merely for a few years, it's for eternity and it's intense.

illona: Is this a genre you plan on revisiting?

SL: Absolutely. I'd like to write several different genres besides romance, but I'll probably have a paranormal twist. My next "vampire" book is going to be a thriller, kind of along the lines of "Kiss the Girls". For those who've read my book Immortal Desires, Mikel and Simon will be two of the main characters in this next one. I just couldn't let Mikel go. He's too intriguing.

illona: What do you think is the greatest vampire story ever written?

SL: The original of course, Bram Stoker. He had the first idea. All since have merely mutated that scheme into their own view.

illona: Who is your favorite author in the genre?

SL: I don't really have a favorite author. I think with any, sometimes they have a good book, and sometimes they don't.

illona: If you could give aspiring writer three pieces of advice, what would they be?

SL:
1) Write, write, write, until you've finished what you started. Don't give up. That's the easy part.
2) Don't let others' criticism deter you. Be persistent. You might have 30 rejections, but if you keep at it, you'll have 1 acceptance and that's all you need.
3) Be open to constructive criticism. You will become your worst critic; so let others read your work and be prepared to accept their suggestions, good and bad. You don't have to agree with everything, but at least be open to hearing it.

illona: If Count Dracula came up to you and offered you the chance of immortality?

SL: I'd have to think on it, only because I have children who are depending on me to take care of them. If my kids were grown, I would more than likely accept. I have too much draw to the paranormal to dismiss it. Some people associate vampires, magic, etc. with darkness and evil. For instance, I was just looking for a word to substitute for evil. I pulled up my handy thesaurus and lo and behold, the word immortality is listed as an alternative. Does being immortal automatically make you bad? I don't necessarily agree with this. I think the actions of the individual, not who they are or what they are, determine whether or not they are wicked. I suppose I would want to use my immortality for something good. After all, you'd have a long time to accomplish it!