The Saga is Complete...The Author Looks Back

This week I finalised the writing and editing of the last book in the Blood Omen Saga- Blood Omen 5: The Balance. I'll be uploading it onto amazon on Dec 5th because beforehand I want time to run a small social-media competition for my fans and to finish up a super cool book trailer which will go on youtube the same day- featuring Apophis himself with a special message for the humans!

How did Blood Omen begin?

I was living near Barcelona in Spain, working as an English teacher in the city. I was traveling to and from work every day by train- it was nearly a 1-hour journey door-to-door. One night I woke from a dream to hear the church bells ringing outside the window and an image strong in my mind's eye: Elias (at that moment called Eric), sitting at the window of my childhood bedroom. It was a Saturday so I grabbed a cup of tea and started the computer. I wrote down what I had seen. Then I imagined what was said between he and I (who then became Clea- later Dea), what happened next, and on and on...then I imagined what had happened before. I bought a small notepad and started making notes as I sat on the train speeding along the coastline looking out to sea. The notepad was soon full so I transferred the ideas to the computer and bought another notepad. By month 3, my ex-husband saw I had too much story in me to be away from the computer for long (teaching was interrupting my flow!), so he supported me to give up teaching for a while. 6 months after I started, I had two books. I knew I needed to write five to finish Dea's story (how I knew, I have no idea!). Then I started trying to get the agents in the UK and US interested...

Difficult times...

There was a five-year gap between finishing Book 2 and Book 3. What happened?

Life! I moved from Spain to New Zealand, got divorced, moved to the UK then Georgia, had 2 children... and also I lost the right direction for the story. I was writing the way I wanted the story to go (more between Dea and Stuart!) but it felt wrong and I couldn't sleep or concentrate well and the scenes were getting confused. It was a very uncomfortable time. Then one day I realised that it was impossible for Dea to be so much with Stuart in the Temple because her heart belonged to Santi. And Stuart could not soften in his feelings because of his training, his beliefs and because if he did, I would be turning him into a "better, harder" Santi. So I made him colder and harder again- stopped him flirting with Dea, deleted the "love" scenes. And I felt immediately better for it- and my characters were happier, too- we were back on track, heading in the right direction!

Tell us about some of the best and worst moments while writing the Saga

That mess-up within Book 3 was definitely the worst and most challenging. Also bad was finding a number of editing mistakes after I'd uploaded. It's not easy being your own editor (and it can be expensive to outsource). Also horrible was getting rejected by agents. Self-publishing was one of the highs- seeing my books on the "global shelf." Even better was seeing my books on real book store shelves in hard copy when they were published in Georgia. As for writing, the best moment is the remembering- that I can be walking down the street and hear, see or smell something and be instantly taken in my mind to a part in the book- a bike ride with Santi, a dialogue with Stuart, a fight with Takeshi, dancing with Ana... as if I lived it and they are my memories. And I know the fans I have also get the same experience of "it was me!" And the fans! The reception I'm getting from the teens in Georgia blows me away- with some comparing what I've written to works by Stephanie Meyer and L.J Smith. It's a real honour for me to be grouped with such authors! And I love communicating with my fans and running competitions for them to feel like a part of the incredible Blood Omen world!

Feeling like a happy kid...but also doubting- can it really be over?!

How do you feel now it's over? 

Powerful. But although I've been "finishing" Book 5 for around two months (life getting in the way again!) and I knew the end at the beginning of summer, it still hasn't sunk in that it's over. I expected to have a stronger feeling of pride, to have a sense of fulfilment or completion... but I don't. I more have a sense that it's not over and that is kind of worrying. It almost makes me doubt that I have written the last book right- maybe the fans won't be satisfied, or maybe there's a question I left unanswered. But I have decided to upload what I see as the finished version and if I get a sudden lightning strike of "OMG! You gotta change/add that!" then I'll deal with it. I feel a little lost without my vampires- but I have another project to work on, so for a time the only time I'll be thinking about Blood Omen is before a book presentation or while I'm communicating with my fans. It's kind of sad... but the time has come and I do feel I achieved something pretty impressive to have written and published 5 books by the age of 35 (plus having 3 kids and holding down 3 other jobs!) :D

Is there anything you would change if you could?

A few things, but they are part of the story now, and as so many people have the story in their hands or on their devices, I can't change any facts. But it's ok- I've worked around them or let it go.

What next?

• Angels-demons (no title yet), set in Georgia (Republic of, where I live)
• St. Catherine's (a Wattpad chapter-by-chapter construction about angels and demons)
• Blood Omen: Memories - a prequel to Dea's story regarding the Coven and Apophi characters.

No time to sleep- more books to write!!!

Make a Choice

No person is inherently good or bad. It's about the choices they make...

When I first launched Blood Omen in Georgia, at the very first presentation, a random elderly white-haired man walked up to me when I was signing books and said: "You should write about angels next." I smiled politely and told him I'd think about it. Then I forgot about it for a year or so.

This summer angels hit me with a boom! I got an idea while I was on a beach holiday in Ureki (Black Sea sandy beach resort)- that a young girl met a boy while on holiday with her friends. A standard summer romance, you might think. But those who know me know that I don't write "standard." The boy was a demon, and the girl had a guardian angel. The whys and hows have yet to come to me but I wrote 70 pages about it in just three days!

Then I shut the door on my angels and demons. I had to so I could finish with Blood Omen 5, which is in the final stages of editing now. Of course, my angels and demons are banging and kicking at the door to have their story written about, and I've promised them I'll throw open the lock soon, but not just yet. When it comes, I know it'll be good... :)

Time Flies...

In the past month I've been busy presenting my newly published 3rd book of Blood Omen (Georgian language: Vampire Wars 3: Fulfilment). And the presentations keep coming!

Here are some photos of my book launch (October 28, 2016):

The cake!

The costume!

The book signing!

The book!

The Blood Omen Quiz (with guests divided into 

The Dracula Donuts! <3

This man is known as Zaliko- he's a famous Georgian artist. It turned out his daughter is one of my fans! :)

Best Halloween Costumes- Gentleman Vampires

Halloween is approaching! Vampires will be seen at every party. Here are some interesting Vamp Boy costumes to inspire you:

Oh, Lestat...

Latino-lover!

This is definitely a BAD guy!

Nice, simple details- a sophisticated, wealthy vampire...

The 1950s gentleman vampire.

Which do YOU like best? Leave a comment below...

Best Halloween Costumes- Lady Vampires

My favourite time of year. As a vampire author, I'm kind of obliged to dress up as my inspiration. Here's a selection of Vamp Girl costumes:

Elegant- nice lace sleeve detail. I don't like the black ribbons though.

Dark, Vampire Queen style!

Cute, Miss Bat

I like the rough lace on this dress.

The middle one is my favourite. The sheers sleeves on the right are also nice.

Naughty but nice :D

Which do you like best? Leave a comment below...

Busy Season!

I haven't posted for a while. This is "busy season" for me- has been for the past two years, and more so this year.

My 3rd book has just been released in Georgian, with the launch party to be held, as per tradition, on Halloween weekend. I've been working through the final edit of Blood Omen Book 5: The Balance, and plan to upload it to Amazon on October 31st.

I wrote 70 pages of my new "Angels" (working title) book, set in Georgia, this summer but have refused to add to it more until Blood Omen is finished. The Angel characters keep knocking on my mental "door," though- they won't let me rest for much longer! :)

I've also been adding to my Wattpad project "St.Catherine's"- more on that in a later post.

Soon, I'll be starting school visits and bookstore presentations around the country. I'll post photos.

And my fans keep wriiting and sending their brilliant fan art. Love them all! <3

Blood Omen Book 3, Coming Out in Georgian Soon!

I'm so excited. Though I have yet to make it out onto the big, hugely competitive, international stage of vampire fiction (which my fans assure me my books are worthy of), my focus is on the land I'm living in- Georgia (the Republic of; that country wedged between Turkey and Russia). My first book of the Blood Omen series was translated into Georgian and published in October 2014. Book 2 followed a year later and a year after that Book 3 is due to hit the shelves sometime around Halloween.

My first book presentation, Halloween 2014

Since 2014, I've been doing most of the marketing for my books by my lonesome, which undoubtedly limits the numbers I need to be reaching (little to no support from the publishers- which is why I changed publishers for the third book). I've been presenting in high schools and bookshops and receive invites on a monthly basis. Although I always feel nervous before stepping out in front of a group to talk about myself and my vampires, I'm looking forward to the up-coming Back to School presentation season!

Book 3 is in the final design stages this weekend. Layout guy, Tamaz, is putting it together, Beqa Giorgadze is going to put the finishing touches to the cover, and I'm driving them both crazy picking at the smallest details to make it as perfect as we can! 

The Georgian alphabet is unique and beautiful!

Today, I actually got to hold the first (dummy) copy of Book 3. It is an amazing feeling that I hope all authors get to experience at least once- the chance to hold your words and be able to pass them from your hand and heart to another person. A book in the flesh is something so much more than one pasted across the bright screen of a computer or kindle. The warm smell of freshly cut pages, the guilt when the first crease appears on the cover or spine, the desire to mark a comment you love battling the reluctance to dirty the pages; and that brief moment of selfishness when someone asks to borrow your book but you don't want to let it go...

My husband isn't keen on fantasy or fiction but he started getting into the story today and was intrigued enough to promise to read more... For keying so well into my writing style I'd like to say a huge thanks to Ana Chichinadze- best translator in the world, and Nino Nekerishvili for editing to perfection!

My book names in Georgian script:

ვამპირული ომები: პირველი ნადირობა 

(Vampire Wars: First Hunt)

ვამპირული ომები: მეორე სიცოცხლე 

(Vampire Wars:: Second Life)

ვამპირული ომები: აღსრულება

(Vampire Wars: Fulfilment)

The Journey of a Book Cover: from an award-winning sketch by high school student Natalia Nozadze to the computer genius of Beqa Giorgadze and the laying out of the dummy version by Tamaz!

I plan to present Book 3 to my Georgian readers on Halloween weekend. There'll be themed prizes and a costume competition. Updates will be posted regularly on my bloodomensaga facebook page before then.

I'm hoping some vampires turn up too...

Meet the Girl Who Published Her First 

Vampire Book Aged 14

Meet Amelia Atwater- Rhodes. I've never read her books but I remember her name from when I started reading and writing vampire fiction when I was a teenager. I remembered her tonight and I plan to see what her writing is like this week while I still have some summer days free to read!

So who was she?

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (born April 16, 1984) is an American author of fantasy and young adult literature.

What was her first book?

Her debut novel, In the Forests of the Night, was published in 1999, when she was 14 YEARS OLD!!!! She has published a new young adult novel every year since her first. 

Tell us more about that first book.

According to Amelia's official site, In the Forests of the Night (original title "White Wine") is one of a series of 7 novels and is the first she ever published. 

Where did she get inspiration from?

The inspiration for the novel came from an assignment she received in the 7th grade when her best friend Jessica chose "The Tyger" for the assignment. The character of Risika was taken from the brief mention in Amelia's unpublished novel, Red Wine. 

She began working on the novel in 1997, under the title White Wine, and during the writing process with the novel, two incidents had an affect in the final product. First, Amelia got writer's block and then her computer crashed from a virus during the summer. The crash meant she had to re-write the story. While she was doing that, she changed the antagonist from Ather to Aubrey (another character). She spent 4 months editing the story and sent it to agents on December 31, 1997 but kept getting rejected. In mid-February 1998 she met her agent, Tom Hart, who later called her and informed her that Random House would publish the novel on her fourteenth birthday; however, the novel was pushed back and released a little over a year later in May 1999.

Does she only write about vampires?

No. In 2003, Amelia took a break from vampires and published Hawksong, the first of a five book series about shapeshifters, “The Kiesha’ra Series”. 

Personal details

At school she loved singing and drama (though was too shy to perform). She also knew fencing. Amelia was married to a lady partner for 5 years but got divorced. She has a two-year-old daughter. Amelia is Jewish.

What is Amelia doing now?

She's been teaching English for 8 years to students with language-based learning disabilities.

One of her many tips for authors:

"I love creating characters, but sometimes as a writer you must kill what you love.

Sometimes a book simply has too many characters. Taking one out leaves a hole that can be filled by other characters, giving them more space to stretch, develop, exercise their agency and just generally get to know the reader.

On the other hand, sometimes a character is vitally important but too often working behind the scenes or summarized in exposition or "while you were out" discussions. In those cases, it's better to add. If that character is important but absent, then there's *already* a hole in your story somewhere.

It's up to you, the storyteller, to decide which is which."

Quote from one of her books:

Find 24 of her books on goodreads.com

Exclusive Interview with the Man behind Dracula Village

I spoke to Radu Oprea, the brains behind the exciting new project "Dracula Village," to be built in Bran, Transylvania. Set to appeal to both historians and Stoker fans as a shining example of "Responsible Dracula Tourism" (that respects and separates fact from fiction), the village is currently in the design-and-fund-finding phase. I asked Radu for more details...

Radu Oprea, Founder, Dracula Village

What is #DraculaVillage?

Dracula Village is the project of a thematic vacation resort in Bran Village, Transylvania, overlooking #Bran Castle and the Bucegi Mountains. It contains 8 thematic buildings that are designed by architect Gabriel Henegar in the old Bran architectural style. Actually, each building is a piece of art in itself! The project is also supported by Dacre Stoker, author of Dracula the Un-Dead!

How did you come up with the idea?

#Romania is perceived everywhere in the world as the Land of Dracula. #BramStoker put our country on the world’s list of thematic touristic destinations. Count Dracula might have been that “Voievode (War Lord) Dracula” Bram was making a reference to- Vlad the Impaler, our medieval ruler who fought the Ottoman Empire. With Dracula Village, we want to be the promoters of “Responsible Dracula Tourism,” as Dacre Stoker nicely put it. We want to become the base for thematic Dracula tours where visitors can learn about the fictitious story of Dracula and the real facts about Vlad the Impaler. The idea of Dracula Village came when we discovered the property in 2015. Once on the site, you realize you can do no other project but this.

How will you start?

Building a small village from scratch is a daring journey. We will first use crowdfunding for the first round of funding. Of course, we might try to get hold of some European Union funding but this comes with many strings attached. We’ve made the best start by buying the property in Bran.

How big do you envisage the project becoming?

The project can become anything from something small, where we would have only a few houses available for our tourists, to something really big. Crowdfunding has shown that everything is possible. If we raise more than we hope, we can buy more land and extend the village.

Architect Gabriel Henegar

How 'vampiric' or Dracula themed will the village be?

It is planned to be “responsibly vampiric.” Of course, we don’t want to scare children away, but at the same time we want to honor “Dracula legends.” For example, the village contains houses like Stoker’s Retreat as a tribute to Bram Stoker. Also, we have Bela’s Cottage. Bela Lugosi was the first actor to play Count Dracula and he was also born in Romania. The other houses that we want to build are Mina & Lucy Villas, Prince Vlad Mansion, Van Helsing Duplex, Whitby Hall, Harker Café, and a Crafts House. However, our village is Dracula Village because it is located in Bran, where Bran Castle is. Few people know that Bram Stoker saw a sketch of the castle during his research and used it as a model to design the fictitious castle of Count Dracula. So, we have the perfect location for this project and, with the help of interior designs of the buildings, we will create the perfect atmosphere for a memorable Dracula Vacation.

Whitby Hall, named by Blood Omen author, Katie Ruth Davies

Have you been working with Dacre or any non-Transylvanians on the implementation of this project?

Dacre Stoker is an inspiration to us and we are really honoured to be developing this project together. He is the promoter of “Responsible Dracula Tourism” in Romania and this project is aimed at contributing to that. Actually, we had the pleasure of hosting him and a group of American tourists visiting Romania on a Dracula Tour recently. We had a nice picnic together on the property of Dracula Village and had a very good time together by the camp fire, eating “bulz” and trying on traditional shepherd’s outfits. Aside from the architect and the interior designer, all members of our team are non-Transylvanian, born in Galati, a city that was crossed by Dracula when he was running away from Abraham van Helsing and his friends. They used the route London – Varna in Bulgaria, then took the train to Galati, while Dracula used the ship to enter the Danube to Galati, then followed the Siret river north.

From the left: Radu Oprea, Dacre Stoker and friends on the site of the future Dracula Village

Will you host special Halloween and Dracula events?

The 2016 IVFAF

We would really like that. Also, we would like to help organize major Dracula events in Romania like the International Vampire Film and Arts Festival (IVFAF) that had its first edition in Sighisoara this year, or the World Dracula Day in May. We also want to organize Dracula Tours for our guests to Sighisoara, the birth place of Vlad the Impaler, Poenari, the real castle of Vlad, or the location of the fictitious Dracula Castle in the Calimani Mountains.

Have you had any issues with/objections from the local community?

Not at all. Romania has good legislation as a European Union country. Also, the local community in Bran is used to vampire activities.

How will you handle the sensitivities of the local people?

Romania has so much more to offer than just Dracula legends

I have to admit there are Romanians who don’t like our country to be associated with Dracula. That’s because we have so much more to offer like UNESCO monasteries, the Danube Delta, nice mountains, and the Black Sea coast. I believe the key to bringing everybody together is “Responsible Dracula Tourism.” While following the footsteps of Dracula and learning about our history, tourists will be able to discover other beautiful places as well. Also, there is a misconception that the folks attracted to the legend of Dracula are “weird.” I can tell you they are very beautiful! In fact at IVFAF this year, there were students doing their PhD in vampire literature. Romanians don’t know that and it is our duty to change this perception.

"There are Romanians who don’t like our country to be associated with Dracula. I believe the key to bringing everybody together is 'Responsible Dracula Tourism'.”

What are Romanian employees like and what policy will you have for training them?

The services in hospitality still have a ways to develop in Romania. So please, bear with us. We have the problem of our best employees leaving the country for better jobs in the West. However, we believe anybody can do a good job if the owner of the business acts as a partner and not as a “boss.” Our employees will be our friends first and employees second. Also, my team and I will be involved in taking care of our tourists because we are talking about a family business.

Why do you think the vampire genre is so popular?

Like Facebook, Bram Stoker did not anticipate how big Dracula would become! The vampire genre is so popular because of the movies and the literature that followed, the actors that are role models to many folks, the real story of Vlad the Impaler and its “Draculesti” family, the tales about “strigoi,” and the many people that are passionate to keep the genre popular on websites, Facebook pages, groups, or communities. Actually, one of the cool activities we want to organize in Dracula Village is “story telling.”

Who or what is Dracula to you personally (childhood views and now)?

I didn’t know anything about Dracula during communism. Now, Dracula is a community of great friends to me.

Have you read Blood Omen yet? 

Aaaaaaaa, I have the English version and I promise I will, this Fall. :)

Like the Dracula Village Facebook page to keep updated on their progress: www.fb.com/draculavillage