Rosemary A Johns
Oxford, UK
Good morning, Rosemary, and welcome back to Vision and Verse, the place for Art and Authors. I hear you've got something new to share with us.
Yes! Rebel Vampires Volume 1: Blood Dragons –
release date August 14th.
It’s the first instalment of a fantasy series.
There are three people in
this affair – and two of them aren’t human…
Blood
Dragons explores a hidden paranormal world in London,
where vampires are both predator and prey. It’s a story of redemption and love
in a divided world beneath our own. Blood Lifers are a camouflaged species, who
use venom to paralyse and mimic heart attacks in First Lifers (humans). Yet
they fear the First Lifers they prey on. Until one Blood Lifer rebels – against
his family, species and century old love - to save both their species.
I loved the idea of a novel, which was written
from the vampire’s perspective. Dark, intelligent and subversive. But also had
a British vampire front and centre. The ultimate anti-hero. A vampire book
truly for adults.
The author Dorothy Davies has described Blood Dragons as, "Sharply
observed, well written and different…a joy."
1960s London. Light is a Rocker Blood Lifer
with a photographic memory. Since Victorian times he’s hidden in the shadows.
Both predator and prey. His venom is deadly. But when he discovers his ruthless
family’s secret experiments he questions whether he should be slaying or saving
the humans he’s always feared.
I’m a traditionally published writer of short
stories and plays. This is my debut novel. I’m fascinated by the outsider and
concepts of identity and memory: Light can’t forget, just as his human lover of
fifty years, who has dementia, can’t remember. So Light writes it down…
Ruby is a seductive and savage Elizabethan
Blood Lifer. She burns with love for Light. But he’s keeping something from
her. Something that breaks every rule in Blood Life.
I’m passionate about history (I studied history
at Oxford for BA and Mst). Blood Dragons
is set in the modern day, 1960s and Victorian times – but because the Blood
Lifers were also elected in, for example, the Elizabethan period, I can play
with those as well.
Kathy is a singer. But she’s also human. When
the two worlds collide, it could mean the end. For both species. Unless Light
plays the part of hero, he risks losing everything. Including the two women he
loves.
A
rebel, a red-haired devil and a Moon Girl battle to save the world – or tear it
apart.
The series is urban fantasy – the supernatural
set within our world. How would a species, evolved but hidden alongside our
own, truly survive in the real world? My aim was to write vampires for adults –
dark, real to life and with a British spin. It’s love as adults feel it:
sometimes destructive, obsessive and agonizing but also redemptive. And lasting
up to the very end…
The second book in the series – Blood Shackles – is released in
November. It’s out on the 14th August for pre-order.
Welcome
to the Blood Club – where the predators, become the prey…
What is your favorite
genre to write?
I’ve written in a
number of genres. They all have their different appeal. Now I’m writing fantasy
(under Fantasy Rebel) and psychological thrillers (for Darker Rebel imprint).
What connects them to
historical or dark fiction is the opportunity to be a subversive artist. This
means to question the world around us – the easy lies, which society tends to
go along with. Each culture has their own and has all through history. For
example, ‘old people are boring’, ‘women can’t be leaders/look after
themselves’, or ‘disabled people can’t be successful’. They may not be voiced
but they bubble beneath the surface.
Science fiction and
fantasy, as well as dark fiction, have always been the best genres for
challenging these. This is because they’re one step removed from ‘real’ life
and so – like the medieval jester – are allowed to get away with it. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a great
example, or Torchwood.
Almost any novel in
this genre is a thrilling read but underneath challenges the reader to think
about something within our real world. As a writer, that’s appealing.
Favorite food.
Lasagna! I’m part
Italian (and part Irish, as well as Scottish), so a good mix, as well as being
a Londoner on my father’s side. So I’ve always been drawn to everything Italian
– most of all the food! My characters in Blood
Dragons go on a Grand Tour in Victorian times, which includes Florence and
Turin – it made me wish I was there! In Blood
Shackles Light cooks a meal to impress someone and of course he
cooks…lasagna…
Tea or coffee?
Neither – I wish they
offered a third choice of hot chocolate at functions…
Pizza or ice cream?
Can I have both..?
Cornish or Italian ice cream…then it would be ice cream. They’re the best I’ve
had anywhere. Chocolate ice cream, of course. I always say please review my
books on Amazon and Goodreads because to me that’s better than chocolate – so you
see now how much a reader reviewing means to me..?
Oh, I know...it's getting more and more difficult to get reviews. Wine or beer?
I don’t drink, so I’d
have to ask for water. I have a bottle of water with me all the time like Gwyneth
Paltrow. I have chronic migraines and so need to have a lot of water and no
alcohol. Food or chocolate doesn’t affect me, thank goodness. Before the
migraines, I enjoyed white wine…
Where would you like to
visit?
America. I’d love to go
on a road trip right across because I can’t decide where I’d like to visit
more. We have some friends there and we’d see them.
When you come to visit, make sure you see at least one of the following: Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, or the desert in Arizona or Nevada. They are more then beautiful. They are life-changing. Okay, back to work. Favorite musical
artist. Do you listen to music when you
write? What?
I’m a total music
fanatic. We’ve run out of space for my CDs. I like physically owning the music.
There’s something about the cases, covers and being able to read the lyrics.
Downloading music feels less personal; it’s like owning a paperback, rather
than buying an e-book. I love reading on my Kindle. Yet when I like the cover
or am excited about a book, I buy the paperback. I’m a sensory person. I love
the feel of things. It was fantastic to be able to write a character just as in
love with music as me in Light.
My musical taste is
eclectic but I love rock and alternative American rock. I love Jimi Hendrix, Eels,
David Bowie, Ghost of the Robot, Amy Winehouse and Nirvana. Nirvana are my
favourite – when I really need an injection of energy, I stick them on and then
I’m flying.
I never listen to music
on my first draft – I’m too lost in the other world, where time has no meaning
– but at all other stages of writing I do.
What makes you laugh?
Laughter – most
important thing in the world. I have a typically English (some would probably
say dark) sense of humour. It
permeates what I write. Blood Dragons
is moving and thrilling. But it’s also funny – because of Light’s voice.
Writing works best when
there’s a contrast of light and dark – tragedy and comedy – Shakespeare did
this best.
Favorite work of art or
sculpture.
Michelangelo’s
Prisoners, or Slaves, (c1519-1534). It’s haunting and ahead of its time.
The sculptures of
slaves are unfinished. But it’s intentional. The slaves appear to fight to free
themselves from the raw stone. But of course they can’t. They’re trapped
forever in the continual struggle. It comments on the human condition in a hard
hitting way.
I thought of this
sculpture as I was writing Blood Shackles.
Freedom – and what this
truly means – is fundamental to what I write. And it’s what’s important to
me.
How old were you when
you started writing?
At four I created my
first book (including price, barcode and blurb)… I don’t think it got good
reviews… From that point on I told everyone I wanted to be a writer. At eight I
attempted my first novel. At ten I wrote my first fantasy novel.
When I was thirteen I
wrote my first full length play, which I acted in, cast and directed at school
for Comic Relief. My first short story was published when I was fourteen.
I don’t think it ever
occurred to me I should be doing anything but writing. When I wasn’t writing, I
was reading. When I wasn’t reading, I was daydreaming stories.
It’s something I was
born with but it’s also something I’ve practiced.
Describe your perfect
evening.
Pretending I don’t have
a husband and child… I would be writing a first draft (whilst eating a box of
chocolates). It’s an amazing buzz being in that zone. There’s nothing like it.
The only feeling that
comes close is when I ran a theatre company and also when I acted in plays –
both during and immediately after. There was a similar buzz then and closeness
to cast.
Where do you get your
inspiration?
It’s different for everything
I write. Usually there are several different ideas spliced together, however, which
have been spiraling around my mind for months (or even years). Then something
snaps together and I can see how they connect.
Blood Dragons, for example, came from
a number of places.
I wanted to write a
vampire novel, which was true urban fantasy – how would they really live, as a
genuine lost species, in the real world?
My son is an autistic
savant with a photographic memory. I’ve often been told I should write a book
about autism or our experiences but feel it’s too personal. However, it
occurred to me that if you lived for centuries having a photographic memory
could be both a blessing and a curse.
Vampires could also be
used as an analogy for the ultimate outsider, which was appealing to me, as
well as divisions between the species – and why people are divided. Light’s
friend – Alessandro – is clearly autistic. But he was elected into Blood Life
before such labels. This opened the idea of memory and identity…which led to
dementia…
Vampires are often
portrayed in fiction as loving human lovers in their twenties or teens. But
never what happens after. I wanted to show a deep love, when the vampire stays
with their lover for fifty years. In other words, I wanted Blood Dragons to be not just another vampire novel.
So within the framework
of a thriller with romance, there are these big questions and issues as well.
That’s how my mind
tends to work. Often they’re sparked by a photograph, song or snippet of
conversation.
What do you do when you
get a writer's block?
Touch wood – hasn’t
happened yet! In fact I have a long list of projects waiting to be written,
it’s simply a matter of time. For me, it’s time which is the most precious
thing. I’m very busy! Motivation has never been a problem for me. Writing is my
passion.
Who is your favorite
author?
Fantasy author – Neil
Gaiman.
Gaiman’s Neverwhere was on TV when I was young
and inspired my love of this genre. The idea of another world beneath our own.
The excitement of that. American Gods
is perfect urban fantasy.
Best book you ever
read.
The seven book series, which
had me riveted when I was a teenager, was Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. A mix of fantasy, science fiction and horror (as
well as western and Arthurian legend), it was the most compelling and original
series I’d read – and still is.
It was also thought
provoking and cerebral – it never gave easy answers but challenged the reader
in ways other books didn’t. As a teenager I loved that. I never went back to
‘easier’ YA books. And I drive myself to challenge the reader and try to
recreate for them that emotional compulsion and connection, which I felt for The Dark Tower.
Last book you read.
Burned by Benedict Jacka.
It’s an urban fantasy set in London, so I was interested to read it. It’s a
world where mages (light and dark) exist. The central protagonist – Alex Verus
– is the strength of the novel. There’s a similar vein of English humour – I think
it’s a national trait!
What would you do for a
living if you weren’t a writer?
I’ve worked in the
theatre - behind stage and front of house. I don’t think you can write plays, if you
don’t know it technically as a craft. It often comes down to timings. Writers
need to know it from all angles.
I’ve worked in shops,
recruitment and marketing. I’ve been a history tutor and would love to be a
teacher. I’ve also worked with a number of disability charities.
You can earn money but
that’s not the same thing as being fulfilled. I had to take a break from
writing professionally to care for my son. But that didn’t mean I stopped
writing – if I was never published, I’d still write. I think that’s what being
a writer means.
Being able to be
published – that interaction between reader and author - is what fulfils me. I
know that’s a blessing.
Who is the one person
who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My son. Blood Dragons is dedicated to him. You
can read it in the paperback. We are all different. Individuals. And we all
have our place in the world. He inspires me every day – he doesn’t give up. He
faces a world, which is challenging, difficult to understand and sometimes
hostile. But he gets up and does it every day. If he manages that, then what
should we achieve? And what should we try our hardest to improve for the
better?
If you could sit down
and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who
would it be and why?
Lestat – from Anne
Rice’s novels. The Vampire Lestat is
my favourite of Anne Rice’s novels. Lestat is a complex anti-hero, who sees
himself, however, as a hero. He hates being portrayed as a monster and in fact
seems to love humans. He can also be very altruistic. ‘The Brat Prince’ is also
plagued by philosophical moral questions. It would be fascinating to discuss
these – and then Light’s own redemption with him…
What advice would you
give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Read – anything and
everything. And when you do, think about why the writing works. Or doesn’t.
Then read books on writing – learn the craft. Because it is a craft. While you
do this…write. It doesn’t matter whether it’s good or not, it simply matters
that you get the words down. It’s been said that you need to write 100,000
words – the length of a novel - before you’re any good (just like a violinist
needs to practice for thousands of hours). Then you throw those words out and
start again.
Write a little every
day and then build up over time. But do what works for you. Everyone is
different. What works for someone else, won’t work for you. So work out what
feels best and stick with it.
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