Interview with Author Shari Sakurai

Shari Sakurai

Barnham, West Sussex

United Kingdom

Good morning, Shari, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors. What have you written?

I published my first novel, Demon's Blood, in 2014. Demon's Blood is a vampire novel set in the fictional city of Norfield in England. The protagonists are Japanse vampire Kokawa Yaku and his English lover Thane Bremen. After they were discovered by vampire hunters, they were forced to flee their Tokyo home and relocated to Norfield. However, both are battling their own inner demons. Thane is tormented by nightmares of what happened in Tokyo, but he is unaware that there are more to those events than Taku has let on to him. As a consequence of that night, Taku is battling against something much darker that could ultimately not only him, but all of the kind.

Perfect World is the first novel in a series of the same name. It is a science fiction novel set in twenty-second century England. The series'protaganist is a genetically engineered twenty-five year old superhero Eric Rawlins. Eric works for the London Security Agency (L.S.A.) which is also the organization that created him. The L.S.A. has given Eric the perfect life with his superhero abilities, longevity, celebrity status, and a beautiful girlfriend, but in reality they control him and use his popularity with the public to their advantage.

Adam is a companion novel to my Perfect World series focusing on Adam Larimore's past and the events that led to Perfect World. It also ties in some of the unanswered questions from Perfect World #1 as well as setting in motion events for later in the series.

What is your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genres are paranormal, science 
fiction, and fantasy. I have yet to complete a fantasy novel, 
but I do not have one in the works at the moment.

Favorite food.

Pizza and chips, my ultimate comfort food. :D

Tea or coffee?

Neither. i do not drink hot drinks apart from hot chocolate.

Pizza or ice cream?

Pizza!

Wine or beer?

Neither. I prefer cocktails. 

Where would you like to visit?

I went to Japan a couple of years ago but I stayed mostly in the Tokyo area so I'd love to return and see more of the country. I would also love to visit New York one day.

Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?

My favorite band is a Japanese group called L'Arc~en~Ciel. I always listen to music when I write, usually rock or metal.

What makes you laugh?

Anything, really. LOL I have a great sense of humor and always prefer to find a lighter side to life wherever I can.

Favorite work of art or sculpture.

I love Japanese wood-block prints, especially works by Hokusai.

How old were you when you started writing?

I was six years old when I started. Our class at school wrote about the teacher's pet rat and I enjoyed writing my chapter so much that I've been writing ever since.

Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?

I just write. I very rarely plan out a novel. Sometimes I keep notes or sentences I want to incorporate on my phone, but that's about it really.

Describe your perfect evening.

I love the cinema so for me it's going to my local cinema and watching a film.

Where do you get your inspiration?

My love for Japan has greatly influenced much of my work. Also just have inspiration come to me out of the blue when I least expect it. Lately I have been walking around my local park and planning out ideas for future works in my head.

What do you do when you get a writer's block?

I always write at least two books at a time so when I get writer's block with one, I can switch to the other until it passes.

Who is your favorite author?

James Clemens. His Banned and the Banished series is amazing!

Best book you ever read.

That's a difficult one. I'd say Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It's an incredible story, and the sentiments and message running throughout the novel is just so powerful/ It's a book that stays with you for a long time after you've finished it.

I loved Cloud Atlas! I never met anyone else who read it. Last book you read.

The Jakkattu Vector by P.K. Tyler.      

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?

I really don't know. I can't imagine doing anything else. I do enjoy graphic design though, so perhaps I would have gone into that.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

When you start writing your first novel take your time and enjoy the process. Don't put yourself under stress to et it finished in a certain timeframe. Writing should always be fun and something that you enjoy doing.