Another Amazing Interview with S.E. Gordon

Tempe: Welcome back S.E. , I am so happy to have you on my blog again!

S.E.G. : Hey Temperance, thanks for putting this together.

Tempe: Anytime! So tell me , whats changed since the  last time we spoke?

S.E.G.: Well, I am writing a prequel of sorts called Vampire Hunters: Prelude. It is a novelette (~15,000 words), and will give readers a taste of what they're in for with Enura. It is unique in the sense that it is told entirely from the first person perspective of Lawson Parker, the resident vampire hunter. I would go as far as to say that this has the feel as a novel itself, but in a much smaller space.

I plan to release this first, and include the entire first act of Enura as a sample (Enura has a total of 5 acts). But what's also interesting about this is that this will not be the only novelette in the Vampire Hunters series. I will also be writing Vampire Hunters: Calamity, another novelette which will feature characters not found in Enura that will thread into the sequel, Half Light.


Tempe: Once again, great cover art! Who did this one?

S.E.G. : For Vampire Hunters: Prelude, I did everything myself. I purchased the stock image from iStockPhoto, threw it into Photoshop, banged my head against the wall...that sort of thing...and *presto* a masterpiece!

Tempe: Wow!! Well , job well done! :c)

S.E.G. : I guess that short stint at Ringling School of Art & Design is really starting to pay off. [grins]

Tempe: You changed your art for Enura too, right?

S.E.G. : Yes, Enura's cover has changed.. When I started thinking ahead to Half-light, the next novel in the series, I realized I had a problem.

I pondered what the new cover would look like: I see a woman running--it's Yakim from the first novel, and there's a light. Unfortunately, that's exactly what appears on Enura's current cover. And I realized another problem--even though the book is called Enura, she doesn't appear on the cover; it's actually Yakim. That's when I realized I had to move the cover art from book #1 to book #2, and get new artwork for Enura. I figured I could still get away with it since I hadn't done a ton of publicity or listed the novel for sale yet.

I'm sure readers will be pleased with the selection of the new cover art (also by the amazing Claudia McKinney of PhatPuppyArt). One of my beta readers also asked me why Enura has red hair on the cover while the character has white hair in the first half of the novel. This is intentional--there's a nasty little surprise at the end of the book.
Tempe: Oooh, exciting!  I love nasty little surprises!

Tempe: What else can you tell us about your new novellas?

S.E.G. : Vampire Hunters: Prelude is the first of five novellas detailing the events leading up to Enura. Collectively, all five stories could be considered one long novel or 'prequel.' Originally it was my intention to only write 12,500 words for each one, but, as is common with my projects, they have a tendency to expand. I'm getting close to finishing Prelude, and it's poised to break 20,000 words. So much for setting limits. It's all about the story anyways, not the word count. The readers are the real winners when I exceed my limits.
Tempe: Wow, 20,000? Awesome! Oh, and  I agree, it's all about the story and the readers.

Tempe: So why did you choose to write the prequels, exactly?

S.E.G.: I decided to write the prequels because I knew there will be a lag between books 1 and 2. Releasing the prequels keeps interest alive, and helps provide depth to the vampire universe I've created. In addition, they provide a low entry fee into the series (each will have a list price of .99).

Also, there seemed to be a bit of unfinished business while I was writing Enura. I eluded to events that happened earlier with Lawson, but did not have the space to go into any detail. Now I have the opportunity, and readers are in for a wild ride!

Tempe: Are any of your characters based on real life people ?

S.E.G.: Lawson Parker is actually the name of a graphic designer I met while working for the American Registry of Internet Numbers (ARIN)--you know, those people responsible for IP addresses. Every now and then I would tell her that her name was perfect for a vampire hunter. I guess it was just a matter of time before I made it happen. Hopefully she's not terribly upset that her character is a man.

In a broader sense, my characters are a concatenation of personalities I've been exposed to over time. Enura herself is inspired from Amy Lee of Evanescence (especially the cover of her album The Open Door), and Yakim from Mia Wasikowska (Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland). I would liken Lord Vangley's demeanor to Liam Neeson (Batman Begins), and Laurent's quiet presence to Stuart Townsend (Queen of the Damned). But Lawson's is the funniest of all; for some reason, I think back to Pinocchio whenever I write his scenes. A truly wooden character he is!
Tempe: I bet Lawson thinks it's cool... I would!

Tempe: Where do your inspirations come from?

S.E.G. : It's doesn't take much. The wind blows, and I get a new idea for a novel, among other things. I've got a backlog from here to the moon. If I could type 200 words a minute, I might have a shot at finishing them all. Maybe.

For me, I always look for an idea that is worth exploration. I believe in having a solid plot, but do not believe it's in the writer's best interest to know every single detail before entering the story. Discovery must be one of the prerequisites, otherwise the story suffers, and it shows.

I find that music is the best medium for experiencing my dreams, if only for a few moments. Paying closer attention to the things happening around you is an excellent way to come up with novel ideas; especially when you realize that everything is fodder for fiction. Even this interview, if viewed in the appropriate context.

Tempe: Thank you S.E. , great advice! Well I am now looking forward to your novellas getting finished , so I can get the full story. Thank you again S.E. for doing this interview with me.

Tempe: Everybody, keep your eyes peeled for S.E. Gordons books...You won't be sorry!