Vampire Babylon by author Chris Marie Green

FAQs/Media Press Kit

	Why is there a pen name change for the Bloodlands series?

	The series will be published in mass market format rather than trade, and the books are going to be labeled under a different sub-genre (post-apocalyptic western fantasy)—hence, the change. I do understand that there’s a very real possibility of confusion with the introduction of a new name, and I’m sorry for that. Either way, I hope you all enjoy the new series!

	What is the Bloodlands series?

	You could call it a “paranormal Shane meets Mad Max” for the first book. The second and third ones open up from the post-apocalyptic west to more of the urbanized areas, and you’ll meet a bunch of new characters (and creatures). The first book in particular has a mystery in it (think Agatha Christie!), as well as lots of adventure and mayhem. I got the idea for this postapocalptic supernatural Western while watching a lot of old cowboy movies. I’d just about internalized the tropes—the gun-slinging drifter who’s looking for redemption and a return to humanity, the feisty yet put-upon settlers, the cruel rancher next door. Since my mind is more or less always on monsters or creepy creatures of some sort, I started wondering what would’ve happened had Shane been a vampire. From that point on, I was twisting those old Western tropes into paranormal shapes. (My main character, Gabriel, doesn’t sling a gun, but he does have fangs, and he is literally lacking humanity because he’s a vampire. The settlers are survivalists who have fled the urban hubs out of utter terror and preservation. You get the picture. The first book, Bloodlands, came out on July 26, 2011; Blood Rules on August 30; In Blood We Trust on September 27.

	What's going on with Vampire Babylon and coming releases in the series?

	NIGHT RISING, MIDNIGHT REIGN, BREAK OF DAWN, A DROP OF RED, THE PATH OF RAZORS, and DEEP IN THE WOODS are all available in trade and mass market formats. . A Vampire Babylon short story entitled “Soul Stains” appeared in the March 2011 occult detectives anthology entitled Those Who Fight Monsters. It takes place after the events in Deep in the Woods. (You can look on www.vampirebabylon.com, Twitter and Facebook for any and all updates!) A Vampire Babylon short story entitled “Soul Stains” will appear in the March 2011 occult detectives anthology entitled THOSE WHO FIGHT MONSTERS. It will take place after the events in DEEP IN THE WOODS. (Look for release updates on this site as well as www.chrismariegreen.com, Facebook, and Twitter!) The Vampire Babylon series uses trilogy arcs to tell one basic story, much like the way JK Rowling used seven books that didn’t solve every plot thread book-by-book to tell Harry Potter’s story. While each individual novel focuses on a central mystery that’s solved by the end, the three books together build character and mythology arcs/mysteries until everything culminates in the third books of the trilogies. The first trilogy is known as the “Hollywood trilogy.” It contains these books: NIGHT RISING MIDNIGHT REIGN BREAK OF DAWN (A novella, “Double the Bite,” in an anthology titled First Blood is available, and it’s best read here, after Break of Dawn.) The second trilogy continues the adventures of Dawn Madison and the vampire hunting team, and this three-book arc is known as the “London trilogy.” It consists of: A DROP OF RED THE PATH OF RAZORS DEEP IN THE WOODS (“Soul Stains” in the Those Who Fight Monsters anthology is best read here, after Deep in the Woods.) Right now, I’m looking into the possibility of perhaps writing Vampire Babylon novellas for e-book platforms. I’ll let you know if anything develops! You can subscribe to the Vampire Babylon newsletter or Bloodlands newsletter for updates, as well as Twitter and Facebook.

	How did the series come about?

	I wanted to write a longer vampire book (My first was The Huntress, January, 2005, Bombshell), and I had an idea about a stuntwoman on the career skids who finds out that her estranged father has gone missing in L.A. During her search for him, she comes across a strange paranormal investigative agency and this eventually leads to an erotically charged vamp underground. My Berkley editor is calling it “noir fantasy-mystery,” and that gets my motor revved, LOL. I love the “noir” part, especially.

	Why was the series name changed from Vampire Underground (the work in progress title) to Vampire Babylon?

	It was a publishing house marketing decision. They wanted to play off of the “Hollywood Babylon” mystique.

	Are you still writing for Special Edition and Blaze as Crystal Green?

	Yes. A Montana Mavericks continuity book titled The Hard-To-Get Cowboy tis out in October, and I’ll have a new miniseries called St. Valentine, Texas, starting in May, 2012 with Courted by the Texas Millionaire. In November, my first Blaze in about a year and a half, Roped In, will be on shelves, and I’ll be working on a “duet” miniseries for the line about “naughty bridesmaids”…

	Will you read my manuscript if I send it to you?

	As much as I’d like to, I can’t. It’s not wise for a published author to take the chance on being sued by someone who can say that the author read their work and stole an idea. By the same token, as an unpublished author, you probably don’t want to take the risk of having someone use your premises, either, especially with everything that’s happening with plagiarism at the moment. I’d suggest using a trusted group of critique partners instead—it’s worked incredibly well for me.

	How did you get into writing professionally?

	I've been writing since I could hold a crayon. In my early days, I loved being read to, loved hearing the flow of words. My favorite first book was Little Mommy. I memorized that sucker from opening to closing. I guess I enjoyed the sound of the rhyming narrative. Much, much later, when I decided I could get serious about publishing, I attended the San Diego State University Conference. That, in turn, led to my meeting Judy Duarte, then Sheri WhiteFeather, then joining Romance Writers of America. The organization taught me the business of writing; I don't think I'd be a romance author without their support.

	Do you write anything else besides these vampire books?

	Yup—luckily, for a few years now, I’ve been able to write books full time. I write as “Crystal Green” for the Harlequin/Silhouette company: Bombshells (action-adventure), Blazes (steamy women’s fiction), and Special Edition (more traditional women’s fiction).

	I want to write a book. How should I go about it?

	Just do it. Make writing a priority and don't make excuses for your lack of time. If you feel your pages are terrible (and you probably will), rework them. Nothing is written in stone. Then send out your material; if no one reads it, you won't get it published. Also, attend conferences and writers' meetings in order to network.

	Do you recommend any books about writing?

	Debra Dixon's Goal, Motivation, and Conflict contains excellent advice about setting up a character's core situation. The exercises will strengthen your plot as well as your characters. Also, Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey (based on Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey) is great. After getting down the idea, you'll be able to write a synopsis easily.

	Who do you read for inspiration?

	I follow authors like Stephen King because he really stretches the limits of language and descriptions. Larry McMurty writes quirky characters whose inner and spoken dialogues reveal a lot about them. And I like Donna Tartt's themes and how they tie into plot and characterization. Lately, I’ve been reading some of Poppy Z. Brite’s older work, and it’s awesome—graphic but poetic.

A noir-mystery-fantasy series by Chris Marie Green