Author Interview: Rebecca Maizel

Being vampire week and all around here, I thought it would be great if I interviewed the author of one of my favorite vampire books this year.  

Luckily for me, the very lovely Rebecca Maizel, author of Infinite Days, agreed.  I was so excited she agreed and after doing a little dance, these are questions I asked her:

How did you come up with the idea of a Vampire becoming human?
I connected to my main character, Lenah's voice.  it was so strong; and sinister and tragic.  I wanted to tap into that sorrow and darkness.  I wanted to bring this person, whoever she was back out to light.  It turned out that she was a vampire and thematically, it worked.  Every person out there has done something they aren't proud of.  And whatever that thing is, they have to live with it - forever.  That's Lenah but time about a million!  I just started writing one day and there she was with a motive, a purpose, and some really scary enemies.

Was it hard to create a character who readers can sympathize with, especially one who has been EVIL in the past?
It was hard.  I had to make sure that I showed Lenah in her every day life as a human with good intentions.  When I juxtaposed her evil past to her human life at Wickham Boarding School you're able to see that had Lenah been thinking with her right mind, her human mind, she might have made different choices. 

With so many men in Lena's life (whether they be friends, love interests, or mentors), how hard is ti to actually choose one, kill some off, etc.?  I know as a reader it hard to pick sides - I can only imagine how much harder is it for you as their creator.
Every man in Lenah's life has a purpose, every character in Infinite Days has a purpose and as a writer you need to make difficult decisions but ultimately you need to let the character and her motivations dictate the plot, if you do it the other way around it'll feel forced and uneven.  

Can you tell us anything about the sequel to Infinite Days?  Spoilers are accepted! ;)

I cannot tell you anything! Only that everything, absolutely everything is turned on its head! 

 

What does Halloween mean to you?  Any childhood memories you’re willing to share with us?
I have memories of pillowcases full of candy. I remember dividing up all the different kinds - making a pile for Butterfinger, a Hershey's pile, etc. I always had friends to walk through the neighborhood with - I had a great childhood, Halloween was always an important part of it. Every year on Halloween morning I would come down to eat and with breakfast would be a piece of chocolate shaped like a pumpkin or witch. My mom was great like that. 

This might be a dumb question (with you writing vampire books and all), but are you Team Vampire or Team Werewolf? 

Team Vampire, I gotta support my people!  

If you were able to go trick-or-treating with three authors or characters - who would they be, and what would y’all be dressed up as? 
Hmmm...

I'll pick characters.

Vicken - He'd be a T-Bird from Grease
Harry Potter - He'd be dressed as Nearly Headless Nick. I don't know why but that seems fun to me. 
Daniel from Fallen - He'd go as himself because he is SEXY. 

Any guilty pleasures you’re willing to share with us? 
Coffee. 
Chinese Food 
Any 1990's alternative rock. Wow, I am a BIG dork.  

And last, but not least, (and this is more to satisfy my curiosity)... do the boys in your books wear boxers or briefs? 
Oooh. Hmm. Justin is boxer briefs for SURE. ;) 
Rhode...well. I don't think he wears any! :) wink wink


Rhode... le sigh.  I hope you enjoyed the interview with Rebecca Maizel.  To learn more about  author Rebecca Maizel and Infinite Days, please visit Rebecca's blog at  http://rebeccamaizel.blogspot.com/.

I also have two copies of Infinite Days to giveaway.  This is one of my favorite books this year and I thought why not celebrate its awesomeness with some copies to giveaway.

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

GIVEAWAY:  I have 2 copies up for grabs! 

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, my spiffy All About {n} button, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open internationally! Winners will be drawn Wednesday, November 3.