SHALLA CHATS with author Margaret L. Carter

 

“Writing Vampire Paranormals”

by Shalla DeGuzman

 

First off, who ’s Margaret?

Margaret L. Carter has published several works on vampirism in literature, including SHADOW OF A SHADE: A SURVEY OF VAMPIRISM IN LITERATURE, the anthology DRACULA: THE VAMPIRE AND THE CRITICS, and THE VAMPIRE IN LITERATURE: A CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY. Her vampire novel, DARK CHANGELING, appeared in electronic form in June, 1999, from the Hard Shell Word Factory and won the 2000 Eppie Award in Horror.

Her latest vampire romance with Silhouette Intimate Moments, EMBRACING DARKNESS , is out now.

Shalla: Hi, Margaret.

Margaret: Greetings! Thanks for inviting me.

Shalla: How did you decide on writing about vampires?

Margaret: I became enthralled with vampires when I read DRACULA at the age of 12. In fact, I was fascinated with the *idea* of the vampire years earlier, long before I read the book. (I never saw a vampire movie until I was in my 20s.

This was long before VCRs, when dinosaurs walked the Earth, <G> and it just happened that no vampire films came on our local TV Late Show at a time when I had a chance to watch them.)

One of my first stories, at age 13, was a single-spaced MS of over 30 pages in the form of the diary of a man unwittingly changing into a vampire.

Shalla: Where do you get ideas for your stories?

Margaret: Often from other books. I come across a theme that excites me, and I want to create my own twist on it.

I also find interesting tidbits in magazine articles and nonfiction TV programs that can be incorporated into fantasy, horror, and paranormal romance.

My own life experiences and places I've lived as a Navy wife often provide details to flesh out the "reality" of a fantasy plot.

Shalla: Do you plot your stories?

Margaret: Yes, I outline in detail. In fact, unlike many writers, I consider outlining the most enjoyable part of writing a book—just call me weird.

Shalla: What makes a good vampire character?

Margaret: Sensuality, intelligence, and of course a touch of mystery. The vampire appeals to me because this creature looks human and yet has a nonhuman perspective on the world.

Like Spock in STAR TREK, the vampire is almost human but not quite, with a core of essential alienness.

 

LOOK WHAT SHALLA FOUND!

Dr. Margaret L. Carter's short story "Residual Fumes" in audio.

 

Blank Canvas Issue, Halloween Edition

 

 

At SHALLA Magazine, everyday is Halloween!

Listen to spooky stories by Dr. Margaret L. Carter, Edgar Allan Poe, vintage radio's the Haunted Tales of the Supernatural, Paul G's SHALLA Magazine jingle, songs and music by Levi Kreis, Moose (Mooska), Music from Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), and more!

Shalla: Any tips on making paranormal characters come to life?

Margaret: I think it's important to surround fantastic characters and situations with realistic details that help the reader feel that the world in which the story takes place is believably recognizable as the real world the reader inhabits.

If everything else is made credible, the incredible element can more easily be accepted. So accurate research is as important in fantasy as any other kind of fiction. I try to find analogies in the natural world for the abilities of my nonhuman characters, to aid suspension of disbelief.

As for the characters themselves, their motivation has to be credible even though they aren't human. And they must have some emotions the human reader can identify with, yet without sacrificing that core of alienness. One main attraction of the paranormal hero is that he is the forbidden Other, after all.

Shalla: What’s the best way of handling intimate scenes?

Margaret: That depends on the type of book. Some plots lend themselves to very explicit love scenes, while in other kinds of stories the characters' sexual relationship isn't the main focus, and in those, the bedroom door will be "closed" or at most left slightly ajar.

In a sexual relationship between a human and a nonhuman character, I want to see some details of how the "alien" makes love and feel cheated if that's left out. If both characters are completely human, there's no need to go into quite as much detail; most of us already know how it's done. <G>

For me, the most important (and difficult) aspect of writing the physical dimension of a love scene is to attain the proper balance between physical sensations and emotions. Without deep emotion, a sex scene gets boring quickly and has no justification for existence; it needs to advance the plot and reveal character.

Another difficult task is making descriptions of sexual interaction fresh, when it's so easy to slip into the familiar phrases we've read so often in many other love scenes.

Shalla: When writing, do you put yourself in your scenes or do you visualize it?

Margaret: I visualize it as an external observer.

Shalla: When writing creepy scenes, do you ever scare yourself?

Margaret: Hardly ever. I wish I *were* that talented! Actually, creepy scenes in other people's work hardly ever scare me. I've been reading horror for so long, and studying it as a writer of literary criticism, that most of the horror motifs feel familiar and comforting to me, not scary.

Besides, the nonhuman characters are seldom the source of the horror in my fiction. I try to make them sympathetic.

The horror, if any, comes from the ordeals they go through in trying to adjust to their nature and sometimes being hunted by those who fear them.

Shalla: How do you make vampire characters sympathetic?

Margaret: It helps if they are ravishingly attractive and sensual. <G> More important, it's vital to get inside the mind of the "monster" and convey his or her view of the world, make the reader understand and sympathize with the character's needs and motives.

A sympathetic vampire, also, should not be an indiscriminate killer. It's difficult for me to identify with a vampire that kills every time he/she feeds and has no regard for human life.

That's the main reason why I've never really liked any of Anne Rice's characters, although I admire her achievements. Why *should* a vampire kill every person he/she drinks from? It's wasteful and dangerous.

I much prefer Dr. Weyland in Suzy McKee Charnas's inimitable THE VAMPIRE TAPESTRY. He's cold and deliberately distant from humanity, but he draws the reader in nevertheless, while he himself is getting unwillingly drawn closer to his human prey. And he has a dry wit, keen intelligence, and the good sense not to leave a trail of corpses.

Shalla: What keeps you writing?

Margaret: The thrill of seeing my stories and characters preserved in concrete form. The pleasure of getting feedback from readers. Money, and the prospect of more of it, so I can eventually drop my part-time job and write more—which is connected with the joy of reader response, because unless the books sell lots of copies, nobody is reading them.

Shalla: Thanks so much! For more on Margaret L. Carter, please visit her website http://www.margaretlcarter.com

---

Shalla DeGuzman's short stories have appeared in Poetic Diversity, the Mad Hatters Review, etc.; her articles in The Scriptorium and L.A. Freepress; her skits at the Stella Adler Theatre. Shalla, a former writer and producer of a health and fitness cable show, is currently writing a novel. She is President of The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group where she interviews literary agents, publishers, editors, etc. News! Shalla DeGuzman gets nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize! Plus! SHALLA Magazine, which features short stories, poetry and more, is here! For more on Shalla: www.shalladeguzman.com

 

 

 

Who's on SHALLA CHATS?

Know who Shalla has interviewed?

Maybe you'll be next?

Turn up the volume...

 

Hear our musician, Moose (Mooska), with his reggae/ska, other, acoustic blues, roots, leftfield music.

Featuring: Dorchester author, Tess Mallory; Artscape author, Frederick Ramsay; Hallie Ephron; Shara Lanel; Margaret L. Carter; Gena Showalter; Judie Aitken; NY Times Best Selling author, Barry Eisler; Chick-Lit author, Sonia Singh; Brett Battles; Michele Scott; multiple Emmy Award winning TV news producer & author Mari Mancusi; Terry Spear; Andrea Wilder; Tina Gerow; Seamus Cashman; NY Times Bestselling author, Bob Mayer; Patricia M. Terrell and more!

Produced and Directed by Shalla DeGuzman
www.shalladeguzman.com

 

---