Once Upon a Twilight!: Author Interview: Laurell K. Hamilton, Author of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novels

We've got an exclusive interview with New York Times Bestselling Author Laurell K. Hamilton, the author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.

OUaT: How did the idea for the plot of CRIMSON DEATH come to you?

Damian, the character, whispered in my ear that it was time to write his story, or more of his story than ever before. I've been making notes on his background for years, but this was the first time he let me know he was ready. Then a place name that I'd never even heard of consciously came into my head, and it turned out to be a real place in Ireland. A place I'd never read about to my knowledge, or even knew existed, but the name came to me and when I looked on a map it was real. I've only had that happen once before with Edward in the book Obsidian Butterfly where he led me to New Mexico where he lived. I remember arguing with the character inside my head that he couldn't possibly live somewhere I'd never been, but when I got off the plane it was perfect. Honestly, it freaked me out a little to have my imaginary friends know things that I have no way of knowing. How can my characters know about places that I've never visited, or heard of? How does that kind of creative alchemy work? I honestly don't know, but I know that it's real and when my imagination is that sure I know to follow where it leads even if that's a plane ride halfway across the world to a different country. I had to do more than just step off the plane in Ireland, but once I walked up the hillside and looked out at the view I knew it was the right place. I knew this was where Damian had led me.

OUaT: Please share several of your favorite quotes from CRIMSON DEATH.

“I screamed his name with my head thrown back, eyes closed, his name like a frantic prayer spilling over and over from my lips.”

“. . . After years of him kissing me good-bye when he didn't know if his badge-wearing fiancée was coming home safe, it was my turn. Let me just say that turnabout was not only not fair, but it was downright scary.”

"I don't want to kill you, damn it. It's a waste of centuries of talent and power, but if you force me to make the decision, I will."

"So instead of NRE it's NME?" I asked.
"I know NRE is Is new-relationship energy, but what's NME? Nathaniel asked.
"New metaphysical energy," I said.
He grinned. "I like it . . ."

“My first sight of Dublin was the sea. The air was damp and chilly, fresh with rain, and the constant murmur of the sea was like background music to the crackle of the police radios and the noise that always happens around a major crime scene. It was like we'd changed seasons along with countries.”

“. . . The door didn't fall down like it would in the movies. It bowed outward and I think she peeled it partway out of the doorframe, because I got a glimpse of her hair and face, a shoulder through the opening. I was strong, but not strong enough to look at that door and think, I'll just kick it until breaks. That was like superhero strong, supernatural strong.”

OUaT: What music did you listen to while writing CRIMSON DEATH?

I've gone through more music for this book than maybe any other. I find that a single album can see me through about 400 pages, and since this book came in rough draft at about three times that I went through a lot of different music. Adele's album, 25. Disturbed’s newest album, Immortalized. Katy Perry, July Talk (Great first album), Depeche Mode, Drowning Pool, Godsmack, Amanda Palmer, and Marilyn Manson. I know that there were other artists that came for a few days and then left my playlists, because I built, rebuilt, threw out, started over, and then finally settled into more playlists than ever. Tori Amos, particularly her albums, Unrepentant Geraldines and A Piano: The Collection. I'll confess that Tori Amos is probably the longest running musical muse for me. I wrote some of my early Anita Blake novels to her albums, Under the Pink, Little Earthquakes, Boys for Pele, From the Choirgirl Hotel, and Scarlet's Walk. I've created a large play list that intermingles her music, but some of the early albums are so wedded in my mind to the book I wrote to them that I still can't listen to some of the songs, neither for pleasure, nor for writing. I've lost several wonderful bands over the years because they are so enmeshed with a particular book, or character that I can't listen to them for new writing. I did a lot more soundtracks than ever before, especially those done by Hans Zimmer, and Alexandre Desplat. I'm sure I've forgotten some of the wonderful music I listened to while writing, but as I said I've never gone through so much different music for one novel.

Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the leading writers of paranormal fiction. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Hamilton writes the popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels and the Meredith Gentry series. She is also the creator of a bestselling comic book series based on her Anita Blake novels and published by Marvel Comics. Hamilton is a full-time writer and lives in the suburbs of St. Louis with her family. Connect with Laurell online at laurellkhamilton.org, facebook.com/LaurellKHamiltonOfficial, and twitter.com/LKHamilton.