Guest Interview: Shayne Leighton and THE VAMPIRE'S DAUGHTER

Wow - take a look at that fabulous cover! I'm ready to take the plunge into this one.

My guest today is Shayne Leighton, author of new gothic series, OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, talking about the series' first book, THE VAMPIRE'S DAUGHTER. I'm delighted to welcome Shayne to my blog. 

Congratulations, Shayne, on the publication of your novel, THE VAMPIRE'S DAUGHTER. Can you tell us a bit about the story and the series and what inspired it?

Thank you so much! Of Light and Darkness is a new adult Gothic fairytale that takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, about a young girl who was raised by a vampire and is the only mortal to live among the magic and all sorts of impossible creatures. People in my life inspired the characters in my novel. I imagined what kind of creatures the people closest to me in my life would be. The plot followed soon after I developed the characters. 

You describe this series as "gothic fairytale." Can you elaborate on this?

I am mostly referring to the overall mood of the story. I don't want readers to see this as an epic Lord of the Rings kind of fantasy. It's not that. I imagine this story more along the lines of Interview With the Vampire and Pan's Labyrinth or even the new Snow White and the Huntsman. It's different. There are a lot of dark and colorful visuals about this story that make it different from a lot of other fantasies. It is Gothic, but it even encompasses a little steampunk, a little Victorian, and little urban fantasy. The story is very eclectic. 

Eclectic sounds like fun! Please give us a hint about the next books in the series. When will they be out?

Currently, I am working on releasing the second book in the series, THE VAMPIRE'S REFLECTION. That book will be released in the next month or two. It picks up where the first book left off and promises to entail many new oppositions for the characters to overcome. The love triangles are back and I introduce new ones as well. Book two is a little darker and more complicated, and it really sets up the epic third book in the series. 

I understand there may be a movie in the works - how exciting! How did that come about?

My background is primarily in screenwriting and filmmaking. I'm heavily involved in the independent film community in South Florida. Utilizing some of the connections I had from previous projects as well as making new connections, it seemed like the logical next step. 

Do you have any advice for beginning writers? Any details about your path to publication that you'd like to share?

Every idea is a good idea - even if it needs a little tweaking. Don't ever give up on an idea that you love because you receive a 'no' from a publisher or an agent. There is a lot of rejection in publishing. Believe in your work and in your story. Keep tweaking until you are happy. 

Do you have a website where readers can learn more about THE VAMPIRE'S DAUGHTER?  

Readers can visit www.OfLightandDarknessSeries.com for more information.