Author Interview - Stacey Voss


Stacey, thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your novel and ask you some questions.

Here are the questions I have for you (in list form because I'm odd that way):

1. Thunder and Blood is set in your home town of Thunder Bay. Did you ever consider setting it else where?

I wrote Thunder and Blood while I was living in Germany and I really missed my home town. I never considered setting it anywhere else because that’s where my heart was at the time. We ended up moving back here because even my German husband loves it here. During the three years we lived in Germany, we travelled back to Thunder Bay to visit four times.


2. Does the city of Thunder Bay like being featured?

Well, I think, for the most part, the city likes it. I’m sure there’s one or two people who wonder why anyone would set a vampire novel here. The mayor came out to my book launch and I gave her a signed copy and she seemed pretty pleased though. For the most part I’ve received a lot of support. I’m doing a signing and reading at the main library on the 17th.


3. Are any of the residents inspiration for any of the characters?

Adelaide is inspired by one of my best friends in appearance only. Otherwise, I haven’t used anyone local at all. I’ve had a few people ask me if they’re in my book but, no, these characters are totally independent of anyone I know in real life.

4. Let's talk about that portal. Time travel or alternate reality? Other?

Alternate reality. Basically think “Quantum Leap” - you know, that old TV show? Our world and the world of Donner were the same until the 1500’s when one person was changed into a vampire and that changed the entire future of that world.

5. There is a strong German influence in the story. Is there a strong German community in Thunder Bay in reality?

Actually, Thunder Bay has stronger Finnish and Italian communities. There are Germans who lived in the city, but I never really recognised that until I first started dating my husband. I included the German aspect because of where I was living when I wrote Thunder and Blood.


6. You also lived in Germany for a while....what was your favorite part/place?

I loved the fact that everything was so close together. We could drive for a few hours and go through a few countries. I loved the history that was everywhere. We travelled through a lot of castles which helped me to envision the castle in the novel. I got to see so many historically significant places. We took my mom and aunt to Berlin for a few days and saw Checkpoint Charlie, bits of the Berlin Wall, and the Holocaust Memorial. It was really amazing.


7. Why have two leading ladies instead of the standard one?

I originally planned on just having Sarah as the leading lady, but once Christine was captured I knew that she had her own story to tell. It would just have been too disjointed to have Sarah and Adelaide rescue her and discover that she was a vampire. I suppose I could have had her tell her story later, but that’s just not the way it came out. I had one reviewer accuse me of head-hopping, and I’m sure that’s a valid complaint, but that’s just the way the story rolled out of me.


8. From the excerpt of the next novel we get to see both again, right? Are they ever going to have their own stories?

We do see both of them in the next novel. Since I haven’t written more than the first chapter of that one I’m not sure if we end up focusing more on one than the other. As for having their own stories, I would think that would be quite possible, we’ll have to see what happens if the Vampire Counsel discovers Sarah’s conversion.


9. I was reading on your site that Da Vinci gets his own vampiric prequel. Are there any other famous vampires in the works?

The era of Da Vinci was full of famously powerful and knowledgeable men. I’m sure they will all feature in one way or another in his story. As for any others, not that I know of, but you never know.


10. Who is your favorite vampire (either in books or movies)?

My favourite vampires is one of Ann Rice’s. I’m sure you’d assume Lestat, but I actually liked Merrick the best. All of her later vampires seemed to have so much depth to them. Unfortunately, I gave away all of my Ann Rice books when I moved to Germany, so I’m going to have to put them on my Christmas Wish List.



Great! I'm excited to see the vampire Da Vinci! Now, it's your turn, readers. What questions do you have for Ms. Voss? You can discuss the novel, vampires in general, Canada, or pretty much anything else I'm sure. Stacey will be here all day (Oct 15 8 am - 4 pm EST) to answer your questions and chat with you. I'll be peeking in from time to time....unfortunately my job as a teacher means I can't spend the whole day with you all, no matter how much I'd like to. Please make her feel welcome and enjoy yourselves. If you'd like to use the google chat box on my sidebar, to have a more direct conversation with Stacey, just log in and then add her to your contacts. Her google talk is Voss (dot) Stacey (at)googlemail (dot) com

12 comments:

Stacey Voss said...

If anyone wants to chat with me via the google chat on the sidebar you can add me at:

Voss (dot) Stacey (at) googlemail (dot) com

Molly said...

Stacy, I am running low on questions! Or atleast I don't want to keep repeating questions! So I will ask this one and then just leave comments until I can think of more questions....when did you start writing and have you always wanted to be a writer????

~Mollybuuklvr~

Stacey Voss said...

Hey there! With 19 stops on my tour I'm not surprised people are going to run out of questions! LOL

I started writing when I was five. Seriously. My dad got one of the first Xerox photocopiers and I wrote "My All Time Book". It had a short story in it about a cat called Blackie who got lost in the woods. It also had a few "poems" in it. I think I still have a copy somewhere.

When I was young (and ever since) I wanted to be a writer and/or a teacher and I've actually managed to fulfill both of those dreams. My husband has been a wonderful supporter of me doing what I love.

Mandyfish said...

On the topic of writing, I believe I read somewhere that Thunder and Blood was/is a NaNoWriMo novel. Is that true? Did you have to go through a lot of editing afterwards or was it nearly the same?

Mandyfish said...

How do you feel about NaNoWriMo? Will your next novel also be a NaNo novel?

Stacey Voss said...

Hi Mandy,

Most of my editing was sentence structure and grammatical. The story itself stayed pretty much the same. The editing took a few months, but there's still a few mistakes in it. I'm going to hire a professional for the second novel.

I did write the whole thing during Nanowrimo and I have to say that it was the best kick in the pants I could have gotten. I'm starting the sequel on November 1st (Nanowrimo again) and I'm hoping that with the tour continuing through November I'll still have time to write the 75,000 words that I'm planning for.

Kimberly H. said...

What was it about vampires that drew you ?
I know you said on one of the other tour spots that you are an Anne Rice fan, but was there any other element that made you decide vampires were the way to go?

Stacey Voss said...

I'm not really sure. When the fog turned out to be a portal to a parallel universe, it just naturally turned into a vampire novel. There was no other reason, just seemed to flow with the fog.

JoJosBookCorner said...

Hi Stacey~
I too am starting to run out of questions LOL but given a little time im sure i can think of some different ones!
My question for today is:
What is your all time favorite book/series and why?
JoJo

Stacey Voss said...

Hi JoJo,

Hmmm...tough one. I think my favourite is the Mayfair Witches from Anne Rice. I loved the way it crossed over with the Vampire Chronicles at the end.

I also really love two Dean Koontz series - Odd Thomas and Fear Nothing.

Orson Scott Card's Ender series is also a favourite.

:P I just love to read I guess!

JoJosBookCorner said...

I soooo understand that!! i love so many series i don't know if i could just pick 1 myself.
Thanks,
JoJo

Onwildwings said...

Great interview Stacey

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