Shane K.P. O'Neill's Blog, page 3

MY INTERVIEW WITH ASHLEY FONTAINNE ON BLOGTALK RADIO

On October 8th, 2013 I was interviewed by Ashley Fontainne on her radio show. The lovely Ashley is an accomplished Independent author and the host of an excellent radio show for writers. Here is what we had to say to each other…

Forgive me if I sound a little quiet at the beginning of the interview. Ashley is in the USA and it was 5am for me when we spoke.

REVIEW FOR THE BLOOD GOSPEL BY JAMES ROLLINS AND REBECCA CANTRELL

I won’t bore any of you by repeating half of the synopsis as it’s up there in black and white for your perusal. What I will do, is say what I loved about it. I have always loved Rollins’ style and the kind of book he writes. To me, he is akin to Dan Brown, but with a keener edge. Where Brown takes a breather with lengthy descriptions of historical locations (which is okay for a history buff such as myself) Rollins just ploughs on with the story and never relents with his pace. Of course, this is a collaboration with Ms Cantrell and together I feel they are a formidable partnership.

A cocktail of ancient mysteries, cults, vampires of both persuasions, secret societies, the Nazis, a host of historical greats, and the Catholic Church. What more could a reader want? I liked also the use of three main protagonists as opposed to the usual ritual of hero plus one (usually female). All three have their intricacies and complexities that keep them interesting, as well as their individual interactions with each other that bring us to identify with and care for them. I loved too the introduction of many great historical figures going back two thousand years. I don’t give spoilers so you will have to read the story for yourselves, but they each add real substance to the book, leading up to the final excellent twist at the end.

Blood Gospel is an action-packed, fast-paced, thrilling read that I would recommend to anyone. I’m going straight to Amazon now to order Innocent Blood. I know it will be money well spent. Five glowing stars from me.

These books are available on Amazon in Paperback, Hardback and Kindle

The Blood Gospel
Innocent Blood

Audio Version of The Lamb of God

An audio version of The Lamb Of God is now available to listen to on my YouTube channel, produced by my friend, Trond Bråten, and narrated by myself.

Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again – Simon Okill

My good friend, Simon Okill, has a promotion beginning today for his Phantom Bigfoot series. This is for him.

Awkward teen prankster, Duane Dexter, would never have guessed how much his humdrum life would change in the space of 1 year. Since his 18th birthday he inherited more money than he could spend, won the hearts of Big Beaver’s women, is hero-worshiped by every kid in town, and all due to The Elders choosing him to be Guardian of the Forest. The alien Elders love their pets – hybrid creatures known as Bigfoot – and genetically alter Duane to take on this massive task as a werebigfoot.

Life is now perfect. Duane runs free in the forest with his hairy friends, listening to the creatures, understanding nature’s secrets with his altered 6th sense. To his astonishment, he can heal all wounds with a touch. But he can’t resist his prankster side, so he lets off steam by inflicting ludicrous pranks on the local Beaverites as Phantom Bigfoot, leaving curious evidence of Bigfoot in local bathrooms.

Then in the blink of an eye, it all changes for our hero. To his dismay, a teenager with the same prankish ways disappears, rumoured to have been taken by Bigfoot. Can Duane keep the tribe of Bigfoot a secret and protect the forest as the authorities search for the missing teenager? Or will the alien Elders come to regret their choice of Protector and banish Duane from the forest forever without his superpowers?

Simon Okill lives in a South Wales coastal town with his wife where he writes about the crazy adventures of Phantom Bigfoot and his tribe of Bigfoot Babes. Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again is book one of a YA adventure series, soon to be followed by Phantom Bigfoot & The Vampettes From Venus. Book 3 is a secret, so secret it hasn’t been written yet. Simon has also written several other books, all available on Amazon.

WIPs:

Phantom Bigfoot Episode 2 – Phantom Bigfoot & The Vampettes from Venus is due out

in Spring and follows more hilarious adventures of the Phantom Bigfoot.

Phantom Bigfoot Episode 3 – Phantom Bigfoot & The Haunted House is due out in

Summer.

Synopsis:

Welcome to Big Beaver, home of the Phantom Bigfoot Bather and his many crazy teenagefriends. Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again is a ludicrously different take on Bigfoot and hishabits. It quickly dispels the Hollywood b-movie version of a cannibalistic female-ravagingmonster. Big Beaver’s tribe of Bigfoot is so peace-loving they sadly make easy targets for hunters.

This is where Duane-o the no-brain-o comes in. At the age of 18, Sam, his father reveals thetruth of their hermit-like existence in the woods of the Shasta Cascade surrounding BigBeaver. Sam hands over the task of The Guardian to his son, also genetically altered by TheElders, tall Swedish-looking aliens from the planet Abba.

And now for one whole year, Duane has lived the life he was always meant to live – free ofnormal drag-me-downs that every other teenager has to endure. He has the ability to see andhear what his close friends are doing, no matter how far away they may be. He can heal withthe touch of his hands, and uses this ability many times to save injured animals and the reasonfor his existence – Bigfoot.

But most of all, Duane loves being a WereBigfoot, to run free in the dark forest at night, playwith the animals and have such fun – until that dumbass Beau Bruger, a teenage friend of his, goes missing.

Things get real tricky for our superhero, Duane-o, when Beau, the plumber’s 17 year old songoes missing, apparently abducted by Bigfoot. As if! Beau is always saying he’s been takenby Bigfoot, so no one believes he’s missing, not even his parents. 2 days pass and Duanesmells a rat and she is Zola, a naughty 16 year old Bigfoot desperate for a mate. This meanshis closest friend, MB, local crypto-zoologist and general busybody will be sniffing aroundwith his big nose looking for that elusive evidence – Bigfoot!

To make matters worse, Duane must also reunite two star-crossed lovers – the gorgeousSheriff Louise Harper and the anal FBI Agent Virgil Tuckerwood. This he has to do onorders of The Elders. But on his arrival in Big Beaver, Agent Tuckerwood is all regulationand spurns Lou’s advances. Lou thinks Virgil is having a fling with his partner, the sexyAgent Merlot as she overhears them getting it on. Poor Duane is at a loss how to get them hitched, but he must succeed or The Elders might take this as a weakness on his part.

Now Duane-o has to keep the FBI and Sheriff Lou from discovering his epic secret. So he must find Beau first and keep him from revealing the truth of Bigfoot. But what Duane does discover deep in the forest is so mind-bogglingly stupid, even he can’t fix the problem.

So Duane must rely on dumb luck and the wisdom of The Elders to keep his secret a secret or he will be stripped of his superpowers and remain in Big Beaver a normal human being like every other Beaverite. Not that there are any normal Beaverites.

Excerpt:

Not long after that it was Duane’s eighteenth birthday, and he had the shock of his life, just after his mother had left. He woke up from a night of weird visions chasing ape-like creatures in the forest. As usual he had to use the toilet. He burst into the bathroom and came to a stop. Before him, stood a Bigfoot as naked as a jaybird, but not naked. The creature was covered head to toe in long blond hair and was at least seven feet tall.

As he stared at the Bigfoot he recognized his father’s facial features.

“Dad … is that you?”

“Hello Duane … I guess it’s time I explained some things.” He laid a hand on Duane’s trembling shoulder. “I’ve been The Guardian of the forest for too long now and it’s time to join my new family.” He smiled big yellow teeth.

“What’s happened to you, Dad?” Duane thought of the film Teenwolf. “Are you a werewolf?”

Sam laughed. “No Duane … I’m a WereBigfoot … not a true Bigfoot and not exactly human. I was chosen by The Elders, as many before have, to help our tribe stay a secret and to stop their gene pool from drying up.”

“Chosen?”

“Yes, son, chosen by the lights up at The Big X. They took me to the place I can never remember, but that’s not important … what is … is you, my son … you must continue to protect the forest and its secret.”

“What secret, Dad?”

“The Bigfoot! They must never be discovered … don’t ask me why … The Elders have never thought fit to tell me … but it’s real important … but I gotta go now, Duane.” Sam shuddered and trembled. “The forest is calling me.”

Duane heard strange animal sounds echoing through the woods. “Woooo … wooooo … woooooo.”

“Am I going to change too, Dad?”

“Yes son, you are The Guardian now. The lights will tell you what to do … and your sixth sense will come in handy.”

“Sixth sense … like in the movie?”

“Not exactly, Duane …do you remember the lights?”

“You mean that time I was spying on Virgil and Lou at Little Beaver and I saw the lights? Not long after that Virgil left,” he added as an afterthought.

“You got it in one, Duane. They chose you way back then. In the pantry is some weird-tasting stuff … fermented Jooobaaa … drink it all … but not at once … it helps prepare the way. If you like you can water it down with some OJ and limejuice, makes a great cocktail. It won’t diminish its unique qualities.”

“Eh, okay Dad. Will I see you again?”

“Yeah … I’ll be dropping by now and again to see how you’re doing.” Sam kissed Duane’s cheek and dashed from the log cabin howling like a howler monkey.

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The Wizard’s Cauldron Interviews Shane KP O’Neill

Today, I returned to my absolute favourite blog for a second visit, The Wizard’s Cauldron, and was interviewed by the great Wiz himself. Here’s a snippet of what we had to say to each other in our chat, Resurrecting Vlad Dracula.

I read your prequel “Lamb of God” and strongly recommend it. Where can readers find this prequel?

I am exclusive to Amazon UK and Amazon US. You can find all I have written there.

How historically accurate is the detail in this prequel. Are you a fan of history?

I obviously put my own spin on things and use myth and folklore as well as true historical fact. But even those sources most probably have come from eye witnesses to the events back in the day, so there may well be a lot of truth in them too. I do strive though for authenticity in my writing and try to remain as true to history as I can. The real subtlety of my writing is how I blend my story with real historical events and, in some cases, how I have filled holes in many historical texts that have not explained how some events took their course.

My influences in this prequel and, indeed, in the whole series are more from the Kabbalah than the Bible as most seem to think.

You covers are excellent. What is your message to Indie authors about covers?

Your cover is the first thing a potential reader will see. That makes it your strongest selling tool. If people like your cover, they will read your book blurb. My first two book covers followed the 90’s trend and are too detailed. Many people think this has hurt my cause, and I will be changing the covers for those in due course when I produce newer editions of those works.

My last three covers have all been produced by Blue Harvest Creative, in whom I have a lot of trust, and with whom I have a great relationship. The best is still to come on that front.

Head on over to The Wizards Cauldron to read the full interview.

NEW TRAILER FOR THE DRACULA CHRONICLES

The new trailer for The Dracula Chronicles series is available to view now on my YouTube Channel. This trailer covers the first two books in the series, For Whom The Bell Tolls and The Path To Decay. It can also be viewed on my Goodreads Author page. 

Dracula Chronicles Youtube Channel
Shane KP O’Neill Goodreads

NOT JUST A HORROR

The Dracula Chronicles is a series of historical novels of Gothic horror; political intrigue; religious corruption; war; tragedy; and deep romance. This message today is to focus on the last of those. Mixed in with all the other aspects of the novels listed above, romance plays a big part in this series with all the main characters involved in deep, emotional relationships at some time.

“The beauty of a woman is that no two are the same. They are all different. It follows then that to be successful as a lover, you cannot make love to any two in the same way” – The Path To Decay

“Exercise care with what it is you do when you hold my heart in your hands. For it is my love that makes you special. When it is gone, you will soon know it and you will be special no more.” – The Gates Of Babylon.

“Romance is not the giving of flowers, or any other gift. It is a way of life, a way of being. Romance is every thought, gesture, and deed on your part to make another feel special, even if only for a moment. For a moment can last a lifetime in the heart of the recipient, be that the one you love, or a complete stranger.” – The Gates Of Babylon.

“For a man, few things can compare to the act of a woman surrendering herself and giving herself completely to him. It follows then that he should find it soul-destroying when she takes that privilege away.” – Seasons In The Abyss.

“He knew what he had found here, a precious treasure that had remained hidden away for so long. To the right man, she could give more happiness and fulfilment than any amount of gold, or gems. Just by holding her in his arms, he knew this. He had the key to her heart in his hands. All he had to do was unlock her, and he would enjoy the most wondrous chest of delights. He knew it and he knew, too, that nothing would ever compensate him should he lose her.” – Bound By Blood

Galericulate Interview – Talk to the Hat: Shane O’Neill

I feature here on the very excellent blog, GALERICULATE, where I am interviewed by my good buddy and fellow writer, John Dolan. Here is what we had to say to each other.

Today I’ll be abusing (well, maybe not so much) Shane O’Neill, author of strong, adult vampire books with lashings of historical research. I first got to know Shane last year and I’ve finally been worn down by all his begging and agreed to give him an interview. So here it is.

JD  Hi Shane, glad you could make the long trip out to Thailand as part of your launch tour. Feeling jet-lagged?

SO  Hi John, I’ve been looking forward to this a long time. I’m feeling okay, thanks. My first ever journey in 

the air was from London to Wellington and I was okay then so I should be okay after a beer. I’ve always wanted to come here and couldn’t resist your invitation.

JD  OK, now before we talk about your writing, tell everyone a little about yourself. And don’t mention books yet or I’ll have to kill you.

SO  You will, huh? You forget I have some very powerful friends on the dark side. If I was to divulge too much about myself, then I might have to kill you too. Okay well, I’m Irish originally, but now living in Norway where I followed my heart and the woman I loved. I’m a twice-failed husband and father of seven daughters and one son. I have many interests. I love sport, literature and a deep interest in history, which forms the basis of all I write.

JD  So what got you into writing? And who have been your influences?

SO  I have always been a writer and always wanted to be a writer. There are a select group of writers whose books I love to read, but I would never say I was influenced by any of them. I may have tried to emulate their achievements, but my influences would be the characters I write about: Vlad Dracula; the Borgias; the Tudors; Machiavelli; John Hunyadi; Napoleon Bonaparte; Oliver Cromwell; and many more.

JD  Your Dracula series is a mighty epic. I read Bound by Blood, Part I last year and posted a review and

recommended it on Goodreads. I’m ashamed to say Part 2 is still on my reading list – but it’s almost at the top! It’s a very, very dark take on the legend. And these are not your namby-pamby ‘Twilight’ vampires, these are vicious types. Why did you decide to go down these routes?

SO  Yes, and it was a very kind review too. Thank you. I love how you describe my work as visceral. You were the first, but not the last, to do so. Bound By Blood – Volume 1 & 2 were originally one book, so by not continuing to Volume 2, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

JD  I usually do. Go on, give us the pitch.

SO  My books are not a part of, nor do they conform to the Dracula legend. The only similarity between my work and Stoker’s is the name of our main character, and of course the vampire connection. My character is the real Vlad Dracula, or Tepes, as he is known to many. Stoker’s Dracula merely used the name and location of the famous historical figure. But yes, my novels are very dark. I intentionally tried to give them a Gothic feel, even though the early books are all 15th Century. I chose the darker route, and my vampires are darker than many might appreciate, because in my eyes they are monsters and in my books, their life, power and immortality comes directly from Lucifer. I have always been a member of the anti-Twilight brigade and could never conform to the current trends, even if that’s where the money is. I feel there is a huge audience out there waiting and hoping for something in the adult horror/vampire genre to come along and restore it to its rightful place. I’m trying to contribute to that.

JD  The two volumes which are being released now focus on Dracula’s pre-vampire days. Why did you 

decide to write the books in this order?

SO  A friend of mine whose opinion I trust, advised me to give the vampire first. Dracula appears as a vampire for the first time at the very end of Book 5 and the beginning of Book 6 in the series. But as I have said previously, my series is based on the real Vlad Dracula who lived from 1431 to 1476. I have built my concept and premise around the world in which he lived, the premise being that Lucifer is trying to ascend again to Heaven through the destruction of the Catholic Church so that he can finally destroy the human race. It is the story of how Lucifer manipulates Dracula to achieve this end, and the story of his brother, Andrei, who is the balance to him.

JD  So what else is cooking in Shane O’Neill’s brain? I read ‘Orchid: Tales of the Black Sabbath’ – will you be expanding that franchise?

SO  Book 2, The Path To Decay, will be following in a month’s time and then next year I will release Book 3, The Gates Of Babylon. When I can find the time I will release more of my horror shorts, Tales Of The Black Sabbath. I won’t be rushing these however as I like my shorts to pack a punch.

JD  I’m the same. Except I have something IN my shorts that packs a punch. I hope none of my family is reading this.

Learn more about Shane and buy his books (but don’t read after dark) by clicking on the buttons below:

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 Thanks to John at Galericulate for this Interview

NEW EDITION OF THE BIRTH OF THE MONSTER AVAILABLE NOW

A second edition of Birth Of The Monster is now available. This is the prequel to Bound By Blood. This edition also brings with it a new cover.

THE ULTIMATE EVIL IS UPON US

Dracula sits astride his horse, surveying the battlefield below. He has defeated another Ottoman army and won back his throne for the third time. Confident in his victory, he is unaware of the events about to unfold and the plans Lucifer has for him.

The prequel that introduces the vampire to The Dracula Chronicles series.

Download the Kindle ebook from Amazon

 

Christoph Fischer Interview with Shane O’Neill

On Tuesday, November 12th I was interviewed by the very talented writer, Christoph Fischer. He is the writer of three great novels based in pre-WW2 Europe, an area of great interest to me. He is also an accomplished and prolific reviewer, and has reviewed a lot of my work. It was a real privilege then for me to be posed this set of questions by him.

Tell us a little about yourself as a writer and a person.

The writer has been in me for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid I wrote poems and short stories. It is what I have always wanted to be, though I have taken my time with my project. I wrote the first parts of it all the way back in 1984, about 50k words that will appear in one of the much later books. Then in 1992, I started the project proper. It took me thirteen years to write Reckoning Day and a first draft that is over 350k words long. I immediately followed it with Bound By Blood and The Gates Of Babylon, which I have since broken up into separate books owing to the length of the originals. I try and write in a way that engages the reader on every page. I want my readers to see everything as though they are standing there in the middle of it all. Many people have told me they do indeed feel this when they’re reading my work. Also, I want my reader to feel everything that each of my characters are feeling, and I go to great pains to achieve this.

As a man, I am someone who is devoted to those he loves, though circumstances in my life have often kept me apart from my loved ones. I am dedicated in the things I do, passionate over the things I care about and I try always to consider the feelings of others, whatever the situation.

What is it that fascinates you about Dracula? Is there a particular thing? When did the obsession begin?

The whole ethos that surrounds Dracula captivates me. I was sucked in from a young age with Christopher Lee’s portrayal of him on the big screen. His Dracula terrified me with his bloodshot eyes and long fangs, yet I was forever drawn to him. I watched all the other vampire/horror movies of the 1950’s and 1960’s, hooked on the adrenaline rush one gets from watching these at such a young age.

My interest, and yes, obsession, with Dracula grew over time when I discovered the real Vlad III Dracula who lived in the 15th Century. I collected and read so many texts over the years that I felt as though I knew him. Of course, historical texts lack a feel for who he was and the novels I read that attempted to create this, fell well short of who I saw him to be. Therefore, I made it a vocation to bring him to life in my books, but as a combination of both.

I do strive however to distance my character from Bram Stoker’s. The only similarity they share is their name. It irks me when people call my work a new take on an old legend, because it is nothing of the sort. This is an entirely new concept that bears little or no resemblance to the Stoker classic.

What made you decide to write such historical accounts of Dracula and when did you begin to write the other stories?

I began writing Reckoning Day, a part of the story based in the late 20th Century. After every three chapters I was going back in time to 1476 to the time of Dracula’s death. Initially, I wanted to give an origin and a background to the vampire in the story. When this part of the story continued to grow, I separated it and turned it into a book in its own right. Using the premise of Lucifer trying to ascend again to Heaven through the destruction of the institution of the Catholic Church, I had so much scope to work with. I put Dracula behind the scenes of every major event in the 16th Century where the influence of the Vatican was harmed or compromised. This allowed me to write about Martin Luther, Niccolo Machiavelli, the Borgias, the Tudors, and many of the great kings and popes of the day.

But I wasn’t satisfied with that, and after writing the section of the story from 1476 to 1612, I wanted to go back further in time to Dracula’s birth. I had planned to write about ten chapters and put it in at the beginning of the existing book, but 300k words later, I had only reached the halfway point in his life. I was, and still am, so in love with that period from 1431 to 1456 and the combined histories of the Romanias, Anatolia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary that the words just continued to flow. That will now become three books. I still have to cover the period from 1456 to his death twenty years later.

Tell us a little about the history of the books and your writing. How long did it take you to write and publish?

I have answered this question, in part, already. As I mentioned earlier, the first book I wrote – Reckoning Day – took me thirteen years to complete. It is a huge book though and will probably become 3 separate books at some point. I had a representative at that time who was well connected in literary circles around New York. She showed Reckoning Day to several of the publishing houses and well-established agents there. At the time, Kostova’s The Historian was due for release and the popular opinion was that it would not be a good time to have two Dracula novels competing with each other at the same time. I did have a couple of offers though, which I rejected. Some people have scorned me for doing this, but in hindsight it was the correct decision. The one publishing house I rejected certainly would have made my name well known. But had I chosen that route at that time, I’m not sure my concept would have evolved as it did and therefore I am happy with where I am today.

In 2006, I wrote the two large tomes that have now become Chronicles #1, #2, #3, #6 and #7. Over the next six years I re-wrote these between six and ten times, refining the story and bringing it all together. I released the two vampire books, #6 and #7 in December, 2012 and am now releasing #1 this week.

What is the easiest about writing and what is the hardest?

The easiest aspect for me has always been writing the story. Whenever I have sat down to write, the words just flowed for me. The hardest and most tiresome part will always be the editing process.

What is your favourite scary movie?

Definitely The Omen. An absolute classic.

What are your next projects? Have you written anything else?

Aside from The Dracula Chronicles, I will only be writing horror shorts for the foreseeable future. Those shorts are part of a series called Tales Of The Black Sabbath. In these, I explore the darker recesses of the human psyche.

What is your life like? What do you do for pleasure and work when you are not writing?

Life is very busy with work and getting my books out there. Norway isn’t the easiest country to make it as a foreigner, but I do have many good friends here.I work in mental health for the local authority. The greatest pleasure I have is time with my son, or with my daughters when I’m in the UK. Otherwise, I like being out in the countryside or enjoying a coffee with friends.

Can you recommend any indie books/ authors?

Yes I’ve met and read books by some very good Indie authors. Some examples would be Luke Romyn, Katie Jennings, Ashley Fontainne, Travis Luedke and John Dolan. I hear this guy, Christoph Fischer, is really good too.

Lol. Thank you. What would your friends tell us if we asked for your best and your oddest qualities?

Ugh I don’t really know. Maybe that when I love someone, it is absolute. On the negative side, I’m always re-stacking the dishwasher after people as it drives me nuts when everything just gets thrown in there.

What are your favourite animal/ colour/ outdoor activity?

I’m a dog person myself and used to keep German Shepherds. I love those dogs. My favourite colour would be purple, closely followed by green. I love many outdoor activities, but walking out in the woods or in the wilds would probably be my favourite.

What would you take to a remote island?

The woman of my dreams, my vinyl collection and my laptop.

Who would you like to invite for dinner and why?

Oh, what a question. There are so many amazing people out there that I’d have loved to have had dinner with and chat to. Sadly, some of them are no longer with us. I wouldn’t mind having Marg Helgenberger around for dinner, though I’d probably be too busy staring at her to say much of anything.

What are you writing at the moment and where would we find out about your next projects?

At the moment I’m working on the final draft from my 3rd editor for Chronicle #2, The Path To Decay, which I hope to release in December and then it is on to the final re-writes of Chronicle #3, The Gates Of Babylon. I also want to release a couple more of my horror shorts over the coming months. Busy, busy, busy. I try to keep all the information updated on my website www.draculachronicles.co.uk

What else would you like us to know about you and your books?

I just want my readers to know that my primary objective is to entertain you. Nothing gives me more pleasure than mails and correspondence with people who have been wowed by what I have written. The Dracula Chronicles will introduce you to a fascinating world, engaging you with characters some of you may already be familiar with, and others that you won’t have heard of before picking up one of my books.

These stories are historical novels of Gothic horror, full of political intrigue, religious corruption, great battles, tragedy and romance. The premise is built completely around true historical events, which I manipulate to integrate my concept, though without deviating from the true course of these events. I also use myth and legend where necessary and I have filled one or two holes that historical texts do not give full clarification to. With all these elements combined, it makes for a captivating series of reads.

 

Shane KP O’Neill is the writer of The Dracula Chronicles, a new and exciting series adding a new dimension to the Dracula myth. He has begun the series with a later Chronicle to give his readers the vampire first. The series then continues on with Chronicle #1, For Whom The Bell Tolls, to take you back to the beginning. 

The author developed a fascination with Dracula from an early age. Like many others he was enthralled by Christopher Lee’s portrayal of him on the big screen. It was in his late teens that he discovered Dracula the man and the love affair began from there. An avid lover of history, he studied the period in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived, 15th Century Balkan, for many years. It followed from there then that with his love of writing he would always choose Dracula as his subject.  He built a concept and premise where he could accommodate both Dracula the vampire and Dracula the man.

Away from writing, the author has a wide range of interests. He reads a lot of books from a wide variety of authors though his main interest lies in the horror genre.  His love of books is matched only by his love of the countryside and of course, his family.  As an added note, he has lived and travelled all over the world. He has a love for all things historical, with a particular fascination for medieval Europe. Anywhere he travels, he likes to search out locations with an historical interest and will always hunt for the ruins of an old castle before heading to the beach.

Thanks to Christoph Fischer for the interview.

Be sure to visit his website to read more reviews and interviews