Ellen C. Maze is here to visit!

 

THE USER BECOMES A PUSHER

A fun chat with Vampire Fanatic-turned-Bestselling-Author, Ellen C. Maze

 

I grew up reading vampire novels and gothic horror, so it's not a big surprise that given my innate artistic nature that I'd want to make my own vampire stories: the user has become the pusher! I think Dracula by Bram Stoker was my first delve into the vampire genre, and from then on, I could not get enough of the stuff. From my youth, I would pore over the bookstore shelves and spend every last cent of my weekly allowance on anything that had to do with vampires. Here are some titles that stick with me even today: They Thirst by Robert McCammon (my all-time fav), The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice (2nd Fav), A Vampire Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas (3rd fav), and The Saint Germain Chronicles by Chelsea Yarbro. But don't let that short list fool you; I read dozens of others. These are the ones that influenced me the most and have certainly sparked my creative vampire brain.

 

One thing that stands out the most to me when reading vampire fiction is how diverse the mythology is. This thrills me the most about writing in this genre. Every vampire tale has a different and unique origin, or in the least, he has different weaknesses and strengths.

 

In my series, The Corescu Chronicles (www.thejudgingnovel.com), the vampire, Mark Corescu, was once a priest in 17th Century Hungary. He is a good man who makesa poor choice when confronted by a demon one dark night. The demon overcomes him and transforms him into a vampire for its own purposes. The kicker is that Mark was unconscious when it happened and his maker is killed before he figures out what his has become. So for 400 years, Mark uses his vampiric skills and bloodthirst to seek out evil people and take their lives. He can go out in the daytime and he is not afraid of crosses and garlic and all that.

 

In my series, The Rabbit Trilogy (www.rabbitnovel.com), the vampires are "born that way." They are an actual race of beings living alongside the humans, under the radar. They have incredible physical strength, and varying mystical and supernaturalpowers, yet all of them drink blood for pleasure. In this series, the vampires cannot survive the daylight.

 

 If you think reading a vampire novel gets you into the story, try writing one. Anyone who has ever written a novel, knows that she has become the vampire during the creating process. She stalked the innocent, killed people, and may have suffered remorse, depending on the depth of that vampire's particular emotive tendencies. The redeeming note, though, is that she has also become the protagonist and learned how to defeat evil and avenge the righteous. Secretly, many authors (of which I am one) long to be the bad guy and the good guy, the vampire andthe victim—and we love that we control the outcome. It is a very self-gratifying existence!

 

 

You had previously assured me that you were having no withdrawal symptoms, yet you felt compelled to pen Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider, in order to quench your insatiable thirst! {laughs}.All ribbing aside, what was the main inspiration for the book?

 

Like many authors, I'm sure, I was unable to NOT write. In 2004, I began work on my first novel, The Judging,and the thing wrote itself. For twelve months, the scenes flowed from my fingers and the characters spoke to me and kept me in line. I'd never written a novel,so I had no idea if this was normal or not. I'd turn to my husband after a scene was done and say, "Wow, I had no idea this scene would end this way!" He would roll his eyes, and tell me that most writers have to plan and blueprinttheir novels to get them to write themselves. Well, I was too green to think too hard about it. With no blueprint and a simple premise, the entire novel wrote itself, and I sat back amazed and awed at the creative process.

 

I am a fine artist by trade, so creativity was no stranger. But bringing fictional characters to life? That happened to me, it wasn't something I set out to actively do! So, once The Judging was finished, I moved on to writing a sequel, and a year later, when that one was done, I wrote Books Three and Four in the series. Now we're up to 2008, and I had dabbled with querying agents and editors, with zero bites. That's when Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider (RCBR) was conceived, as I was ready to write a new novel.

 

Basic idea: What if my book, The Judging, was published, and then, what if there were real vampires in the world who read it, and what if they began to question their devilish ways? That is where the inspiration for RCBR originated. Beth Rider is a younger and prettier version of myself, and Michael Stone, the vampire character compelled to protect her, is my fictional knight in shining armor. The concept wasoriginal enough to absolutely floor the first readers, and since the book has been out, people all over the globe have reported how much they enjoyed it! Ahhhh, see, very gratifying to simply share a little story that popped into my crazy head, one winter's day.

 

 

 

You say the book challenges the reader to ''think outside the box,'' which is a good thing considering all of the competition there is out there within the vampire genre. Was it your goal to put a whole new ''spin'' on a tired genre?

 

This book will not compare to the YA teenage angst books, I'mafraid. And it doesn't fit in with vampire gore-fests, or vampire erotica. My novel plays out through many POVs, some of which are vampires, but one of which is a woman with a biblical world view. Yet, this book does not fit in with the Christian or religious-fiction crowd. It is odd, it is different, and every readerreports that it stretches their emotions, their theology, and their veryunderstanding of Light and Dark, good and evil. It is entertaining and engrossing, but when they're finished reading it, they can't help but ponder it for weeks afterward. This, to me, is a good sign.

 

My initial goal was (and remains) to write an original tale that didn't look like any other vampire book out there. I don't fault the scads of vampire paperbacks stacked up in the BooksAMillion—when I was a teen, I'd buy every single one of them and enjoy them all. Those books have their place. I am just happy that my book is enjoyed by teens, but also by adults, and that it has essentially broken the mold.

 

 

Your books have a distinct southern feel to them. Are you a big fan of the gothic style?

 

I was born and raised in Small Town, Alabama. The language, the atmosphere, the people, and the culture oozes throughout my novels. I must admit that I've always recognized the gothic style as being the most conducive to the paranormal, and it draws me just like anyone else.

 

One curious thing another author mentioned to me once is that I don't look like a horror writer. So what do I look like? A soccer mom? {laughs}There's a reason for that. Wearing black and living a Halloween existence doesn't suit my personality nor my persona. My writing is dark and disturbing(some readers cannot finish RCBR because of the creepiness factor), but I am light, fluffy, and happy. I like to laugh uproariously, I like to sing all daylong, and I love the daylight. Could it be that writing my vampire tales is a form of deliverance? Hmmm…

 

 

 

Was it difficult to pen a Christian novel about vampirism without offending certain parties? Or...was the book not targeted for the Christian market to begin with?

 

When I first wrote The Judging, I was terrified to show it to anyone because I am a follower of Jesus, and I had just written about vampires, of all things! What would my Christian friends say?

 

I come from a Messianic Jewish family, which means we follow Jesus and also keep the Feasts and keep kosher. That said, the judgmental attitude of my Christian friends frightened me into silence for many years. My experience with Christians is that they can be pretty harsh in expressing themselves (sorry,but it's true). I try VERY hard to be open, tolerant, loving, and never judgesomeone else, but out in the world, I came upon some pretty hard-nosed religious critics.

 

It wasn't until 2009 that I felt brave enough to publish, to put my vampires out into the Light for all to see. Thankfully, I didn't get any hate mail from Christians (or Jews, for that matter) even though my premise depends upon a certain Messianic Jewish understanding of the Bible that many Christians are not familiar or comfortable with. The only ones who complainedwere those who hadn't read the work. They pre-judged,and I can't give their opinions any credence, then, can I? My own Rabbi blessed and endorsed my book, as well as bought several copies for family members.That's a show of confidence that is hard to beat!

 

I have submitted my novels to Christian editors and more than once, they indicated to me that it was 'too creepy' for them to 'get behind'. All I can gather from that response is that I must not have written my book for them. There is an audience that is not afraid of creepiness—those guys, come ondown!

 

 

In general essence, do you feel that the current vampire trend is actually a long stream of''angst'' films and books? So many of them seemed aimed at teens and young adults.

 

Yes, in general. But this industry follows the money. YA Vampire books are where the money is right now. Please don't get me wrong, as I mentioned earlier, there is a place for all kinds of vampire novels. When I visit the big chain stores, the center aisle is invariably stacked with literally dozens of teenage angst vampire titles. I can't really say much,because when I was kid, like a said earlier, I would have saved up my allowance and tried out each one. But there's room for wide variety of vampire lore.

 

My Rabbit novels are not YA, although the teens love them. Vampire novels can have deeper meaning.Vampire stories can be less about sex (what's it like to make it with a vampire?) and more about motivation (why do I do what I do, and can I stop?).

 

I would like everyone to continue writing what they like—some of us will write angst, and some, erotica, and some, gore-fest, and some, thought-provoking mythos. It's obvious that the demand is high for all things'vampire'. So, if the author is drawn to the theme, go ahead and dip your toe in the water. Nowadays, non-vampire authors have begun checking into the theme.Some people think they're simply riding the money train, but I don't make those distinctions. There is room for all of our books. Let's get to writing! The readers are hungry!

 

If you like reading outside of the box, read Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider. I also recommend 33 A.D. by David McAfee. For those feeling particularly brave, read The Jerusalem Undead Trilogy by Eric Wilson. All of these vampire novels touch on biblical principles, have original mythos, are filled with horrifying vampiric violence, and challenge the reader as well as entertain. What could be better than that?

 

 

Angst doesn't seem to be a problem with your life, you seem to have a great sense of humor and a good outlook in general. Has having a good sense of humor ever been reflected in your work?

 

In RCBR, the bad guys get all the best lines. Check it out, and see for yourself. Isn't there something freeing about being the bad guy? No repercussions, no remorse, just do and say whatever you like. My Rabbit bad guys love to chuckle, and they'll make you laugh too.In my novel The Judging and its sequel Damascus Road, there are even more chuckle-worthy moments. The Judging books are more character- than plot-driven, so you get to know them even more so than in Rabbit. They'll make you giggle andsometimes laugh out loud with their shenanigans.

 

Humor is an important part of life, and I find it incorporates itself into my writing, all by itself. One of the nicest compliments I ever hadwas from my publicist. She said that my characters are "real," everything they say, do, and how they react, is exactly how she feels someone would in the realworld. To her, my characters' humor makes her feel at home while reading, and gives her all the more reason to be frightened when they act up. Now, isn't that funny?

 

 

 

I understand an atheist once refused to keep reading your book after the first ten pages because you mentioned God. How did that make you feel? What was your initial reaction?

 

Yes. The book was not labeled as 'Christian Fiction' because it doesn't fit the narrow confines of the CBA parameters for fiction. Still, of all my characters, the protagonist has a biblical worldview so she perceivesher world through Bible lenses (just like I do). This will show in the work.One hard-line* atheist actually called me on the phone to discuss the matter with me. She said to me, "How can God and vampires go in the same book?" Before I could answer, she ended the call with an excuse to call back later and I didn't hear from her again. But she wrote on her blog, "I began the novel with excitement but by page ten, the protag began to call on the King of the universe and I knew this wasn't my kind of book." Then she gave my book away to some of her readers. That  works for me! At least one of her readers requested it and gave it a try.

 

*I say 'hard-line atheist' because the majority of my atheist readers absolutely love my book. These are the people who do not believe in the God of the Bible, but hold no animosity against those who do. Tolerant, open-minded unbelievers have left me the best reviews on Amazon. I didn't write this book for any one theological group. I wrote this novel for people who love vampire novels. People who want to see something new done with their favorite mythological sexy-bad-guy. Folks from all walks of life have written me to tell me how they love the book and are hungry for more. That is why I publish—to share with folks who want to be entertained. As of this writing, I have more than fifty 5-star reviews on Amazon and one 1-star from an angry atheist. Let's not fight people, just have fun!

 

 

 

There are a lot of {so-called}''critics'' who have taken a disliking to the new ''edgy Christian fiction genre,'' which I have even written a book about recently. Where do you believe that Christians should draw the line on language, sex, violence, etc?

 

This is a tough question that the individual author must address.The (biblical) Christian faith is a personal relationship with the Creator—that means (and this isn't a cop-out) that each author is responsible for what they write, how graphic they are, and how profane based on their personal revelation of God. See, there I go with the Messianic Jewish perspective. I take everyword of the Bible as fact, and it is very clear that we are not to judge one another. Each of us, those who serve the God of Israel, is supposed to lift up and edify his brother, leaving judgment to the Almighty.

 

So where do Christian, Messianic, or religious authors draw theline? They must stay within their comfort zones. Each and every believer is ona journey toward God. Some of us have been at it for years, but some of us are new. I am relatively new at following Messiah. I'm all messed up and working toward holiness. I'm not there yet. And please don't forget that we don't all have the same audiences. We write what we are compelled to write, and if you are a child of God, He puts the audience before you that He wants in place.Write what you feel, write what you know, and for believers—that is all youhave to do. God will do the rest.

 

Authors who hold a biblical perspective and write horror aren't trying to convert people or make a broad religious statement. We only want to entertain folks with the stories that fill our heads. We are storytellers. Let us tell our stories in peace. Either you like them or you don't. Period.

 

 

Before I let you go, tell me a little about your new book Rabbit Legacy.

 

Rabbit Legacy (Oct. 2010) is the continuation of the tale begun in Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider. When the first story ended, a huge victory had been won, but there were questions left unanswered. In Legacy, most of thecharacters come back and two new ones emerge to make this book even more delightful and moving than the first. I suspect this one will blow the readers away. My beta-readers and editors can't stop going on about how wonderful it is, so they have me excited.

 

Please watch for my new character, Canaan.Oh, he is a delightful scoundrel, the anti-hero of Rabbit Legacy. I suspect movies will be made about this fellow.Speaking of movies, I wouldn't be surprised if a studio wanted to make Rabbit into a movie. I was approached by a movie company when the first book came out, and am still shopping around for a screen play. Hey, guys, why not?

 

 

Any last words for your fans?

 

Hi, fans! It is my pleasure to share with you a book filled with 20 short stories that involve your favorite characters from the Rabbit Trilogy. In early 2011, I hope to release this book, entitled The Loose Rabbits, where each chapter is a peek into the life of the characters. It also allows me to give more backstory on the characters as well as better define the lives of the Rakum (the vampiric race in the novel). For folks who'dlike a free peek online, go to www.rabbitnovel.com and click 'Loose Rabbits'. I keep ten of these on the web site for your enjoyment.

 

Also please check out my other novels, to be published soon, The Judging, Damascus Road, and The Tale of Jane Frost. You can read synopses and sample chapters of these books on the web site under 'Also by Ellen'.

 

Thank you for reading and please contact me anytime atellenmaze@gmail.com.