Interview with author T. Michelle Nelson
"The Life and Death of Lily Drake" by T. Michelle Nelson brings something new and different to the vampire genre, a tough fiesty female lead. The story centers on thirty-five-year old single mom, Lily Drake, who slays an evil vampire while helping a noble vampire to power. The story also contains plenty of romance and humor.
Let's hear T. Michelle Nelson's side of things.
Q: Your central character, Lily Drake, becomes empowered during the course of the story. Is that what she wants all along or does she have more complex needs and desires?
A: She thinks she has other needs, and she certainly has other desires, but toward the end of the book I think you’ll find Lily has in fact become empowered. Finding herself and having that independence was what she needed more than anything.
Q: To what extent, if at all do you identify with Lily Drake?
A: Completely. Lily is made up of parts of me, parts of my best friends and sometimes she is the woman I really hope to be someday. She can be goofy, emotional, and a complete mess, but so can I!
Q: Is there a genre you’d like to explore but haven’t yet?
A: Absolutely! I have a half-finished science fiction novel as well as a work-in-progress post-apocalyptic manuscript. I hope to someday finish both, but Lily has been consuming my time lately.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with “The Life and Death of Lily Drake”?
A: I’m not sure I really hope to accomplish anything. I wanted to write something that I wanted to read myself. Create a main character that was relatable to me. So many of the novels out today focus on characters that are all young and perfect. I wanted an older heroine, one who had flaws and was real. Lily is a single-mother and 35 years old. Other than that, I just wanted to have fun with it!
Q: Do you write all the time or just when you have a compelling idea for a story?
A: A little of both. If I don’t feel like writing, I don’t.
Q: How much do you plan a story before you actually begin to write?
A: Oh I plan the whole thing in my head. Then when I write, it all changes. The original idea is always thrown out and changed dramatically.
Let's hear T. Michelle Nelson's side of things.
Q: Your central character, Lily Drake, becomes empowered during the course of the story. Is that what she wants all along or does she have more complex needs and desires?
A: She thinks she has other needs, and she certainly has other desires, but toward the end of the book I think you’ll find Lily has in fact become empowered. Finding herself and having that independence was what she needed more than anything.
Q: To what extent, if at all do you identify with Lily Drake?
A: Completely. Lily is made up of parts of me, parts of my best friends and sometimes she is the woman I really hope to be someday. She can be goofy, emotional, and a complete mess, but so can I!
Q: Is there a genre you’d like to explore but haven’t yet?
A: Absolutely! I have a half-finished science fiction novel as well as a work-in-progress post-apocalyptic manuscript. I hope to someday finish both, but Lily has been consuming my time lately.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with “The Life and Death of Lily Drake”?
A: I’m not sure I really hope to accomplish anything. I wanted to write something that I wanted to read myself. Create a main character that was relatable to me. So many of the novels out today focus on characters that are all young and perfect. I wanted an older heroine, one who had flaws and was real. Lily is a single-mother and 35 years old. Other than that, I just wanted to have fun with it!
Q: Do you write all the time or just when you have a compelling idea for a story?
A: A little of both. If I don’t feel like writing, I don’t.
Q: How much do you plan a story before you actually begin to write?
A: Oh I plan the whole thing in my head. Then when I write, it all changes. The original idea is always thrown out and changed dramatically.
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Jennifer K. Lafferty, author of Movie Dynasty Princesses, reviews a wide range of books and discusses various aspects of contemporary and classic literature.
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