Today I’m interviewing Michelle DePaepe, author of The Gardener. One commenter will be receiving a coupon code from Smashwords for a free copy of The Gardener and also one for my new novella, Guardian Vampire. So without further ado, here we go.
When did you become interested in writing?
It’s funny to me that I grew up as such a bookworm, and I wrote some poetry and songs when I was banging around on a guitar as a teenager, but it didn’t occur to me that I could actually write a novel until sometime during college. When I got hooked on European history, I used to get fabulous grades on essays and loved literature, but never considered switching majors to focus on writing. (Maybe that was a rebellion thing…since my mother was an English teacher.) By the time I graduated, though, I knew that I wanted to write fiction. I wrote my first novel, A Demon Rose, in 1996. But, I consider that one to be a ‘training novel’ that will never see the light of publication. I wrote a lot of short stories after that, thinking that I was trying to run before learning to walk.
What genre interests you the most?
As a female, I have an uncommon penchant for horror–but not the type you see in slasher flicks or some of the low budget teen movies. I really like well written paranormal horror–the kind where you know it’s not a true story, but you’re still afraid to walk across a dark room at night after closing the book. When I was a kid, I lost a lot of sleep, staying up late and reading books by Stephen King, John Saul, Peter Straub, and F. Paul Wilson. They are true ‘kings’ of the genre. But, so much horror is written from the male perspective. I want to read and write more dark stories with female protagonists. I love anything with ghosts, vampires, demons, or ethereal dark creatures, and a woman who uses her brain to solve the conflict.
Who are you favorite authors?
There are so many! I love Anne Rice, Tanith Lee, Poppy Z. Brite, and Margaret Atwood. Some of my favorite male authors include Edward Lee, Bentley Little, William Peter Blatty, and James Reese. I also love older literature from authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Oscar Wilde, and classic horror from writers like Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, and H.P. Lovecraft.
What is The Gardener about?
I consider this novel to be ‘horror lite’. It’s a ghost story that includes a bit of romance. A small town psychic gets in over her head when she tries to contact her client’s dead husband and accidently brings back the ghost of a Victorian murderer instead. Shortly after, her client ends up dead, and the client’s daughter, an art gallery owner from New York City inherits the house where the ghost now resides. She finds herself falling for a sheriff’s deputy and the ghost who tries to worm his way into her heart. But, time is running out for all of them as the psychic desperately tries to find a way to undo her mistake as the bodies begin piling up in town. (I entered this novel in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Contest a few years ago, and it placed as a finalist in the competition. I’ve rewritten it since then, and I’m thrilled to have it published online as an indie author.)
What are you working on now?
I have a few projects in the works. I’m almost done with Eaters, a short novella. I could tell you that it’s about zombies, but it’s really about finding yourself in a crisis situation where your whole world is turned upside down and danger lurks at every turn. How do you hold it together, and how do you find the strength within yourself to do what’s necessary to survive? If you’ve gotten hooked on the AMC television series, ‘The Walking Dead’, you’ll like this story.
Thank you, Michelle. I hope you sell lots of copies after people get their new eBook readers for Christmas. :0) Everyone be sure to comment so you’ll be entered for two free eBooks!
Great interview. Can’t wait to read this story by Michelle, it sounds really interesting.
I really liked it. It was a little different than a lot of paranormals in that it was a tad more literary. I enjoyed her use of words and how she painted pictures with them. I felt like I was eerily in the story myself. *shivers*
it sounds awesome. i enjoy works that have the literary feel and especially if they make you see what she sees and feel like you are there. it sounds like you are more of an intellectual than i. i do love some of the same authors, but have a hard time with some of the original works from long ago. i look forward to your book!
Not more of an intellectual, Arlene. LOL. Actually, I don’t like most “literary” works, but The Gardener has just a tad of it. It’s not as “flippant” as most of the paranormals I’ve read lately. I really don’t know how to explain. You’ll just have to read it. :0)
Sounds great. I find it interesting why and how of people get into writing, I am sure there are several English teachers (no comment Lauralynn) that are spinning in their graves right about now; but I’m here trying at least. I look forward to reading it. I know Guardian Vampire is good. Looking forward to Memphis Connection hitting Amazon as well.
Okay, Jon, quit shamelessly plugging your upcoming novel! I’m editing as fast as I can. LOL
Thanks for the interview post! I never would have thought of The Gardener as ‘literary’. I’m blushing! The setting is very important to the story, so I think there’s a lot of colorful detail in there, contrasting the ghost’s experience from his Victorian days and modern times. As I was writing the book, I did a lot of research about everything Victorian–from popular flowers to clothing and slang. I learned a bit of Italian in the process too. This is a great night–I just finished Eaters, so it will be available online soon.
I really like the imagery in the book. And YAY on finishing Eaters. I’m going to run the free eBook contest through the weekend and give any stragglers a chance to win.
Anyone know how to get your image to follow you from Blogspot? I’ve still got online training wheels on…
I know nothing about blogspot. I just know I don’t like it because I can’t get emails when new posts go up like I do with the WordPress blogs I subscribe to. Unless the authors of the post just don’t have that option selected. Usually you have to sign up with something like Google friends to get their posts. Bleh.