OBS owner Dawn chats with Rebeka Harrington author of “Vampires Revealed” and its sequel “Desires Revealed”, where we learn about the inspiration behind the story, research done, her current work, fans and fun facts. Enjoy!
Read our review for “Desires Revealed” here.
Visit author Rebeka Harrington’s official site here.
View “Vampires Revealed” characters here.
Dawn: What is the inspiration behind Bektamun and Nicole’s story?
RH: When I was writing Vampires Revealed there were countless ideas that popped into my head that had potential. Bektamun and Nicole’s story was one of them. To me it felt important to their story, to allow readers the opportunity to know it isn’t all murder and mayhem.
Dawn: Why did you choose the setting in 1572? How much research went into research and continuity?
RH: I liked the idea of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. The era of the religious wars in Europe was extremely violent and turbulent; Bektamun is intolerant of religious ideals leading to violence and persecution, it was the logical choice.
I didn’t do as much research as I might normally, because actual history was mostly irrelevant to the story.
With regards to continuity, in addition to my writing I maintain precise notes on my characters lives. I don’t want to have them appear in one book living in Europe and then in another saying they were in Asia at the same time.
Dawn:The POV changes back and forth from Nicole and Bektamun. How were you able to be in the head of a young child? And in the head for a 2000 year old vampire who is basically divorced from feelings until she meets Nicole?
RH: Would you believe me if I said it was easy?
For Nicole I cast my mind back to what it was like for me when I was a kid. I distinctly remember sneaking out of bed, hiding in the hallway listening and spying on my parents when they had visitors; after I’d been sent to bed. But unlike Nicole, I got caught a few times. Seriously I’m just a big kid, it wasn’t too much of a stretch.
If I hadn’t first written Vampires Revealed, Bektamun certainly would have been more difficult. Fortunately through writing Vampires Revealed I got to know Bektamun incredibly well, I understood perfectly how she thinks.
Truth be told, there is a little of me in both of them.
Dawn: What are you currently working on?
RH: I’m working on the idea of what would happen if a vampire tried to sway the course of history and why they might want to do that.
The next book is set during the French Revolution. When you study circumstances surrounding the revolution, there were a number of opportunities, which if acted upon, may have avoided the descent into chaos France suffered.
And once again I want to explore what evil really means. Is evil a vampire feeding and killing to survive? Or is it what humans do it each other?
Dawn: What is one thing you’d like your fans to know about you?
RH: How much it means to me when I hear from someone who enjoys my work. I can’t begin to describe how it makes me feel to know that readers had as much fun reading as I did writing. To know that even just one person had a great time makes all the time, effort and hard work worthwhile.
Fun stuff:
- Favorite book: The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas
- Favorite city: Paris, France
- Favorite song: Sin City, AC/DC
- Favorite time of day to write: Between 10pm and into the wee hours of the morning.
- Favorite literary villain: George Warleggan, The Poldark Series by Winston Graham.
Thanks to author Rebeka Harrington for an interesting interview!
