I sat down and started writing about a girl dreaming of better things, lost in a book, who is then dragged into a frightening, but exciting new world.
Lucille J. Knight – 20 February 2022
The Back Flap
Who Wants to Live Forever?
Not Alucard. To Alucard, eternal life has grown stale and predictable. What is there to do for a vampire who has existed for centuries, seen kingdoms rise and fall, and enjoyed every imaginable pleasure? Alucard has seen it all and is convinced there are no more surprises.
As an unmarried woman in quaint, rural England at the turn of the 19th century, Eve is expected to focus on the most important aspects of her future: finding a suitable husband and raising children. Instead, she keeps getting lost in daydreams of romance and adventure. She doesn’t want to live forever. She just wants to live.
Will Eve have the courage to follow her own path? Will Alucard find something worth living for?
Alucard fixed her with an intense stare, capturing her gaze with his own. “What are you, Evelyn Thorne?”
Notes from the Author:
Mature, consensual sex warning.
This is the first book in a planned series but can be read as a standalone novel.
About the book
What is the book about?
The book is set in rural, 19th century England and is about Alucard, a centuries old vampire bored with eternal life and Eve, a seemingly normal young woman longing for adventure.
When did you start writing the book?
During NaNoWriMo 2020.
How long did it take you to write it?
I started it in 2020, let it sit for the year and then resumed it for NaNoWriMo 2021 with a fresh new plot in mind. It was finished well in advance of the 30th of November!
Where did you get the idea from?
I’m not sure. The first chapter came to me when I was feeling gloomy actually. I sat down and started writing about a girl dreaming of better things, lost in a book, who is then dragged into a frightening, but exciting new world. Usually I start out with a plan, but Hexen Blood was different. My goal was to put words down on paper and so I sat down at my keyboard and let them come. Of course, that only carried me so far, eventually I had to develop an actual plot!
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Yes, definitely. One spot in particular is actually why I stopped writing in 2020. I had moved the characters into a situation I was unsure of and it took me coming back a year later to figure out how to reconcile the chapter in a satisfactory way. Looking back, it’s actually one of my favorite parts of the book now.
What came easily?
Alucard and Eve’s dynamic. I knew from the start how they would interact, what would draw them to each other and why.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
They are fictional characters.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
J.R.R. Tolkien is the first one who comes to mind, mostly for worldbuilding as Middle Earth is such a densely, broadly thought out universe. It was after getting into Lord of the Rings that I really began to write my own stories as a teenager.
My early writing, however, was mostly influenced by reading Star Wars books. Kevin J. Anderson and Timothy Zahn being the names that specifically come to mind. I cut my teeth writing about the characters in Star Wars before finally branching out into my own stories as I got older. I wouldn’t be a writer today if it weren’t for Star Wars and all the talented authors who contributed to the Expanded Universe throughout the years.
Do you have a target reader?
In broad terms, I’d say my target reader is a woman in her 30s or 40s who wants to relax and escape into a good, character driven novel filled with both action and romance.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Not really? It’s just something I do. I sit down, I put on some music, lower the lights (oddly I like writing in the dark), and type out the words. I don’t utilize any specific techniques or anything other than outlining.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Typically, yes. I do much better with some sort of outline, even if it is on the sparse side. I’ve found that laying down a “sketch” for the story keeps me motivated and prevents me from running into as many kinks. However, sometimes a random scene pops into my head and I go with it until a point comes when I absolutely need an outline!
My outlines tend to be more detailed. I like to include several sentences of information about what’s going on, how the POV character is feeling, etc. If I’m worried about a particular scene or chapter, I will hammer it out further, even going so far as to include bits of dialogue.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
It depends. Usually I try to turn off my inner editor and just write. But if I’m in the middle of a book and I feel the structure is off or it’s going a direction I’m not fond of, I will stop and edit on a story/plot level. I did this with Hexen Blood and ended up adding several chapters to the beginning of the story to flesh everything out and give it a better pace.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes! More than one in fact. I had several sets of eyes on the book before I considered it “finished” and I’m really glad I did. My first editor is actually mentioned in the acknowledgements!
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes! Gotta have my music! I have a few playlists that are tried and true for me. Namely the Lord of the Rings soundtracks, which have accompanied me through many, many writing sessions. I also listen to Two Steps From Hell and David Garrett a lot. For Hexen Blood, however, I struggled a bit to find just the right music. I eventually discovered a great playlist on Spotify that was my go to throughout most of NaNoWriMo 2021! It’s a mix of Instrumental music from various soundtracks. Link to playlist.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did not.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Years ago, I was influenced by the stigmas surrounding indie publishing and didn’t consider it an option in the slightest. It wasn’t until I started doing some research and came across The Creative Penn and similar author sites that my eyes were opened. At that point it was a pretty easy decision for me to shift my focus to becoming an independent author.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My cover was professionally done by the amazing team at Just Venture Arts! They will be doing all of my cover art going forward as well. I can’t say enough good things about them and their work.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Planning for sure. Marketing is not something I was familiar with before I started this path and so it’s a whole new skill I’m having to learn. As such, I feel like a plan is crucial to success.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I love quotes and one from Frank Herbert’s Dune really resonated with me when I read it for the first time. “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
So my advice is not to let fear and self-doubt consume you. Let it pass and then keep moving toward your goal. Even if you fail or make mistakes, learn from it, and keep going. This has been hard for me to do in the past and so it’s the biggest piece of wisdom I would offer to anyone, no matter what goal they’re pursuing.
About You
Where did you grow up?
In South Central Alaska, near Anchorage. I lived there with my mom until I was almost 18!
Where do you live now?
Missouri. Which is pretty different from Alaska!
What would you like readers to know about you?
If it isn’t already obvious, I’m a pretty big nerd. I’m married to a fellow nerd who I met via a Star Wars roleplaying forum almost twenty years ago. We play Dungeons and Dragons every week with a great group of friends. I’m also an avid gamer, though I’m a bit picky about what I play. The game I’ve been playing the longest is Guild Wars (and now Guild Wars 2). I am also a dog person and have two Australian Shepherds respectively named Ham and Bean.
What are you working on now?
I have a couple more things in the works, including a more traditional Fantasy novels and even a Shifter series. I’ve already started working on a Hexen Blood sequel as well!
End of Interview:
Get your copy of Hexen Blood from Amazon US or Amazon UK.