As the old saying goes, write what you know.
C.L. Kelley is a longtime fan of vampires and in her debut book, “Corpus,” (Torrid Waters, Aug. 16) she puts her own mark on the genre. Here’s a look at what’s in store.
Nameless, powerful beings, lost in their hunger and forgotten pasts, roam the streets after sunset. But an awakening stirs within them, sharpening their minds and unearthing memories of a dark history and an even darker future.
This chilling foray into vampire fiction pits the hunter against the hunted in a world brimming with supernatural horror and action. The plot thickens with the presence of shapeshifters, adding layers of unpredictability to the already tense atmosphere. Even the seasoned monster hunters find themselves outmatched by these evolving adversaries. The once comforting break of dawn no longer signifies safety.
C.L. Shares what inspired the story, as well as how the vast world of vampires helped (or hindered) the writing process. She talks about some favorite scenes as well as the role of the monster hunters.
You’ve got a pretty complex story here. Did it change much from the initial concept?
The overall concept of the story stayed the same, but what changed was the scope. I don't think I understood how tricky it would be to juggle multiple POVs that were all alien minds whose motivations would be removed from normal humans. I also had to make sure I gave each of the vampire characters distinct personality traits within their inhumanity that would still be relatable, while still not making them too sympathetic. It also became a lot more action-oriented with each rewrite, which is not something I usually gravitate toward, but as someone who enjoys plenty of video games and action movies, was very fun to write.
What about the vampire theme made this your choice for a debut novel?
I've always been interested in vampires, and when I conceived the story, the world was fresh off the popularity of the “Twilight” franchise, and going back even further than that, “Interview with the Vampire.” I wanted to take vampires back to their roots as barely sapient grave things. The film “Near Dark” was a solid touchstone for me. Although my vampires are more explicitly supernatural, I liked how the film showed vampires as dirty drifters who fundamentally could not function in society or hide what they were for very long. And then I wanted to build them up from there, make them evolve into something greater and more dangerous.
Vampire fiction has had so many different stories over the years. Was that a help or a hindrance with your book?
It was a help in that I had a lot of rich inspiration to draw from, and it was a hindrance in that I didn't want to retread old ground or do something that someone else had already done better. I had read a LOT of vampire fiction over the years, and I had also watched a lot of films. I knew that it would be a fool's errand to try and create something that was completely free of those influences, but I wanted to say something that I felt at the very least had not been said before. I wanted to explore different corners of the “vampire's experience,” so to speak. What was it like to lose your identity? Your sense of community and bodily integrity? And how could you get those back in a way that wasn't the old way, but working with the new you?
Is there a favorite scene?
I have a few, and I'll try to word them in a way that won't give too much away. The introduction of the female vampire is a favorite, in that it operates almost like it's own self-contained mini-story. I like the first look we get at one of the vampires' lairs and how he collects his trophies. All the action sequences were a blast. I felt like a kid playing with my action figures again! I'm particularly proud of the climax, because that was tricky to write and it required a lot of work.
Who are the monster hunters in the book and what role will they play?
We quickly find out in our story that the monster hunters aren't the “good guys” but neither are they “bad guys” either. Just like the vampires, they operate within their own code of morality and what is considered a “good” outcome for their actions. With each rewrite, I expanded these characters more and more, giving them each their own quirks and powers, while still keeping them mysterious figures from the point of view of the vampires. Coming up with all the insidious ways they've worked to counteract different vampire abilities was enjoyable, especially as a long time superhero nerd who had plenty of “which power would beat who?” conversations.
