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Interview With Author L.M. David
Hi L.M. Thanks for stopping by and chatting with me. Would you like some coffee or tea? I just made homemade cinnamon rolls if you would like one. They're special because not only are they extremely yummy, but every time you bite into one the calories and fat content evaporates, so you can eat as many as you want and not gain weight.
Why don't you make yourself at home on my comfy couch and tell me a little bit about yourself, and when did you started writing stories?
I live in the San Fernando Valley and, until a few years ago, worked as a legal assistant in a law firm doing contract law. I returned to school to do insurance billing and coding, completing the course last year. I started writing in the ninth grade, mostly poetry. In tenth grade, I met an individual who wrote stories and got caught up in the excitement of what she was doing. By the eleventh grade, the two of us had created a sci-fi world and had several hand written book – and typed books – all of which I still have. When she moved away, I lost interest in writing for a long time. Around 2003, I dusted off my books and thought, why not get serious about this. And I did. One day, now that I have her permission to work with the sci-fi stories of old as my own, those may be cleaned up and set out for consideration.
Touched is the first book in The Hunter Legacy series. Can you tell me what it's about and how you came up with this story?
It’s about a vampire (I hear you guys groaning out there) who really isn’t the typical castle owning variety. This is set in modern society, the vampires are hiding their ‘difference’ from humans and this vampire is there to make sure mortals never find out about them. He’s the law in the western half of the US and, to keep tabs on his people, he works as a homicide detective. I wanted this to be a story where love is not the main issue and set out to make the two sparring partners instead of fall in bed, lovers at first sight.
What makes this book different from other books out there with vampires in it?
Let’s see, the vampires in Touched: The Hunter Legacy have real issues. The main character, Preston, is rich, gorgeous but miserable, and makes those around him the same way. And his love interest, Lindsey, has issues of her own and when they get together, it’s not love…more like a boxing match where you have to wait and see who comes out the victor. There’s also an albino vampire two shades into insanity and a shape-shifter which is considered a Stone Age version of the modern day vampire, which means he is stronger, meaner and definitely evil. You don’t hear about that sort of thing every day.
How long did it take you to write it?
From start to edits within a Prose writing group, two beta readers and completion, six months.
Who is your favorite character and why?
Without doubt, Preston. He can hold a grudge for eternity and tick off people in a heartbeat. Preston’s rich, gorgeous, and charismatic yet when it comes to relationships, he crashes and burns. None of his former flings have anything nice to say about him except a select few but even they have issues with Preston. He’s wonderful yet awful at the same time and such a cool character to write about.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
The sex scene – I still blush when reading those.
Have you ever experienced writer's block? If so, what did you do to overcome it?
Yes, I have. And to get rid of it, I either do a flash fiction or divert my attention to something else. If that doesn’t work, I read.
What is your favorite book?
That’s easy, Raphael by D.B. Reynolds. She is a fantastic writer and her stories are really well done.
Okay, now for some quirky questions.
If a hot vampire came up to you and offered you immortality, would you take it?
That depends if he’s just offering me immortality or offering me immortality with him as an extra added attraction. If it’s life forever with him, I’d jump in with both feet.
What would you do if you discovered vampires do exist among us?
I would be all right with the concept as long as they aren’t the killer vampire types and more like in the HBO show True Blood.
If you could be any character in a book, who would it be and why?
That’s a tough one. I guess it would be Cynthia in the series done by D.B. Reynolds. She is stubborn, opinionated, a kick butt private investigator and she sleeps with a master vampire whenever she wants.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience before? If so, what?
Yes. Before moving to California, I lived in a two story house in New Jersey. My room was on the second floor and from time to time, I heard someone walking up the stairs yet when I looked to see if there was someone there, the staircase was empty. Now, I smell things that shouldn’t be there. Like when I am typing late at night, I smell perfume or cigarette smoke. Not only am I a non-smoker but the thought of wearing perfume while typing at a computer late at night isn’t something I would do, lol.
If you could stay in Dracula's castle for one night, would you?
Until I learned about the land sliding away from the foundation and uprooting bones, I would have said yes. Now, not so sure.
Now, back to being serious.
When will your next book be out?
I have a book coming out in April, 2013 called Psy-V Project, which has nothing to do with Touched: The Hunter Legacy series. The sequel to Touched, called The Watcher, was submitted to the publisher. She has recently informed me that The Watcher has been accepted. You see, when pitching Touched, I failed to mention it was part of a trilogy, thus making it necessary to submit the other two remaining parts of the trilogy independent of the first book. I still haven’t pitched that one to her but will.
How many books will be in this series?
Three. If Preston and Lindsey, or the characters in Touched gains a fan base, then I would continue it but not as part of the trilogy. I love writing about Lindsey and Preston, and hope to keep the two going as long as I can.
Do you have any advice to give about writing a book?
Yes, never give up. If writing is what you love do to, and are obsessed with it, like me, then aim for that finish line and go for it. When I pitched Touched to agents, all turned me down. I regrouped by taking a hard look at my query letter, at the book blurb and the synopsis, cleaned them up and resubmitted to a few big name publishers. They turned me down but this time, I had some input as to how I could improve my chances of being accepted. I worked my query letter again, cleaned up the synopsis and blurb, resubmitted it and found a publisher. Persistence, and patience, will pay off it you keep at it. I am told that 99% fail at becoming published because they give up and I wanted to be in the 1% that didn’t.
Do you have anything else you'd like to say?
Can I have another one of those cinnamon rolls?
Yes, of course.
*gives her another warm cinnamon roll*
Thanks again for stopping by. I enjoyed chatting you up.
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