Interviews
ASK WENDY INTERVIEW
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest novel is the second in my Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series. The first was called The Vampire Shrinkand the second, Dark Harvest. The series explores the ongoing story of a Denver psychologist who stumbles into a hidden vampire underworld. The books blend genres: urban fantasy, romance, mystery, humor, sex and are written with a contemporary vibe.
LA TIMES INTERVIEW
Somewhere on the way to today's multiplex, the traditional horror-movie vampire received an extreme makeover. Max Schreck's Count Orlok of 1922's "Nosferatu" -- bald, hunched, with claw-like hands, bug eyes and shark-like teeth -- morphed into the hollow-cheeked, Abercrombie & Fitch model looks of "Twilight's" Robert Pattinson, all James Dean glowering and choreographed hair.
DARQUE REVIEWS INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a bit about Kismet Knight and what it means to be a Vampire Psychologist?
LH: Kismet Knight is a clinical psychologist. She has worked hard – done everything she was “supposed” to do, professionally and personally – and has created a successful private practice in downtown Denver, CO. In the midst of feeling bored with her life and unchallenged in her work, she meets with a new client in her office. This young woman says she wants to become a vampire. She tells Kismet about a secret world of bloodsuckers living alongside humans in the Mile High City. Of course, Kismet doesn’t believe her. As a psychologist, she has heard every outrageous story a client can fabricate, and all the strange tales can be easily diagnosed. Vampires? Just another sad delusion. But even though she’s certain the young client’s story is due to an overactive imagination, she’s intrigued. What if there are lots of these wannabes who’d benefit from counseling? Had she stumbled upon a brand new dysfunction-of-the-week? Maybe she could write a book about these lost souls and go on Oprah! The Vampire Psychologist was born.
MYSTERYAUTHORS.COM INTERVIEW
M.A.: Tell us a little about your featured mystery, The Vampire Shrink.
L.H.: The Vampire Shrink is the first book in a series about Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight’s discovery of a hidden underworld of vampires and vampire wannabes. Her story definitely falls under the heading of, “be careful what you ask for, because you might get it.” Her desire to have more excitement in her life – to take more risks – even to have a little fame and fortune in her field, causes her to open a paranormal Pandora’s box which pulls her into a world of nocturnal creatures, mystical experiences, professional chaos and emotional madness. Finding herself attracted to a self-proclaimed, gorgeous, 800-year-old vampire and an irreverent FBI profiler definitely thrusts her out of her relationship comfort zone. On top of all that, someone – or something – is leaving a trail of blood-drained bodies. Yikes!
PATRICIA’S VAMPIRE NOTES INTERVIEW
PVN: There is a minor character I found so intriguing - Cerridwyn - the Tarot Card reader. Could you talk a bit about her? Will she appear in other works?
LH: Cerridwyn is a composite of several tarot readers I know (including myself). When I wrote about her being on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, I used my experience from years ago, when I gave tarot readings in Boulder on the Pearl Street Mall. She combines the best qualities of all my psychic friends: wise, funny and very gifted. I do expect she will show up in other books, probably the third one where Kismet becomes more involved in expanding her own intuitive abilities. She’ll discover her new circle of friends includes Cerridwyn – who is likely to become one of Kismet’s teachers.
FRESH FICTION INTERVIEW
Every few years, a dance/theater production, “Theatre of the Vampires,” is staged in Boulder, Colorado (where I live), in a spooky, old theater. Happily, the show was performed this past Halloween and, since THE VAMPIRE SHRINK -- my first book in a series about a Denver psychologist who becomes involved in the vampire underworld -- had just been released, the producers asked me to appear.
Hundreds of people passed my table -- many stopping to claim a postcard, examine a copy of my book or ask a question. A wonderful time was had by all, and I sold every copy of the book I brought. (Many thanks to my publisher for the gorgeous, full-page ad they ran on the back page of the playbill!)