Author Notes: Immortal Curse.

I started writing book 1 Immortal Curse in 2009, a friend and I had to choose New Year’s Resolutions for each other and she suggested I do something creative.
At the time I was studying for a BSc with the Open University, studying to go to vet school, I practised Kung Fu and Tai Chi at the local martial arts school and worked full-time. I’d always wanted to write a book and at school I was good at creative writing and during this time I didn’t want to do anything else physical because I was doing so much.
The book Immortal Curse had been in my mind for a decade before I wrote it, I knew I wanted to set it in Bath, my hometown and write about vampires but my vision was that it would be a dark tale. The metamorphosis of turning into a vampire wouldn’t be pretty, it would painful and gruesome- maybe that was my science side kicking in- kind of akin to childbirth.
And I knew I wanted to write about a demi-God.

It took me five years to write and I first published it 2014. I could only find editors that charged thousands and as I didn’t earn in a month (or several) what they charged so I asked a friend to edit it. She had a BA English.
I had yet to learn the craft of writing and only last year when I sent it to an award-winning editor who didn’t charge thousands- was I able to work with her and learn. And I continue to learn from books on developing the craft, tutorials etc…
So, how did Anthony come about?

Some people have asked if I am like him! No is the answer to that but he embodies traits and flaws that we each have or have had, and I wanted you the reader to relate to him. I’m not saying you or I have all his flaws but we have all been in situations that are overbearing, scary, tragic and sometimes we’ve lost control. Having the right people around us to guide us helps immensely. The journey of his emotional development as he is cast into different situations and the friendships that he makes, are all part of the adventure.
Nathaniel is one of my favourite characters, his two sides transparent, good and wicked- he is fun to write. Someone who has no lack of self-assurance until much later in the book when we realise that a lot of this is bravado, a mask and eventually it falls and he too loses control.
I based the eugenics side of the story on studies of gene therapy I did with the Open University- obviously, there’s artistic license and I wanted to avoid using lots of scientific jargon. But an Elite Army to cull the lesser vampires, perhaps not original in history but more so in this genre- it showed that vampires too could or would have a form of society, control. Who you knew, who made you reflected your place in its society. The lesser vampires running rampage with their new-found power, spilling blood into the streets. And the unwritten code, that vampires would only drink from the evil- a theme found often in vampire literature but broken on occasion due to raging hunger for blood.
Behind each villain lies a tale, I don’t believe that evil is simply bred but caused by many factors, so even Tyrell, having lost the love of his life, his emotions turned inwards to deal with his tragic loss becomes worse over time. And thus his most tragic victims, the experimentals.
But before them, I’d like to share some thoughts about the vampires that changed Anthony. These were inspired from vampire legends from Eastern Europe, the Nosferatu. Nosferatu were more commonly viewed along the lines of ghouls, scary lying in wait in the shadows for their victims. They were more benevolent spirit. Some were cannibals.
Not All Vampires Are Created Equal.
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