We all know how much I love vampires, so I’m stoked to have an interview with the vibrant Amy Mah this week! She’s the author of two very unique vampire books that take a look at what it would be like to be an undead teenager. Intrigued? See what she has to say!
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SJ: Every writer has some sort of process. Give us a glimpse into yours. Do you meticulously outline? Do you write depending on what calls are out there?
AM: A process? Everyone has one? Gee I wish someone had told me that before I started writing, stories just play in my mind like watching a movie all I have to do is be fast enough to write them down
SJ: Bonus question – Do you put on a cape and do a chant before hunkering down to work? Sacrifice anything? Along with your process, what’s your quirkiest writing habit?
AM: Well when I first started I used to put a picture of the character on the wall in front of me to remind me, but after a few days stopped looking and just took the images straight from my mind, like watching a movie.
SJ: Are you a meticulous planner or do you believe in the muse? Where do your ideas come from? Do they filter in through your dreams? Do they show up at inopportune times and whap you upside the head? Do they result in a shady deal with a dark power?
AM: No planning just a good memory, I have been told that reading my books is like watching an anime movie, as to where my ideas come from well mostly my own life.
OK so I don’t bite many people, you have noticed I have not said I never bite people.
Lots of things in the books have come from my own childhood, such as living with strange Aunts and doing odd things like sleeping on a roof during hot summer nights (and before you ask it was a flat roof) and I did wear a pair of pajamas with a bat on them.
And if my vampire world comes over a little different than most it is partly due to it being a slightly Asian vampire world where the Male vampires think they run the world but in the background the real power is with the females .
SJ: bonus question – If your muse had a physical manifestation, what would he or she look like and how would she or he act? Is it a sexy superhero version of Callisto? A sharp-tongued rogue? A reptilian alien? Do they have a catch phrase?
AM: I have based my main character on me! Which is why I named her Amy Mah mistress of the nightmare (vampire)
As to catch phrase:
How about I don’t sparkle I bite!
SJ: What’s the book/story that’s closest to your heart? Is there a piece that you clearly feel is a piece of you? Do you play favorites?
AM: I have written other things but I love the vampire world as I can lay down rules of logic, I always think there should be a reason for something to happen and I always give that reason in the books, you may have to look for it but it is there.
SJ: If you could only write one genre ever again upon pain of being sacrificed to Cthulhu, what would it be and why?
AM: What ever is running through my mind at the time.
SJ: What’s your biggest frustration as a writer? What do you consider the downside, or is there one? Is there any cliché that makes you want to wring people’s necks?
AM: Well as I write and blog as a teenager lots of people think I am still a teenager …..duh
SJ: If you had to be stuck in one of your own books/stories for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? If you had to stick a loved one in one of your own books, what would it be and why? An enemy?
AM: Ho yes a vampire in my vampire world would be great, and as to relatives in my books how yes lots of them have sneaked in, the Aunts in my books are all real people.
SJ: Do you think it’s possible to develop a sure-fire recipe/formula for success as a writer? Would you want to, or does that compromise the art or the fun of it?
AM: Sure it is easy marry, into big money or become very famous and suddenly you can be a successful writer
SJ: Everyone has words of wisdom for young writers, so I’m not going to ask you about that. With a few unknown writers becoming success stories, a lot of people seem to think it’s an easy career choice. What would your words of wisdom be to these people?
AM: Write for yourself and not others then you will not be so disappointed when you discover you are the only reader of your books.
SJ: It seems like everyone likes to gang up on certain genres as being inferior, less meaningful, or cheap entertainment (especially if it’s speculative in nature). Make a case for the genre you write.
AM: Like I don’t care what others say about genres, I write as I do, and about the subjects I do as I find it fun to do so.
SJ: What do you want people to instantly think of when they hear your name or your work mentioned?
AM: Vampires
SJ: Please tell us about your latest/favorite work or a little bit about what you’re working on right now. It’s plug time, so go for it!
I’m at the moment working on my 3rd vampire book but if its plug time then let me tell you about what I have done so far:
VAMPIRE by Amy Mah
in paperback and ebook
Today’s world is difficult for everyone, especially teenagers. They face the stresses of school, deciding whom to date, and the biggie of sex, just to name a few. Imagine all of those things ten times worse, and you might get an idea of what it’s like being a living, breathing teenage vampire. At last, the world can read about the life of a girl with good teeth, her problems with strong sunlight that gave her spots, and the sunblock that made her hair go yucky and produced more spots.
Yes, sunlight was dangerous, as she could be the first teenager in history to die from terminal acne! In her everyday life, older vampires expected her to walk about at night in the traditional female uniform, a see-through, 18th-century nightdress, without undies! Well, this female vampire knew why the cold winds blowing along the corridors were called, “male winds,” so she wore her see-through nightdress over jeans and a very thick jumper. To be sure that people would still know she was a vampire, the jumper had a very large, pink bat on it. And as to guys, well, it was normal for a girl to dream about guys; she just wished the dreams could have involved chocolates and holding hands, not leaping out at someone, ripping off his shirt, and demanding to know what blood type he was (at least not on the first date).
This is not your typical vampire story where vampires are jumping in bed with humans or are entangled with werewolves for one reason or another. This is the story of a teenage vampire who is just trying to survive in her day to day existence. It is humorous and will make you laugh out loud when Amy is just being her own unique self.
Fangs Rule by Amy Mah
is in paperback and ebook
A self help guide by Amy Mah (Vampire) for teenage vampire girls, the guide is fully illustrated by manga Artist Heby and is written in an easy to follow A – Z format explaining everything a teenage vampire girl would need to know about living life as a modern Vampire. What is fashionable to wear when eating out? Fang maintenance & how to keep your claws sharp.
Should you let a boy bite you on the first date? Easy to understand clear advice is given to every day problems Example: When you get an urge to bite: We all get those normal urges to bite things, and I must point out it is very normal, Claws are all well and good in a fight but a bite gives the extra advantage of getting a refreshing drink at the same time. Lots of girls worry about showing their Fangs in public believing that to show your fangs is rude, but don’t be shy they can be a girls greatest asset (ok second greatest asset) if a boy is being rude to you, don’t just snarl at him, just bite him! You are a vampire why do you think you have sharp teeth if not for sinking them into a boy that is being rude to you.
About the Author
The Author Amelia Mah is a 20 something snarky, sarcastic and cynical author who has a very popular blog of how she sees the world from the point of view of a modern teenage vampire Following the success of her first book “FANGS RULE A girls guide to being a vampire” she had now expanded the idea of life as a teenage vampire into a full novel Amelia has given her avatar her own name so you can see the world first hand from a very bored teenage vampire that has been forced to remain a teenager for far too long She may have very good teeth and the ability to hang from ceilings but life is far from easy. Today’s world is difficult for everyone, especially teenagers. They face the stresses of school, deciding whom to date, and the biggie of sex, just to name a few. Imagine all of those things ten times worse, and you might get an idea of what it’s like being a living, breathing teenage vampire. At last, the world can read about the life of a girl with good teeth, her problems with strong sunlight that gave her spots, and the sunblock that made her hair go yucky and produced more spots. Yes, sunlight was dangerous, as she could be the first teenager in history to die from terminal acne! In her everyday life, older vampires expected her to walk about at night in the traditional female uniform, a see-through, 18th-century nightdress, without undies! Well, this female vampire knew why the cold winds blowing along the corridors were called, “male winds,” so she wore her see-through nightdress over jeans and a very thick jumper. To be sure that people would still know she was a vampire, the jumper had a very large, pink bat on it. And as to guys, well, it was normal for a girl to dream about guys; she just wished the dreams could have involved chocolates and holding hands, not leaping out at someone, ripping off his shirt, and demanding to know what blood type he was (at least not on the first date).
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