Revisiting a Beloved Trope

 

A few weeks ago I was looking through some old files on my computer and came across the manuscript of the first book I ever wrote over 30 years ago. I remember trying unsuccessfully for over a year to get it published (there was no Amazon or indie publishing back then), finally giving up and moving on to something else. The book was shelved, and while I had tried to change it, to make it more appealing to the mass-market palate of publishers of the time, all I succeeded in doing was creating multiple versions of the same thing.

But going back to it and digging out that original version, I was struck with how much I enjoyed the story and how deep my research took me into the historical aspects of the tale.

It's a gothic vampire story, spanning multiple timelines in history. That was what seemed to confuse the agents I submitted it to, despite the fact that every dip into another time was clearly delineated. I guess when you only skim a book, you can't be expected to come away with any depth.

I read through what I had, and while it may not appeal to most current sensibilities, I feel like there is an audience for it. I love a good gothic horror story, one that builds slowly and inexorably toward a conclusion. And when that horror story involves my favorite horror element, vampires, so much the better. I was influenced when I wrote it by the works of Anne Rice and Elaine Bergstrom, among others. Authors who also brought rich history and heritage into their writing. Coupled with my own fascination for the history of my hometown of Tampa, Florida, I tried to tell a tale of moody intrigue.

I've finished editing and formatting the book and am now awaiting a cover from my cover artists. Once I have that, I will finally do something I tried to do 30 years ago--send it out into the world.

Watch this space for it--A Legacy in Blood, the story of Kira Castillo. Coming soon..