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Vampire Mail

Stephanie was born in Evanston IL in the late 70's and grew up watching trashy 80's horror flicks. She started writing horror when she was twelve and finished her first book, I.M. Internet Message in the fall of 2002. Since then she has written several short stories, which have been featured in webzines, magazines, and accepted for a few upcoming anthologies. She has also completed her second novel Gloomy.

In her spare time she does book reviews for Camp Horror and Midwest Book Review.

Hi Stephanie, how are you doing?

Supa.

I'm a mother, horror writer and book reviewer. I'm really into music, mostly old alternative and good quality forgotten hip-hop, meaning everything the crap faces at MTV overlook. I do homemaker kind of stuff and chill with my husband, Grayson. That's when I'm not dressing up in spandex and doing the comic book villian thing.

So whats you novel, I.M. Internet Message, all about? Nows you chance to sell it to anyone out there who wasnt aware that the book existed until now!

Finding love and quick thrills over the Internet has become all the rage. I.M. is about a girl caught up in the Internet love craze who meets up with a man she meets through her keyboard unaware that he is a vampire. When he decides to take up partcial residence in the small mountain town where she resides, all hell brakes loose and she discovers things about her deceased Mother, whom was once a vampire herself.

What is the appeal of vampires, for you?

They are so charming, yet evil. Most monsters are hideous and a victim knows right away what could possibly become of them. Vampires on the other hand look like normal human beings. They are sneaky, seductive and have amazing powers.

How would you describe your fiction? Would you say that you are a horror writer, for instance?

My writing is ever changing. Yes, I would say I am a horror writer, but I sometimes like to dabble in erotica and/or mix the two. I.M. is a very fast paced, violent novel. My second novel, Gloomy is completely different. It's still violent, but the characters bring up certain world issues, and it's a little slower. I vented alot of my own thoughts and opinions in Gloomy and made up a few to add more color to my characters. My fictions drifts from comical or horrifying to mysterious or sexual. It depends on my mood.

Because I love it. I pick d) all of the above.

Do you believe in the supernatural, or is it just an imaginative area of fiction that you like to work in?

Yes. I haven't had an all out supernatural experiance, but I've heard a bunch of testimonials. Horror came from somewhere and I don't think it was just from the dark depths of someone's mind. The human race has been facinated with the supernatural since the begging of time, that's why we have had so many different Gods and beliefs. Something had to trigger the phenomenom. I doubt people from the past would have sacrificed so many (Celts, Greeks, Egyptians) for their beliefs because someone told them too.

Have you any favourite characters from your stories, and why do they appeal to you?

Hmmm....Dhan and Sean from The Smooth and Glossy. I absolutley adore because they are based on real people, two very hilarious young men and Joanie from Perhaps I'm not Dark Enough because she is June Cleaver with a mean streak. Book wise, Tristan from I.M. he's the kind of guy every woman would love to hate and Jeremy from Gloomy, because he's very smart, curses like a sailor and hides his intelligence with his foolishness.

What is your process of writing?

It depends on what it is. I usually get and idea, sit down and go with the flow, jotting things down as the story unfolds. My third book, which I'm about to start, requires a lot of research and planning because it involves characters from all over the globe.

When did you first start writing and what were your early attempts like?

Ha! I was 12. My first stories were horror related and pretty silly, I'm sure. I wish I still had them so I could read them. I got out of writing horror when I hit high school, writing articels for the school paper, then writing skits for a crazy college radio show a friend and I heald every Friday. A year ago I sat down and wrote the first horror story I had written in years entitled The Paper Cut. Crazy thing is it seems to be the one everyone favors the most.

Have you always wanted to write horror? Is there any other genre youd love to write in?

Yes. It's what I started out writing and it's what I do now. I have had a few romance ideas, but never rolled with them. I'd probally end up graphically killing someone's love interest if I tried.

Who are your favourite authors/influences and why?

I love John Saul! Yep! Ain't no shame in my game.When I read Darkness I was hooked.My favorite by him is The Blackstone Chronicles. I dig Stephen King too. To me, he's "the man" of horror fiction. As for influences, I didn't have any author influences. I was rasied on horror films so the idea of writing horror was just always there.

Which book are you reading at the moment?

A Fire Within by Kevin Yarborough. I'm following that up with Memoria by Adam Pepper. You will be able to find my reviews of their books on Midwest before the end of the year.

Good? Eh. I was pleased with Freddy v/s Jason. It opened with a huge set of double D's and stayed true to it's trashy 80's form. I'm glad Jason returned from space. The last Jason film had me spitting Raisenettes at the television screen. Final destination 2 was okay. It may have been better if they would have brought back Devon Sawa. Nah..probally not.

How will you be spending Halloween?

I will be taking my son Aiedyn trick or treating. He will be posing as Ernie from Sesame Street this year. My house is all ghouled up and waiting on mini-candy craving spooks. I can't wait.

With the risk of being nosey, what are you working on at the moment?

What can we expect to see from you in the near future? I'm shopping Gloomy around at the moment. Since I dig nosey people, here's a part of the blurb:

I'm about to start my third novel, which I'm keeping under wraps for the time being and am working on a few shorts. You can check out my website at Stephaniesimpsonwoods.com for updates.

Well thank you Stephanie, maybe we could talk again when your next book comes out!

Hell yeah! Thank YOU!