Interview with Gayla Twist Author of Call of Vampire ( The Vanderlind Castle Series) & Giveaway

I recently reviewed Gayla Twist Call of Vampire and completely loved the book, so I asked Ms. Gayla if she would sit down with me to give me the lowdown on herself, Call of Vampire and her upcoming projects. She agreed to do the interview and here is what she had to say…….

Crystal: Gayla Thanks you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with me. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to be an author?

Gayla: I've always loved making up stories. As a very little girl I had this pack of magic makers that I would play with for hours and never actually draw anything because in my world the markers were all characters having adventures.

My husband frequently laughs at me because even when I'm not "working" I make up little adventure stories for our daily lives.

Crystal: LOL, I can remember I was like that with barrettes. My mom used to think it was strange but my father thought it was great that I had a big imagination. Lol. That has to be cool that you do adventure stories. It is always the little thinks that makes life grand.

Who are your favorite authors?

Gayla: Jane Austen (boring answer) Anita Loos is hilarious. John Steinbeck can make you laugh and cry in the same chapter. Alexander Dumas (he wrote history the way it should have been) Mark Twain (he's a relative so I've got to give Clemens a plug, not that he needs it) There are so many great authors out there. But definitely check out Anita Loos. She wrote Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and her books are still so very funny. Don't know why she's not more popular these days.

Crystal: Wow, what an amazing list of authors. I need to check out some of them. It never seems to amaze me that some of the best author discoveries for me have been through other authors or avid readers.

So tell us Gayla, what are you reading now?

Gayla: In fiction I'm reading Carly Anne West - The Murmurings. Just a few chapters in, but super creepy so far. In non-fiction I just finished Welcome to Your Child's Brain and I am trying to decide what to read next. I'm thinking about The Last Gun: How Changes in the Gun Industry Are Killing Americans and What It Will Take to Stop It by Tom Diaz. Not exactly light reading, but probably important to know. I must also throw a plug in for Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein. You will not be able to put it down and it will change the way you look at being a female.

Crystal: I am the same way about books I like to read more than one book at the same time. I even wonder sometimes why I don’t get confused. Cinderella Ate My Daughter is a catchy title, I will be sure to grab a copy and let you know what I think.

Is Gayla Twist your only pen name?

Gayla: Yes, although I am thinking of adding a few more.

Crystal: Do you write books in other Gerne’s outside of YA?

Gayla: I have an adult romantic comedy that I am finishing up. Then I need to get it edited and a fancy cover. I'm not sure of the time line on that title because I'm trying to focus my energies on book 2 for The Vanderlind Castle Series.

My good twin has done quite a bit of writing, but mostly in YA and MG. She also writes comic books and video game dialog.

Crystal: Wow, I did not know that. Love the alter Egos it must be fun the switch up from time to time.

I loved the Call of Vampire what inspired you to write such an amazing story?

Gayla: I get A Word A Day and one day the word was Aurorean: belonging to the dawn. I thought, "Aurora is such a great name for a vampire." Then I thought, "No, Aurora is the girl the vampire loves." Call of the Vampire pretty much sprung out of my head after that. I was surprised how quickly the plot came to me.

Crystal: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Gayla: Hmmm... Writing the story came pretty easily. The hardest part was finding the time. I basically wrote it around our baby's sleep schedule.

Crystal: Can you tell us who designed the cover?

Gayla: Yes! The multi-talented Phoenix Zoellick did the cover. Not only is she a great designer/illustrator (phoenixzoellick.com) but she also does sparkly pants and crazy fun animal hats (http://www.beastwares.com) The Glitter Britches are amazingly well made, cut to fit properly and have a reinforced crotch. Hey hey! I highly recommend them.

Crystal: I noticed the book was primarily in the POV of Aurora, but I wanted to know if we would ever get a glimpse into Jessie’s Pov?

Gayla: I'm not a big fan of the switching POV in a lot of stories, especially when the inner voice sounds the same for both characters, but I might figure something out so we can hear more of Jessie's thoughts. I don't know if that's book 2 or book 3.

Crystal: I loved everything about Jessie; he seems to have a good heart. But I feel like he has a dark side to him. Do you feel the same way?

Gayla: He's a vampire. There is always a dark side.

Crystal: Is there more to Aurora and Jessie attraction to each other, besides the connection that Colette’s memories are somehow creating?

Gayla: I think a lot of that plays into whether reincarnation exists and if two people are soul mates in one life does that extend to the next? Book 2 will explore that a bit more.

Crystal: Aurora seems to harbor such amazing gifts through her dreams, but it seems to me that there is more to her character?

Gayla: Like any teenager, Aurora is figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. Who she is becomes a bit more complicated the more she finds out about Jessie and his past.

Crystal: Daniel seems to be intriguing will we see more of him in the future book(s)?

Gayla: Daniel will be more and more present in the next two books. He is very much the difficult older brother in that he's convinced he is right and doesn't want to be flexible for other people's wants or needs.

Crystal: Out of all the character, which character is your favorite and why?

Gayla:I like Aurora because she thinks things through. So many modern YA female characters do so many impulsive/reckless/foolish things to move the plot forward and that annoys me. I didn't want Aurora to set that kind of example.

But then again Jessie is pretty dreamy... It's hard when you write the characters to pick a favorite. I do definitely like their love story and feel invested in them.

Crystal: Gayla, you left us with such a cliff hanger. I need to know more….. will there be another book in this story? And if so, can you give us some small details you know enough to whet the appetite lol? I know I am being nosy, but I want to know a little more about the upcoming book in the The Vanderlind Castle Series and release date.

Gayla: I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I tried to make the initial story complete, but without resolving the whole mystery. If all goes according to plan, book 2, Heart of the Vampire, will be out around July first. ... I'm trying to think what I can tell you that doesn't spoil book one for people who haven't read it... We'll definitely find out more about Jessie's world and the politics of being a vampire.

Crystal: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in Call of Vampire?

Gayla: At this point, no. But who knows? I might be half way through book 3 and think, "Shoot, I should have set this up in book 1!"

Crystal: Are there any other projects you are working on?

Gayla: I have a ridiculous amount of books on my "to write" list. Book 2 should be out in July and a romantic comedy within the next few months after that. Then book 3. I'm also helping my good twin, Adrianne Ambrose, with a few things that should launch this year. (touch wood)

Crystal: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for considering Call of the Vampire as a potential read for your vampire romance needs. You might also want to consider Fangs for Nothing: Vampire Hunting and Other Foolish Endeavors by Adrianne Ambrose ~ it's also free on Kindle for the next few days.

Crystal, thank you very much for the review and interview!

Crystal: Gayla it was my pleasure to have you on the blog for the interview. I really enjoyed Call of Vampire and I look forward to the next installment and thanks again for sponsoring such an awesome giveaway.

For more information on Gayla Twist and A Call of Vampire, please visit Gayla  on Facebook | Twitter | Website 

Click here if you would like to read my review on Call of Vampire.

Giveaway
Call of Vampire Signed by Gayla Twist

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