Author interview: Alma Katsu

Alma Katsu’s debut novel, The Taker is published today. It’s a gripping and dark immortal love story which leaves you thinking about its characters and their actions long after you’ve closed the final page and I was thrilled when Alma agreed to answer some of my questions for One More Page.

This is your debut novel and a complex and epic historical paranormal romance. What led you to write a book in this genre and how does it feel to be a published author?

When I started writing this book in 2000 and then talking to literary agents in 2001, it was much closer to “Interview with the Vampire” and all the feedback I got was that it would never sell. Despite the popularity of Laurell Hamilton and Chelsea Yarbro, agents said these types of books were dead. But it seemed to me that the types of emotions these books appeal to – the classic gothic sentiment – was timeless. That dark, romantic, somewhat nihilistic outlook resonates with people of every generation. So, I continued to work and work on it, hopeful that when the book was ready, there would be people who would find it spoke to them.

As for being a published writer, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m waiting to see if, on the 14^th, I’ll feel wildly different.

The Taker has some very dark and complex characters in it; who was your favourite to write and why?

Thank you for that compliment – if there’s one thing I would want readers to say about the characters, it’s that they’re dark and complex! One funny thing I learned from writing the book (for better or worse) is that every main character gets some piece of the author’s psyche. So, as close as Lanny is to my heart, I have to say Adair, the villain, was the most fun to write. He got the worst of my temper. In him, I’m able to see what it would be like to push the limits, to be as bad as possible. He’s the kind of villain that just takes over a scene, like Hannibal Lechter. He’s very comfortable with himself, with his lack of inhibitions. I hope he’s as much fun to read.

I loved the historical elements to the story – if you could live at any time in history when would you choose?

It’s hard to choose, isn’t it? The Goth in me leans towards the Victorian era, but there are things about the Regency era that appeal as well. Oddly, though, I find myself drawn to the Silk Road, and its influence has stretched for centuries though I’m most drawn to the Mongol era and what various countries on the road experienced during the era of Colonization. I’m drawn to the wildness of it, the variety of cultures it touches, the confluence of outsiders and native societies.

I saw from your website that you love fairy tales and that the story in The Taker has a folktale at its heart; do you have any plans to incorporate any further legends into your future work?

Yes! Without giving too much away, the fairy tale at the heart of the next book is ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ It’s pretty easy to spot which character is the Beauty, and you can imagine which one is the Beast. Will she be able to tame this Beast?

The Taker focuses on immortal love. What are your favourite literary love stories and did they have any bearing on your work?

That is a great question! Funny thing is, when I think of my favourite stories, they’re more about the individual’s quest to understand herself (of course, that is part of love—you really can’t love someone else fully and truly until you know yourself. I wouldn’t say you have to love yourself but you must at least accept yourself) than great love stories. The tale of Tristan and Isolde would be one. I loved the Time Traveller’s Wife, too. I’m drawn to tragic love stories, I guess.

Lanny’s immortality has its consequences with some very dark scenes at times; what did you find most difficult to write about and how did you overcome this?

Most people have both a natural curiosity about things that are outside themselves, and a bit of a dark side. You may not want to participate in S&M, for instance, but you’re probably curious enough to learn a little bit of what it’s about. So first, I wrote from that natural curiosity. Then, to give a little bit of background, in my day job I’m an analyst for the government and one thing I worked on for years had to deal with mass atrocities and genocides. In that line of work, you get a good sense of the terrible things that men are capable of inflicting on other men, but also you get a sense of how the perpetrators deal with/rationalize what they’ve done. There were some scenes that left me shaken for days after writing them, though.

Although The Taker has only just been published I’m eager for the sequel; when can we look forward to it and can you give us any hints as to what to expect next for Lanny?

I’m so glad to hear that you’re eager to continue with the story. I’ve hinted a little bit of what’s in store for Lanny. Her story is truly an epic romance, and by the end of the third book, readers will have been taken to somewhere completely unexpected but, hopefully, a resolution that feels entirely true and fitting. The second book comes out in spring 2012, I believe, though I don’t think a publication date has been set yet. The manuscript is with my editor and I hope to be working on revisions soon.

Thanks Alma and good luck with books two and three!

The Taker is released today and you can find out more about the book and Alma at: http://www.almakatsu.com/