Interview & Book Giveaway: INTERN WITH THE VAMPIRE by Kit Iwasaki

Publisher 1889 Labs Ltd. is pleased to offer an ebook copy of Intern With the Vampire to one lucky reader. If you would like to be entered to win a copy of the ebook, please leave your name and email in the comments section by Saturday, May 21.  Using Random.org, I will choose the winner and the publisher will send the winner a coupon to Smashwords so that you can download the format that works for you!  So be sure to sign up!

Kit, tell us a little about yourself.

Born in San Francisco, grew up in Chicago, and now live here and there and everywhere. I used to be a premed student until I realized I preferred fictional blood to the real deal. Now I’m trying my hand at the writing game – I used to write a bit in high school, but it was only in the last few months that I've really decided to go for it and see how far I can get.

Which authors inspire you the most? 

Too many to mention. When it comes to the paranormal genre in particular, I enjoy reading Charlaine Harris, LJ Smith, Laurell K Hamilton, and all the other names you’d expect. But I read a lot outside the genre, too. I recently finished reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami.

Where did the idea for the Vampire General series come from?

 I have a friend who's allergic to garlic and we always joke he's like a vampire. I like the idea of the "vampire condition" being a bunch of really basic medical curiosities bundled together, so it's less supernatural and more something you can catch, and something you need to learn to live with. And from there, the question is: given a dependence on drinking blood, or sensitivity to sunlight, or allergies to garlic... what other complicating factors are there in the lives of these "transhuman" people? And what can doctors do to help them? And that kicked off a giant idea about writing about the doctors in a hospital who have to deal with so many oddities, along with their own personal problems, since they're all transhuman too.

Tell us a little about the first book in the series, Intern With The Vampire.

 On her first day at Grace General Hospital, new intern Aline Harman risks vampire infection, vivisection, and having her heart torn out of her chest… and this from her colleagues. Juggling transhuman politics only becomes more difficult when a patient’s life is at stake. With a zombie to resuscitate and a mermaid in critical care, Aline has her hands full. At least the doctors are good-looking.

Intern With The Vampire is the first in the Vampire General series, and sets the scene for all the future drama to come. If you like the sound of ‘True Blood meets Scrubs’ then this may be a book for you!

How do you research your books?

 Well, I spent a few years interning at a hospital for vampires, so... ha ha, just kidding! Actually, the process is pretty complicated. I try to base most of the medical situations on stuff that would happen to real people, but then give it a transhuman twist, so for instance with the mermaid case, I did lots of research on fish anatomy (and dolphins!) to give me a base for the problems that might arise. There are a lot of universal truths to medicine, but a lot of really fascinating exceptions that make for great drama. I don't use most of what I research, because if I did the book would be 1,000 pages long!

When it comes to writing, are you a pantster or plotter or a bit of both?

 A bit of both. I like to start out with as detailed an outline as possible, but I also like to be fairly flexible when writing. If you follow outlines too closely sometimes you can miss a trick, so it's important to follow the rhythm of the story and keep an open mind. You never know when two characters will all of a sudden decide to act up on you!

What’s next for you?

I'm currently working on the sequel to Intern With A Vampire, which is called Slash and Burn and is due for publication in June. It'll feature more Aline, more Scott, more Rocque, and more paranormal medical drama. I'm very much focused on writing the Vampire General series at the moment, although who knows what will come in the future.

Give us three reasons why we should read Intern With The Vampire.

1) Because it takes the creativity of paranormal fiction and the tension of medical dramas, and combines the two into a fast-paced, entertaining read.

2) Because you won't have to wait long until you can read the sequel!

3) Because I have very, very good puppy dog eyes, and you don't want me to use them on you. 

BUY LINKS: Intern With The Vampire  http://1889.ca/books/vg1/ is published by 1889 Labs Ltd. (http://1889.ca/books/) and can also be found on Amazon.

AUTHOR BIO:

Kit was midway through premed when she realized she loved the heart, but hated blood. It took her a few more years to figure out what to do with her freewheeling life, most of which is not fit to print in a bio. She decided to get back to what she was always doing anyway, and had been as long as she could remember: telling stories. Now she furiously scribbles out books for the Vampire General series, as well as other projects that will jump out at you when you least expect it.


LEAVE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE BOOK!  Contest ends May 21, 2011.