Scene 2; Act 1: Guest Author Denise Verrico‏ & Cara Mia, Book One of the Immortyl Revolution

Once more unto the breach, dear friends. I present for your approval, Guest Author Denise Verrico‏ & Cara Mia, Book One of the Immortyl Revolution and her thoughts...

James, thanks for having me as a guest on this blog. He asked me to write about a subject near and dear to my heart, so I thought I’d talk a bit about inspiration.

I write urban fantasy that crosses over a bit into sci fi.

My Immortyl Revolution series centers on a sophisticated vampire culture and the various sub-cultures surrounding it. These vamps are biological mutations rather than re-animated corpses. They call themselves, Immortyls.

The first book, Cara Mia is told largely from the point of view of a female named Mia Disantini. The story follows a fifty-year struggle for personal freedom that leads her to a laboratory in Southern California.

People often ask me what inspired me to write this book and the others that will follow it. How did I come up with the hierarchy of this culture or the characters? Other writers want to know how I came up with the story.

The question isn’t easily answered, because my inspiration comes from many sources.

First off, I’d have to say that reading is my greatest source of inspiration. A writer should be a reader and not just in his or her genre. I’ve read many kinds of books over the years, both fiction and non-fiction. Historical fiction is a favorite of mine. I love authors like Mary Renault, Robert Graves and Gore Vidal. I’ve also read a lot of the classics.

History and science are favorite non-fiction reading for me. Ancient societies interest me, and I chose to base my vampire culture on elements drawn from various places and times rather than following a lot of the conventions.

Books and articles on genetics and biotechnology led me to create a biological vampire rather than a supernatural one. This gave me the over-arching story for the series. Two Factions are involved in trying to corner the market on immortality, while the Chief Elder and the "old guard" are opposed to the very idea, calling it heresy to suggest that Immortyls are mere biological mutations and not the children of Mother Kali.

I enjoy research. Oftentimes, I’ll come across angles on a subject I hadn’t considered.

A while back, I was reading a lot of books on India. The more I read, the more fascinated I became by the rich cultural traditions of this country. This inspired some of the mythology of the world I was building in my Immortyl Revolution series. I read about the plight of the devidasi, female temple artists who were sometimes exploited as courtesans. This led me to create my adepts of the ancient arts, devotees of a tantric cult of Kali, who are used by the Chief Elder to further his political intrigues.

I came to writing from a background in theatre. My first efforts were plays. You’ll find lots of theatrical references in my writing. No surprise that some of my characters are performing artists.

My heroine, Mia, was a New York actress in the 1950’s. When her master Ethan discovers her, she’s performing in Ibsen’s The Master Builder. I always loved this play. The plot deals with an older man afraid of the younger generation usurping his success, yet a much younger woman infatuates him. He christens the girl, Hilde, "The Bird of Prey" for her rapacious nature.

This inspired a thematic element in Cara Mia and brought a central conflict to the story. Ethan trains Mia to be his "Bird of Prey", skilled in seduction and the arts of an assassin. Mia represents the new generation of Immortyl and a threat to Ethan’s elder, Brovik.

Inspiration is often found by plowing new intellectual ground. Whenever I’m facing writer’s block, I go to the library or the web.

My advice to young writers would be to read everything you can. Pay attention to world events and politics. Follow new discoveries in science. Study different cultures. Observe people around you. The world is full of interesting characters. Capture their mannerisms and quirks and put them through the filter of your imagination. Look at your hobbies and interests. You’ll be surprised what your personal experiences will bring to bear on a story. Who knows what you’ll come up with?

I’d like to thank James again for hosting me today and giving me the opportunity to share a little with you.

Cara Mia, Book One of the Immortyl Revolution is published by L&L Dreamspell.

It’s available through the Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and Fictionwise websites in trade paperback, Kindle and multi-format e-book.

It’s carried in some bookstores. If your local bookseller doesn’t carry it, they will order it for you.

If you’d like to purchase an author-signed copy, go to my website www.deniseverricowriter.webs.com and click on the webstore or to my blog www.ImmortylRevolution.blogspot.com and click on Buy My Books on the sidebar.

Twilight of the Gods, Book Two of the Immortyl Revolution will be released this fall by L&L Dreamspell.

You can follow me on Twitter and on my Facebook Fan Page, Immortyl Revolution.