I Love Vampire Novels interview with Author Len Handeland.
His latest release, The Darkest Passages, is the much-anticipated sequel to The Darkest Gift. Below is an excerpt of our chat.
LH: Hello readers! My name is Len Handeland, and I’m originally from Shirley, Massachusetts. My
late father was a career military (Army) officer, and we moved around quite a lot when I was
growing up. This nomadic lifestyle exposed me to diverse cultures and landscapes, from the
serene New England countryside to bucolic upstate New York to the bustling and history-
laden Berlin, Germany during the height of the Cold War. These experiences have greatly
influenced my writing. I write in the horror genre, specifically vampire, paranormal, murder
crime dramas, and psychological thrillers, with a bit of romance added for good measure.
ILVN: How long have you been writing or when did you start?
LH: My love for writing began in middle school, a time when book reports were met with groans from
my classmates, but my cheers. I was always the one who loved to read, and with that, came the joy of
writing. English was my favorite subject, and in later years, I eagerly took creative writing classes to
hone my skills. In 2021, after a thirty-year career in the hair profession, I made a life-changing
decision. When my husband and I relocated from Northern California to Palm Springs, I decided to
retire from hair and return to my first love which is writing. And so in 2021, I became a full-time writer
with five books written and published. I am working on my sixth novel, which is scheduled to be
released in mid to late November of this year.
ILVN: Why paranormal romance? What drew you to the genre?
LH: I have been fascinated by the supernatural and paranormal since I was a young child. I usually
write about places where I have lived or visited frequently. It is often said that when a person
writes, they should choose a subject they are passionate about. For me, that subject would be
anything related to mythical creatures such as vampires, demons, and spirits.
ILVN: What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
LH: Before I start writing my book, I create an outline of the story. I create the characters
simultaneously. Sometimes characters are added, and often times, they remain the same.
Having interesting characters that have depth so that the reader is emotionally engaged is
vital and is as important to the novel as the story itself.
ILVN: What’s your favorite type of paranormal creature and why?
LH: My favorite mythical character is the vampire. A vampire is a creature that straddles the world
between life and death, not entirely alive but rather, undead, also known as the living dead.
Depending on age, this mythical creature can possess the strength of fifty to a hundred men, a
testament to their power. They can levitate, fly, disappear into mist or fog, hypnotize humans,
and transform themselves into bats, wolves, or rodents.
ILVN: Tell us about your heroine/hero. What inspired her/his quirks and struggles?
LH: In my latest book, “The Darkest Passages,” which is the sequel to my first book, “The Darkest
Gift,” my hero is Fabien Levesque, a man forcibly transformed into a reluctant vampire by a
jealous lover, Stefan back in 17th century Paris. Despite being a vampire, Fabien struggles to
hold onto human emotions such as love, tenderness, compassion, sympathy, and longing for
companionship. Unlike his former lover and vampire maker, Stefan, Fabien restricts himself
from using humans as an endless food chain supply but instead relies on wild animals and
humans that commit murder and rape to satisfy his never-ending bloodlust. Indeed, it is a
departure from the stereotypical views held by most people when they think of vampires.
Fabien lives by a strict code of morals, not wanting to turn other humans into vampires, which
is what was done to him against his will.
ILVN: Would you and your main character get along?
LH: Fabien and I would get along splendidly, even though having him over as a dinner guest might
be challenging, as vampires require no food or alcohol. Other than that, he and I appreciate
some of what defines a civilized society. Admiring art at various museums and the performing arts,
such as the symphony, the ballet, and theater.
ILVN: Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why?
LH: I relate very strongly to Fabien Levesque, one of the lead characters in my first novel, “The
Darkest Gift,” and the sequel, “The Darkest Passages.” Despite being a creature of the night,
he struggles against his dark side and tries to do what is good. We all possess a dark side,
some more so than others. We all struggle to do what we consider to be moral or good.
Fabien is also a romantic; I can relate to this quality. What’s inspiring is that he displays
tenderness and love while maintaining strength, showing that these qualities are not mutually
exclusive.
ILVN: What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
LH: When I first started writing my first novel, “The Darkest Gift,” eight years ago, the characters
were not fully developed in my mind. However, each character developed their own quirks
and emotional intricacies as time passed. They evolved from being one-dimensional to
multifaceted, making them relatable. This evolution of character development had a profound
impact on reader engagement, as it allowed the reader to identify with certain traits of each
character in the book, sparking a sense of intrigue and connection.
ILVN: Where can our readers find you?
LH: I love to hear from my readers! They can reach me any number of ways. On my website at
https://www.LenHandelandAuthor.com or
Facebook under:
https://www.facebook.com/len.handeland.1/ or
Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/lenhandeland_author/
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