Leah Reise Interview

First off, tell us a little bit about you

I’m a bit of a dreamer, and I consider myself mostly introverted. I enjoy spending most of my time alone. I love traveling the world alone. And I guess you could call me an observer of people. I’m a student of the human condition. Since I was a young girl, I enjoyed learning what makes people tick. Everything I learn about people, I apply in my writing of course. When it comes to education, I have my BA in Spanish, and then completed undergraduate credits for a Master’s of Science in Anthropology. Unfortunately, I never made the cut, but continued taking classes in the human condition and writing on the side. As for my career path, I’ve always worked in public health, mostly as a bilingual public health aide. The last 14 years, I’ve worked at a hospital as a Spanish English interpreter, and also as an insurance verifier, and registration clerk in Emergency Room and Admitting. This year, I also began scheduling in radiology and surgery. On my free time I write novels and write as a journalist for City To Country Magazine.

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?

My debut novel, which I self-published in July of 2016, is called The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story. I am currently working on writing the sequel. It’s a fantasy trilogy set in San Francisco today. It’s a different kind a vampire story than people are used to, and carries a philosophical and scientific theme. The story is about love and loss and self discovery, which I hope inspires people to find happiness and joy amidst a dark chaotic world. I’ve also started writing a sci-fi novel called The Man Who Changed The Universe. It’s about a Blackfoot Indian man in Montana who finds when he sleeps he travels to parallel universes and wakes up in one of his many doppelgänger selves. That novel is on hold for the moment while I write the sequel to my Debut.

When did you start writing? 

I remember writing was something I loved as a child. Anything that took me somewhere else. Fantasy stories. Poems. Especially journaling through my hardships. For long time, I think writing was the only thing I excelled in. But it wasn’t until August of 2000 that I wrote my first article. It was about social justice, something I was passionate about. I brought it to the Sonoma County Peace Press, on a whim. The editor read the article right in front of me, and it brought tears to her eyes. That’s when I realized my writing could affect people. It was something I could use for a good cause, to bring awareness to the world.

Why do you write?

I write about anything I’m passionate about. Fiction and nonfiction. For City To Country Magazine, I write about positive and uplifting subjects to give people a little break from all the negativity in the world.

What would be your choice for a superpower?

Perhaps it would be flying and the ability to breathe in space and under water.

Who is your favorite author?

J.k. Rolling 

What are you reading now?

I have a weakness for vampire stories. At the moment, I’m reading Awake at Dawn by C. C. Hunter, and The Vampire Girl trilogy by Karpov Kindrade, a husband and wife author team who happen to be locals in my county. I’m also reading a few others on and off, like A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss. I love science and also anything relating to the human condition.

Who is your favorite character to write?

My favorite character in my debut is Pierre, the protagonist’s vampire maker. He is my favorite character to write because he’s the rawest character. He’s a man who lives with real terrors and because of them he hasn’t been the most honest with his immortal progeny. Like many people today, he has trouble facing his own inner darkness, and with that a tragedy from the past that forever haunts him in immorality. Because of this, even though he’s over 300 years old, he still has a long way to go when it comes to self discovery.

Do you have a writing process?

My writing process is probably the most unconventional. I don’t write out a full outline like most authors find most helpful. When I begin writing a novel most of the story is spinning around in my head from beginning to end. I do write down notes whenever an idea comes to mind, but my notes are usually scattered and unorganized. Most authors have to go back and re-structure their novels after they’re done with their “final draft” anyway. I always felt the best way to write is to just write whatever you can and whenever you’re in the most passionate mindset that’s best conductive for writing. I’m not always in this writing mode, so sometimes I just have to start writing. That often gets my thoughts flowing. .

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Just write. Don’t fear rejection or it will inhibit your work. Write for you. Tell the story of your dreams. Tell a story for the world. No matter what you write, there will always be both people who love and hate it. But completing a book is a great accomplishment on its own. Be proud of that, even if only a few people like it. As long as your write from the heart and have a story to tell, there will always be people interested.

What inspired you to pursue writing?

What inspired me to pursue writing was helping people find joy and happiness and sometimes dark and chaotic world. I love that creative writing has the power to bring hope to people. It has the power to give people a break from the negativities in the world and bring them into a place of dreams and fantasies. I found you can also do this with nonfiction while writing inspiring true stories.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?

I have to say I love Harry Potter. I also love vampire movies, and fantasy movies and shows. Charmed and Buffy The Vampire Slayer are my two favorite TV shows. I also love science documentaries as science plays a big part in my writing.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?

If you love vampire stories and also have a passion for science and philosophy, check out my debut, The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story. It’s definitely a different kind a vampire story. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter under Leah Reise, and my book page under The Beauty in Darkness: A Vampire Story.

Quick Fire:Cats or dogs? Cats
Coffee or tea? Both
Favorite food? Thai, Vietnamese, and Sushi!
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate
What are 3 things you never leave home without? Phone, wallet, and beef jerky lol
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with?
Stephen Hawking, The Dali Lama, and Carl Sagan
TV or Movies? Harry Potter!

Visit me on my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE to borrow any of my books for FREE!

Best-selling author of Wake the Dead! On Amazon Kindle here!

All Artwork and covers of my works by William J. Kenney & Carlos Cara

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