Review Fix chats with author Karen Greco, who discusses her “Hell’s Bell†urban fiction series, as well as her creative process and goals for the future.
Revolving around a beautiful half-witch, half-vampire, the series will definitely appeal to “True Blood†and Ann Rice fans looking to bring their fangs into a new book series.
Review Fix: Why urban fantasy fiction?
Karen Greco: I’ve always loved the supernatural. Ghost stories, vampires, witchcraft, exorcisms. I think being raised Catholic was a huge influence on me.
Review Fix: Who are your influences?
Greco: For my genre writing, it’s definitely Ann Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison. Outside of the genre, I spend a lot of time with playwrights, so I think often influence my work. David Johnston is one of my favorites—he works brilliant humor into his work, even when the topic is so disturbing. It’s important to laugh, and important give your audience permission to laugh, especially when you are dealing with some difficult topics.
Review Fix: What authors do you glean from that your readers wouldn’t expect?
Greco: My background is in theater and film. I think that gives my fiction writing a cinematic quality, since I sort of watch the action unfold in my head while I write. So I think I extract elements from film and theater writers more so than other fiction writers. Everything I write is seen through that lens.
Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy your work the most?
Greco: Readers that like a lot of action, aren’t afraid of a little (or a lot) of violence. There are definitely romantic elements to the work, but sometimes they take a back seat.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Greco: This is a tough one to answer. My creative process is fits and starts! Between work and family, my attention is generally pulled in a million different directions so having time for the creative process can be really difficult. I write wherever and whenever I can. So on the bus or subway, I’ll be jotting down notes or working on my outline in my notebook. Or on my computer actually writing. I find I get my absolute best ideas working out! I tried to get one of those dictation software things for my phone because I want to capture these ideas, but they don’t work so well when you’re huffing and puffing on the elliptical.
Review Fix: What makes Nina Martinez cool?
Greco: She’s an ass-kicking half witch/half vampire hybrid who can round house kick her way through most situations. And she has some pretty fierce weapons. That’s crazy cool, to me anyway.
Review Fix: This series feels like it would be great as a comic book, film or even a video game. Any thoughts on moving it to another platform?
Greco: I have tons of thoughts about this. I’d love to see it as a graphic novel, television series or a video game. How cool would that be?
Review Fix: What’s next for the series?
Greco: Book 3 is next — no title yet. I am a bit behind on this one, since I am working on a new series as well. But there will be more Hell’s Belle to contend with.
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