Featured Interview With Denver Batiste
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve always had a strange fascination with vampires, and wanted to write a story that steered away from the traditional “I vant to suck your blaaahhhd” genre that has sorely been played to the extreme. Being from a small town in Tennessee, the Bible was a significant part of my life, and I especially enjoyed the New Testament and the stories relating Christ’s life. Always curious, I never understood why the Bible didn’t go into more detail about the life of Jesus as a youth or the lives of His beloved apostles after his crucifixion.
So, I decided someone needed to write a story about them. Not the traditional non-fiction drivel, but a new kind of book. With my brain working overtime, I began creating a story– a different version of what’s been told for centuries. I asked myself “What if the Apostles were punished for abandoning Jesus and leaving Him to be crucified? What if they were doomed to live forever with the knowledge of their betrayal?” That’s when it came to me.
I was going to write a book, merging my two passions, vampire lore and Biblical characters to break away from the humdrum, biting on the neck, look into my eyes, nonsense that has been the staple of all vampire tales. Instead, I developed a story using a different method of transformation. After 10 years of laborious fact checking and meticulous reading, The Vitandi, my first novel was born.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As an adolescent, I spent my afternoons going to the library and reading anything and everything. Mostly books on Roman and Greek mythology, Egyptian folklore, anything that had to do with the strange and unusual. At 13, I began writing my own short stories, and developed a unique style by using actual events and changing them into fictional form.
When my aunt, Mary Curtis Bowers, wrote a series of romance novels in the mid 80’s, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. The inspiration from my aunts novels opened up the writer lurking inside, encouraging me every step of the way.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am a huge, huge fan of writers who like to push the envelope. Ann Rice, Dan Brown, etc. But I also like the more traditional thriller and suspense writers. James Patterson, Patricia Cromwell. But my favorite genre to read is Criminal Fiction–you know, serial killer/slasher novels. I am just fascinated by the genre for reasons I don’t even know myself!
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The best way to tell readers about my novel is in the synopsis:
Nestled high atop a mountain range in his father’s mansion, vampire Kellan Donnolly is living a life of carefree immortality. The son of the apostle Simon, Kellan is bound by an ancient prophecy decreed by God, one that must be fulfilled or the entire vampire race will be destroyed. Kellan must find a distant niece of Christ and father a child with her to keep their species alive.
In New York City, spunky Nicole Erwin and her friend, Mia, work part-time at Harbor Way Children’s Home, and soon discover working part-time in a big city doesn’t pay the bills. When Mia sees an ad in the paper offering two hundred dollars for blood donations, she presents the idea to Nicole, who reluctantly agrees to go for the extra cash, unaware her donation will change her destiny. When Kellan learns The Daughter of Christ’s descendant is in New York City , it is up to him to win her trust, while The Apostles try to keep Lucifer’s demon scout, Arius, from destroying her. Kellan reluctantly pursues Nicole. To his amazement, he discovers Nicole means more to him than just the salvation of his people, and together they embark on an adventure full of suspense and drama, with an unexpected ‘Savior’ who will aid Kellan and The Apostles on their journey for survival.
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