WHAT'S HOT!
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF
THE VAMPIRE HUNTRESS LEGEND
SERIES
L.A. BANKS
In the world of the dark and supernatural is their any more popular creature than the vampire, in the realms of nightmare. For those who inhabit the worlds of L.A. Banks’
Vampire Huntress Legend series the vampires have taken the night, and along with other demon entities wage a battle with mankind, to kick start the battle of Armageddon, and bring about hell on earth.
But there is one human, Damali Richards, whose blood may hold the key to stopping the bloodshed, and exposing the night tribes to the light of day. She is called the Neteru, the Huntress, whose origins date back to antiquity. With special skills of extrasensory perception plus a seventh capacity only held by a Neteru, and a thirty-six inch, seven thousand year old sword, she and her team of Guardians stand as Warriors of Light in what may be mankind’s final battle against the darkness.
GXI had the opportunity to sit down with author L.A. Banks, at Killer con in Las Vegas, and discuss her thoughts on the worlds of the paranormal she’s created in her twelve book Vampire Huntress Legend series.
GXI: How do you define your genre?
L.A. BANKS: Not necessarily horror, but Paranormal!
GXI: When did you start writing?
L.A. BANKS: 1992 when an accident at my daughters day care forced me to stay home with her. At the time there was an Essence magazine contest, and I decided to enter. So I started writing and 75 pages later I had a story too long to submit. Some friends of mine enjoyed the story, and sent it to a publisher. Later I got a call, and that story became my first novel.
GXI: What led you to the Vampire mythos?
L.A. BANKS: That first novel was an action adventure called Sundance, and I went on
to do romance novels, as well as other books. In 2001 my agent came to me and asked if I could do a vampire book. So I gave it some thought, and did some research, and came back with a concept that blended Egyptian mysticism with Hip Hop, vampire legends, and Christian philosophies. When my agent took it to the publisher he said, "We’ll call it Blade meets Buffy".
GXI: Who are the Neteru?
L.A. BANKS: They are the chosen ones, yet only one is born every thousand years.
They represent the divinity within all things.
GXI: Tell us about your main character Damali Richards?
L.A. BANKS: She represents my young years, and I wanted to get across how a young
person alone growing up on the streets can still come to be destined for greatness.
GXI: Who are the Guardians?
L.A. BANKS: They are the chosen spiritual guardians of the Neteru. Some are based on my cousins from around the way, who had my back in the hood. Back in the hood you would go to a party, or the movies with your posse, and if something jumped off you knew your boys had your back. That is what the Guardians do for Damali . Some have certain characteristics perhaps they are big and powerful, and that may translate into their special skill. Some may have an awareness of when something bad is about to go down, and that may translate into a six sense about danger, which would be their special skill. Each member of the Warriors of Light squad has a special capacity in the five sensory areas, plus an extra sixth sense.
GXI: Explain the world of the Vampire Huntress series? Do they all have a semi urban setting?
L.A.BANKS: When I first envisioned this world I wanted to incorporate the worlds of gangster rap music, the drug culture, and the international world order. Much of the stories take place in the shadows, but occasionally the battles spill over into the light.
It’s not the typical setting for a paranormal vampire story. It’s all part of the uniqueness of the story, which incorporates figures from history like Lady Bathroy, and others.
GXI: Who is Carlos Rivera?
L.A. BANKS: Carlos Rivera was Damali’s boyfriend, who she breaks up with when he becomes a drug kingpin. Carlos doesn’t heed her warnings of things that go, "bite" in the night. His posse gets slain, and he gets turned, but not completely. He is given a choice to be something of a double agent between the worlds of Light and Darkness. It is a mystery where his loyalties lie.
GXI: What are the anthologies? (Love At First Bite. & Stroke Of Midnight.)
L.A. BANKS: They are back-stories telling the origins of the seven original characters.
GXI: You explore a lot of religious /Christian themes in your works. What was your religious upbringing?
L.A. BANKS: My Father was Episcopalian, and my Mother was Baptist. On my Mother’s side there were a lot of powerful prayer warriors. And this is where the weapons of the light warriors get their inspiration. Against the denizens of darkness the forces of light use Holy Water grenades, Holy Water flamethrowers, liquid silver, and hallowed earth packed rounds. Each Guardian has his weapon of choice.
GXI: Of the twelve book series, which is your favorite book?
L.A. BANKS: Book four. Only because I originally thought it would be the last book of the series, so I threw everything I could think of into it.
GXI: Have you been approached by Hollywood about the series?
L.A. BANKS: The series has been optioned.
GXI: Who were your inspirations in the field of literature?
L.A. BANKS: Octavia E. Butler, Tina McElroy Ansa, Nikki Giovanni, and Maya Angelou amongst others.
GXI: What do you want readers to take from their reading experience on this series?
L.A. BANKS: I would like them to think about the layers that society is based on, and to "WAKE UP" to what is going on around them.
GXI: Lastly what words would you give to aspiring writers?
L.A. BANKS: Do your research, and WRITE. Remember the quote, "If it’s not written down it doesn’t exist." Also, BELIEVE! My Grandmother had one word you could not say in her house, "CAN’T". If writing is your thing; don’t deny yourself the passion.
Graf-X Illustrated thanks L.A. Banks for granting us this interview, and opening up to us her many new worlds of the paranormal. Check out her Vampire Huntress Legend series at a bookstore near you, starting with the first book MINION. Her latest Crimson Moon series is about Werewolf government operatives. The first book in that series is, BAD BLOOD. You can learn more about these, and her other novels at this website: www.vampirehuntress.com
Vampire Huntress Legend series the vampires have taken the night, and along with other demon entities wage a battle with mankind, to kick start the battle of Armageddon, and bring about hell on earth.
But there is one human, Damali Richards, whose blood may hold the key to stopping the bloodshed, and exposing the night tribes to the light of day. She is called the Neteru, the Huntress, whose origins date back to antiquity. With special skills of extrasensory perception plus a seventh capacity only held by a Neteru, and a thirty-six inch, seven thousand year old sword, she and her team of Guardians stand as Warriors of Light in what may be mankind’s final battle against the darkness.
GXI had the opportunity to sit down with author L.A. Banks, at Killer con in Las Vegas, and discuss her thoughts on the worlds of the paranormal she’s created in her twelve book Vampire Huntress Legend series.
GXI: How do you define your genre?
L.A. BANKS: Not necessarily horror, but Paranormal!
GXI: When did you start writing?
L.A. BANKS: 1992 when an accident at my daughters day care forced me to stay home with her. At the time there was an Essence magazine contest, and I decided to enter. So I started writing and 75 pages later I had a story too long to submit. Some friends of mine enjoyed the story, and sent it to a publisher. Later I got a call, and that story became my first novel.
GXI: What led you to the Vampire mythos?
L.A. BANKS: That first novel was an action adventure called Sundance, and I went on
to do romance novels, as well as other books. In 2001 my agent came to me and asked if I could do a vampire book. So I gave it some thought, and did some research, and came back with a concept that blended Egyptian mysticism with Hip Hop, vampire legends, and Christian philosophies. When my agent took it to the publisher he said, "We’ll call it Blade meets Buffy".
GXI: Who are the Neteru?
L.A. BANKS: They are the chosen ones, yet only one is born every thousand years.
They represent the divinity within all things.
GXI: Tell us about your main character Damali Richards?
L.A. BANKS: She represents my young years, and I wanted to get across how a young
person alone growing up on the streets can still come to be destined for greatness.
GXI: Who are the Guardians?
L.A. BANKS: They are the chosen spiritual guardians of the Neteru. Some are based on my cousins from around the way, who had my back in the hood. Back in the hood you would go to a party, or the movies with your posse, and if something jumped off you knew your boys had your back. That is what the Guardians do for Damali . Some have certain characteristics perhaps they are big and powerful, and that may translate into their special skill. Some may have an awareness of when something bad is about to go down, and that may translate into a six sense about danger, which would be their special skill. Each member of the Warriors of Light squad has a special capacity in the five sensory areas, plus an extra sixth sense.
GXI: Explain the world of the Vampire Huntress series? Do they all have a semi urban setting?
L.A.BANKS: When I first envisioned this world I wanted to incorporate the worlds of gangster rap music, the drug culture, and the international world order. Much of the stories take place in the shadows, but occasionally the battles spill over into the light.
It’s not the typical setting for a paranormal vampire story. It’s all part of the uniqueness of the story, which incorporates figures from history like Lady Bathroy, and others.
GXI: Who is Carlos Rivera?
L.A. BANKS: Carlos Rivera was Damali’s boyfriend, who she breaks up with when he becomes a drug kingpin. Carlos doesn’t heed her warnings of things that go, "bite" in the night. His posse gets slain, and he gets turned, but not completely. He is given a choice to be something of a double agent between the worlds of Light and Darkness. It is a mystery where his loyalties lie.
GXI: What are the anthologies? (Love At First Bite. & Stroke Of Midnight.)
L.A. BANKS: They are back-stories telling the origins of the seven original characters.
GXI: You explore a lot of religious /Christian themes in your works. What was your religious upbringing?
L.A. BANKS: My Father was Episcopalian, and my Mother was Baptist. On my Mother’s side there were a lot of powerful prayer warriors. And this is where the weapons of the light warriors get their inspiration. Against the denizens of darkness the forces of light use Holy Water grenades, Holy Water flamethrowers, liquid silver, and hallowed earth packed rounds. Each Guardian has his weapon of choice.
GXI: Of the twelve book series, which is your favorite book?
L.A. BANKS: Book four. Only because I originally thought it would be the last book of the series, so I threw everything I could think of into it.
GXI: Have you been approached by Hollywood about the series?
L.A. BANKS: The series has been optioned.
GXI: Who were your inspirations in the field of literature?
L.A. BANKS: Octavia E. Butler, Tina McElroy Ansa, Nikki Giovanni, and Maya Angelou amongst others.
GXI: What do you want readers to take from their reading experience on this series?
L.A. BANKS: I would like them to think about the layers that society is based on, and to "WAKE UP" to what is going on around them.
GXI: Lastly what words would you give to aspiring writers?
L.A. BANKS: Do your research, and WRITE. Remember the quote, "If it’s not written down it doesn’t exist." Also, BELIEVE! My Grandmother had one word you could not say in her house, "CAN’T". If writing is your thing; don’t deny yourself the passion.
Graf-X Illustrated thanks L.A. Banks for granting us this interview, and opening up to us her many new worlds of the paranormal. Check out her Vampire Huntress Legend series at a bookstore near you, starting with the first book MINION. Her latest Crimson Moon series is about Werewolf government operatives. The first book in that series is, BAD BLOOD. You can learn more about these, and her other novels at this website: www.vampirehuntress.com