This post continues my interviews of the fascinating authors who contributed to the Poe-based anthology Quoth the Raven. Allow me to introduce Emerian Rich.
Emerian Rich is the author of the vampire book series, Night’s Knights, and writes romance under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal. Her romance crossover, 
Artistic License, is about a woman who inherits a house where anything she paints on the walls comes alive. She’s been published in a handful of anthologies by publishers such as Dragon Moon Press, Hidden Thoughts Press, Hazardous Press, and White Wolf Press. She is Editorial Director of SEARCH Magazine and the podcast Horror Hostess of HorrorAddicts.net. You can connect with her here.
And here’s the interview:
Poseidon’s Scribe: When and why did you begin writing fiction?
Emerian Rich: When I was about ten. It was to get away or help deny my childhood life that was pretty tough. I just wanted to live a life that was not my own. Writing was a way to pretend bad things weren’t happening to me. But I didn’t know writing could be a career until my 20’s.
P.S.: Who are some of your influences? What are a few of your favorite books?
E.R.: My first novel, Night’s Knights, is a vampire novel I started because I was reading Anne Rice and although I adored her, she spoke of these vampire cults, but not what the cult practices were. Being the child of a minister, I felt it my duty to explore what a vampire cult might actually be like. Anne Rice and Andrew Neiderman are my favorite horror writers. I also enjoy Jane Austen and Regency Romance fiction. Favorite books are Feast of all Saints and Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice. Bloodchild, Pin, and The Need by Andrew Neiderman. Northanger Abbey and Emma by Jane Austen.
P.S.: You’re best known for writing horror. What draws you to that genre?
E.R.: I am drawn to classic horror. The creepy, the unknown, the mysterious. Vampires are a favorite trope as well as ghosts, but the main ingredient is something spooky that makes you wonder if the monster could be hiding in your house.
P.S.: Suppose you’ve traveled through time and met yourself at a point when you were first thinking of being a writer. What one thing do you tell this younger version of you?
E.R.: Don’t let anyone tell you, “You aren’t good enough.” You’ll get better. You just have to fight against the naysayers and work hard.
P.S.: Your story, “My Annabel” appears in Quoth the Raven. Please tell us about the story, and what about Poe’s marvelous poem “Annabel Lee” inspired you to write it.
E.R.: I’m a writer and voice actress. I came to love the poem “Annabel Lee” because people kept asking me to perform it when I went to reading events. When I saw the call for Quoth the Raven, I knew there was no other choice. My version of “Annabel Lee” is a story about two surgeons caught in a pandemic emergency and their fight to stay alive for one another. It is a modern tale, but I tried to keep Poe’s style and bring it into modern day.
P.S.: What are the easiest, and the most difficult, aspects of writing for you?
E.R.: Easiest? Thinking up ideas. I have way too many—more than I can write in a lifetime. Hardest? The editing and sharpening of stories. I just want to get on to the next one!
P.S.: You run HorrorAddicts.net, a podcast, blog, and publisher that promotes authors, musicians, artists, and entertainers. What has that online multimedia experience been like?
E.R.: It’s a snowball that has become an all-consuming abominable snowman of a monster rolling faster down the hill than I ever imagined. I started the podcast in 2009 after my first novel was done to keep connected with my listeners. Through fan feedback and staff suggestions we have become a huge organization that celebrates everything horror. Almost done with our 13th season, it has been a crazy life with so much inspiration and support, I don’t know how we’ll every top our last project, but then we do. Season 12 was immensely inspirational as we hosted the Next Great Horror Writer contest where 14 of the brightest new talent competed for a book contract. It was so fun meeting these new horror writers and seeing what they have in store for the horror readers of tomorrow.
P.S.: This year is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. If Ms. Shelley came back somehow and visited you, what would you tell, or ask, her?
E.R.: I would have her for tea and let her know that we believe her genius. I would apologize for people of her day discounting her because she was a woman.
P.S.: Among your nine novels are Night’s Knights and Dusk’s Warriors, the first two books in a vampire series. What is this series about? How many novels are you planning in this series?
E.R.: Yes, NK and DW are one and two in my vampire series. I am planning four books as the base, but you never know what might spin out of that into new tales. The series starts with three vampires trying to create the perfect offspring after several vampire wars have left them desperate. Forces from outside try to tamper with the results and eventually a powerful mortal must step in the help them fight again.
P.S.: What is your current work in progress? Would you mind telling us a little about it?
E.R.: My current WIP is a modern rewrite of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. This is my favorite of her books and fits me so well because the heroine in the novel is a horror addict like me. In my modern YA tale, Kat is a goth gal seeking adventure who finds it during a spooky trek to the snow country where a family is haunted by the memories of their deceased mother. You could call it Gossip Girl meets The Shining.
Poseidon’s Scribe: What advice can you offer aspiring writers?
Emerian Rich: Just keep writing and try not to dwell on one book for your ticket to stardom. Write one, read, study, and then write another one. Once you get published, your hardest task will be finding the time to write the next one. Having a library to pull from will be your greatest asset. So write, write, and write some more. Write ideas, short stories, novels, articles, heck…even try poetry. You never know where or when your shot will come to break into the biz.
Thanks, Emerian.
Readers can find out more about Emerian Rich at her website, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Amazon, and at Horror Addicts.net.
Poseidon’s Scribe
