Writing in La Redorte (France)

Over the past week, Gilles and I called La Redorte our home. This sleepy town in the southern Minervois region of France is situated near the Canal du Midi. We stayed in La Batisse, an 18th century winery restored to a luxury holiday apartment with courtyard, swimming pool, sauna and restaurant. The trip offered the perfect opportunity to mentally catch up on my new novel. I love writing in new places. The novelty clears my thoughts. So whenever I am blocked with my writing, I seek out new destinations. In La Redorte, I worked before breakfast when the world was still asleep. The rest of the day we meandered off to surrounding cities and geological sites until it was time to return and rest.

Having just started a new novel, I couldn't help but keep story and characters in the back of my head for the duration of the trip. A one-day visit to the Spanish village of Cadaqués, right across the border, influenced the setting, events and characters in the book.

The best place to jot down new ideas was near the gorge of the river Verdouble, hidden away in the Corbières mountain range. Here, the clear turquoise water flows through a series of waterfalls, pools and small natural lakes hollowed out by a rock.

Meanwhile, life has returned back to normal, to writing in bed with my cat. The weather is a lot cooler here in Belgium than it was in the South of France and I've already switched on the heater. I can't wait to see what the new novel will finally turn into.

Karma, vampires and coffee

Rainy Of The Dark published a fictional interview with the main character of  A GOOD MAN, Louis Caron. They talked about karma, vampires, aromatherapy and coffee.

What were you like before the story began?

Lonely. Tired. Old. Vampire.

Who are you opposing and why?

I'm not opposing anyone. I'm a vampire, yes - but I only kill people who deserve to die... Lost cases also - people without hope, without a future. I'm a good man.

Do you think maybe you should just lay off the caffeine a bit?

Do you believe caffeine is the reason I'm a vampire? What a brilliant idea! You should be a novelist instead of a journalist.

Have you tried aromatherapy, then?

Yes. I put a few drops of lavender essential oil on my pillow every night before going to bed. It calms the nerves and the less nervous I am the less blood I need. t calms the nerves and the less nervous I am the less blood I need. t calms the nerves and the less nervous I am the less blood I need. t calms the nerves and the less nervous I am the less blood I need.

 Alright, so what it is you plan to do once you have reached your goal?

My goal - meeting the woman of my dreams and spending a lifetime with her - is not possible. Love is only temporary for a vampire. Falling in love with a fellow vampire would help, but that. Does. Not. Happen.

What would your mother think of all this?

My sweet mom... I haven't seen her for almost 300 years, but I still miss her. She was already gone when I got turned into a vampire. I'm afraid she can still see me from her little place in heaven and be sad for what has become of me. I hope she understands I'm doing the best I can despite my vampire nature.

Right. So, how would you describe yourself?

Friendly. Honest. Romantic. Animal addict. Vegetarian. Vampire.

How would your opponent describe you?

Weird. Womanizer. Dishonest. Evil. Vampire.

Who are your closest allies?

My closest allies are the other vampires in my vampire support group (sort of like AA for vampires). They are the only ones who can help me with my vampire-related problems. I can also count on Vincent and Emma, my two human friends, even though they can't fathom what I am.

That’s great, but haven’t you heard the good guy always wins?

It's all karma. The more good you do around you, the more your karma will reward you. If you misbehave, your karma will punish you. Problem is, I'm a vampire. Without blood, I will be paralyzed for eternity.

***

Do you like Dexter and American Psycho? Then chances are you will love A GOOD MAN.

Louis Caron is a good man – he's a vegetarian, feeds homeless people, takes care of animals and is converned with the ecological well-being of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire and local detective Taglioni becomes increasingly suspicious of him. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but where he will also destroy the lives of those he cares about.

Where to purchase A Good Man:

• Amazon US
• Smashwords

Disponible en français sur:

• Smashwords
• Amazon FR 

What is your favorite Dexter season so far?

It may have taken me six years, but Dexter... I totally get it now.



When my screenplay A Good Man came out in April this year, many reviews drew comparisons with Dexter. My curiosity was aroused. My dad giving me the complete series in July made me decide to give it a try.

Now I'm hooked. I saw four seasons in two months and I hope to get through the last two installments before season seven begins September 30.

So? What are the similarities between Dexter and A Good Man?

Well, they are both about murderers with a conscience - Dexter Morgan being the serial killer who wipes out criminals and Louis Caron being the vampire who eats the unhappy ones.

Another similarity is the focus on the killers' relationships and emotional issues. Both men would sacrifice anything for people who wouldn't love them in return if they knew who they were dealing with.

And there's a little detective story to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

So... if you like Dexter, but haven't checked out A Good Man, then I suggest you do so now. A Good Man is currently in production, but chances are the movie won't be finished until late 2013. You can already download the screenplay from Amazon and Smashwords.

Which Dexter season is your favorite so far?

My favorite is season 4.

***

Louis Caron is a good man. Vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire – and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his own fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

Best Vampire Movies

To celebrate the release of my vampire story A GOOD MAN, let's have a look at some of the best vampire movies ever.

Let's Scare Jessica To Death (1971)

Recently released from a mental hospital, Jessica (Zohra Lampert) moves into an old New England farmhouse in hopes of starting a new life. She discovers a strange girl in the house that doesn't want to leave and doesn't want her to be there. Legend has it that a girl drowned in the nearby lake and is now roaming the countryside as a vampire. Extremely well-done and eerie, Let's Scare Jessica To Death (aka The Secret Beneath The Lake) is the movie that influenced me the most in my work as a writer.

Salem's Lot (1979)

Salem's Lot - population 1319 - and growing eerier by the moment. Since an ominous outsider has moved into this sleepy New England town, the dead walk the streets of Salem's Lot. Vampires have never gotten any creepier than this. In 1987 followed the disappointing sequel A Return To Salem's Lot and in 2004 an intruiging mini-series starring Robe Lowe, Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer.

The Hunger (1983)

The lovers of the vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve) don't age as long as she is in love with them. When her current lover, John (David Bowie), starts to age rapidly, he understands that Miriam has fallen in love with someone else and that he has no more than a couple of days to live. He tries to win back the love of his lover while seeking help from a doctor (Susan Sarandon) who researches premature aging.
 

 

Fright Night (1985)

A teenager discovers that his next-door neighbour is a vampire. The sequel from 1988 is well-worth it as well. From director Tom Holland (Child's Play, The Stranger Within, The Langoliers).

The Wisdom Of Crocodiles (1998)

 
Stephen Griscz (Jude Law) is searching for the perfect woman, but all his relationships end in tragedy which arouses the suspicions of police officer Healey (Timothy Spall). One day, Stephen meets Anne (Elina Löwensohn), a woman much better than all the others. Anne is intrigued by Stephen's strange airs, but soon it becomes clear that only one of them will survive the relationship.

 

This post has originally appeared as a guest post for The Horror Hotel as part of the blog tour of A Good Man.

 

My previous guest posts about vampires: Scary Vampire Animals / Fun Facts About Vampires / 90s Vampire Movies / Quiz - Which Character Should You Be Dating / Music That Inspired A Good Man

 

About A GOOD MAN

Loved Dexter and American Psycho? Then chances are you will love A Good Man.

Louis Caron is a good man – vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

The movie adaptation of A Good Man is currently in production in will be shot in September 2012.

Purchase

Amazon (ENG) * Smashwords (FR)