An Interview with Author Lashaun K. Green

Lashaun K Green is a wife, stay-at-home mom of three, whimsical bibliophile, and aspiring librarian. In Lashaun’s humble opinion, books are better than food, and people make the world go somewhat in a circle. Storytelling and story reading are some of Lashaun’s greatest passions in life. She is also known to crochet until her wrists are stiff, and star in full-blown concerts from the front seat of her car, singing both lead and back up somehow at the same time. Lashaun’s goal as a writer is to share stories that make people smile.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

I saw a really funny meme online about a vampire DMing someone online in regard to a date. That is pretty much the gist of it. When I saw that, my mind started spinning with different dating scenarios about a vampire trying to score a date in modern day times and I realized I hadn’t ever really seen anything like that. I wanted to see a take on vampires in the modern day that was a bit light and funny. Turning the genre on its head was not exactly what appealed to me. What seemed most intriguing to me was to take the old tropes of vampirism and see how funny it could get when a vampire is trying to navigate the modern world with those issues. There are lots of stories of old vampires, hundreds and thousands of years old, but what’s it like for the newborn? He’s grown up in the age of the internet and now his life has been turned upside down, with all these new obstacles. I had to see how that story would play out.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Finding the book title was fairly instantaneous for me. I thought of a vampire being on something like Tinder, or Plenty of Fish, or BLK, or Facebook Dating. What do you do when you’re on a site like that and you see a match you like? You swipe right.

Describe your dream book cover.

My dream book cover was something that was fairly instantaneous for me as well. The story takes place in Atlanta, Georgia. I imagine the Atlanta skyline just after dusk in the background. In the foreground is my main character and his love interest, back to back, looking down at their cellphones with the illuminated screen. Of course, you can’t forget just a peak of those vampire fangs either.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

First of all, this soundtrack wouldn’t be right without Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” for obvious reasons. As I have been writing, I have really enjoyed listening to “Love Nwantiti” by Ckay. That has definitely got to make the list. Other songs that would be featured on the soundtrack are “Same Space?” by Tiana Major9; “Grow” by Samm Henshaw; “Pick Up Your Feelings” by Jazmine Sullivan; “TRANSPARENCY” by KAMAUU; “Can We Talk” by Tevin Campbell; “Officially Missing You” by Tamia; “Lost Without You” by Robin Thicke; “If I Ain’t Got You” by Uni’Q; “As” by Stevie Wonder; and “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. Don’t let the playlist fool you—I’m not about “struggle love.” But things definitely have to get worse before they get better!

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

As I continue the writing process, I have to remember my duty to the book-lover community as a reviewer, so I have been reading some unreleased novels as an Advanced Copy Reader. There are quite a few, and you’ll be able to see the titles and my honest opinion of these stories and many others that I’ve read and reviewed on my TikTok (@lashauns.literature).

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

Something readers wouldn’t know about me is that I don’t just write stories. I also write music. I have always had an extremely strong love for music since a very young age. I am a modest singer, and professional car-concert holder. My shower concerts are pretty lit, too. Being a singer isn’t a profession that calls to me in the same way that being a writer does. I’d be happy to hear another artist sing my songs someday. I am also a crocheter and love to make my own clothes and accessories. Maybe I’ll share some of my outfits with my BookTok friends one of these days.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

My mother made me want to write when I was a little girl. My mother went blind when I was a little girl. She was in the hospital for a long time. I can recall writing a letter to Santa Claus in kindergarten asking him to give my mom her sight back for Christmas. When she did eventually regain most of her sight, my father gave her a gift. He created a book compilation of all the poems she’d written. I pored through that book of poems constantly. My mom kept it in a drawer in the kitchen and I’d sneak in and pull it out and take it to my room to read. I loved my mother’s writings and the act of writing poetry. Reading my mother’s poems inspired me to write my own. I still consider her one of the greatest writers I have ever read. She inspired me to set on this path and is definitely my greatest influence.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place to write is anywhere outdoors. I don’t have a private office or writing space at my home, so there is always a distraction or interruption inside. I do have three small children, after all. When I’m outside, I feel as free as the wind underneath the chirping birds’ wings. The children laugh and play, and best of all, they mostly leave me alone. Each of those little sounds relax me and help me reconnect to the world around me as I am writing.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Before setting out to write, I have got to make sure I have my caffeine fix and a glass of water. As a person with several health issues, I also have to make sure that I have handled everything health related to the best of my ability so that I don’t have any medical interruptions. When that’s all taken care of, I can sit down, relax, and focus on my writing.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

When someone reads my book, I hope they take away from it that it’s okay to have fun. Remember not to take yourself or life so seriously that you can’t enjoy a little silliness and smile. Reading is a form of escapism for me, and so I hope that my book can provide that feeling of escape for someone else. The world can be so dark and heavy. When I turn on the news, I hear four or five horrific stories before I just can’t take it anymore and go watch or read something that can make me smile. I hope my book can give someone a brief respite from reality. One thing I really hope my readers take away from reading my book is that none of this is real. It’s just for fun. So, have fun!

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.