An Interview with Leslie Swartz

Leslie Swartz is an author, ex-poet, and mother of three. She enjoys long walks in the stationary aisle and uninterrupted sleep. Biggest fears include failure of gravity and The Wizard of Oz. Follow her on Facebook and IG @leslieswartz333 for updates and giveaways.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

I’ve always loved vampires and wanted to write them differently than everyone else. Different rules, different origins. It was my friends on BookTok who convinced me to make the book smutty, lol.

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

Super easy. The title came to me before anything else. It ‘poofed’ in my brain, as if by magic.

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

It does have a playlist based on songs sung by Iman (my rockstar character). Work by Pop Evil, Don’t Wait by Dashboard Confessional, and Mouth by Bush to name a few. You can listen to the whole playlist here:

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

Sadly, I can’t read other authors’ work while I’m writing. I can’t focus on it. So, when I’m working on a project, I sometimes read my old books, really just to remind myself that I’m good at this. Imposter syndrome is real.

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

I used to be a realtor. Before that, I managed two GNC stores.

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

I started writing stories when I was four, but it was when I was five and watched Legend with Tom Cruise, Tim Curry, and Mia Sara that I decided my goal in life would be to write something Sir Ridley Scott would want to direct. That’s still the dream.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I have a desk in my bedroom where I put on noise-cancelling headphones and write for up to sixteen hours a day. I only write on weekends because through the week I edit other authors’ manuscripts and homeschool my kids.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

Think it through. Don’t do anything on a whim. I published my first book with a self-made cover and no beta readers. I won’t make those mistakes again.

I’ve since re-edited Seraphim and invested in a professional cover that won two awards. This is not to say no one can create their own covers. I am just not that kind of artistically inclined.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I hope people walk away from Betrayal of Blood the same way they walked away from my Seventh Day books, saying, “That was a ride.”

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