The books shown on the left are by HONEY PARKER. Click on the cover to order.

This interview was conducted by Lily Andrews on July 11, 2024.

Lily Andrews:  Your book has explored themes using new-fangled characters: vampires. What inspired you to do this? 

Honey Parker:  I was looking to push myself. My last series, Careful-ish, featured a diverse group of friends in New York City. I loved them all and knew each one so well that it was easy-ish to write. In truth, I’d had the idea for V-Life first. Mr. Parker and I were traveling the country in an RV for a podcast we were doing. I’d thought, van life would be a smart move for vampires. Traveling from place to place like that, no one would notice that they weren’t aging. Then a close friend’s husband died. In addition to grieving, she was forced to move forward figuring out how to do all the things that he had done in the relationship with no guidance. The tech, the plumbing, etc. It was all on her. It took me several years to truly understand Sugar, my hero, and her plight in a way that I could be comfortable telling it.

Lily Andrews:  Given that your book has a horror aspect to it, what is it about writing that was challenging when coming up with this spine-tingling tale? 

Honey Parker:  Knowing there will be blood forced me to raise the stakes for Sugar to an extreme. Way beyond were I’d normally good. At first, I was tentative about killing people. But then the horror became a wonderful counter-balance to the story’s more human and humorous side. The biggest challenge was keeping the horror aspects feeling new and real. I choreographed and considered the physic of each battle.

Lily Andrews:  What do you think it is that will make such a paranormal story perpetually captivating to the reader who is new to the genre? 

Honey Parker:  Honestly, I’m rather new to this genre as well. Of course, I’d read the vampire staples like Interview With a Vampire and Dracula. But having the hero in V-life learning about her new existence on her own acts as a guide. Seeing Sugar digging through books and movies on the topic, plus engaging in her own trial and error (a lot of error) should help to bring newbies into the world alongside her.

Lily Andrews:  Most terrifying vampire stories keep the reader on the edge of their seat, ready to leap — sometimes even evoking a yelp or a gasp — and your novel does just that. What does it take to create scenarios that tap into the reader’s primal fear instinct?

Honey Parker:  Great question. It was a true challenge because tangentially, I was trying to maintain a level of humor and honesty. I was constantly asking myself, if I was Sugar, how would I be feeling at any moment. I never wanted her to completely relax. And in one instance, I did go back into the story and raise the steaks even higher.

Lily Andrews:  Is there a cause for the main character’s Jewish origin? 

Honey Parker:  Although this is a story with vampires, I wanted it to feel real. I want readers to ask themselves how they would react to any of these twists and turns. So, the biggest reason for making Sugar Jewish was the fact that I’m Jewish. It allowed me to crawl inside her and know how to respond. It also allowed me to share the quirks of my own family and experiences, which ended up adding great bits of incongruity.

Lily Andrews:   She, as well as the antagonist, are female. Does that have a reason behind it? 

Honey Parker:  Again, having Sugar be female went to me being able to completely understand her dilemma. But then having Alex, her nemesis, be female opened the door for empathy later in the story.

Lily Andrews:  How was the narrative impacted by your comedic abilities?  

Honey Parker:  Having done a stint in stand-up has certainly enhanced and honed my ability to write and deliver a joke. But I think the biggest impact to the humor in the story’s dialogue came from growing up in my family. There was humor woven into the speech pattern in my house. It was in my grandparent’s house as well. I liken it to growing up in a house with two languages. It’s honestly just how we talk. The key word being, honest.

Lily Andrews:  I believe that this book is an instant award winner in its category. Is it something you plan to develop into a trilogy or a TV program eventually?  

Honey Parker:  First, thank you for saying that. Next, trilogy? Definitely. I’m well into writing the second book now. It’s interesting that you ask about developing it for TV. I’m actually speaking to a major entertainment company (Not saying which one, but it’s logo has a lion sitting at a gate) about that now.

Lily Andrews:  Apart from providing escapist entertainment, what would you like readers to take away from this impressive book?

Honey Parker:  At its heart, V-Life is about being human. I’m hoping readers will connect with its relationships, both with friends and family, and with one’s self. If I did my job, readers might laugh at themselves for a few things and forgive themselves for a few other.

Lily Andrews:  What’s next for you in literature? Would you consider exploring a different genre from supernatural fiction?

Honey Parker:  Next? Well, I have at least two more books in the V-Life world and I’ve threatened to write a prequel to Careful-ish. But the story that’s been haunting me is a period, coming-of-age tale. Historical accuracy will be my new mountain to climb because it involves infamous figures from the 1930s. I may have to tap Mr. Parker to be my research department. And, unlike V-Life, this will be a one-off novel.

Lily Andrews: Thank you Honey for taking the time to do this interview with me!

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