Immortal

So, I woke up one night from a dream that I wasn’t sure was a dream…  Okay, I’m just joking.  It wasn’t that simple or dramatic. 
I found a job I really liked (much to my surprise).  There was/ is a lot of downtime at my job and I wanted to do something to fill it.  I didn’t feel comfortable watching anime and movies all the time.  Reading was great, but I wanted to create something.  Enter the writing bug.
I started my first real story. It wasn’t very good, but I liked the characters.  I reached a crossroad and couldn’t decide how to precede so like many other times… I gave up.  I didn’t write for another year. 
Then New Year’s 2009 came.  I was stuck in a rut at home and work.  I didn’t want to make the same old tired resolutions.  I decided to commit, really commit, to writing a novel.  After trying so many times before and failing or giving up, I didn’t think I would actually be able to do it. 
I proceed a little more methodically this time.  I thought about the type of books I like to read.  I’m a sucker for vampires (I made a funny).  I started with that in mind.  I considered the traits I found appealing in lead characters and came up them.  Once I had the cast in place I formed the plot around them. 
I also knew that there are a ton of vampire novels in the world.  It seems like every other book has at least one in it.  I didn’t want mine to be the typical vampire novel.  Since I work in the medical field I checked with blood bank personnel to see if you could obtain blood illegally.  It’s not that easy.  I also looked into the differences between human and animal blood.  Not that many, but enough that it could not logically be used as a substitute.  That’s when I threw the whole blood consumption thing out the window.  After all in most novels it is a metaphor for sex and as a society we are not quite as prickly as we used to be on that subject. 
I also researched viruses and sexually transmitted diseases.  Most viruses are transmitted through touch, air, or bodily fluids.  I wanted something that could only be transmitted directly by saliva to blood.  I thought of rabies.  That’s when I got it.  After a lot of research, I found that the only confirmed transmissions have been a bite.  There have been no documented cases of rabies being transmitted through sexual contact or even blood. Perfect I get my vampires, but without the nasty side effects like eating your neighbors.
I took it further.  I decided the virus was the reason for all of the myths.  Why there are demi-gods and gods.  Why there are demons and angels.  It explained the reasons for so many of the fairy tales and myths that propagate the world.  Everyone reacts differently to viruses, so everyone would have different powers and abilities even if they were infected with the same virus.  But like most viruses it changes with time and not everyone can survive the infection. 
After a year and a half I hit the print button for the last time.  Immortal was finished.  I tried the traditional publishing route, but I had little patience for it. I don’t know if it was fate, but I happened on a blog post about Amanda Hocking and the fact that she self published with success.  Now, I don’t think or know if I can reach her level, but it gave me enough encouragement to look into it.  I again researched it (I like research, okay not really).  It actually seemed like a viable option.  After another month of figuring out how to format everything, I released Immortal into the world.
It has been an interesting journey so far.  I hope it continues with Forever the second book in the series. 

7 comments:

  1. I just finished reading immortal and i have to say even though there are some similarities and some differences between immortal and other teen fiction books out there, this is definitely one of my favorites. Now that i just finished it (literally i just finished reading it two minutes ago and now am looking for updates to when the next one comes out :D), i have concluded that this story is a must continue and write many,many,and many more sequels too! Anyhoo just wanted to stop by and say love your story...now get to finishing the next one soon!!!! jk jk...but seriously please hurry!

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  2. I just finished reading Immortal. I liked it. I think it is a good book. I'm not sure I liked the whole deal at the end. It is a twist. Which I guess can be good. But it felt more like a betrayal. It made me uncomfortable. But that may also be because I also read the first chapter of Forever. I know that some people feel that if a book can make you feel such emotions it makes it a better book. I don't know.... I will read the 2nd book. So I suppose that you have achieved what many people feel is the purpose of such art. To feel emotion, to have an emotional response to the work itself. I am an artist so I get that. I do like your Samuel more than Duncan. Alina seems like a very normal girl caught in a very abnormal situation. Good work. Congrats on plubishing your first novel. I really respect that you kept it clean. That takes guts in a world that is filled with so many books that are basically porn. Keep it up. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should. Too many authors add trash I think just because they think it will sell more. I look for books that I know I can share with my daughter. Good job. I will now end this novel. :)
    thanks,
    KarraColeen

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  3. Hi, Lauren! Like the others, I have just finished reading Immortal. I would have to say it's my current obsession, which is hard--because I'm obsessing about the next one, which is not even out yet. So no matter what I do, I won't be able to read it yet. I'd have to wait like the rest of your fans/followers.
    Although Immortal does have similarities with the other vampire stories (books/movies/shows), I like how you took the vampire idea and ran with it. I mean, it's different from the usual vampires. You gave vamps a whole new meaning to their existence (at least in fiction).
    Overall, I love the story and I'm really (I mean, REALLY) looking forward to Forever, but how I wish Immortal had more. There was almost a clean cut in the middle of the book where normal suddenly became surreal and chaotic (Although, that could have been a good representation of how Alina's life suddenly changed in a blink of an eye--almost literally. Hmm.. I just thought about that. One moment she had her eyes closed kissing a boy, then, she opens her eyes, and she gets dragged across the world to save her life and her loved ones). When I was reading the book in my Kindle and I was seeing the percentage I have finished, I was panicking, because I was at 90% and the action was just beginning. I would have wanted it to start at 60% at least.
    Still, when Forever comes out, I will be one of the firsts to buy it and read it. To me, that's something, because I don't normally fuss about being one of the first to buy or read (I only did that for Harry Potter books 5-7, but I do read a lot, and fantasy, mystery with some romance are my favs. I like it when a story makes me think--gets my mind worked up.).
    For the first book, Immortal is alright--better than a lot of books of the same genre, especially with self-published authors. However, I hope in Forever, the energy just keeps building up. I hope it doesn't have a down time (though, I don't mean action scenes in every chapter, but that something is always happening). In a way, it's always keeping you at the edge of your seat--or even if you know you have to stop and continue some other time, but you can't because you want to see what will happen, because you know that when you stop, you'll still always wonder what the next chapters bring.
    I'm saying this because the energy/pacing was established in Immortal's last chapter and in that sneak preview of Forever, and you won't want to lose that hook on the readers. You'd want them to keep reading to the very end, and up to the next one, if you plan to have a third installment.
    Before I end this, I would also like to add that I'm proud of you for self-publishing. I'm in the industry--in a way. I deal with self-published authors everyday, and I know how it can be frustrating, tiring and yet exciting, at the same time, for the authors. I do try my hardest to at least make it a little better for them--more pleasant--because I, myself, is a frustrated writer. Someday, I also want to publish my own book (when I have enough income), and I don't want the experience to be hard for me. So I am proud and happy for you that you were able to do it--that you made a decision and you stuck by it (kind-of like how Alina stuck by her decision once it was made).
    I can't wait for FOREVER.
    More power. Keep on writing.

    Priss

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  4. Well, I do have to agree that this book played off of several teen books already written. I really enjoyed it, and know my daughter will too. Hope the next book gets published soon.

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  5. I loved your story. I have been reading it on my iPhone for the past few days and can not wait for the 2nd one to come out. I loved how you made both the male characters so lovable, with Samuels aloofness and shyness and Duncans flirting sweet approaches, and I was drawn to both of them for the most of the novel, torn between the man that Alina should be with.

    When is the next installment due??

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  6. It's hard for a book to make me cry, but I was bawling when Duncan tricked Alina into thinking that Samuel attacked her.. when is Forever coming out!!? <3

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  7. I just finished reading Immortal and cannot wait for Forever...like others, as soon as I was done reading, I searched for more on you and your books. Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to reading Forever (hopefully) next week!

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