Interview With Author Pierre Roustan

 

 Will you tell us a little about you? How did you become an author or take up an interest in writing?

My name is Pierre Roustan, and some say I'm from another planet; but the cold, hard truth is I'm actually from Earth. And, yes, I am human. Most of the time (evil glare).

Seriously, I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, father of four children, dedicated movie watcher and fight lover (boxing, UFC fighting, you know, all that burly guy stuff. I even like drinking beer). But more importantly, I'm an author.

I also own four dogs, eight cats and three goldfish, but that's beside the point.

Ever since I was, well, maybe 7 years old, I had this itching need to write the thoughts in my head. And let me tell you, at 7 years old, my thoughts were pretty wild. So wild they begged to be on paper. As I grew up, that itching need evolved into a passion to express myself in a thoughtful manner. In ways that resonated with the human soul. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.A. in Creative Writing and thus began my mission to write a novel that I would then query to agent/editors for publication. In April 2008, I finished my novel THE CAIN LETTERS. An exact year later, I got the attention of an editor for the publishing house known as Eirelander Publishing. The rest, as they say, is history.

 What is THE CAIN LETTERS about?

What a trick question. They always say that if you can describe what your novel is 'about' in an easy fashion, then your book basically sucks. I have mixed feelings about that adage. Because the truth is I LOVE to try and describe to you what it's about. And most of the time I at least think I'm successful. The honest truth is I may come to terms with the fact that I am NOT successful. But, hey, the truth is--it's worth a shot.


THE CAIN LETTERS is a story about Alexandra Glade, a female vampire hunter with angst and vengeance issues, who learns about an ancient text (The "Cain Letters") that describes in detail the origin of vampirism. The shocking truth of the text (as derived by the name of it) is that the original vampire ever born in history is none other than Cain of the book of Genesis. Brother of Abel.


The book known as the "Cain Letters" isn't just any book. In the wrong hands, it can prove deadly. Two master vampires search for it in the hopes that they can find Cain (who hides in a vampiric sleep for an eternity) and release him into the world. It's Alexandra Glade's mission to stop these two vampires from doing that; or, in a nutshell, the world essentially goes to Hell. Little does she know, her REAL mission terrifies her even more--as an ancient truth in the Bible itself actually challenges her to the core when she faces an impossible choice.

In order to save the world, she actually has to do the unthinkable: she has to let Cain live.


We'll let that thought simmer. Pretty tough choice. And a lot of questions linger, but guess what: you'll have to read the book to get the answers.

Did you have any specific inspiration that contributed to writing "THE CAIN LETTERS"?

Ever since THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown, I had a fascination for religious thrillers. For being an avid religious theology fanatic and philosophy addict, such stories appealed to me. However, urban fantasies and horror and all those things that go bump in the night aroused my imagination as well. Vampires specifically. To this day, I'll always have a love for Bram Stoker's DRACULA.

Anyway, I was watching a documentary on Vlad the Impaler on the History Channel one night. The original, historical "Dracula". The man who was said to be modeled after the fictional Dracula Stoker portrayed. I was enamored with Kostova's THE HISTORIAN, too, as it twisted the classic tale of the most famous vampire ever known. Watching Wes Craven's "Dracula 2000" in theaters gave me a novel idea in creating something fresh, and making the mythology of vampirism my own while merging my love for theology with it. The first word that popped into my head was the name "Cain". He was the brother of the Abel, the world's first murderer.

And I thought, what a wonderful idea for a story!  And so THE CAIN LETTERS was born.

Who was your main support system when writing this book? Did you have anyone who specifically gave you strength, courage or advice while writing "THE CAIN LETTERS"?

God. And Facebook, too, when I was running low on imagination juices.

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

That you can read something super entertaining and still have it touch you deeply and spiritually. In essence, I wanted THE CAIN LETTERS to be about forgiveness. Second chances. It's a story about how it's never too late to rise up into the light, even when everything around you is darker than death. There's always a way to make your path straight.

Do you ever see yourself writing a sequel or series?

As a matter of fact, on December 3, 2010, the sequel will be released! My second book, CHIMERA FALLS, is the continuation of Alexandra Glade's terrifying story. Learn more about it on my web site at http://pierreroustan.spaces.live.com/ and view the book cover. My book cover for THE CAIN LETTERS is also there. The story won't end there, though. This IS actually a series entitled the "Revenants of Anarchy", and will be concluded in book 4, yet to be written (although I'll give you a guilty pleasure and let you in on the title, which is B'RITHANAN: THE FINAL COVENANT). I'm currently writing book 3, entitled MALUMUNUS. After I'm done with the series, look for many, many, many, many, many more stories to come. I'll be writing epic sagas until my last breath, friends.

What is your favourite memory in regards to writing "THE CAIN LETTERS"?

Finishing the book and then querying for it, and then getting an immediate response from an agent asking for the full manuscript (unfortunately, I never heard back from the agent after sending my work in. Sad shame).

THE CAIN LETTERS is your first novel. What is it like to see your debut novel, a dream for most, in print and on the book store shelves?

What was it like? Like every essence of my soul crystallizing into some magnificent, malleable dream of mammoth proportions, dreamlike, yes, but every bit as real as flesh, or stone, like in a building rising high and majestic into Heaven. A piece of my heart actually in my hands made it existential for me in a way that can only make Buddha, Brahman, and even the Tooth Fairy blush with envy. I can safely say that Jesus himself, though, didn't blush with envy. Only with pride. As this is the product of God-given gifts. Seeing creations come to fruition such as this is the reason why I believe. And it's all because of Him.

Do you have any other novels in the works? Should be expect to see more from you?

As I said before, CHIMERA FALLS will be released soon. I'm currently working on MALUMUNUS. B'RITHANAN: THE FINAL COVENANT will be the conclusion to the series. I have a werewolf thriller/romance entitled KILL THE ENVIOUS MOON that I will be writing. A sci-fi thriller I call THE VERMILION will be my next project, most likely. One book that I have in my mind that I'm looking forward to working on is a historical horror novel entitled BARONS OF BLOOD. I have a really awesome idea for a ghost story, which I'll be calling CRESCENT CROWELL. I do have a young adult fantasy series in my mind that I'm aching to write, which will be called STYX AND STONE. The first book of that series will be called "A Tale of Two Thieves". The series will be comedic and light, you know, for the younger crowd.


I could go on and on. Like I said--expect to see more of me. I'm not going anywhere.


Thank you very much Pierre for taking the time to answer my questions!  I have enjoyed our interview and I hope many of my readers have also!  Good luck with your upcoming book!  To God be the glory...

For more information on Pierre and his novels please visit:  http://pierreroustan.spaces.live.com/