Laurell K. Hamilton Gives Dating Advice to Her Characters

Posted on August 22, 2006

Bestselling novelist Laurell K. Hamilton discussed plotting in an interview with the Sci Fi Channel. She says outlines can be altered and she will never sacrifice characterization for plot.

Hamilton says, "The plot can be reworked; character growth, once screwed up, is almost irretrievable. I don't always like the choices my characters make, but I am amazed that they were 'alive' enough to make the choice, to argue with me. I've finally made peace with the fact I'm wrong, a lot."

She also gave an example where she never expected Jean-Claude would become a romantic lead. She says, "I swore that I'd kill him before he ever became a true romantic lead. It would take me two more books before I began to understand that I couldn't kill Jean-Claude off, that losing him would hurt Anita, and me. Anita is like most of my friends-I can give them dating advice, but they rarely take it. Career advice, I don't even try. I would like to see Anita truly happy for more than moments at a time, but I no longer know the route we will be taking to get there."

Laurell seemed a tad peeved when the the interviewers referred to her as a "vampire writer," which made it sound like she's vampire who just happens to write. She responded that she doesn't think of herself as a "vampire writer" -- saying "Funny how no one ever says someone is a werewolf writer. My main character isn't even a vampire....My books are mysteries, romance, fantasy (some people have even called them science fiction)."

We like the idea of a "vampire writer." By day, she sleeps or works on her computer in a room with no windows. By night, she prowls the streets looking for...well, you get the idea.