We chat with author Alexandra Vasti about Swipe Bite, which follows an icy vampire corporate heiress and a human software engineer who must team up to thwart the saboteur who’s turned their sexy human-vampire dating app into a bloodbath.
Hi, Alexandra! Welcome back! What have you been up to since we last spoke earlier this year for the release of The Halifax Hellions?
Thank you so much for having me back! 2026 has been a big year for me: In addition to The Halifax Hellions, I also had a novel out in June, called Scandal of the Summer. I’ve been teaching lots of British literature in my day job as a professor, and of course I’ve been working away on my 2027 and 2028 releases (historical and paranormal!) as well.
Your latest novel, Swipe Bite, is out November 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Twisty, sexy, bloodthirsty, high-stakes (lol), and . . . delicious!
What can readers expect?
Swipe Bite is about a vampire-human dating app called Stokr (named for Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula). When Stokr is sabotaged and humans start dying, icy corporate vampire Sophronia Vega and human software engineer Casey Amato must team up to hunt down the killer—and try to resist their sizzling chemistry along the way.
Where did the inspiration for Swipe Bite come from?
Every year, I teach Dracula by Bram Stoker to my English majors—it’s a book that I can’t ever get enough of. One that I think is really interesting about Dracula is that it’s packed full of cutting-edge 1897 technology. Stoker was compelled by the contrast of modern science and supernatural creatures—and as I was driving to work one day, I started to wonder: What technology would today’s vampires want to use? Obviously, my first thought was a dating app. Even better? A dating app that pairs vampires with humans they can safely drink from.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
My heroine, Sophronia, was the character I most enjoyed writing. She’s a scary vampire and very guarded—but secretly, she has a soft heart and feels things intensely. I loved watching her begin to feel safe with the hero, Casey. Her arc of learning to open herself up and trust that love is worth the risk was so hopeful.
The scene I was most looking forward to writing was the crucial sexy elevator scene at the center of the book! Without too many spoilers, Soph and Casey are trapped in a situation in which Soph has to bite him to survive—and after half a book of build-up, this moment is cataclysmic. (For them, for me, and hopefully for you too?!)
How did you approach balancing the mystery and romance?
This book is a true mash-up, so my goal was for it to feel about 50% mystery/thriller and 50% romance. The easiest way to do that is to have as many scenes as possible do double duty! So Soph and Casey are falling in love while hunting a traitor, running from bad guys, doing heists at fancy galas, etc. And the events of the mystery plot help push Casey and Soph toward the character growth that they both need.
Swipe Bite marks a shift from historical romance to paranormal romance for you! Did your writing approach change at all?
My writing approach didn’t really change, but the way I do research definitely did! I’m used to being able to pull tons of nineteenth-century books and dive into dozens of texts about my topic. This time, I had to talk to living people! I worked closely with several people in tech and finance as I was conceptualizing this book. (Disappointingly, I was not able to find any actual vampires to consult.)
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Every book has its own unique challenges. For this book, figuring out what my contemporary voice sounded like took me a few tries to get right. I think I rewrote Chapter 1 five or six times, trying to find Soph’s internal voice—and my authorial voice as well.
What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned about writing and publishing since your debut?
Write what I love! Read nonstop! And I never, ever, for even one second take for granted how cool it is that my fantasy worlds and my imaginary friends get to touch people’s hearts.
What’s next for you?
I have two full-length novels out in 2027! Meet Me at Midsummer is my next historical romance, out in June 2027—it’s a second-chance romance about a diamond of the season turned entomologist, and the spy who ruined her life. And the sequel to Swipe Bite will be out next fall!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up soon? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
Two of my favorite forthcoming 2027 romances are Bodice Ripper by Danica Nava and The Offseason by Freya Marske! I was so lucky to get to read both of these books early, and they both are absolutely brilliant.
