Marlene Perez, the bestselling author of the Dead Is… series, is back with a snarky, hilarious take on the vampire romance novel. We chat to Marlene about all things The Afterlife of the Party, book recommendations, writing, and more!
Hi, Marlene! Thank you for taking to the time to chat with us! First off, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself!
I live in California with my husband and children. We have a dog and a snake, but I put my foot down when the twins started talking about getting a gecko.
I’ve written contemporary young adult novels and an adult urban fantasy trilogy, but I’m mostly known for the Dead Is series, a teen series featuring three psychic sisters who solve paranormal mysteries. My newest release, The Afterlife of the Party, is the first in a teen vampire trilogy.
After the chaos that was 2020, have you set any goals for this year?
I want to spend more time getting healthier, mentally and physically. I think 2020 took a toll on everyone and we all need some self-care. I’m glad 2020 is over, but I don’t want to forget how much work we have to do. It was a tough year for publishing as well, so I want to do what I can to support bookstores and other authors. Finally, I want to finish a manuscript that I’ve been working on in between other projects.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve always loved to read, but I clearly remember becoming a writer in second grade when my class was assigned journal writing. It’s harder to pin down when I realized that I could actually write professionally.
Your new novel, The Afterlife of the Party, is out February 2nd 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Friendship and fighting vampires.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
The Afterlife of the Party is the first book in a teen vampire trilogy with Entangled Teen. After reluctantly attending a party she’ll never forget, Tansy and her friend/secret crush Vaughn must chase down a band of vampires called The Drainers when they go on the road and take Tansy’s best friend Skyler with them.
If it’s not too spoilery, was there a certain scene or character that you enjoyed creating?
Tansy, the main character and her crush Vaughn were really fun to create. This may sound extremely violent and I’m not the violent type, but I really enjoyed writing scenes about staking vampires. I also liked writing about friendships and how the friendships grew and changed.
What challenges did you face while writing and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges about writing a vampire novel was that there were a lot of books already out there. I could have done a whole Kiss, Marry, Kill with vampires, so I had to decide what kind of vampire I would write about. My vamps were the kind you wanted to kill, although like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there was some crossover. Fortunately for me, I love ALL the vampire books, so I wrote with a lot of love in my heart for the genre, even if I sometimes joked about it.
The sequel, I’m With The Banned, is currently set to release in August this year. Can you give us a little teaser as to what comes next?
More music. Tansy and Vaughn face new challenges to their relationship. An old friend returns. Werewolves singing Dolly Parton songs. The Drainers go bro-country.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best advice I’ve received it that a) real writers get rejected and b) put your butt in the chair. The worst advice I’ve received is the “You must do it this way” kind of advice. A novel, the finished product, has a lot of rules about it, but there are many paths to get there and there are no rules about how to write a novel, especially a first draft. I love craft books on writing, but none of the methods in writing books are the ONLY way. Do what works for you.
What’s next for you?
A Sucker for You is the third book in the Afterlife trilogy and after that, I have a monster book I want to work on, as well as a manuscript for adults that’s completely different from anything I’ve ever done. There are always a lot of ideas waiting in the wings.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Do you have a few weeks? Just kidding. My writer friends’ books are often a source of reading material for our household, especially children’s books. My twins loved Mary E. Pearson’s Remnant Chronicles. April Henry writes really good teen thrillers. I really enjoyed Spoiler Alert by Olivia Wade and I’m a big fan of the Hidden Legacy urban fantasy series by Ilona Andrews. I read in a lot of different genres, depending on my mood.
