Interview with a Vampire Writer

1.      What is your Author name; use your Pen name if you have one. 

My author name is J. Michael Vagott.

2.      What is your genre and what drew you to it?

My current series is Paranormal Vampire Romance. However, I may do a strictly Horror series or stand-alone book next.

3.      Which character of yours is your favorite and why?

Stephen Kalinski would be my obvious favorite, because I know him better than the other characters, because I based him off of myself. My love of martial arts and humor shaped this character heavily.

4.      How did you come up with your cover design?

Well, I hired a cover designer to create the first cover and I really liked it. However, the books weren’t selling well, so I decided to try doing a cover myself, and the book started selling much better. I based my design off the rural West Virginia setting where my story takes place.

5.      What is the hardest challenge in being a writer?

Not letting doubt overcome my desire to be a writer. Also, realizing that overnight successes rarely happen. You have to be patient and just keep turning out quality books. Celebrate the small wins until the big wins show up.

6.      What is your favorite part about being a writer?

The whole process of creating a world of make-believe characters and making them real to the people who decide to take a chance on one of my books, and fall in love with the characters, and really care what happens to them.

7.      Do you attend or participate in Cons or literary fests? If so, which ones?

I have done some local book signings at bookstores and libraries, but my first Book Festival will be The Knoxville Book Festival on May 2nd and 3rd, 2026, in Knoxville, TN.

8.      How much description do you give to your book characters?

Actually, I give a general idea of the characters, and then let the readers flesh them out to their liking. I’m sure that doesn’t work for everyone, but it seems to make it a little more personal to a lot of readers.

9.      Pick five books that are must-reads in your mind.

The Bible, Stephen King’s On Writing, Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein series, Shike: Time of the Dragons and Shike: Last of the Zinja, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

10.  What is your favorite character from any book you have ever read?

Deucalion, from the Dean Koontz Frankenstien series.

11. What is one book that is currently on your To-Be-Read list?

Graveyard Games by Mike Minicky.

12.  Do you read books in your genre, or do you prefer reading other genres?

While I love horror of any kind, I try to read all genres. I have a lot of author friends who write in different genres such as Cozy Mysteries, Fantasy, Psychological Thrillers, etc.

13.  What is your favorite quote and why? 

Wow! There are so many great quotes,but, Benjamin Franklin said, “If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.”

14.  What is the name of your book/series? Tell me a little bit about them.

The series is called Blood Feud. It’s a Paranormal Vampire Romance Trilogy. Book One is: Blood is Thicker Than Water, Book Two is: Blood Ties, And Book Three is: Blood, Sweat, & Fears. Book three will be out very soon, although I don’t have an exact release date yet. Hopefully, it will be this year.

15.  Do you have a website? If so, what is it?

At this time, I don’t have a website. I took it down and I’m going to rebuild it soon.

16.  Where can we find and follow you? (Name your social media platforms.)

I spend most of my time on TIKOK at the moment, but I’m also on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. I have more of a presence on TIKTOK and Facebook, but plan on expanding my Youtube presence as well.

17.  If there anything important that you would want my readers to know about you?

If I could let readers know anything, it would probably be that my books are not the typical vampire stories. There’s a lot of humor, action and other surprise elements in them. My setting of rural West Virginia and Kentucky makes for a totally different vibe where you have “Hillbilly” vampires that are even more savage than the typical vampires usually are.