Bertena Varney
How/why did you start to write?
I never liked writing or considered myself a writer but I do
love research. So during one of my last graduate degree programs I ran out of
classes so I got to create a few independent study classes and they were
vampire-based- mythology, sociology, etc. Of course, I had to write papers as a
requirement for the class and one day my professor and a few of my friends read
them and they mentioned that I should compile them into a reference book so I
did.
How did you become an author?
Well, I lost my director position at a local college three
weeks after I lost my part-time professors position at a local university so
there was nothing left for me to do but write and write and write.
What was your first published piece?
Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book
Where was it published?
Self-published- didn’t trust anyone really until I found my
new publisher at Hydra Publishing and am working now on the 2nd
edition
How long ago?
June 2011
What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was
it an asset to your writing? How?
I started writing
for Examiner.com and from there just putting together research and more. It
really helped strengthen my writing because as I said above I consider myself a
researcher and lecturer first then a writer.
What inspires you?
I don’t know I just
wake up and get excited and can write for days and then I can’t write again for
days. I think it’s when I go to the horror conventions and I am there signing
my books and someone famous comes up and looks at my book and gets it. The last
one was Collin Ferguson from Eureka. We spoke about his history teacher being
Dacre Stoker and he loved vampires. I love teaching too. I teach sociology and
love teaching about literature, mythology, and of course culture.
Please share one of your successful marketing techniques
I am a former middle school and high school teacher.
Currently, as a college instructor, many local libraries hire me to do talks
for their kid, teen, and adult reading programs.
I market myself as the Vampire Professor to many horror
conventions. They bring me in as a guest star and I do lectures and signings.
My boyfriend also makes vampire-slaying kits and stakes. We
sell these at conventions, consignment, and paranormal stores. He even does
interesting demonstrations.
Writing for Examiner.com as the Vampire Examiner and True
Blood Examiner really helps. I own a promotions business that I created, first
for self-promotion, but have met all kinds of really cool people.
And I have great friends who help me out!
I will be at the ScareFest in Lexington from Sept 28-30 for the largest horror and paranormal convention in the area.
I will be at the ScareFest in Lexington from Sept 28-30 for the largest horror and paranormal convention in the area.
Parting words
Well, I find that writing is an outlet for me. I am not a
creative person but I find that I know a lot of “useless” information--I
include this in my book.
I’m the type of person that can’t sit down and write and
read for a long time. So my books are full of short, factual paragraphs.
Here is my book trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPMyiYjS6Y0&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL966763577B241140
Bertena Varney- Writer, Professor, and
Lecturer
Buy my book Lure of
the Vampire here - http://amzn.to/jj1iPr
Buy Lillian: A Vampire's Story here - http://amzn.to/tAotpF
Book blurb
