'Shimmer:' An Interview with Author Lorelei Matthews
With the release of her debut novel, Shimmer, Lorelei Matthews fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author. The novel, which she began nearly fifteen years ago, follows Mikela Daniels as she battles with grief, family animosity... and the fact that she has accidentally become a vampire. Shimmer is an engaging and enjoyable book that will leave readers wanting more from the author.
To learn more about the story behind the story, read A Good Book To End The Day’s interview with the author below.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was in high school. I had always loved reading and the thought of writing always intrigued me, but I never really did anything with it. For my birthday freshman year, my friend gave me a copy of Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey and that's what really sparked my desire to write. I wanted to craft amazing stories like that. I actually wrote a few in high school and then stopped after I got my associate's degree, picking it back up in 2019 after I got my bachelor's in Creative Writing and English.
Tell me about your novel, Shimmer.
Shimmer is about a young woman who finds out her parents have died in a car accident and must return home to Alton, IL (a real town, by the way, it's where I grew up) with her sister. Upon returning home, she accidentally becomes a vampire, gets caught up in a vampire father/son dispute, and gets sucked into a prophecy while a whole bunch of other things are going on. I don't want to say too much, don't want to give away any spoilers.
What inspired the idea for your book?
I came up with this idea when I was a senior in high school. I have always been a vampire enthusiast, having read Salem's Lot, The Anita Blake Series, and Interview with the Vampire, but Twilight had just come out a few years prior, which I also enjoyed. I don't quite remember how the initial plot came to be, but I knew that I wanted to write a vampire story that wasn't your typical vampire story, and I hoped that I achieved that.
With this being your debut novel, what was one of the most surprising things you learned about yourself while creating your book?
That editing and formatting are the hardest things you need to do, but also the most necessary things you need to do. I had originally written Shimmer and Bloodlust (rough draft only sequel) when I was a senior (2007) and basically left it untouched for YEARS as I got caught up in life stuff. I didn't fully return to writing until late 2021 when I went back to revise it and get it ready for self-publishing. Let me tell you, what I wrote was awful. It really did look like it was written by a child. But I put in the work to get it to my standards and really love what it turned out to be.
Do you have any other projects in the works at this time?
I have several that I have started, but only one that I'm fully working on. I have a supernatural erotica (unnamed at this time), a post-apocalyptic story (also unnamed), and then Desiccate. With Desiccate, the first draft is done and I'm currently in the revision stage. This one I'm SUPER proud and pumped for.
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?
Jacqueline Carey, Laurel K. Hamilton, Stephen King, Terry Goodkind, and J.R.R Tolkien are my top authors. I love writing strong, powerful, badass women in epic worlds.
What have you found to be the most effective ways to connect with your readers?
The biggest thing is Twitter. Putting yourself out there, connecting with other readers and authors, and genuinely taking an interest in others have helped immensely. I've met so many wonderful people readers and writers alike. You can find me at @booksofgeronimo.
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