IsVampyres Of Hollywoodthe first time that youve really looked for that creative voice inside yourself?
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Its the first time Ive applied it to fiction, yes.
You seem like a really social person, so how does the writing life suit you?
So youre developing your own routines?
Yeah, I guess I am.
That you have access to creative resources that you cant normally get to..?
Where did that come from?
And its really fascinating.
WithVampyres, Michael and I were bouncing it back and forth.
Hes an expert at these things, and that was enough except for my husband.
I hadnt thought ofthatpart of it being a case of getting revenge!
I can do anything I want!
Im just coming to realise that.
And thats great fun.
But its quite therapeutic as well as creative…?
No, actually the voice is a real amalgam of the two of us.
So the voice, the actual words on the paper…the voice is more mine.
The dialogue, the way they speak thats more me.
I couldnt figure it out.
We really found a way to blend the two, I think.
[laughs] Well, I think she looks younger than I do!
Did you hesitate to put so many real-lifeHollywoodstars of the past as vampires in the book?
Theyve even got dialogue…
No, I just had to do a lot of research.
We didnt hesitate [laughs]!
In the end I dont think I succeeded al the way.
But it was great fun.
How far advanced are you on the sequel?
Im almost half-way through.
Ive got a deadline of January, and Ill make it!
Would it have been harder to originate this first book alone?
I dont know if I would have!
Michael was the driving force right from the beginning.
[laughs] Ah, thank you!
Since Ive been doing these conventions, Id say it was like 18 death!
People who like horror films, they dont stop liking them!
They are fantastic fans; its an incredible…support system!
So he said You should be writing a horror novel for your horror-genre fan base.
So we sat down and he said Okay, what do you want to write?
Science-fiction, likeEscape From New York, or a ghost story likeThe Fog..?
And I honestly dont remember how I settled on vampires.
So I guess thats where she came from.
Is it a fantasy or a reflection of how youve lived your life?
You know, I think it is.
I think its a reflection of my heritage, in some ways.
Ive dedicated the second book to my Armenian aunts and my grandmother.
Ive come from a culture of women at least my relatives that were survivors.
They survived the holocaust.
Im not a victim [laughs].
But I value strength in a person.
I dont know, Martin.
You know, youve read the book.
I never set out to be a sex-symbol, and I dont know what makes a sex-symbol.
I think that it was the camera, or the media or whatever, that made me a sex-symbol.
I wasnt playing those roles, but they just …[laughs].
I dont know if I was visualising something like this project.
I think that years ago, before I ever started writing, it was in my head as something.
And I just thought I dont know what thats all about.
But maybe this is it.
Yeah, probably so.
The struggle or the search was always to understand myself, I think.
Ive always been fascinated with communication.
I went and took a couple of weekend seminars with him.
I hadnt thought of it until just now, when you asked me the question [laughs].
Im interested…
Ahhh, thanks!
Did you seeThe Convent?
Or as mainstream as they are now.
Because I still love doing em.
But Im just glad I had the chance, you know?
Oh, poor John!
A gorgeous part of the country, and this house was in the middle of the woods there wasnothingaround.
John [Carpenter] had to stay up and see it that was his annual night-time watching.
And he said Theres abatin the living room!
And I said Well…yeah?
And he said Theres abatin the living room!
So cool someone who makes horror movies is bound to be frightened of bats!
Totally makes sense…
[laughing] Yeah!
How do you get to think like that?
This sounds sort of hokey, but for me it always begins with the words.
But it may not necessarily be the one that somebody with a lot of money wants to finance.
But it was low-budget.
What I learned fromThe Unholyis that I check that I have a dressing room [laughs].
I could feel the cold as I was reading it.
Oh, it was a nightmare.
I just like to work.
Have you ever wanted to take the reins yourself and do some directing?
It doesnt interest me at all.
Do you like horror any more now than you used to?
In your memoir, you say that youre not a great fan…
[laughing] No!
My husband wanted to seeThe Happening, which just came out, and the previews looked really good.
But I said I dont wanna go in there [laughs].
I dont want to have them do that to me!
I dont like it.
Adrienne Barbeau, thank you very much!
Vampyres OfHollywoodis out on July 8th.UK/US
John Carpenter interview
