In keeping with my love of all most things vampiric, I recently backed Blood Kiss, a film project seeking funding on Kickstarter®. The film is written by acclaimed screenwriter Michael Reaves and will include my pals Neil Gaiman and Amber Benson in featured roles.

I caught up with Michael today and got to put some penetrating questions to him:

LSK: So, Michael, tell us–do your vampires sparkle?

MR: The only thing that sparkles about them (or so I like to think ) is their wit.

LSK: What’s the origin of vampires in your story?

MR: It’s not supernatural, which is usually the case. Instead there’s a pseudoscientific explanation (which makes just about as much sense as a Gypsy curse.)

LSK: The plot summary involves the murder of a vampire, to be investigated by the hero.

MR: Actually (you heard it here first!) that’s a bit of a red herring. It’s about a private eye who’s hired by a mysterious chanteuse as a bodyguard. By the time he’s sussed out that she’s a vampire and he’s been hired to protect her from a vampire killer, he’s fallen in love with her. Trouble, as they say, follows.

LSK: Does that mean that your vampires are sympathetic figures?

MR: They’re just people … People who live for centuries, drink blood, and are allergic to silver …

LSK: What are your literary inspirations for your vampires? It doesn’t sound like Dracula was your “bible”!

MR: I think it’s more like Dracula meets Sam Spade in a back alley. “Somewhere a roscoe barked.”

LSK: Did you research other vampire literature? Or just make it up?

MR: Hey, it’s all made up. It’s fiction (sic).

LSK: Why vampires?

MR: Because zombies don’t dress for success.

The film is about halfway to its modest goal of $50,000. Let’s make this happen! You can pledge here:

www.pledgebloodkiss.com.