Hunting Prince Dracula Author Kerri Maniscalco Talks With Stephanie Garber About Swoony Book Boys and Bloodsuckers

Kerri Maniscalco: This is another reason why we’re friends! I am also a HUGE sucker for Vampires and have always really wanted to write a book featuring them in some way. For me, there’s nothing more satisfying than sinking your teeth into a creepy read for Halloween. Before we sold Stalking Jack the Ripper, my agent asked for a few more historical figures Cressworth could investigate, and Vlad the Impaler and Dracula were one of the first ideas that made my little dark heart beat with joy. There are some deeper reasons for the “why” behind them, but they’re revealed in the text. 🙂
Garber: What is it that you think is so appealing about Vampires?
Maniscalco: Oooh, great question! Honestly? I think that when Bram Stoker wrote out his famous tale of a darkly intriguing member of the nobility leading a double (un-)life, it was scandalous and seductive in a way. Though I will also say that The Vampyre by John William Polidori was published in 1819 and explored the idea of a romanticized version of a vampire first. I think the idea that a vampire can be anyone from anywhere is what’s so scary and also appealing. Much like Jack the Ripper and how that case still intrigues us to this day. The unknown is both tantalizing and terrifying.
Garber: Thomas Cresswell. (Insert swoon) I’m giddy that he’s back for this book, and I love that we get to know him even more. It was exciting to read more about his character and his background, and I’d love to know, did you know all these facts about him as you wrote Stalking Jack the Ripper, or did anything about Thomas surprise you as you worked on this book?
Maniscalco: I feel like I want to ask you this same thing about Legend! TELL ME ALL OF LEGENDS SECRETS, PLEASE. (BTW, can we talk for a second about the title of Caraval book two, Legendary?! I swoon SO HARD.) Ahem. I promise my fangirling is over for the moment! As far as Thomas’s background, I’ve always known who he is, where he came from, and what made him into the young man we meet in Stalking Jack the Ripper, but he never quite stays in the package I carefully craft for him. He’s always finding the mechanism that unlocks the box and sets him off on his own adventure. I think one of the things that surprised me, though, was his willingness to make a mistake and try and learn from it, even when I’d sometimes cringe at his awkward delivery.
Garber: The murder mystery in Hunting Prince Dracula kept me guessing until the very end, in fact, I think I texted you quite a few of my guesses as I was reading. So, I’m curious—did you know who the killer was from the get go, or were you surprised by how things turned out?

Maniscalco: Oh my gosh…your live texts during your early read were THE BEST. I kept dancing around my room doing my best impression of a Disney villainess. The cats were totally freaked out, but it was worth it. The first draft of Hunting Prince Dracula was much different than what was published, and the murderer was actually another character. My editor thought it wasn’t quite working, so I dove back into research and had a total A HA! moment when I found a certain spoilery thing out. It felt right and I was so happy with how it all played out.
Garber: Hunting Prince Dracula is extremely atmospheric; everything about the setting felt alive and immersive. Even as I type this question, I have a sudden desire to wrap myself in a blanket to ward off the book’s snowy chill, and lock my doors to keep me safe from the monsters you created. How did you choose this setting? And how did you bring it to life so vividly?
Maniscalco: Thank you, Steph! I felt the same exact way when I stepped into Caraval for the first time. I still swoon so hard over all of the fantastical details you created…like the magical dress! Atmosphere is something that I admire greatly as a reader, and writers like Poe have always been such a huge influence on me. I love the idea of a castle coming alive, or a forest baring its teeth at intruders, so setting this book in the (possible) location that inspired Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale made me SUPER excited as a reader, and even more giddy as a writer. On my mother’s side of the family, I have Eastern European roots and wanted to one day explore the region of my great grandparents. I’m a really visual person, so when I sit down to write any scene, I usually pull up pictures that have a similar vibe and let my muse take it from there. Pinterest has been the greatest thing ever…well…maybe since the invention of cupcakes or zeppole…or vampire legends.
Hunting Prince Dracula is on shelves now, and Garber’s Legendary, available for pre-order, is due May 2018.