“We can change our realities, our lives, if we understand them on a deeper level than simply the surface preconceptions.” -Gabrielle Faust

DarkMedia Interviews Gabrielle Faust:

Entertainment personality and acclaimed horror and science fiction author Gabrielle Faust is most recognized for her vampire series Eternal Vigilance, which has a worldwide fan base in over ten countries. Her work as an author, journalist and illustrator has appeared in dozens of magazines and journals with over 300 articles, both online and in print since 2008 including SyFy. SciFi Wire, Blastr, Girls & Corpses Magazine, Doorways Magazine and FearZone. While at work on her newest series of projects, Faust is currently touring throughout the U.S. for the promotion of her most recently released novels, Eternal Vigilance 3: Bound in Blood and Regret.^[1]

A Renaissance Woman in the truest sense, Gabrielle Faust has recently visited the recording studio for what’s been best described as an exploration in “Pirate Metal”.  The depth and richness of  songs like “The Ebb and Flow Of Time” very appropriately earn that title, as they transcend the tide of popular modern music in favor of something hauntingly timeless.

DarkMedia had the pleasure of speaking with Gabrielle about the themes of her books as they apply to her own life, her incredible dedication to communicating with her fans, as well as the awareness and nature of  one’s inner demons.

Authors like you and Anne Rice have really set an incredible standard for maintaining fan interaction through social media outlets — no matter how successful you are. What’s the greatest challenge in doing this? The greatest reward?

The greatest challenge is finding a balance that allows you to still have enough time to create. It’s very easy to spend hours updating websites, checking emails, responding to Tweets & Facebook posts. However, social media is absolutely beautiful in its ability to allow authors and artists to connect with an international audience. It’s a level of instantaneous communication that empowers, encourages and inspires artists on a completely unprecedented level in history.

From the Eternal Vigilance series to your novella Regret, you’ve explored the depth of why human civilization rises and falls, as well as the purpose for its darker aspects. By doing this, what do you hope to say? What message would you like your readers to take from your work?

For me, my writing is a verbal exploration of the world around me, as well as the depths of human nature. I cannot say that I have a particular “message” at this time because I am still formulating my own opinions as I attempt to pose questions about aspects of reality and existence. I am far too young still and have far too much to learn to say I have a “message” yet. However, I do hope that my writing will encourage others to not take life at face value, but take a closer look in a way they might have not had the courage to do so before. From the time of infancy we are spoon-fed rules and laws about everything from the physical nature of the universe to our own spiritual chemistry, but that does not mean that the words of those who came before us is truth. In order to evolve, we must remain always the curious child.

In Regret, you describe the nature and purpose of demons, and how it reflects upon the human psyche in the never-ending cycle of sin and regret. What kind of research did you do on the subject of demons? And do the concepts in the novel represent a larger, more literal, view of the world, or is it more metaphorical?

I spent months researching demonology, studying the hierarchy of the levels of Hell and the various assigned positions of demons. I found it absolutely fascinating that there are hundreds of demons in written record designated to the most heinous of crimes to the seemingly most innocent of human expressions such as joviality. Yes, apparently if you’re too happy that’s a sin too. When I originally began work on the book I was initially simply exploring the power of the emotion regret and how our regrets can paralyze us and, in certain instances, drive us to create such chaos in our lives that we find ourselves continually digging ourselves deeper and deeper into the trench of sorrow through additional regrettable actions. However, as I dove deeper into my research I began to contemplate what it was about certain emotions that we as human beings felt the need to deem “evil” instead of simply “nature”. Through the interaction with the demons Marcus meets during his first day back on earth collecting souls, he is given the unique viewpoint of witnessing the actions of humanity in a way that makes him realize that it is possibly their actions that govern Hell and not the direct commands of the demons that “drove them” to commit their supposed “sins”.

Metaphysics plays such a significant role in your work. Does it play an equally significant role in your daily life?

Most definitely! I am an avid subscriber to the school of thought known as the “holographic universe” theory, which suggests that objective reality does not actually “exist”. It appears solid but only because we have told ourselves that it is so and the reinforcement of collective thought gives a representation of solidity to a sort of hologram constructed of pure energy. My world is based on my perception; what I can see and feel is all that there is, but the moment it ceases to be within my direct line of scrutiny, it ceases to “exist”, but converts back to the cosmic fluxing ocean of pure energy. In the same fashion, that means our personal influence over our individual realities is exponentially greater than we allow ourselves to believe. We can change our realities, our lives, if we understand them on a deeper level than simply the surface preconceptions.

Being such a talented artist as well as an author, have you ever considered putting it all together and writing a graphic novel?

Absolutely. I actually began the comic book series a couple of years ago and managed to illustrate about two issues. However, it is incredibly time-consuming and it became quite apparent very quickly that I needed to put that particular project on the backburner for a while so that I could focus on writing. I do hope to, at some point, go back to the graphic novel and complete it, or perhaps find a comic book house to buy the rights to the series.

You’ve been recently working on some exciting musical projects, with a collaborative album this summer followed by a solo album next year. Will you tell us a little about the albums themselves, your collaborators, and how the whole thing came about?

I recently collaborated with Solomon Schneider and Shana Norton on a “pirate metal” album called “The Killing Tree” under the name Seraphim. The album consisted of three songs, all original, and was recorded and produced by Solomon in Shana’s home studio. The collaboration came about when Sol was passing through Austin back in May on one leg of his Sage on Fire cross-country tour with slam poet master Seth Walker. He called me up on his way into town and said “We’re going to record an album when I get to Austin.” How could I say no? We are working on getting the final mixes together and hopefully we will be able to release the set at the end of the summer. The solo album I have been working on has yet to be titled, but will consist of ten original acoustic songs by yours truly. I am hoping to be able to get into the studio to record the tracks this fall.

Being a writer of prose fiction, poetry, and music lyrics, which would you say is the most challenging to write? Which is your favorite?

I have always found short stories to be the most challenging. I have only written a handful of them so far and still feel I am learning the art form of telling a complete story within such a limited number of pages. The arc of the plot must be so refined and succinct that it grabs the reader and takes them on a fulfilling, complete journey in matter of minutes. As far as my favorite form of writing, I tend to gravitate the most towards poetry and novel-length prose. Poetry, for me, is a combination of pure honesty and self-indulgent obsession with the musical power of words, where as the novel format is a full exploration of a world from tip to toe.

In a previous interview, you said, “It’s our own nature that cannibalizes us.” Can you explain a little more about the meaning of that statement? And, most importantly, how do you think we can overcome it?

We are consumed by our innermost demons, the fears, regrets, insecurities and pains that ultimately undermine even our greatest intentions. It is the ultimate flaw of our genetic design, but also what makes us more beautiful because without those flaws we would be “perfect”, and perfection in and of itself can be more horrifying than the worst darkness. I do not think there is a necessity for “overcoming” our own natures, but merely a need to remain aware, to listen to one’s self and not lose sight of our tendencies.

We recently spoke with author Karen Dales about the development of her characters in a role playing scenario. Considering the personal, animated, nature of the way you interact with your own characters as you write, have you ever considered bringing someone else into the process — or using role play as a character development exercise?

I honestly have never actually considered involving anyone else in the “role playing” aspect of writing before. I suppose it is because the writing process for me is so intensely personal that it would feel awkward to bring another physical entity into the mix, at least in the initial stages of the development of a scene. I would also need for the person in question to be as close in similarity to the actual character’s personality and that in its self could pose an obstacle. However, I will not rule out the possibility of such an exercise in the future.

What can you tell us about the sequel to Regret and the fourth installment of your wildly successful Eternal Vigilance series?

The sequel to Regret, entitled Revenge, was co-written with author/philosopher/wandering musical-wizard-of-the-road Solomon Schneider and is currently slated for release this coming December from Black Bed Sheet Books. Revenge continues the journey of Marcus Glenfield, a newly reborn demon, as he finds himself drawn into a war between Heaven and Hell over the governance of Purgatory and into the heart of a new realm that has been designed by two powerful sentient creatures born of the detritus of Purgatory. I have taken to describing the book as “Dante’s Inferno meets Lord of the Rings” because of its epic dark adventure qualities. Solomon and I are incredibly excited about this novel for it reexamines not only the structure of religion, but the very fabric of reality itself.

When can we hope to see Eternal Vigilance on the big screen?

As soon as a studio picks it up! 😉

Where can your fans to go see you in the near future?

I will be appearing at KillerCon in Las Vegas at the end of September, The Mysterium in Austin, Texas (October 1st), the Theater of the Vampires ball (New Orleans, October 28th), Endless Night (New Orleans, October 29th), Boutique du Vampyre (New Orleans, October 30th), Eerie Books (Wylie, Texas, November 12th) and Dark Delicacies (Burbank, California, December 11th). My full schedule is always available online at www.gabriellefaust.com/events or you can download the new Gabrielle Faust app for Android which has a Google calendar with the most up-to-date information.

Gabrielle Faust is currently featured on  DarkMediaCity, a free social network for those who like it Dark.  Whether it be literature or film, music or art, horror or sci-fi, paranormal romance or paranormal investigation, we’ve got something for you.  www.DarkMediaCity.com

You can also find her at her website and on Twitter at @Gabrielle_Faust.

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