BELINDA: Tell us about Alastair Iszler.
MISTY: Where to begin without giving any spoilers away from my first book: The Outcasts: The Blood Dagger: Volume 1 . . . I feel like I need one of those intricate, impossible-to-read maps—you know, the kind with arrows pointing in every different direction—to help me answer this question. I’ll start with one of my main characters: Alastair Iszler. You meet him later on in the book. He’s a hunky, enigmatic vampire who gets introduced into the series as my antagonist’s chauffeur. Because he works for my antagonist, you really have no idea whose side he’s really playing on.
BELINDA: What inspired you to make Alastair non-human?
MISTY: I’ve always been intrigued by the vampire mythos. Al is a mystery. You really don’t know where his loyalties lie. I love this about him—and about all the secrecy surrounding vampires in general. My vampires are unlike any others, and there’s a reason for that. You’ll find out in Volume 2 and 3 why.
BELINDA : Do you think it’s important for sci-fi and fantasy to feature non-humans? Why?
MISTY: I do think it’s important to have non-humans in fantasy. Fantasy is where readers go to get away from reality. Therefore, why not throw some otherworldly beings in the mix?
BELINDA: What traits/features make a great non-human character?
MISTY: I think vampires are in and of themselves fascinating characters. How old are they? Where do they come from? How were they turned or created? People automatically start wondering these things when they read about vamps, at least I do. It’s all about the mystery.
BELINDA: What types of non-humans would you like to see more of?
MISTY: I’m pretty much open to reading about any non-humans, but I like seeing the wizards and sorcerers. There’s something so cool about exploring the realm of magic.
BELINDA: Who are some of your favourite non-human characters?
MISTY: It’s also extremely entertaining, reading what authors dream up about those who possess magical powers. Of course, I’m reading A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab right now, so that might be influencing my answer here.
About Misty Hayes
Misty Hayes has always had a thing for escaping headfirst into fantastical books. This is what led her to start writing her own adventures. As someone who has spent a long career in law enforcement, Misty has a love for strong female protagonists. She also directs short films and claims to have been bitten by the traveling bug (not to be mistaken for a radioactive spider). The Blood Dagger Series is a multiple award-winning, high-octane Young Adult Paranormal trilogy.
The Outcasts has received recognition for a Literary Titan award, IndieBRAG Medallion, 2018 solo medalist winner of the New Apple Literary Awards for YA Fantasy, and 2019 2nd place winner of the North Texas Book Festival in YA Fantasy.
Find out more about Misty on her website and connect with her on Twitter or Instagram.
Feature image courtesy of Dex via Flickr.