I couldn’t kick off my celebration of the New Myths anthology without introducing you all to some of my talented co-authors. Today’s interview is with Michelle Mogil, author of the vampire novels The Gentle Man and The Loyal Man.
Author Interview
Your story is The God People. Tell us what it’s about and why you chose that title.
My story is speculation that there is no god but us, that we are in control, though we may not realize it. What would happen if someday we did discover that we had the ultimate power to destroy and create? Which would we choose: destruction or creation? Both have the capacity for good and evil. Which is the greater goal? As for the title, I have a surprisingly hard time with titles. I tried to keep it simple and concise.
What myth or concept did you build on?
I didn’t really build on a myth. Rather, I unbuilt a myth. There is no god and we’re on our own. We, as mere mortals, have the power to make or break our reality.
In your opinion, why do we enjoy mythology and sharing such stories?
We’ve created gods and spirits and supernatural beings first to explain the mysteries of our world, second to escape from the realities of our world. Telling and sharing stories is a way to keep wonder and imagination alive, to keep asking “What if?” I think stories of gods and higher powers keep us striving toward greatness.
Do you have a favorite myth? If so, what is it?
I’ve always been partial to Greek and Egyptian mythology. What in the world was going on back then that they came up with some of those insane characters?
Are there any current projects you’re working on that we should be aware of?
I am working on the third book in my Love Eternal series, tentatively titled The Melancholy Man. The first two, The Gentle Man and The Loyal Man, tell the story of an older couple, Ana and Ethan Trent, and what happens when a discontented Ana leaves her marriage to Ethan for an 800-year-old vampire. Hint: she doesn’t get to just ride off into the sunset with him. The third book follows a young writer who thought she was the author of the first two books. She discovers, to her fright, that her characters are real and have come to pay her a visit. Things get a little weird after that…
Please let us know where to find you online.
I’m looking forward to tentatively titled “The Melancholy Man.” That’s an intriguing premise! If it’s available before the end of the year, I plan to review it on my blog. 🙂