Miranda Luna

Miranda Luna first came to our attention when we came across an ad on craigslist. Someone (it turns out, Miranda) was seeking a phlebotomist to draw a few vials of blood with which the advertiser would then sign a few hundred limited edition copies of her first novel, “In the Blood.” When we noticed that this cutting edge author lived in Talent, we were intrigued and got an interview. Turns out she’s a really sweet woman with an 8 month old daughter.

Talent News and Review: How did you start out as a writer?
Miranda Luna: I’ve been writing since I was a kid, it’s always been my primary passion. I started writing this book when I was 17 and it really began to take shape as I went through some really tough times and began writing a novel to take my mind off of those things. I’ve been perfecting “In the Blood” since 2004 and now it’s finally done.

TNR: How has having a child affected your writing? Do you find that you have more creativity or that you’re out of energy?
ML: Actually, my daughter is very patient with my writing. She sleeps in my lap while I type and hasn’t really affected my creative output at all.

TNR: How is living in Talent, generally a smiley, friendly place, for a Goth writer who needs to focus on darker images?
ML: (Laughs) I wouldn’t join any juried art shows around here… I like it here because it’s rural and it’s quiet, so I have privacy and time to myself. When I need a dose of excitement or kinship with likeminded people I go to Portland or San Francisco.

TNR: What are your biggest inspirations?
ML: Right now my favorite artist is Patricia Cram from Vial Magazine. The writers that inspire me the most tend to be people I know; I’ve travelled the same creative circles for years. Danielle Willis is a huge inspiration to me, she was one of the first poets to combine a gothic aesthetic with ritual bloodletting, her book “Dogs in Lingerie” is wonderful.

TNR: How did you get the idea to sign your books in blood?
ML: I came up with the idea because my book centers around the premise that a vampire could hide very well in the modern Goth and blood fetish scene. So it’s a gimmick, but a gimmick I could get behind because no one has ever done it before.

TNR: What is your book about?
ML: It’s a vampire story and there are horrific aspects to it, but it’s more a story about dealing with the choices one makes and finding redemption. Because it’s so easy for my vampires to hide out in these scenes, they are considered dark artisans, which they are, but they’re also predators that take advantage of the Goth scene to stalk their victims. I didn’t want to make my vampires the Anne Rice, tragic, dark heroes; I wanted to make them actual monsters that people could still relate to.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy, bloody or otherwise, point your browser to www.mirandaluna.com for more information. There will be a limited number of signed copies available and customers can have their choice of ink or author blood.