DEBUT SPOTLIGHT: Maria Tureaud
Maria Tureaud is one of the most inspiring people I know. From her candidness around her querying journey, to her willingness to share her knowledge with fellow writers through her work as a developmental editor, Maria is a helper and an encourager. She’s also my friend. We met during 2019 RevPit, when I submitted the manuscript that became Parting the Veil to her, in the hopes of winning a developmental edit. While I didn’t win, a friendship blossomed (forged initially on our mutual love for Philippe in Versailles!) I can say, without a doubt, I would not have gotten published without Maria’s advice and guidance.
Now, it brings me so much delight to showcase Maria and THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN, her debut Middle Grade novel about a feisty and determined young girl named Sophie and her charming vampire best friend, Delphine, who embark on a mission to save Hopetown’s vampires (and humans) from a sinister, blood-borne plague. The Last Hope in Hopetown is the perfect, thrilling read for Spooky Season and features strong themes of found family, belonging, and inclusion.
THE SYNOPSIS
Stranger Things meets Fake Blood in this deliciously charming and spooky debut novel about one girl’s choice to save her vampire parents or do what’s right for the greater good.
Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue.
After Sophie’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that’s thicker than blood.
“The Last Hope in Hopetown boasts relatable vampiric world building and fast-paced intrigue wrapped in a warm blanket of belonging, acceptance, and the triumph of empathetic family bonds! Young fantasy readers will enjoy Tureaud’s suspenseful story full of fierce love that saturates every page.”―Ash Van Otterloo, author of Cattywampus, and A Touch of Ruckus
THE INTERVIEW
Paulette: Hi, Maria! I’m so thrilled to showcase you today. The Last Hope in Hopetown is out in the world, and I couldn’t be happier for you! Can you share the inspiration behind the book?
Maria: First of all, thank you so much for having me. Where to begin? The Last Hope in Hopetown is a story of found family, and friendship so strong that two twelve-year-old besties take on the government to expose misdeeds, help vampires everywhere, and face the depths of their souls to save each other. The story focuses on Sophie, a human child adopted by vampire parents. But when a mysterious disease starts to slowly turn the vampire population rogue, it’s only a matter of time before her family is affected.
The Last Hope in Hopetown was born during the first weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown. I was re-watching the 1994 movie, Interview With a Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, and started to wonder about the child vampire, Claudia. Would it be possible for vampires to contract Covid-19, or would they starve to death because everyone was locked inside their homes? Then I realized that was silly, because they could just break in…right? But then, what about those new-fangled alarm systems hooked up to apps? That led to the question: how would this three-hundred-year-old child fit into a world of social media and technology? If Claudia were real, she’d likely be stuck in her ways and be very reluctant—if not frightened—to learn new things. But what if she was forced to learn and integrate? Who would she be? How would she behave? And what would require her to “get with the program” of a modern society? And thus, the world of The Last Hope In Hopetown sprouted.
Paulette: I wondered if Claudia helped to inspire Delphine! I love that the “lightbulb” went off when you were watching Interview With a Vampire, which is one of my favorite movies to rewatch this time of year, too. Anne Rice definitely had a formative role in my wanting to become an author and write in the gothic genre. Who are some of your other inspirations?
Maria: This is a very tough question, especially as I wrote across multiple genres and markets! But if I were to choose three (to keep it simple), they would be R.L. Stine (my love of all things spooky and horror began with Goosebumps), Angie Thomas (her writing taught me about voice and bringing characters to life), and Zora Neale Hurston (her exploration of gender roles and strong female characters were not just revolutionary in the 1930’s, but resonate for generations).
Paulette: Yes—all amazing writers. I personally will never forget picking up The Hate You Give and the complete immersion I experienced in that opening party scene. I was right there with Starr from the very first page and could not put the book down. Angie Thomas is absolutely brilliant! Her voice is out of this world. You often emphasize the importance of voice, and it shows in your own work as well.
Let’s talk a little about your writing process. How do you approach your writing? Are you a “pantser” or a plotter? Somewhere in between? And what are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Maria: I’m firmly in the “plantser” category, where I first brainstorm my main character and their arc, plot out all major plot points around the journey they need to take to come full-circle, but then sometimes go off-script when inspiration strikes in the moment. This strategy worked best for The Last Hope in Hopetown. However, the process changes depending on the genre I’m writing in. I’m a multi-genre author, and when writing, say Historical Fiction, I have to adjust my process. I’ll take months to research an era, then brainstorm my main character and their arc, plot out my novel, then research again to ensure the plot points are realistic for the era before writing a word.
My favorite aspect of writing is what comes after. Once I have a draft, I take joy in revising and editing. But during drafting, I’m generally in agony. There’s something painful that happens while writing. I tend to leave pieces of myself on the page, and with every book written, it feels like I’m leaving a breadcrumb trail of who I am and what shaped me, as if I fear, deep down, that I’ll lose myself somewhere down the road and have to find my way back to the core of what makes me, me. For some, this process can be cathartic. But facing those facets that shaped the person I’ve become can be a gut-punch. Because every time I come to my character’s “Darkest Night of the Soul,” I’m facing my own over and over. Hopefully that comes across in my writing.
Paulette: It very much does, and your characters face their challenges and traumas with so much heart. They feel like real people! I’m in awe of your ability to create such deep, complex characters. It’s a real skill.
You give so much of your time to the writing community. You’re always sharing wonderful nuggets of wisdom. Do you have any advice, in closing, for your fellow writers?
Maria: Study the craft of fiction writing. Study it until your eyes burn and you can’t take it anymore. You can do it, but you’ll need patience, the ability to give yourself grace, and practice self-care. Take breaks. Take vacations. Stay in your lane, and keep your eyes on your own page/journey. No two authors are alike, and you should never compare yourself, or your success, to others.
Paulette: That’s such solid advice. There’s always something new to learn with craft, and the education never ends. I know I’ve certainly learned a lot from you! Thanks again for taking the time to chat with me, Maria, and huge congratulations on the launch of The Last Hope in Hopetown! I’m so happy your dreams are coming true.
THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN is available now in digital, hardcover, and audiobook, and can be requested from your favorite indie bookseller, or you can purchase it online from these retailers: Bookshop, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million
MARIA TUREAUD hails from the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. A Developmental Editor of fourteen years, Maria serves on the Revise & Resub (#RevPit on Twitter) Board, an organization dedicated to uplifting the writing community. When she’s not writing books, or sprinkling magic into client manuscripts, you can find her drinking tea in New Jersey with her husband and son, as she dreams of moving home to her beloved County Clare. You can connect with her via her website, or on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok