Review and Author Interview - A Good Man by Vanessa Morgan

A Good Man by Vanessa Morgan
My rating: 3 1/2 of 5 stars
Source: Author for review

Published April 2012

Synopsis:
'Loved DEXTER and AMERICAN PSYCHO? Then you'll love A GOOD MAN.

Louis Caron is a good man - vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is even concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge - he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police takes him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most'

My Thoughts:
I received a copy of A Good Man in exchange for an honest review and as soon as I read the synopsis for this story I just couldn't wait to start reading it.

I must admit it took a bit of getting used to reading it in screenplay format but once I got the hang of it I could easily visualise each scene and the people in it and managed to get into the flow of the story.

A Good Man is definitely a thought provoking read as the reader is challenged to either like or loathe Louis and the things he does. Even though Louis is a vampire he has very clear human tendencies as well which adds to the uniqueness of this story and his character.

During this story you do see that Louis is 'a good man' in certain respects, such as through his loyalty to his friends, his love for animals and the struggles he faces while participating in his support group. But, then you see the evil side of Louis when he finds himself in a provoking situation and this is where the reader is challenged to decide whether Louis' actions were acceptatable or not given the type of being he is.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the main reason I haven't given it a higher rating is due to its length. It just wasn't long enough to me and I was left feeling a little deflated at the end because I just wanted a lot more of it.

I definitely can't wait to see how this screenplay transfers onto television and will certainly be looking out for its release.

Author Interview:

Author Vanessa Morgan was kind enough to answer some interview questions for me which I have included below:

Tell us a bit about your favourite character from the book.

The main character, Louis Caron, is my favourite one because we might recognize a lot of ourselves and others in him despite the fact that he's a vampire. He's also quite original as we don't usually see old, Botoxed vampires with arthritis.

What was one of the most surprising things you’ve learnt about yourself while writing?

That I'm actually a lot like the characters in A Good Man. I always thought of myself as a sweet girl, but once in a while it happens that I hurt people or that I lie. I just never saw myself as a bad person because I always had very good reasons for my behavior.

What do you think makes a good story?

Good characters... And a exciting beginning and ending, because people will always remember the starting point and the ending of a book.

What was your inspiration behind this book?

I was asked to write the screenplay of A Good Man. The only directions I had were that it had to be about a vampire and that I had to write it with certain actors in mind. I imagined what these actors would be like if they were vampires and what their worst fate would be. The rest is history.

Are there any authors that inspire you?

Daph Nobody - a good friend and without a doubt the most talented horror writer in Europe.

What’s your favourite way to spend your spare time?

Going to film festivals, eating out, cuddling my cat, enjoying the sun.

What's one piece of advice you would give other aspiring authors?

Well-developed characters and an exciting beginning and ending make up for a lot of other mistakes. Also, the only criticism you should ever take into consideration is the recurring one because a lot of it will be a matter of taste and some of the criticism will even be contradictory.

If you weren't a writer, what else would you be doing?

I would probably work with animals or start my own company. I actually owned a pet supply store before, but the desire to write fiction took the upper hand.

Do you have a favourite scene in this book (without giving the story away too much)?

My favorite scene in A Good Man is the ending. It's the reason why I wanted to write this story. It's devastating and it might not be to everyone's liking, but I think it's impossible not to be affected by it.

Do you have any pets?

I have a cat, Avalon. I'm obsessed with him. He appears in every movie adaptation of my work (and in the screenplay of A Good Man as well). He's also the star in his very own web comic at http://avalon-lion.blogspot.com.

What’s one thing that many people wouldn’t know about you?

The majority of my fans doesn't know that I'm originally from Belgium and that I still live there. Although I write in English and French, my native language is Dutch.


I would like to give a big thank you to Vanessa for giving me the opportunity to review A Good Man and for participating in an interview.

Important Links:

Purchase 'A Good Man':
Amazon

Vanessa Morgan's Website: http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com/