Interview with the Laughing Black Vampire: The Haunting of Steven Van Patten Episode 204

"Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make." - Bram Stoker

 

The Buzzards go goth on this episode of FIVE DOLLAR BUZZ, as we speak with acclaimed horror author Steven Van Patten and talk about all things vampires, werewolves and the shape of horror to come. 

 

Van Patten is the author of the trilogy Brookwater's Curse - Volume1, Volume 2 and Volume 3: Extinction Agenda -  about a former Georgian plantation slave named Christian Brookwater who becomes a powerful vampire. He becomes an agent for a secret vampire law enforcement who has to keep those damn werewolves in check among other supernatural creatures of mayhem. Brookwater also can't seem to curb his murderous impulses when confronted by obnoxious racists, much to his agency's chagrin. The hero's journey continues as vampire politics, civil war and love triangles abound.

 

Van Patten has also written a two-book series, Killer Genius: She Kills Because She Cares and Killer Genius 2: Attack of the Gym Rats, about a woman named, appropriately enough, Kendra the Killer Genius. She is a super intelligent serial killer with a conscience and only kills those she conceives to be racist, sexist, abusive or dangerously criminal. In the sequel she takes on sexual predators and the Russian mob.

 

He also wrote a children's novel called Rudy's Night Out about a young boy who sneaks out at night to a party and discovers a scary world out there.  Will his father - a man with a secret and the last name Brookwater...hmmm - find him in time?! You'll just have to read it to find out for yourself!

 

He is also a co-author of two anthology series - Hell at the Way Station and Hell at Brooklyn Tea. The former he co-wrote with acclaimed author Marc L. Abbott and the latter with Abbott and Kirk Johnson. They are stories of horror centered around Brooklyn, where Van Patten grew up, and a framing device includes the authors themselves as participants in the supernatural shenanigans.

 

Hell at the Way Station won two African-American Literary Awards including Best Anthology and Best in Science Fiction. Van Patten also won an award for Best Independent Publisher for his Laughing Black Vampire Productions publishing company.

 

Van Patten is a member of the New York Chapter of the Horror Writers Association as well as a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA). In his spare time he has done some stage managing for several television shows. He also wrote some television episodes for a series called "Viral Vignettes."

 

The Buzzards get all nerded out with Mr. Van Patten as they talk about his books, his publishing company, his fascination with horror, horror movies and the mighty borough of Brooklyn. 

So, concoct your elixir of absinthe with a sugar cube and some water, turn out the lights and get ready to be thoroughly entranced by the new prince of darkness. The Buzzards get eerie with Steven Van Patten.

 

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