‘This.’: By the skin of the teeth, or fang if you prefer

“I could write one of those – ha, I could do it in two weeks.”

Those were the words Shaun Roundy spoke after watching a trailer for the movie New Moon, based on the wildly popular novel by Stephenie Meyer.

But what started out as a simple vampire story turned into an adventure novel meant to inspire and show the power within each of us. The end result of the endeavor was This.: A Vampire Cure for Forever.

Roundy is a UVU English teacher, and while he loves teaching, he also loves writing. This love has inspired him to create a story that not only holds readers, but gives them a broader view on what can be accomplished in this life. He also wanted to show that real success in life comes from diving in and trying things. This is shown through his dynamic characters and the roles they play in the story.

Now, for readers who are skeptical of trying yet another vampire novel, prepare to be surprised. The difference between this novel and those other vampire romances is that it has great depth of character and plot that will hold you to the very last word. This is interesting, considering Shaun himself likes fiction with depth.

Unlike others, these vampire’s powers are not as extreme. Yes, they are stronger and faster, but closer to humans in nature and physical attributes. One other interesting fact readers might enjoy is that the story takes place here in Utah County, with local landmarks like Bridal Veil Falls, Utah Lake and Timpanogos High School taking center stage.

Much of Roundy’s success, he claims, comes from his writing process. He described it as the key to being able to write novels and stories quickly. Beginning with pre-writing, he outlined the whole of the story in a couple of hours and from there went through drafting, revision and editing. From start to finish, it only took Roundy three months.

Of course, he said he got stuck at some points with some of his characters and needed to spend time getting to know them better. Nonetheless, this process seems to work for Roundy; furthermore, it might be technique aspiring writers can utilize.

So will this novel be a one-hit wonder? According to Roundy he plans on creating sequels, but at the moment is focused on marketing and letting people know about his book. He said, “I don’t like to leave huge cliffhangers for my readers. I usually tie up most of the loose ends, but the very last paragraph leaves it open for continuation.”

For more information about This., visit www.ThisVampire.com to learn about the story, the characters, the author and find links that will actually allow you to read most of the book online. The book is available for purchase on the website, as well as on Amazon.

For more information about This., visit www.ThisVampire.com.
The book is available for purchase on the website, as well as on Amazon.