Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: David Lee Summers lives in Southern New Mexico at the cusp of the western and final frontiers. He’s written novels about space pirates, vampire mercenaries, mad scientists in the old west, and astronomer ghosts. He’s edited thrilling anthologies of space adventure that imagine what worlds discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission might be like. When he’s not writing or editing, David explores the universe for real at Kitt Peak National Observatory. To learn more about David or his books visit his website at http://www.davidleesummers.com.
Thanks so much, David, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: When did you know you wanted to write, and when did you discover that you were good at it?
David Lee Summers: I first knew I wanted to write when I was 11 years old and I discovered David Gerrold’s nonfiction book, The Trouble With Tribbles, which told the story of how he sold the episode of the same name to the original Star Trektelevision production team. The process of coming up with the idea, changing it to meet production needs, and then polishing it sounded both like an amazing challenge and great fun. Reading that book is what made me want to be a writer. Along the way after that, I had a lot of encouragement from teachers, friends, and family, but the moment when I really had confidence that I was a good writer was when I was 34 and my first professional publication appeared in Realms of Fantasy Magazine. Not only that, my name appeared on the cover right between the names of two of my writing heroes: Harlan Ellison and Alan Dean Foster.
JSC: Have you ever taken a trip to research a story? Tell me about it.
DLS: As it turns out, I took a trip to New Orleans to research Ordeal of the Scarlet Order. I had a scene set at the Naval Biodynamics Laboratory, out near the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility. However, I’d never been out to that part of New Orleans before. I also had some scenes set at Tulane University, where my daughter had been a student, but in a building that I didn’t know very well. My wife and I decided to hop on the train for a short expedition from Southern New Mexico to the Crescent City for Halloween, which also happened to be the 35th anniversary of our first date.
Once we arrived in New Orleans, we rented a car and began to explore the neighborhoods where parts of the book were set. NASA Michoud is one of the few NASA facilities not open to the general public. It’s where they do a lot of heavy machining for spacecraft. The whole facility is behind a guarded gate. Despite that, we drove out to the facility and discovered a new complex under construction right next to the NASA facility.
Based on the signage at the site, I learned that the new complex is part the “Propel Industrial Park” at NASA Michoud. The first company housed in the building is called Textron. One of the things Textron builds is Robotic Combat Vehicles for the Army. This sounds like they would be the perfect neighbors for a secret operation that uses vampire DNA to bioengineer super soldiers! I never would have known about this place if I hadn’t visited in person.
After taking some photos, and no doubt being watched carefully by the security guards at the gate, we drove over to Tulane, where I imagined the head of the super soldier project had a cover as a visiting professor in the department of Chemical and Bioelectrical Engineering.
Getting details about the department online proved difficult, so it was much easier to visit the department in person. It turns out, it’s on the third floor of the Lindy Claiborne Boggs Center at Tulane. This was the one place where someone actually confronted my wife and I as we walked through the halls. Fortunately, it was just a helpful grad student asking if we needed assistance.
We topped off the weekend by celebrating the anniversary of our first date at a Halloween party at Potions Lounge on Bourbon Street. It was a delightful party and the lounge also plays an important role in the novel.
JSC: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
DLS: I consider myself a plotter who’s not afraid to write by the seat of his pants! Seriously, I do put work into plotting out my novels. Partly that’s because I like novels with multiple point-of-view characters and plotting out the novel helps me to keep track of where everyone is compared to everyone else. Also, I’m a plotter because I’m very much a two-career person. I’m equally serious about my career as a writer as I am about my career operating telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The telescope operation job is nice because I work for six full nights, then have nine nights off to pursue my writing. The challenge of the dual-career is that sometimes I have to fit a day’s worth of writing into a very limited amount of time. Plotting allows me to look at a scene and say “I need to write a few hundred or a thousand words that address this plot point” and then I go. During that scene, I often am a pantser, working with a general sense of where I need to go. It’s not terribly uncommon for my characters to do something entirely different than I expected when I wrote my outline. At this point, I go back to my outline and figure out how the new plot point fits in and adjust everything based on what happened. This works well until my characters decide to do something else I didn’t expect!
JSC: How did you choose the topic for Ordeal of the Scarlet Order?
DLS: Back in 2020, when many businesses were trying to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the store Boutique du Vampyre in New Orleans came up with the idea of hosting an online book club, which featured live interviews with authors. Among the authors included were Dacre Stoker, Charlaine Harris, and Christopher Golden. I was honored that one of the novels they selected to discuss was my 2005 book, Vampires of the Scarlet Order.
The novel tells the story of a group of vampires who are being hunted by a scientist who wants to create a new breed of super soldiers with vampire powers. Those vampires seek out a team of vampire mercenaries known as the Scarlet Order to help them. At the end of the novel, it appears that the scientist is defeated, but forces from the government have begun to pursue the vampires. I’ve long wanted to write a sequel and the response from vampire fans to the novel inspired me to dive in and tell the story of what happened next.
At the end of Vampires of the Scarlet Order, the vampires dispersed around the world to avoid being captured. One group went to Colorado, as mentioned at the end of the earlier novel. As a tribute to the New Orleans book club, I sent two of the vampires to the Crescent City so they could encounter some legendary vampires and new mysteries. Once I had those ideas in place, I set out to plot my novel.
JSC: Who did your cover, and what was the design process like?
DLS: My cover was designed by one of my favorite artists, Chaz Kemp. I discovered his art at art shows in the southwest and bought one of his pieces before I met him. When we finally did meet, we soon became friends and decided we should find a project that would allow us to work together. I hired Chaz to design covers for the 2020 reissues of the first two novels in my Scarlet Order Vampire series. The back cover text on each book emphasized three of the vampires, so he proposed doing three portraits on the front of each cover. In fact, during our collaboration, Chaz suggested that I depict at least one of the vampires as black. After thinking about, I realized I’d never specified the ethnic background of my vampire astronomer character to that point and he could certainly be black. He now appears that way on the cover and it has unleashed a number of exciting story possibilities that I had not considered before.
When I commissioned him to design the cover for Ordeal of the Scarlet Order, we decided to continue the same trend. I gave Chaz descriptions of the three characters who I thought should appear on the cover: Rudolfo, a vampire from fifteenth-century Spain, Mercedes, a vampire who affects the persona of a chola – a young Latina member of a street gang – and Ruby, a monstrous vampire super soldier built by a biochemist working for the United States government. I sent Chaz some photo references of what I had in mind. He then designed each character and I suggested minor changes until we had something we were both happy with. It was a fun process and really only took a few weeks. I look forward to my next opportunity to work with Chaz.
JSC: What other artistic pursuits (it any) do you indulge in apart from writing?
DLS: When I need a break from writing, I like to build models. Most of the models I’ve built are spaceships from kits and the big challenge is to give them realistic looking paint and decal work. I have occasionally made models of people and I even designed my own Martian canal globe based on the maps of Percival Lowell from the beginning of the twentieth century. The best place to see a gallery of my model work is at my featured gallery at https://deviantart.com/davidleesummers
I have also pursued acting from time to time. Back in college, I had a small part in the Lerner and Lowe musical Brigadoon. Soon after that, I was cast as a Securities and Exchange Commission investigator on the television series Unsolved Mysteries, back in 1989. I returned to acting in 2019 when I appeared in the indie film The Revenge of Zoe as a customer in a comic shop purchasing a novel by David Lee Summers! Most recently, I have done some voice acting, performing a few characters in the audio anthology Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit, which will be debuting soon!
JSC: What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example.
DLS: I have done jobs ranging from washing cars for a Toyota dealership and waiting the counter at an ice cream parlor to designing the web site for an Argentinian guitar quartet and serving as administrative director for a literary non-profit. My main love, though, aside from writing, is astronomy. I have a physics degree and I have worked in telescope operations and engineering for most of my adult life. One of the ways this impacts my writing is that I insist that anything I write must, at least, sound plausible. Even if magic happens in my worlds, I need to believe there’s a consistent set of rules that govern the magic.
My astronomy background has had a major impact on my Scarlet Order Vampire novels. It started a number of years ago when we used to joke that operating telescopes would be the perfect job for a vampire, because people only saw us from sunset to sunrise. In fact, one of the first characters I created for this world was Daniel, a vampire astronomer. This character, along with Jane, who is a vampire physicist, are working together in Ordeal of the Scarlet Order to understand the science that governs vampires seemingly magical abilities, such as their abilities to transform into bats or read minds. In some ways, my science background has resulted in the Scarlet Order Vampire novels having an even more hard science fictional feel than even my space-based science fiction novels!
JSC: Star Trek or Star Wars? Why?
DLS: I love both Star Trek and Star Wars, but if I have to choose, I come down on the side of Star Trek. Part of the reason is that I would much rather live in the Star Trek universe. Even though there are planets where things aren’t fair and equitable, it shows a society that aspires to give everyone a fair shake and has made great strides toward that goal compared to where we are today. Star Wars gives us a world that is exciting and, at times, magical, but evil has a really powerful hold and a lot of people live in really terrible conditions. What’s more, Star Trek is all about expanding the boundaries of scientific understanding and getting to know new peoples and cultures. The Star Wars galaxy doesn’t give that same priority to exploring new things.
JSC: What’s your drink of choice?
DLS: First thing in the morning, I have to have my cup of coffee. That said, since I’m something of a steampunk, it’s probably not surprising that my favorite adult beverage is absinthe prepared traditionally, where it’s served with water dripped over a sugar cube. My favorite brand is Toulouse, which is made in New Orleans and I try to obtain a bottle or two whenever I visit. They make the traditional green absinthe, but they also have a hibiscus-infused red absinthe, which is amazing.
Back when I first created my vampires, I decided that although they don’t eat solid food anymore, I wouldn’t deprive them of their favorite beverages. It seemed like depriving someone of coffee for all eternity would be cruel and unusual punishment. For that matter, I do allow my vampires to sample some absinthe while they’re in New Orleans.
JSC: What are you working on now, and what’s coming out next? Tell us about it!
DLS: I’m currently collaborating with Lee Clark Zumpe on a collection of vampire flash fiction. These are little “bite-sized” stories that take a look at vampires from all perspectives be it romantic, terrifying, or humorous. This collection follows our earlier collection called Blood Sampler, which collected several of our stories from a small press zine of vampire tales.
The next thing coming out is The Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit. This is a full-cast science fiction and fantasy cinematic audio anthology series. The first edition features not only a pair of my stories, but stories by Timothy Zahn, Carol Hightshoe, and Patrick Thomas. The Museum of the Omniverse is the place where you can step into every reality that has ever existed for a time. The only problem is that massive space time ruptures are tearing the museum apart. You’ll join one of the curators as he leads you on a tour through the Dragon Exhibit as he searches for the rest of the museum’s staff and clues as to what’s happening to the museum. Not only does this audio anthology feature my writing, I had the opportunity to voice several characters as well. Watch for news about the project at: http://museumoftheomniverse.com
And now for David’s latest book: Ordeal of the Scarlet Order:
The Scarlet Order vampires are on the run.
Rudolfo de Cordoba has led most of the Scarlet Order vampires to a new home in Colorado where they can regroup and unlock new vampire powers.
Alexandra and Drake have gone to New Orleans to continue their quest for lost Biblical writings when they learn the government’s project to create super soldiers from vampires continues.
Marcella and Roquelaure have traveled to the South of France to avoid trouble only to stumble upon a terrorist plot and an even more frightening means of quashing extremism.
Meanwhile, Special Agent John Lassiter is on the trail of the Scarlet Order vampires. Will the vampires unlock their new gifts and save humanity from itself before Agent Lassiter catches up and ends the vampires’ immortal existence? The only thing certain is that they’ll learn truths about themselves and the universe we live in—and those truths will not leave them unscathed.
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Excerpt
From the notes of Special Agent John Lassiter:
I stepped off the jetway in Denver the next evening and furrowed my brow when I noticed an older man in a dark suit holding up a sign with my name. I walked over to him. “John Lassiter?” he asked.
I nodded. “And you are?”
He held out his hand. “Bruce Jenkins, Denver Bureau Chief.”
I shook his hand and swallowed. “I’m not used to bureau chiefs meeting me at the airport personally.”
He shrugged. “I got wind you were on the trail of some people behind an important break-in.” He looked around. “An important break-in that’s being kept low profile. I wanted to chat with you a little more before you proceed.” He held out his hand and led me past security and down to the luggage return, where I picked up my lone bag. We then stepped out to the curb where we found a plain black sedan waiting in one of the law enforcement spots. “I checked this car out of the motor pool for you.” Despite his words, he didn’t hand me the keys. Instead, he popped the trunk, then went to the driver’s seat.
I loaded my bag into the trunk, then walked to the passenger side door. The early autumn weather was pleasant. Just a few high clouds in the sky and a cool breeze portending the approach of colder weather. I sat down beside the bureau chief and he pulled out into traffic.
We left the airport in silence and drove down a major thoroughfare until we reached I-70. After a short distance on the interstate, we turned off and pulled into a Marriott near Quebec Street. “We’re close to headquarters here. You’re welcome to come into the office to do some work before heading down to Cortez, or you can hop on 70, head west and then cut down to the southwest. Whatever suits you.” He popped the trunk. “Either way, I have something I’d like to talk to you about, in private, away from the office.”
After retrieving my suitcase and checking in, I went to my room. Jenkins, carrying a briefcase, followed me. I dropped my suitcase on the bed and he settled into a comfortable armchair and opened the briefcase. He pulled out a photo album, turned to a page and showed me a picture of a man in a World War II army uniform next to a dark-haired man with a goatee, wearing a suit and a fez.
“The man in the uniform is my father, Captain Ralph Jenkins. The man in the fez, or I should say, vampire in the fez, is the American businessman Desmond Drake,” he explained. “You are looking at one of the few photos Drake voluntarily took with anyone.”
I took the album to the room’s table and sat, staring at the photo. Drake looked relaxed. I thought about Marcella’s brothel photo. It seemed surreal to see a man looking at me across the years. Although I’d never met Drake, I knew if I did meet him, he would look much like this. Well, maybe without the fez. “What was the occasion?”
“My dad served under Major-General Charles Ryder during the invasion of Algiers as part of Operation Torch in World War II. My dad told me Drake had been instrumental in the American Victory – one of the first American victories in the war.” Jenkins leaned forward. “Drake went on to help the allies win other victories throughout the war.”
I looked up and shrugged. “According to our records, Drake’s a merc. He helps whoever pays him the most.”
Jenkins sat up and steepled his fingers. “Drake’s a merc with a conscience. What the records don’t tell you is that five years before the Invasion of Algiers, Heinrich Himmler himself tried to recruit Drake to the Nazi cause. Drake was so appalled by the Nazis and what they were doing to the Jews that he turned them down flat. He barely managed to get out of the country.”
I shook my head. “So, he hated Hitler enough to throw in with the Americans in World War II. What does this have to do with vampires invading Los Alamos earlier this year? Maybe his opinion about the United States has changed. Maybe his allegiances have shifted.”
Jenkins took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I agree, I wouldn’t assume Drake is loyal to the United States per se. My point is, he has a moral compass. He’s not the kind of creature to simply help with a raid on a United States facility for money. He also has to believe that he’s on the right side of whatever issue.”
I stood up from the table, went to the sink and poured myself a glass of water. “Drake’s a vampire. He’s a killer. Who’s to say his moral compass aligns with ours?”
Jenkins pursed his lips and nodded. “Look, I understand where you’re coming from, but ever since my dad told me about Drake, I learned what I could about him. He first appeared in historical records in the late fifteenth century working for the Catholic Church in Spain. His lands in New Mexico were deeded to him by the King of Spain.”
I snorted a laugh, almost spitting out water. “So, you’re telling me he fought for the Spanish Inquisition. You’re not making a great case for his moral superiority.”
Jenkins sighed. “Fair enough, but even before New Mexico became United States territory, there are records of him allying himself with the United States government. In the War of 1812, when he still lived in France, he funneled supplies to the French, which helped us defeat the British. In the American Civil War, he helped Colonel Canby defeat General Sibley at the Battle of Glorietta Pass, which kept Denver out of the hands of the Confederacy.” The Denver bureau chief stood. “The point is, if he’s attacking a United States institution, he must have a good reason. It would behoove the Bureau to know what that reason is and whether we should investigate further.”
I sipped my water, then set the glass down. “Sir, Drake attacked an operation headed by Dr. Immanuel Love. I’m acquainted with Dr. Love. He’s been researching vampires. The only reason for him to research vampires for the government would be to find a way to eliminate them. That seems reason enough for Drake to sabotage his efforts.”
Jenkins met my gaze. “Are you absolutely sure you know Dr. Love’s motivations?” He stepped toward me. “I’ve looked into his research and I haven’t been able to learn what he’s up to. I don’t want to suggest that Drake’s an angel. Far from it. If anything, he’s a devil, but he’s been our devil.” He pointed a thumb to his chest, before going to the window and looking outside. “All I’m saying is that you may want to understand Drake’s reasons for attacking Love’s operations before going after his people, gun’s blazing.”