Author Jason Tanamor #Interview

Jason Tanamor Interview

 1.       Congratulations on Vampires of Portlandia! Can you please tell readers a little about this book?

 The novel is centered around Marcella Leones and her family of aswang vampires.

They flee the Philippines for Portland, Oregon for a peaceful life. In the book, the Philippine government is trying to rid the country of aswangs, to keep the country pure. So the vampires relocate to Portland, Oregon because the city reminds them of the little mountain town they’d left behind. 

 In Portland, Marcella raises her grandchildren under strict rules so humans will not expose them. Her only wish is to give them a peaceful life. Before she dies, she passes on the power to her eldest grandchild, Percival. He vows to uphold the rules set forth by Leones, allowing his family to roam freely without notice.

 However, when the aswang covenant is broken, the murder rate in Portland rises drastically. The vampires don’t know who is behind the murders. Along with sensie Penelope Jane, Percival must find the truth.

Jason Tanamor

 It's then they discover that there are other breeds of aswangs—werebeasts, witches, ghouls, and viscera—who have been residing in Portland for years.

 Readers can expect a fun, quirky, somewhat creepy, and epic read.

 2.      Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the term aswang within Filipino folklore?

Aswang in Filipino culture means shape shifter. There are five different breeds of aswangs—vampires, viscera, werebeasts, ghouls, and witches. In the Philippines, aswangs are like the boogieman. It’s a story that elders tell their children and grandchildren to scare them. I’d never heard of it growing up. One day, I was watching the TV show, “Grimm”, and one of the episodes revolved around aswangs. I’d called my father and he gave me the background, but I don’t think he believed the lore because he was very casual about his response. I slowly became fascinated with the subject.

 3.     You’ve written several stories including Drama Dolls, a dark comedy with the themes of grief and obsession, Anonymous, a raw story set in a prison with a character named Unknown, and Hello Fabulous!, a gay-friendly comedy. Do you have a “brand”, and if so, what would you define it as?

 I don’t have a brand. I just write whatever I find interesting. I never thought I could do this for a living. I work a full-time job with the Department of Army, so I really just want to tell stories that I would want to read myself.

 4.   I poked around your website, and I was impressed by the amount of influential people you’ve interviewed. Who is your dream literary interview, dead or alive?

 Mark Twain. When I started to fall in love with stories, especially literature, he was such a big influence on me. His books are classics, and he was able to incorporate a great sense of humor within his stories. 

 5.  When did you first develop a love of writing?

 When I was in college, I started writing a humor column for my university newspaper. I loved my little space in print, but even more so, I loved hearing and seeing the reaction from the students on campus. It was really the reactions that got me hooked, how you can make someone’s day, or impact someone just with words that really resonated with me.

 6.  What writing tips would you give to newbie writers?

 My favorite quote is a lyric by Sheryl Crow. It’s off “Globe Sessions”.

 “Making miracles is hard work; most people give up before they happen.”

 Publishing is a tedious and slow process. In an era where everyone wants things done ASAP, beginning writers need to understand that publishing isn’t a fast process. A lot of people get frustrated or plain just give up.

 Don’t.

 If you can learn to write for yourself and because you love it, you’ll eventually see a reward.

 7.    What book(s) are you reading right now?

 Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff.

 8.    What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?

 I’m currently just doing press for Vampires of Portlandia. I have three completed novels and one completed novella that are out seeking homes.

 9.   Where can people find you online?

 You can find me at www.tanamor.com, which has links to all my socials and information on all my books.

 10.   Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?

 Please give diverse books and underrepresented stories a chance. Publishing is taking a beating with the lack of diversity. Vampires of Portlandia doesn’t only introduce Filipino culture, it’s entertaining and humorous as well.