Character’s name
Julia Smith

Personal history (parents, siblings, history, backstory)
I grew up in 16th century England. I was close to my sister Crystal and was in love with Adam, our servant’s son. Unfortunately, I had to marry a man named Gregory instead. The only good thing he ever did was give me my daughter Marie. And then he . . . he did something unforgiveable. My baby is gone and I became a vampire.

Personality (pros & cons)
You know that asking a person about their personality tends to give a skewed result, right? I am kind and love fiercely. I’m resilient and resourceful, although I probably tend to doubt myself. I’ll admit I have some serious pent-up anger. Occasionally, I have made reckless decisions that hurt those I care for. I’m not perfect, but I haven’t met anyone who is.

Why will reader sympathize with this person right away?
I think readers will see parts of themselves in me. I don’t come from another planet, and lived a rather normal life for a while. I may be hundreds of years older, but I’m still just a woman trying to make the best out of her situation, just like any human.

What does character want from life?
(Julia laughs.) I’m guessing you’re expecting an exotic answer for a vampire. What I want is fairly mundane, I’m afraid. Fame and riches don’t interest me anymore. I want to love and be loved. I want to enjoy little things, like a walk under the moonlight. Oh, and I want to be able to lead my kind into having a peaceful co-existence with mortals so I don’t have to worry about being hunted down like a rabid dog.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
I wish I get a day like that. Well, I would enjoy a nice meal and visit a Riverwalk with the moon shining down. If it was a winter day, maybe I could visit a human museum before it closes. Honestly people, would it kill you to have them open later a day or two a week? We vampires enjoy culture too.

What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they’ve known you for a while?
I am a little shorter than the average woman nowadays. Most people think I am ordinary and rarely spare a second glance, unless they are admiring my red hair. If someone attempts to get to know me, they usually find I’m friendly and more than capable of defending myself. When I’m alone, I appear vulnerable and unscrupulous people get bad ideas. They usually regret those ideas in short order.

What are you most proud of about your life? 
The people I have come to call family.

What’s the worst thing that’s happened in your life? What did you learn from it?
I’ve had a few terrible things happen to me in my long life. Despite that, I still say the worst is losing my daughter. I learned that monsters can come in many forms and you must fight evil or be consumed by it.

What do you like best about yourself? Least? 
My best quality is being able to overcome adversity. My least favorite quality about myself is my tendency to react impulsively rather than think things through. It has gotten me in trouble a few times.

How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?
I like where I am in my life now. There are always regrets, but I am learning to let go of the past.