CreepyLA is proud to launch its 2009 series of Creepy Questions with award winning, legendary author Francesca Lia Block, perhaps best known for creating the character Weetzie Bat in her “Dangerous Angels” series of books. The New York Times wrote, “”Block writes about the real Los Angeles better than anyone since Raymond Chandler.”

Photo © Nicolas Sage, used with permission.
Her newest novel is “Pretty Dead,” a sort of reverse vampire tale set during the recent Malibu wildfires, as a vampire with the looks of modelesque teenage girl seeks a way to become mortal again after falling in love with a normal boy.
Ms. Block will be signing “Pretty Dead” over the weekend at Book Soup on Sunday at 1:45pm, and will be signing following a book discussion hosted Dark Delicacies at the West Hollywood Book Fair on Sunday at 1:45pm.
Can you recall your earliest Halloween costume, or favorite costume as a child?
I was a pumpkin the first time. I was also a gypsy and wore all mom’s hippie jewelry and scarves as a grown up my best costume was a drowned surfer in my boyfriend’s wet suit with green face paint and real seaweed.
Have you ever had a paranormal encounter or some other unexplained experience you can share with us?
I was staying with my ex-husband in his brother’s old farm house. We woke to loud banging sounds and tried to check them out but couldn’t find anything/anyone. The house was cold in a way I have never experienced cold. In the morning we asked my brother in law about the sounds. He said that the man who had built the house died days before it was finished and was rumored to haunt it still.
What prompted you to write a vampire novel? Was the current vampire trend an influence in any way (True Blood, Twilight, etc.?)
I was trying to deal with the tragic death of two acquaintances. I have always been fascinated with vampires. If anything the success of Twilight (True Blood wasn’t on yet) discouraged me from exploring this theme but I chose to do it anyway because I needed to tell the story.
What are your favorite horror novels, or horror films? The scariest?
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN! I adore it. Also, the book Let Me In that was it’s source. Beautiful work.
In “Pretty Dead,” your main character, Char, seems to be an eternally angst ridden teen, perhaps an extension of her personality trapped from the age she was turned. Do you think there could be an ideal age to become a vampire? And if you ever given the opportunity, would you be tempted to become one?
I would want to be a vampire if I could become one with the one I loved and could drink vegetarian blood like beet juice. I would NOT want to have turned at 17 that was a horrible time for me. My dad was diagnosed with cancer. I would like to be turned in my late thirties, as I was coming into myself as a woman.
What has been the creepiest place in Los Angeles you’ve ever visited?
The Jayne Mansfield fan club house I wrote about in WEETZIE BAT!
Describe your perfect Halloween.
I love this question. Okay, so maybe this Halloween will be that! First, I go trick-or-treating with my kids in the neighborhood. My neighbors really get into it and there are haunted houses and decorations and lights and cauldrons of dry ice. After that, my kids go with my ex-husband and I go to a giant dance party in a magical hotel with a High Elf. I am dressed as a Night Fairy. All our favorite songs are playing. We drink water and eat strawberry vegan wheat-free cupcakes and stay up all night. At dawn we drive to the beach and watch the sun rise.