Raina, congratulations on publication of your latest novel, The Vampire – A Covenant for Peace. We’ll dig into it momentarily, but let’s start with your background. Where did you grow up and what schools did you attend?
I grew up in North Scituate, not far from the Scituate Reservoir (largest freshwater body in the state of RI), in a peaceful country setting. As a kid, I explored the vast forest behind my home with neighborhood friends and classmates, climbed trees, rode bikes like wild maniacs, and slept with my window open during summer nights because the thought of crime touching us never crossed our minds. I’m glad I had that, because life is so different today.
Summers, I spent most days with my beloved grandmother (she was my “daycare” while my parents worked), working on her family’s farm off Taylor Road in Johnston. She was one of twenty children (yes, 20) in a large Italian family. The farm had been in her family for generations, and I had the pleasure of picking vegetables, frolicking around the fields, exploring wooded areas and nearby pond with cousins, riding horses, and connecting with nature. I used the inspiration of that time on the farm with my grandmother and her sisters and brothers in my novel Divine Providence, which is why readers tell me it’s so authentic to read (because it’s taken from my actual lived experience).
I attended Scituate High School, where my graduating class consisted of about ninety-three students. In my senior year, I was honored to be voted “Best Dressed.” I was so proud of it.
I later attended Rhode Island College, majored in Communications, and graduated Cum Laude. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Rhode Island College where the professors convinced me I could make my dreams come true with much hard work. I wanted to be a news reporter and was told by many that I would never achieve that goal unless I attended a school well-known for churning out successful broadcasters. Thankfully, my professors assured me I could achieve anything at Rhode Island College with a clear goal, diligence, and never giving up. So that’s exactly what I did. I graduated, worked hard, and made it happen. I thank Rhode Island College for the guidance that led me in the right direction so I could accomplish what was in my heart.
When did you start writing fiction and what inspired you?
While working as a news reporter for WPRI-TV and ABC6 News before that, I covered stories that I found rather bothersome and made me think. Stories about crime, corruption, war, and child and animal abuse, made me wonder who human beings were deep down — at the soul level. It was a question that popped up in my mind over and over. I saw so much negativity I began to wonder what God, Source, the Creator, if there was one, thought about what human beings were doing to themselves, each other, animals, different nations, races, the planet, etc. and I imagined He wouldn’t be too happy about the direction we’d been heading in for a very long time.
My imagination took over as I considered how to portray this extensive idea in a book. I envisioned God, Source, the Creator, observing everything and questioning whether human beings are worthy of remaining the most dominant species on Earth, or if our inherently warlike nature makes it justifiable for Him to eliminate us and start anew. I pondered how He would ultimately decide the answer and what action to take. From there, the beginnings of The 13th Apostle emerged. Once I began, inspiration flooded in as if I had assistance from somewhere else, guiding me to the scenes, words, and chapters necessary to tell this epic saga.
You’ve stated that your late father, whom your new book is dedicated to, always supported your writing. Can you expand on that please?
My father, Edwin J. Smith, Jr., who I like to say merely stepped into another dimension of reality where I will see him again, loved science fiction and the supernatural. I grew up watching television shows such as In Search of… with Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Buck Rogers. We also watched and enjoyed movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Wars — among our favorites!
His love for such genres was due to several extraordinary experiences he had during his lifetime that defied explanation. When he would tell me about them, I was awe-struck. It made me think about what is out there, on the planet, off-planet, and in the spiritual realm. These accounts stoked my imagination, and I began thinking about ideas, beings, abilities, and places that other elementary or high school students wouldn’t typically think about. Since I had a natural affinity for such topics, it permitted me to imagine what else, beyond what we experience with our basic human senses, is out there in the universe and the untapped metaphysical resources deep within ourselves.
He was very proud of my profession and writing career and marveled at the stories I created in my books. My father had the opportunity to see me publish The Earth Consented, which was also dedicated to him, and talk with me about the scenes in that book, which were among his favorite topics—human contact with extraterrestrials.
And we have to ask about your first name! In The Vampire – A Covenant for Peace, you state that you were your parents’ only child – “whom your father thoughtfully named after the rain.” What’s the story behind that?
My mother, Mary Ann Smith, was nearing the end of her pregnancy with me and she and my father hadn’t settled on a name for a girl. At that time, most women learned the sex of their baby at birth rather than beforehand, as ultrasounds were not widely available. They had already chosen a name if I had been a boy: Rudolph. My father’s favorite uncle, Rudolph, had died in a car accident when he hit a tree while driving home from a family wedding. So, he wanted to honor him.
My father said it was about two weeks before my mother was due, and he was at my grandparents’ house, sitting at the kitchen table with his mother discussing names, but nothing resonated with him. Outside the window, he watched the rain and began to play around with the word “rain” aloud. Then it dawned on him, “rai… rain… rain-a. Raina.”
And there it was: I was named after the rain. My mother was on board because the name was unique, and they’d never heard it before.
All right, let’s learn about The Vampire – A Covenant for Peace. Can you give us a brief overview?
The Vampire—A Covenant for Peace is the sequel to my novel The Vampire.
Rex continues his harrowing existence as one of the world’s oldest and most powerful vampires in The Vampire—A Covenant for Peace (Volume 2). Having sought refuge in Newport, Rhode Island, to escape the chaos of his kind, his fragile peace is shattered when Renée, the love of his immortal existence, delivers a bombshell revelation that upends him.
As he wrestles with his place in a world divided by fear and hatred, Rex discovers an uninvited witch on his land while facing a mounting threat from mortal enemies intent on his destruction. Meanwhile, in the shadowed halls of the Vatican, a treacherous alliance with Balázs, an imprisoned vampire traitor, may hold the key to Rex’s survival—or his ultimate downfall.
With a centuries-old war looming between vampires and the Holy See, a covenant demands an impossible price: trust, forgiveness, and sacrifice. From the misty forests of New England to the heart of Rome, Rex must navigate deadly alliances and confront the darkness within him to fight for a future where love and peace might finally prevail.
Gripping, suspenseful, and unforgettable, The Vampire—A Covenant for Peace (Volume 2) is a story of survival, vengeance, and the unyielding hope for redemption.
Who is Rex, the protagonist?
Rex is a vampire, yes, but he is no “ordinary” vampire who hunts and kills in uncontrolled bloodlust. This immortal predator has a conscience. Quietly residing in the City by the Sea, Rex must kill to sustain himself, but being at odds with his own dark nature, he is careful only to do so with purpose. Since his first kill in Homeland, Denmark, he has appointed himself humankind’s silent judge, killing only those he deems the scourge of humanity, to feed.
So, just how does he find his kills? Rex is an avid news consumer. He watches local TV news broadcasts, listens to talk radio, reads area newspapers, and eavesdrops on conversations in restaurants to learn who society’s criminals, corrupt politicians, bank robbers, abusive bosses, child and animal abusers, and even unnecessarily mean family members are and targets them. He is a vigilante killer of man who claims the lives of those he deems unworthy of living in such spectacularly chilling fashion it’s poetic.
Sadly, Rex is a tormented soul. Half human, half vampire, he is a unique hybrid who does everything he can to stay connected to his humanity. A lover of the arts, Rex appreciates classical music, artwork, dance, and architectural design. He also dresses exceptionally well in custom designs by a local tailor.
Rex is highly intelligent, sophisticated, and has a taste for the finer things in life. He lives in a Gilded Age mansion (which he seized from its former owner, whom he deemed less worthy) and hosts extravagant dinner parties, even if he has only one guest.
He also spends much time walking footpaths through the dense woods behind his home, where he thinks profoundly about his existence, which he never wanted for himself, collects materials for his in-home laboratory where he stores them to concoct potions and remedies, and “forest bathes.” While in the woods, Rex, who has many metaphysical abilities, communicates with the trees through vibrations. They, his and his property’s watchful guardians. Here, his old friend, Chester, an owl, lives, and shares the gossip and stories of the goings-on with the critters in these parts, entertaining the vampire.
Imagine the actor Mads Mikkelsen when reading this book. HE is Rex.
Where does the novel take place?
The Vampire series primarily takes place in picturesque, historic Newport, Rhode Island, but also includes various locations throughout Rhode Island, including the Rhode Island State House, Mercy Brown’s grave in Exeter, Providence, and even Rome, the Vatican, Denmark, and Hungary. Readers are treated to lots of history in The Vampire series, including how/why Rhode Island was founded, who Rhode Island’s alleged “first vampire” was and what secrets lie within the Royal Charter of 1663 housed within the Charter Museum in the RI State House.
This novel also explores the nature of the soul. Therefore, aside from the places readers are taken to, they must also turn inward to assess what they believe the soul to be and whether or not there could ever be redemption and salvation for those such as Rex, who wrestle with their inherently dark nature.
On your website, you describe The Vampire – A Covenant for Peace as “a breathtaking journey of survival, vengeance, friendship, true love, and the cost of finding peace in a world filled with those who crave power and control above all.” The book, of course, is fiction, but aren’t there parallels to the real world today?
While The Vampire—A Covenant for Peace is a work of fiction, it reflects many of the power struggles and moral dilemmas we see in our real-world experiences today. At its core, this novel explores themes of survival, vengeance, hope, friendship, redemption, and the search for peace, all set against a backdrop of dangerous alliances with those who manipulate and dominate others out of fear, or for their own power and personal gain.
In today’s world, we see conflicts where individuals and institutions prioritize control over justice, forcing people to navigate treacherous landscapes—both literal and figurative—to protect what they cherish. This book reflects these struggles through its characters, particularly Rex, who confronts impossible choices on his journey toward redemption and peace. His path resembles what many face today: resisting oppression, seeking truth, and realizing that true power often resides in integrity, love, and sacrifice rather than in brute force.
I think that’s why readers connect so deeply with Rex and the other characters in The Vampire series. The story is truly thrilling and immersive, but it also speaks to the human (and vampire) experience in a way that feels relevant and, at times, unsettlingly real.
The Vampire – A Covenant for Peace is the sequel to The Vampire. A summary of The Vampire, book 1 in the series, please. Will there be a third in the series?
The Vampire is a hauntingly poetic tale of immortality, redemption, and the eternal struggle between darkness and light.
For centuries, Rex—one of the rarest and most powerful vampires ever—has remained hidden in plain sight, quietly residing in Newport, Rhode Island. The people around him have no idea that a predator walks among them or that he has appointed himself their silent judge.
Unlike his cold-blooded brethren, Rex is no mindless killer. He hunts purposefully, seeking out only the most loathsome of humanity and delivering their end with a chilling, almost artistic precision.
Yet, beneath his lethal nature lies a tormented soul, one at odds with his own existence. As he roams Rhode Island’s historic streets, Rex finds himself drawn not just to the beauty of the arts and the raw power of nature, but to something far more elusive—the possibility of meaning, perhaps even redemption. Can a creature of the night have a place in the grand design of the universe? And if so, does he deserve it?
When love unexpectedly enters his immortal world, Rex is forced to confront emotions long buried, questioning whether a heart steeped in bloodshed can honestly know passion—or salvation. But in the end, he learns a painful truth: being a vampire is hard, but dying is even harder.
Blending gothic horror with deep existential introspection, The Vampire is an unforgettable journey into the mind of a complex antihero—one who forces us to reconsider what it truly means to be human.
Yes, there will be a third book in the series. I have already written 16 pages, but I plan to take a break after finishing the sequel so recently (early 2025). Writing a novel is a passionate, intense labor, so I need a time of reprieve before returning to this vampire world. Taking time away from the story to relax and clear my mind is always a good practice, so I can return to it refreshed and with new ideas.
I may also write another book in a different genre before returning to this saga. That has happened to me in the past.
In 2018, I was halfway through my novel, Thy Kingdom Come, book 3 in The 13th Apostle trilogy, when The Vampire forced its way into my imagination. I knew to “go with the flow” and not turn my back on it, as there had to be a reason this book needed to come to be in that time. The ideas, characters, and scenes pushed their way through so intensely that I put aside the book I was working on and began writing The Vampire. The story, with its exceptionally interesting characters, dramatic scenes, and twists and turns, never let me go. I saw The Vampire through, published it, and later returned to Thy Kingdom Come to finish and publish it.
I am totally open to my inspiration and allow it to dictate what I write next.
You’ve published a total of six books. There are four other books along with The Vampire series (currently a 2-book series with a third in the works). Can you give us a description of all of them, starting with The Earth Consented (2023)?
Raquel Quinney, a young, naive woman from North Scituate, Rhode Island, could never conceive how her life would forever change after her car breaks down on a dimly lit back road. Searching for help, she discovers something unfamiliar to this world nestled deeply among the pine; the craft of an ancient alien race. That’s when she is faced with a decision that will ultimately define her destiny – accept an invitation to sojourn through deep space with an extra-terrestrial species to learn about the true nature of the universe or return to her vehicle with no recollection of their encounter.
What Raquel fatefully decides exposes her to knowledge that mankind has long been ignorant of, that everything in existence possesses consciousness and awareness. This includes planets such as the Earth, which initially consented to provide a home for human life, but is regretting.
If what Raquel learns from the interstellar travelers she’s come to know is accurate, then immediately expanding humankind’s consciousness is crucial. Raquel knows she must find a way to demonstrate to the world what the soul is to save the human race, but doing so could potentially cost her life.
The Earth Consented will provoke readers into starting an internal dialogue about what they believe may lie beyond Earth’s atmospheric borders, in the vastness of space, as well as whether or not they believe intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe. It will also compel readers to confront their beliefs about whether or not time travel is possible, if reincarnation may be the pathway for a soul’s ascension, where our dead go, and if near-death experiences offer glimpses into the next realm.
And The 13th Apostle, book 1 in The 13th Apostle trilogy (2011)
In the heart of Rome, Father Joseph, a devoted priest with a tragic but inspiring past, unexpectedly uncovers an ancient scroll concealed deep within the Vatican. Shrouded in secrecy and fiercely protected, this document is believed to have been penned over two thousand years ago by a man considered by some to be a mysterious thirteenth apostle of Christ.
As Father Joseph deciphers the scroll’s chilling prophecies, he becomes convinced that humanity is on the verge of its final reckoning. Driven by an unshakable sense of duty, he embarks on a desperate journey across the globe to save humanity’s soul. Yet, he remains unaware that an even greater celestial battle is unfolding.
Glenn, an angel of the highest order, has descended to Earth to determine whether humanity has, of its own free will, extinguished the last traces of purity within its soul. If so, the end is inevitable. However, the underworld has its own plans. Falene, a cunning emissary of darkness, challenges Glenn to a fateful wager: he must find the last person on Earth with a heart untainted by sin and surrender them to her for the ultimate test. Only through this trial can the true nature of humanity be judged.
Glenn accepts. If he fails, every soul will be lost to the depths of hell. As the chosen one is stripped of everything and faces trials that could break even the bravest heroes, one question remains: can they rise against evil in its purest, most terrifying form to prove that goodness still endures?
The 13th Apostle is a captivating, thought-provoking thriller that compels readers to question: is humanity inherently good or irredeemably lost?
The first installment in an electrifying trilogy, The 13th Apostle sets the stage for an epic battle between light and darkness, faith and doubt, hope and despair.
Divine Providence, book 2 in The 13th Apostle trilogy (2016)?
Mankind spirals further into spiritual darkness in Divine Providence, the gripping sequel to The 13th Apostle and a powerful continuation of The 13th Apostle trilogy.
Father Joseph remains steadfast in his mission to serve God’s will, traveling across the world in search of his lost twins, Roarke and Fallon. Meanwhile, their mother, the cunning and ruthless Falene, has orchestrated a sinister plan to ensure her children follow in her footsteps. But what she fails to realize is that the twins carry something far greater within them—souls gifted by God Himself.
From a secluded cliffside home in Scotland to the quiet farmlands of Jamestown, Rhode Island, Roarke and Fallon grow up with an innate awareness of the divine presence within them. Their connection to the earth and all living creatures awakens their understanding of God—but this newfound faith is at war with an ancient darkness that seeks to claim them for its own.
As the battle for their souls intensifies, history itself may hold the key to humanity’s fate. In Rhode Island, the birthplace of religious tolerance and home to the Royal Colonial Charter of 1663, secrets emerge that suggest the 13th Colony played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of mankind.
A tale of faith, free will, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness, Divine Providence challenges readers to question the forces at work in our world—and within themselves.
Thy Kingdom Come, book 3 in The 13th Apostle trilogy (2019)
Thy Kingdom Come is the epic conclusion to The 13th Apostle trilogy, where the battle for redemption reaches its most perilous depths.
Fallon, having willingly condemned her own soul to the netherworld, embarks on a daring and selfless mission—to save her twin brother, Roarke. No soul has ever escaped the Place of the Cursed, and she has no way of knowing what awaits her in the afterlife’s most feared realm. But what she finds is nothing like the horror she imagined.
Hell is breathtaking. A realm of haunting beauty, seemingly crafted by the greatest artists in history. Yet beneath its mesmerizing facade lies a deception more insidious than anything Fallon has ever known. As she wanders through this Abode of the Damned, she encounters tormented souls whose sins were so unforgivable that even they cannot pardon themselves. Through their confessions, Fallon begins to unravel a truth that may hold the key to freeing Roarke—if the Evil One hasn’t already foreseen her every move.
In this gripping finale, Thy Kingdom Come explores the power of redemption, the weight of free will, and whether even the most forsaken soul can defy damnation.
Religion plays a big role in your books. Tell us about that.
I would call myself profoundly spiritual and connected to God, but not religious.
I grew up Episcopalian, attending Trinity Episcopal Church in Scituate, RI, and enjoyed learning about religion in Sunday School. The Reverand and his wife were so kind, loving and supportive, making the experience positive. Still, I didn’t feel like I was getting everything I needed. Something was missing, but I didn’t know what.
I do remember being put off by other churches/religions (and even family members) that taught “theirs” was the one true religion, and if you didn’t belong to their faith you weren’t making it to heaven. It upset and confused me because I knew it wasn’t true. There is truth and goodness in all religions. That’s where my heart was.
Even as a child, I deeply felt that God was everywhere and in everything—that I didn’t necessarily have to go to church to experience Him.
After college, I began exploring other avenues of connection with God. This has opened me up to a more profound and meaningful life experience as I now know that God is within us, each other, in nature, animals, and the entirety of the universe.
I’ve explored this philosophy in all of my novels. Regardless of whether someone is religious or spiritual, we can all connect with God in various ways and bring goodness into the world through kindness or our abilities and gifts. Through my characters (yes, even vampires desire to communicate with God and know He is present in their lives and that there is hope for salvation and redemption and an afterlife where we will see our loved ones again), we see how they each express this uniquely. This has opened my readers to accepting and considering different perspectives on religion and spirituality, prompting them to explore these ideas themselves, if they haven’t already.
What’s next for you?
A break.
I’ve written several books in the last few years alone, and they’re big books, 400+ pages, so I need to take some time to relax — not sure I know how to do that, but I’m going to try.
I did, however, write 16 pages to a third book in The Vampire series (because it made me – ha, ha) so there is the chance I play around with scenes in that book while I “relax.”
Finally, what advice do you have for young or emerging fiction writers?
If you have a story living in you, start writing. While some authors outline everything before they begin, that’s not how I do it. All I need is to see one scene in my mind’s eye, feel a deep connection to it, know that I want to learn more, and live in that character’s world, and I sit down and start working on it.
Books, stories, and poems don’t necessarily come to you in order, all neat and perfectly formed. Mine come to me in bits and pieces, and through sparks of inspiration that fill me with emotion. That is my cue to sit down and write, and it may be yours, too.
Don’t worry if you don’t know all the parts of the story or where they go yet. Start writing what you know, see, hear, and feel, and keep going because you can always rearrange your scenes later.
You will never regret starting a writing project. You will regret not trying.
Author Raina C. Smith has recently appeared on local lifestyle TV shows, such as WJAR-TV’s Studio 10 with Mario Hilario and WPRI-TV’s The Rhode Show, promoting her newest and sixth novel. Below are links to the broadcasts.
WJAR-TV’s Studio 10 w/Mario Hilario: https://turnto10.com/studio10/local-author-raina-c-smith-new-release-the-vampire-a-covenant-for-peace#
The Rhode Show appearance: https://www.wpri.com/rhode-show/raina-c-smith-shares-about-her-book-the-vampire-a-covenant-for-peace/
SOCIAL MEDIA:
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