- Who are the Shadow Guards?
- NIGHT FALLS DARKLY is the first book in the Shadow Guards series that will release in October 2008 from Signet Eclipse. How many installments will follow in this series?
- Can each book be read as a stand-alone novel? Or can the reader rather expect an ongoing storyline that will conclude in the last installment?
- The story is set in the Victorian era. What fascinated you so much that you set your stories in that time?
- What inspired you to write romance in general, and this series in specific?
- What should readers know about your books before they buy them?
- Do your books have a HEA (Happily-Ever-After)?
- What are your heroes and heroines like?
- What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your books?
- When are your next books coming out?
- Where do you get your ideas?
- How many books do you usually write a year?
- What do you like most about being a writer?
- How much research do you do and how do you do it?
- Does reader feedback help you with your writing? Is feedback something that is very important to you?
The Shadow Guards are a mysterious order of immortals tasked with intervening, as necessary, in the lives and deaths of mortals. Archer, Lord Black, the hero of NIGHT FALLS DARKLY, is a Reclaimer, and is charged with hunting down and eliminating the most morally deteriorated, wicked souls of the earth’s population. Reclaimers are known for their ruthlessness, and even other immortals fear them. Only an immortal can slay an immortal, and it is the Reclaimers who, at times, are dispatched by the Primordial Council to act as assassins. Over the centuries they have aligned themselves, when necessary, with mortal kings and leaders. Some have been awarded titles and estates, and they enjoy the privacy and comfort wealth can bring. Archer is a particular favorite of Queen Victoria.
I’m presently writing SO STILL THE NIGHT, the second in the Shadow Guard series, which follows the story of the deeply competitive Helios, Lord Alexander, who we meet in NIGHT FALLS DARKLY. As for how many installments will follow — that depends on the popularity of the books with readers. I hope there will be more.
Each book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel, out of order, but there is a story thread that will carry throughout — an increasingly malevolent danger that threatens the existence of not only the immortals, but all of mankind.
My fascination with the Victorian era began while reading the novels and stories of late-Victorian Henry James and Edith Wharton. Such beautiful people, and careful society manners … and deep, shocking betrayals. And I’ve always loved anything spooky and gothic. If there’s fog and shadows, I’m there. As a setting, I found Victorian London to be especially interesting. There was such an intense concentration of wealth, privilege and opulence in neighbourhoods like Mayfair and Belgravia, while just a short distance away were the neighbourhoods of the East End, where one would find the lowest and most desperate of human conditions. There’s also so much “quirk” associated with the Victorian era, and I’m a big fan of quirky.
What inspired you to write romance in general, and this series in specific?
To me, there’s nothing more exciting than the first meeting, and the subsequent “dance” that takes place between two people who are meant to be together. Who are meant to be soul mates. Especially when it’s obvious they can never be together. I love writing romance because I get to make the “can never be together” disappear. It was even more fun putting the “immortal” twist on this series. You’ll see my tag phrase: Heroes worth waiting (forever) for. When you’ve existed from the beginning of time, and lived a thousand “lives” already — what sort of person would make time stand still for you? I got to explore that question in these books.
What should readers know about your books before they buy them?
That they are a strong balance of both the historical and the paranormal subgenres. I really hope I’ve created something very different, that many readers will enjoy.
Do your books have a HEA (Happily-Ever-After)?
Yes, they do!
What are your heroes and heroines like?
My heroes are sexy, competent warriors who are jaded by all they’ve seen over the centuries. They are men who gave up on love a long time ago. My heroines are gifted, intelligent women who blaze a meaningful path for themselves, in spite of the restrictions of the time period.
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your books?
I hope I’ve written the kind of characters and love story that will stay with a reader for days, and even weeks after they’ve read the book. Those are the type of books I, as a reader, seek out.
When are your next books coming out?
SO STILL THE NIGHT will be out in May 2009. I’ll update as soon as I’ve got a specific release date.
I have no idea. I know my mother wonders the same thing. All I can say is once a few words are on the page, the stories take on a life of their own. NIGHT FALLS DARKLY was inspired, in part, by the movie MEET JOE BLACK.
How many books do you usually write a year?
Within the span of a year, I’ll write one book, and begin another. I am not someone who writes or creates quickly.
What do you like most about being a writer?
Every story idea starts out like a puzzle, and there’s an enormous sense of accomplishment in figuring out the puzzle. I guess I’m a challenge junkie. There are also great perks like getting to go to cocktail parties where Nora Roberts is in attendance. No, I’ve never spoken to her, but I’m pretty sure I touched her air.
How much research do you do and how do you do it?
I do loads of research. I normally do my preliminary research on the internet, and I track down specific sources or experts on a given subject from there. I scour bibliographies for additional resources. Bookfinder.com has made a lot of money off of me over the years. I also make use of university libraries and fine arts collections.
I appreciate reader feedback so very much, and would love to hear any thoughts and questions a reader might have.