He laughed, but I grabbed my pen and notebook and started jotting down details as fast as I could. The entire background of the Ancients came to me in rapid fire—from the climate of their planet, their social structure, their physical traits, strengths and weaknesses, everything. I like to think of my vampires as something of a cross between (the movies) Predator and Blade.
Why haven't or can't the Ancients produce a female? I mean in all those generations resulting after them, why can't there be some female offspring as a result?
—Tori R., Port Saint Lucie, FL USA
Remember, the Breed is the offspring of the Ancients (alien) and Breedmate females (half human, half Atlantean). The Ancients’ DNA is the stronger of this pairing, even down the line in later generations of the Breed, so their genes determine gender in their offspring. In the case of this story world, it’s always produced males. Dragos was able to manipulate gender and breeding in his labs, but scientific interference in reproduction is frowned upon by Breed society as being unnatural. On the Ancients’ planet, among their own kind, they produce both male and female offspring.
Why did you choose the Atlanteans to be the fathers of the Breedmates and as the new (old) enemies of the Breed?
—Tamara K., Birkenau, Hessen Germany
It was actually a happy accident that Atlanteans played into the series in any way at all. In Kiss of Midnight, I had mentioned that the Ancients devastated entire civilizations after coming to Earth. One of those civilizations I listed was Atlantis. When I wrote that, it was nothing more than a throwaway mention, but later on, many books later, I realized I needed not only a way to explain the existence of Breedmates, but I also needed to find a bigger, more powerful enemy for the Order than Dragos as the series continued to grow. Making the connection between a mysterious, hidden civilization like Atlantis and the Ancients felt like a perfect fit—one that had been right in front of me the whole time!
Was it hard to get a publisher to pick up a story with "alien" vampires in it? It seems to me the alien/science fiction genre is a little harder to pull into mainstream.
—Amanda K., Littleton, CO USA
I’m happy to say it was no problem at all. From the very beginning, I’ve had wonderful editorial support on pretty much anything I wanted to do with the series. I think the alien element of the Midnight Breed world is subtle enough that it doesn’t fall into space-y Science Fiction/Fantasy categories, which aren’t really my personal reading interest anyway, and which might have been problematic from a marketing standpoint. But no one has ever asked me to tone anything down or avoid certain storytelling choices in any way, and for that I feel quite fortunate.
I am a huge fan of the Midnight Breed series. I have every book to date. I am not sure if anyone has ever asked this or not, but out of all of the Breed members that you have written so far, who is your favorite and why?
—Jennifer L., Euclid, OH USA
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my books. I don’t have a personal favorite character in the series, and that’s a deliberate choice. I try not to let myself fall too much in love with any one character in particular, but instead focus all of my attention—and affection—on the characters I’m writing at the moment.
I think as a writer it can be all too easy to lavish all the love on one series “star” to the neglect of the others. I want each character, and each book’s romantic pairing, to be as special as I can make it, and let no one pale in comparison to another character. I feel I’ve done my job when readers tell me who they love most and there’s no clear winner, but favorites across the board!
Are we ever going to read about the years between Darker After Midnight and Edge of Dawn? Or do you not feel they are essential to the story line?
—Amanda C. Dodge City, KS USA
I may set a novella or two in the twenty years between First Dawn, which occurs at the end of Darker After Midnight, and the start of the new series arc that begins in Edge of Dawn. I have one idea percolating now, and I think it could be interesting to see a story set against the backdrop of those dark years of war. I don’t envision any full novels set during that period, though.
When the captive Breedmates were rescued in 'Taken by Midnight' they were taken to Claire and Andreas's. Did they stay there indefinitely or move on to some of the nearby Darkhavens?
—Lisa D., Raymore, MO USA
Andreas and Claire’s Darkhaven in Newport, Rhode Island, provided temporary shelter for the freed Breedmates. The ones who were pregnant at the time stayed on to have their babies there, but most have either reunited with their own families or moved on to make new lives for themselves elsewhere. It’s possible that we might see some of those women again, or their grown children, in the second arc of the series.
I have read all of the Midnight Breed novels thus far and I always wondered. Why did you decide to promote this series as romance novels and not as vampire genre? I feel that they are so much more than romance novels.
—Lori D., Warwick, RI USA
Thank you, Lori! Marketing decisions for the series are made by my publishers, not me, but I do feel that the books are romances first and foremost. Each story is centered on the evolving romantic relationship between a hero and heroine, and everything else going on in the novel is secondary to the focus on that relationship. But I’ve always loved books with high-octane, engaging plots and lots of adventure and suspense, so writing those elements into my romance novels just comes naturally to me.
Why do the elders of the Order have so few children? It seems Breedmates only have one pregnancy each.
—Margie E., Akron, OH USA
As Lucan would likely tell you, the Order’s compound, like any other military headquarters, is not an ideal place to raise children. Although having a mate and kids may be fine for the civilian Breed populations in the Darkhavens, it’s long been a conscious choice that warriors in the Order do not go willingly into a blood bond or family life. But then I came along several years ago and started messing with everyone’s lives! I’m taking great enjoyment in showing Lucan and the others that resistance is futile. *g*
Has Jenna turned into the first female Breed?
—Miriam W., Aztec, NM USA
The first female Breed that we’ve met in the series is Tavia. Jenna is human, and she cannot turn into one of the Breed. She is, however, taking on some of the genetic qualities of the Ancient, with some differences. For example, although she has developed a fondness for Brock’s blood (I mean, really, can you blame her?) she will not develop fangs and will not require blood for sustenance like one of the Breed or an Ancient. Her human biology means she can still consume human food and she is also unaffected by ultraviolet light. So, Jenna is a powerful, unique genetic being unlike any other we’ll see in the series.
Will we ever learn more about the Breed members' families? For example, we met some of Kade's family in Shades of Midnight. I'd love to learn more about other extended families!
—Shannon E., Benson, NC USA
I find it’s a tricky balance, trying to provide fully fleshed-out backgrounds and backstories for the main characters without overwhelming the current storyline or the flow of the text with a lot of names and details about people we may never meet. So, for that reason, usually, unless a character’s family will play a part in the book, or if some detail is necessary for explaining part of the story—for example, a character’s motivation for being a certain way or doing something good or bad in the current storyline—I tend to leave those details out.
Although several of the Order’s members are parentless (Lucan, Dante, Rio, Gideon, just to name a few) it’s reasonable to assume there are parents and/or siblings out there for many of the other major characters in the series. Whether or not those family members will have parts to play in the books still to come, I’m not sure. But if it makes sense to bring some of them into the storyline, I’m definitely open to it. I need to be a little careful there, or the series could easily ex
plode into a cast of thousands, all demanding a turn in the spotlight!
If they have the same ability (like Kellan and Alex), does that mean they are biologically related? Or just nature repeating itself?
—Amber F., Monroe, GA USA
I try not to make any of the characters’ ESP talents exactly the same as someone else’s, unless the characters share a maternal connection somewhere down the line. If talents seem similar, as with Kellan and Alex, and Tegan as well, in this case, there are subtle differences that separate them. Alexandra has the ability to detect deception in humans with her touch. Kellan’s touch gives him the ability to determine a human’s intentions, good or bad. And Tegan’s talent works on human, Breed and Breedmate alike, giving him the ability to read anyone’s emotional state with his touch.
Will Jenna enjoy the same longevity as the Breedmates since she has the Ancient's DNA implanted in her?
—Christina S., Camby, IN USA
Yes, but unlike the Breedmates, Jenna will not require a blood bond in order to live longer than a normal, mortal human or an unmated Breedmate. She will easily live as long as any of the Breed.
Did you always plan to reveal the Breed to the humans and if so, why did you want them revealed?
—Manna G., London, United Kingdom
From just about the midpoint of the series—while I was writing Midnight Rising—I came to the realization that if the series was going to continue for any length of time, it needed some room to grow and evolve. One thing I wanted to avoid from the beginning was stagnation in the series, and it seemed to me that it all could get pretty boring unless something big was coming farther up the road. I knew I’d need a closing point for one part of the series—something monumental, which would also provide a good twist that could carry me into another storytelling arc.
I was never in doubt about what that twist needed to be, so from that moment on, I began writing toward the events that unfolded in Darker After Midnight. Bringing the Breed out in the open has given me a big new canvas to work with, exciting new conflicts, allies and enemies, while still allowing me to remain faithful to the core characters and the heart of the series. I’m having more fun than ever, and I hope readers will enjoy all the twists and surprises still to come.
Why wasn't Rio able to sense Eva's deception through their blood-bond?
—Bettina H., Maglod, Hungary
Rio would only have been able to sense Eva’s heightened emotions and her physical presence through their blood bond, but it’s not a mind-reading connection. If she were careful to keep her emotions in check while she was betraying him, Rio would never know. And his trust in her as his mate would only blind him further to any deception.
As an author, what's the biggest challenge that you have felt and how did you overcome it?
—Rohinee I., Mumbai, India
My biggest challenge as an author is the same one that’s always held me back in other areas of life: Self-doubt. I’m not sure I’ll ever totally overcome it, since it’s been with me forever, but somehow you do find ways to get past it, at least temporarily, which is often all the push you need. For me with my writing, having a deadline helps! So does all of the lovely email and online messages I receive every day from readers. But in the end, every writing session begins with a fresh new hell of a blinking cursor parked on a blank page.
Fortunately, for every ounce of fear and self-doubt I have that my ideas are lame or my writing is flat, I’ve also got an equal measure of stubborn determination that refuses to let me give up on anything that’s important to me. There’s an old quote I used to keep in a frame on my desk to remind me to be courageous, and I still find myself referring back to it whenever I’m caught in the paralyzing trap of self-doubt about my writing or anything else in life: “Do it trembling if you must, but do it.” (Emmet Fox)
Your male main characters have such strong alpha attitudes. How do you pair them up with their Breedmates?
—Vikki K., Palm City, FL USA
I love big, bad, dominating alpha heroes. But it takes a strong woman to hold her own against a guy like that. I don’t necessarily mean physically strong (although that’s good too—just ask Niko or Brock) but a woman who won’t be cowed by a lot of arrogant bluster or dark, broody scowls and growls.
Many times, I’ll match up an alpha hero with a heroine who will be a source of constant friction for him, whether that’s emotional friction or as an obstacle standing in the way of something he wants (or thinks he wants). Other times, I’ll look for a heroine who will bring out a softer side of him that he’s reluctant to admit he even has—the unwilling protector, or the unexpected savior. Or I might push him into a situation where the heroine becomes his partner in some way, forcing him to rely on her and see her as his equal, either by giving him no other choice in the matter or by simple necessity.
It really depends on the characters and what my instinct tells me is the right pairing for them. And when I say the right pairing, realize that very often that’s the dead last person they think they should be with!
What character trait do you admire most in your characters and why?
—Lysette L., Moorpark, AL USA
The same trait I admire in anyone: Resilience. Life can be a challenge, and we all go through our own personal hells and torment along the way. The ability to spring back from adversity, or to rise above something that threatens to drag us down, is huge. Anyone can be courageous, especially if you’ve never been tested. But it takes something extra to be able to come back stronger after you’ve been kicked to the ground or made to feel “less than” in some way. Each of my characters has this trait, and I hope their stories help illustrate for my readers that no challenge is too great to overcome, and we are stronger for everything we endure in life.
When starting this series, did you ever envision Lucan as a father?
—Michelle N., Olmsted Falls, OH USA
No! In fact, when I started writing Lucan’s story, I didn’t imagine his life beyond that one book, let alone envision him growing into his current role ten books later, as both a father and the diplomatic leader he swore he could never be. It’s been a very interesting journey, full of surprises for him and for me!
I was wondering now after I have read all the books up to Mira’s was there ever a book or character that was hard for you to write emotionally?
—Nikki N., Marion, IN USA
None of the characters have been more difficult than any others, however, early on in the series I decided against writing a certain character because I felt it would be too difficult for me personally to go there. Originally, I had intended to pair up Tegan with a completely different heroine than Elise. My plan for him was a concert pianist who was dying from leukemia—except the doctors were going to be proved wrong, because Tegan was going take her away and save her life with his blood. That’s how I proposed the story when the series sold as a trilogy in 2005. But before I even wrote the first word of Tegan’s book, I realized the storyline would be cutting too close to home.
You see, at that time, my husband’s eldest daughter, Leslie, was undergoing treatment for leukemia, which had come back after chemotherapy a few years earlier and had later required a bone marrow transplant. I’d thought it would be therapeutic somehow to write a happy ending for a heroine fighting a similar battle, but as Leslie got worse and eventually passed away in January 2006, I knew there was no way I wanted to relive any part of that storyline in fiction or otherwise. So, while I was writing Kiss of Crimson that same year, I decided to instead recast Tegan’s heroine as Sterling Chase’s widowed sister-in-law, Elise.
You receive plenty of fan letters and comments. Do your fan comments influence your idea/direction of a book storyline? If yes, please share a particular situation.
—Madeline P., Escondido, CA USA
I do receive emails with suggestions for storylines or characters, and although I appreciate the enthusiasm and the emotional investment some readers have in the series (
seriously, I take it as a tremendous compliment!) I have to stay true to my own vision for the series. I’m the only one at the helm, for better or worse, and the control freak in me won’t have it any other way. But…I did make one exception.
A few years ago, I had my first book tour in Germany. At one of my events, a reader in an audience of over 150 people really pressed me hard to explain what it was about the Breedmates that made them different from basic human women. She wanted to know why they had unique blood properties that allowed them to carry a Breed offspring, and why they were psychically gifted, insisting that there must be something more to it than my admittedly lame answer of, “Um, they’re just different.” In all of my story building and plotting, I never clearly defined the origins of the Breedmates.
I came home realizing that was some lazy writing on my part, and I was determined to fix it if I could. So, I combed through the early books, looking for a possible solution that would be organic to what I’d already written. And I found it, more readily than I ever would have guessed. I found more hidden truths as well, things that will be coming to light as the series continues to unfold. Whether it was my subconscious running miles ahead of me, or good old-fashioned serendipity, I don’t know. But thank you, anonymous German reader from Dortmund! You taught me a wonderful lesson that day, and helped make the series stronger at the same time.