Random Bites
Night Huntress series FAQ
Why don't you have a movie/TV series made out of your books?
I would be delighted to see my work on screen, but this is something I have no control over. Seeing my work in print has been a dream come true for me, so having it adapted to TV or movie format would be icing on the cake. To date, film / TV rights have not been purchased for my series, but if that changes, I'll be sure to let everyone know.
Will there be more Cat and Bones books in the Night Huntress series after book seven?
I'm not sure. Things with Cat and Bones may wrap up in book seven, or I might need an eighth book to complete their storyline. I don't anticipate more than eight books with Cat and Bones, though. We'll see how things stand once I write book seven.
What are the "Night Huntress World" books you mention?
These are books where side characters already introduced in the Night Huntress series get to step up to the spotlight and become the hero/heroine in their own novels! "Night Huntress World" book one will feature Spade (a.k.a. Charles) as the main character. Spade is a centuries-old vampire who'd been a South Wales prisoner in the 1700's along with Bones. The overseer used to call the former Baron Charles De Mortimer by his assigned tool, a spade. He'd kept the name so he wouldn't forget his previous helplessness.
"Night Huntress World" book two will feature Mencheres as the main character. Mencheres is an Egyptian vampire with his human roots stemming back to the time of the Pharaohs. He's extremely powerful and knows many secret, forbidden magics.
Both Spade and Mencheres's books will be stand-alone novels, not the start of a new series. They will be set in current times, with their story lines running parallel to the Night Huntress series.
Will you ever write books unrelated to the Night Huntress series?
I have several ideas unrelated to my current series, and some stories I've already started. My schedule is pretty busy right now, so I haven't continued writing them. I hope to write another, non-vampire series after I wrap up Cat and Bones's story. We'll see how it goes!
What inspired you to write the Night Huntress series?
I came up with the first idea of it from a dream. In my dream, I saw two people arguing. Somehow I knew the girl was a half-vampire, the guy was a full vampire, and they were arguing because he was angry that she'd left him. The story of who they were, and what led up to that point in their lives, evolved and became HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE. Now the argument I'd glimpsed in my dream takes place in the second book in the series, ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE.
Is Bones based on anyone in particular?
Not really. Appearance-wise, you could say Bones is a blend of (younger versions of) Viggo Mortensen, Billy Idol, and Bruce Campbell. Personality-wise, Bones comes from my own twisted imagination.
Do you have a playlist for your books?
I don't have full playlists. I have certain songs that remind me of my books, and I will listen to them repeatedly while writing those books.
- For Halfway to the Grave, it was HERO OF THE DAY, by Metallica.
- For One Foot in the Grave, it was STAND INSIDE YOUR LOVE, by Smashing Pumpkins.
- For At Grave's End, it was NOW WE ARE FREE, by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard (the song that played at the end of the movie GLADIATOR).
Personal FAQ
Do you write, or have you been published before, under any other name?
Nope.
What are your favorite movies?
This list will change as time goes on, but here goes:
- Fight Club
- The Mothman Prophecies
- Signs
- Clay Pigeons
- Finding Neverland
- The Ghost and the Darkness
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Gladiator
- Army Of Darkness
- Unbreakable
- Groundhog Day
- Underworld (1 and 2)
- Austin Powers (all three of them)
- Death To Smoochy
- Galaxy Quest
- What About Bob
- Grosse Point Blank
- Snatch
- Blade (all three)
- Men In Black
- Kill Bill (1 and 2)
- Hellboy (1 and 2)
- Jeepers Creepers (2 only!)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- The Dark Knight
- 300
I'm forgetting several, of course, but I really loved all the above.
Who are your favorite authors?
See my Links page for a list of them.
Can I email you?
Of course! I love hearing from my readers, but since I personally reply to all my emails, it might take me a week or so to get back to you.
Why don't you have more books released within a year?
My publisher sets my schedule. So far, they're keeping my releases to approximately one book every seven to eight months.
Do you really like walking around in cemeteries?
Yes. The older, the better, too. To me, cemeteries are like a park, history museum, and an art garden all in one. Between the sculptures, the history behind battlefield burial grounds, and the beautiful, peaceful setting most of them are in, they really are lovely and interesting to visit. Some people find that creepy, but, to each their own.
Random FAQ
Did you know the kickstand was on the wrong side of the Harley on the cover of ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE?
Yes, several Harley owners brought that to my attention. I think the picture was reversed in setting the cover, and that's how it happened. My apologies to Harley riders everywhere! (but doesn't the bike look cool? :).
Who does your book covers?
Thomas Egner, art director extraordinaire from Avon/HarperCollins.
Do you get to pick your covers?
I tell my editor my ideas for the covers, plus any must-have's or oh-God-no's as far as images. My editor then relays those things to Tom, who makes sense of my half-baked ramblings and turns out these gorgeous covers.
What does your husband think of your writing career?
He'd always urged me to chase my dream of being an author, so he's been very supportive. As far as his thoughts on what I write - vampires, ghouls, ghosts, and more - I'll quote him: "You've got a sick mind, honey. You should put it to good use." LOL, I agree!
Writing / Publishing FAQ
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
The best advice I could give sounds cliche, but it's true: write. The more you write, the better you'll get at it. Read a lot. Be prepared to revise your novel(s), because writers seldom get anything right the first time, and revising is part of the process. Then, once you've polished a novel, gotten a second (or third) constructive critical opinion on it, revised, and polished again, you would start agent hunting. But until you've finished a novel and really gone over it several times, don't look for an agent. Write first. Make sure you love it. Then jump into the publishing world :)
How many rejections did you receive before you got an agent?
I had over thirty rejections until I signed with my first agent – and I would have kept trying even past that.
How many books did you write before you sold?
HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE was the first book I ever completed.
Will you read and critique my manuscript/query letter?
Due to legal and ethical reasons, I can't read unpublished works. And due to time constraints, I can't read or critique query letters. Sorry, but there are only so many hours in a day.
Will you refer me to your agent / editor?
Since I can't read your work for the reasons listed above, I can't tell whether it would be a good fit for my agent or editor. Therefore, I couldn't give a referral. Both my agent and my editor accept queries, however, so read their guidelines and then try your luck. The query process still works.
Do you have any advice for finding an agent or getting published?
See my Q&A For Writers link on my website, and best of luck to you!