Interviews
Exclusive Author Interview
Barnes & Noble.com: How does romance enrich the dangerous, darkly sensual world you've created?
Christine Feehan: In every book I've ever read, or movie I've ever watched, the characters had to really matter to me. Whether the story was suspense, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, whatever, I wanted the characters to be happy, to find someone to love them and to share their life. When I started writing, it was just natural to write romance into my stories. I think what appeals most is finding the right woman for the hero -- seeing them mesh, watching the magic unfold between them.
What makes a story romantic, for me personally, is the hero knowing that he and the heroine belong together. Belonging is important to all of us -- belonging to a family, belonging to a mate. In Dark Fire, I think that the hero's willingness to sacrifice everything he is -- all his power -- for the heroine is what makes the story romantic. I love him for that: He melts my heart.
B&N.com: What do you enjoy most about paranormal romances?
CF: I love both reading and writing paranormal romances, because they offer such a wide scope for creativity and imagination. Paranormals allow writers to bring in everything, from elements of magic, shape-shifters, and witches, to the creepy, edgy things that go bump in the dark. The books can be humorous, adventurous, mysterious, suspenseful, or even totally fantastical.
Personally, I love anything dark and dangerous --anything out of the ordinary. I love the use of dark and light and evil versus good in a story. Vampire legends abound throughout the world. It wasn't too much of a leap to envision the other side of those legends -- creatures bound to the elements of the earth and nature, endowed with wonderful gifts, but also fighting against impossible odds to survive. I believe powers such as psychic ability, shape-shifting, and healing all add to the power of the romance as well. A magical connection between hero and heroine as they strive to overcome their differences makes for a powerful, emotional love story.
When I first had the idea of writing the Dark series I didn't envision a typical series, but the creation of a world within our world. I wanted each book to stand alone, to be a wonderful love story and a grand adventure; yet I also wanted to be able to put the books together and weave a large tapestry of the Carpathian race. I enjoy expanding that world with each new book.
B&N.com: What do you think Tempest's very human background of abandonment and abuse adds to the story?
CF: We all have tremendous strengths, and we all have
special ways of coping with, and compensating for our weaknesses. All our backgrounds -- what we've seen, what we've lived through -- shape our characters. Tempest's background allows her to be much more accepting of who and what Darius is. She needs a family, a home; she needs acceptance of her own differences. She is able to find humor where another might not, in Darius's dominating ways. She sees his accomplishments, his soul. Tempest's past shaped her very real strengths -- the strengths that make her a true complement for Darius.
The tragedies Darius faced in his childhood shaped him as well. People sometimes do extraordinary things under dire circumstances -- they can step up to greatness as Darius certainly does. Facing the possibility of becoming a vampire added to Darius's strength. You can't help but root for a man who perseveres through sheer force of will. I always love my hero when I's writing my book, but Darius has something extra. I think it is the combination of his power and
emotional vulnerability. And more than that, I admire
loyalty, a trait he has in abundance!
B&N.com: Could you tell readers a little about the Carpathian concept of lifemates that you created for this series?
CF: Again, light and dark come into play here. Carpathian lifemates are two halves of the same whole. The man is darkness, he is a natural predator -- simultaneously aggressive, loyal, dominant, and protective. As he journeys through his life, he loses his ability to see in color and to feel emotion, unless he finds the one woman who is his other half. She is the light to his darkness and can restore his emotions and bring him back into a world of feelings and color. I believe that only when we know ourselves -- how we think, what we feel, and what we want -- are we capable of finding a true partner in life.
Readers can get the latest news on my upcoming
releases at my website at www.christinefeehan.com, and I can be reached through that site,or at crisfee@yahoo.com, or through letters sent c/o my publisher.
