Interview with Carolina Courtland author of Sweet Savage Blood

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?

I grew up reading old classic romance novels like Shanna and Angelique and the King. I got into paranormal romance a few years ago and was inspired to combine the two styles.

What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires that fascinates you so much?

Vampires make great characters. They can be sensual, elegant, and have enhanced abilities and talents. There's so much more you can do with them: go back in time, have them appear and disappear like smoke. Plus, all their emotions are heightened, which makes for great drama.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to bring the passion from the old bodice-rippers to the teens of today. I noticed most paranormal romances are erotica. They are so explicit they are not suitable for young people. On the other hand, teen paranormal novels don't contain heart-pounding romance. I wanted to merge the paranormal elements, which are popular today, with the traditional romance.

Please tell us about your latest release.

Sweet Savage Blood is about undying love and sacrifice. It's about a man who loved his late wife so much he willingly turned into a vampire so he could wait for her to be reincarnated. The problem is, once she comes back, he finds it isn't easy to reunite with her. He has to overcome serious obstacles. 

Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?

I look for unique names. I do search for certain time periods to see if a name might have been used at the time my characters lived. Caden, my main male vampire character's name, is an old Welsh name that means "warrior".

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?

My heroine, Dominique, was the most challenging, since she is really two characters. (The book has flashbacks in time.)  She is both her original self from the 1800s, and a modern day reincarnation. When I was developing her, I had to allow for the fact that the two Dominique were raised differently, in vastly dissimilar eras. Even though her soul is the same, I couldn't have their reactions and behavior be exactly alike because that wouldn't ring true.

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?

Caden's vampire cousin, Quentin. I loved writing his snarky, mocking comments.

What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?

My favorite scene is when Quentin's craving for Dominique's best friend, Madison, gets the best of him, and he proclaims his desire for her at the opera. It's a sizzling scene with a surprising twist. (That's in Part II: Revelations)

Did you find anything really interesting while researching this book?

I discovered there was a Federal slave law passed in 1850 that made it a crime to harbor runaway slaves. This created ruthless "slave catchers" who hunted them down. Slaves were forced back to their  "rightful" owners. I was shocked by all of it.

Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?

It's exactly like our world today, except it has paranormal creatures.

With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?

Sweet Savage Blood comes in three parts: Reunion, Revelations and Blood Ties. They have to be read in order and can't be read alone.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

I do suffer from writer's block and there's nothing I can do when that happens. I will look at a blank page and have nothing. Then one day it just hits me and I start writing again.

When did you consider yourself a writer?

When I was a child and started getting good grades for writing creative stories.

What are your guilty pleasures in life?

Eating foods that aren't good for you, like fried chicken, pizza and chocolate sundaes.

Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?

I rescue animals from shelters and the street. I am an avid animal rights activist and a gourmet cook.

What can readers expect next from you?

I've already started Sweet Savage Blood's sequel:  Blood Fires. Readers will discover who the mysterious woman with the violet eyes is.

Where can readers find you on the web?

At my website: www.sweetsavageblood.com

Or my blog: http://sweetsavageblood.wordpress.com/

And on Facebook: Carolina Courtland

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

I would love to. This is a scene from Part III: Blood Ties with Caden and Dominique:

". . .With his savage desire overtaking him, his mouth covers hers. His kisses become more forceful, more aggressive. No longer having a will of his own, his lips move from her mouth to her neck. He runs the tip of his tongue up and down the length of her carotid artery, savoring the sensation of pulsing life in it. She quivers in response. A fire ignites in him, blotting out all reason. Every muscle, every vessel, every cell in his body demands he take her, drink from her—now.

He lifts up from her neck with his nostrils flaring. His fangs come down, his pupils slit, and he lunges at her beckoning artery. He groans in ecstasy as his lips make contact with her succulent, yielding flesh. He can smell the sweet nectar of her rich blood, hear her blood singing to him, feel her pulse throbbing from his lips through his entire body. Driven insane with bloodlust, his sharp fangs start to pierce her supple skin . . . "

Dominique is a typical teen in a boring Texas town, where the most exciting thing is the annual turnip green festival. When the charismatic Caden Hanover enrolls in her high school, her life takes a heart-pounding turn. From the moment she sees Caden, she is irresistibly drawn to him. She has no idea that not only is he a vampire, but that he knows she is the reincarnation of his human wife—the wife he hasn't seen in almost two hundred years. He is determined to reestablish their passionate love. He won't stop until he claims Dominique as his own—and eventually makes her his vampire bride.