Can you tell readers a little bit about
yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
Thank you so much
for hosting me! I was born and raised in Alaska on a steady diet of darkness,
comic books, and powdered milk. I have a degree in English lit, with an
emphasis on Shakespeare and the Victorian era. And while I love the classics,
the first time I picked up an Urban Fantasy novel I was hooked. The genre
features almost all of my favorite things – violence, high stakes, nasty bad
guys, underdog heroines and heroes, and combinations of supernatural power,
mythology, and technology. All it’s missing is a sweet, caramel center.
What is it about the paranormal, in
particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I love the
potential of the paranormal. Anything is possible, whether its new creatures or
a twist on a classic. I’ve always been into formerly-human immortals or
immortals reduced to humans, so vampires are a natural match. Being able to
pretty much live forever if only you can handle being saddled with an
anti-human hunger is really interesting to me.
Please tell us about your latest
release.
Falling from the Light is the third Night Runner book set
in a world where vampires aren’t just “out”, they’re really, really involved in
the human world. As in, they have some power. Sydney Kildare is human, and
working for vampires has made her acutely aware of her humanity – her fragility
and limitations, and her capacity for change. She exited the vampire world in a
pretty spectacular fashion, basically by faking her own death, but has since
been pulled back out of a need for protection and due to her growing affection
for Malcolm Kelly, a vampire.
Syd’s coerced into
infiltrating a pharmaceutical company manufacturing a drug that makes vampires
lose control. At the same time, she becomes the focus of several vampires
seeking to use her in their power games. As the title suggests, this book isn’t
light and fluffy. Bad things happen. People get desperate. Nobody leaves this
book the same as when they entered.
Is there a character that you
enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I love writing
Syd. Her defining characteristic is joy – that’s all she wants out of the
world. A few minutes of joy here and there. And that doesn’t diminish when
things turn rotten. She just pushes through, trying to get back to better days.
Did you find anything really
interesting while researching this or another book?
Running in the Dark involved quite a bit of research.
It was set in Santiago, Chile, and I needed a lot of details about fairly
mundane things. Road maintenance. Which wines are consumed there versus those
that are exported. Bus schedules. The coffee culture. I ended up watching a lot
of music videos from local bands, for glimpses of actual nighttime culture.
What is the most interesting thing
you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Heh. An excellent
question. Syd’s a skilled driver and fairly athletic, but she’s human. So I
found myself checking a few things out to make sure that they were physically
possible, things like cornering in snow at high speeds and escaping a car with
your hands zip-tied together. I sacrifice for my art, man.
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?
They can be read
alone, but I think the books are more impactful as a series. Each one has its
own plot, but there are some arc and character development that take place over
the course of the series. I’m a big series reader and have always kicked myself
for reading out of order (though I still do it on occasion) because some things
will be more profound with the entire context in sight.
Do you have any weird writing quirks
or rituals?
I can’t deal with
anything else happening when I write. The TV can’t be on. I can’t write in
public except on airplanes where everybody sort of has their own locked-in
little personal bubble. At home, even when I’m alone in a room, I wear
noise-cancelling headphones. But since I can’t even listen to music, there’s
nothing on. I’m just sitting there alone, basically wearing a helmet to keep stimulation
at bay.
Do you write in different genres?
I also write
science fiction, both near-future and distant, alien worlds. And I’ve tried my
hand at contemporary. That’s been the most difficult for me, I think because I
tend to have a fairly cynical view of humanity today. I find it difficult to
believe that a regular person will do good if it costs them unless there’s some
massive menace out to destroy their world. Is that depressing? Man, that sounds
depressing. *goes back to writing space ships and vampires *
Other than writing, what are some of
your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I’m a huge reader.
I like to travel. But food is probably my main passion, and I’m talking every
aspect of it. Tasting, cooking, growing vegetables and herbs, fishing. The only
thing I don’t do is raise and butcher live animals, though I will deconstruct
them if I have to.
Where can readers find you on the
web?
Mostly on twitter,
and mostly at night (unless they’re in East Asia or Australia).
Website: http://regansummers.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Regan_Summers
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/6nFaH
Would you like to leave readers with
a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Absolutely! This is an excerpt from a little reconnaissance
mission Sydney and Mal are conducting at a casino – a vampire casino.
“Stay
close,” Malcolm said. “If something upsets you, swallow it. Remember that this
is all a show. Nothing here matters.”
“What
happens at Tenth World stays at Tenth World? Like Vegas, only the glow eyes are
real?”
He
smiled, but the expression sharpened as we left the small room. The collective
feel of vampire swirled and fizzed in
the air, and I gripped the banister as we descended the wide staircase. Face
blank, I tried to match my strides to Mal’s. He raised his chin as he peered
around the room, attention everywhere other than me. But his energy, warm and
intangibly dense, ran over my skin. It condensed in a strategic location,
governed by his will, and – tense and startled – I jerked.
“Malcolm,” I hissed through my teeth. He
tilted his head and grinned wickedly, showing a hint of fang.
“You
have nothing to be worried about.” Leaning close, he brushed his knuckle over
my cheekbone and whispered, “Just remember that you’re mine.”
Jesus.
Game on.
Falling from the Light
Night Runner
Book Two
Regan Summers
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 11/24/2014
Number of pages: 250
Word Count: 94,500
Cover Artist: Croco Designs
Book Description:
Phoenix, AZ
All Sydney Kildare wants is a minute in the slow lane, some time to decide where she’s going with her vampire lover, Malcolm Kelly. But after sitting out the last battle, the powerful Master Bronson is giving orders again, and he isn’t above blackmailing his former courier to get what he wants.
With Mal sent to track a vicious killer, Syd is forced to infiltrate a pharmaceutical company responsible for a drug that turns vampires into real monsters. She’s unprepared and alone, but fiercely determined. If her investigation doesn’t satisfy the Master, Malcolm will pay the price. A wrong turn throws her into the middle of a vampire power play. Caught between twisting forces, with their freedom at stake, she’ll have to decide what’s more important: love, power or revenge. But choosing what feels right might turn out all wrong.
About the Author:
Regan Summers is the author of the romantic urban fantasy Night Runner series. As a native Alaskan, she’s used to long, cold nights but thinks they’re better with a helping of sexy vampires. Don’t Bite the Messenger, the first in the series, was a finalist for the 2013 EPIC eBook Awards in the paranormal category.
Website: http://regansummers.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Regan_Summers
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/6nFaH
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