The delightful, Chloe Neill stopped on her blog tour to answer a few pressing questions from her fans. If you haven't read the Chicago Vampire Novels yet, Start Now!
Continue reading after the interview for a chance to pick up FREE SWAG, compliments of Ms. Neill and MuseLed Blog.
Drink Deep is available November 1st.
1) How did you come up with the concept for this series and how long before you started writing the series had you developed its ARC?
The ARC occurred to me as I was conceptualizing the series. I was very interested in the idea of vampires who lived in Houses--whose loyalty would be divided, not just vampires versus humans, but vampires versus vampires. It wasn't until I had that idea that the Chicagoland Vampires world really came into being.
2) When I met you at San Diego Comic Con this year, I asked if the shocking event at the end of "Hard Bitten" was planned or did you decide while writing “Hard Bitten.” You replied you knew the ARC of the series from the beginning and that shocking event was always planned. I know you won’t tell us your plan, but does a character ever evolve to a point that you decide to change either the character’s ARC, the series’ ARC, or an individual book’s ARC?
The events of HARD BITTEN were always planned. I wasn't sure which book those events would fall into precisely, but they were always going to happen. The events of the series are pretty well established in my mind, and I have a pretty good sense of who the characters are. I wouldn't say the characters "surprise" me; if an action seems surprising to me, it's usually because it's inappropriate for the character, and I try to stay true to them.
3) Your FAQs currently post that you are contracted for seven Chicago Vampire books. Since you’ve had the ARC of the series planned since book one, does it change when more books are contracted? If so, do you consider a different ending to the series, or just expanding the ARC?
The end of the ARC stays the same, but it's a very general idea. So each book in the series functions like a chapter in the overall story, and gives me a chance to let the characters grow and develop on their way to the end. I will reveal that I want Merit to have a happy ending.
4) Merit was made Sentinel because she was able to resist Ethan’s call, but wasn’t she only able to resist because her turning wasn’t complete?
Ethan didn't know she could resist his call until he tried to call her at the Commendation (when he'd already decided to make her Sentinel.) Her ability to resist his call is part of her resistance to glamour (to the call of all vampires). She was made Sentinel because he thought she had potential as a vampire, as a fighter, and as a strategist--particularly given her political connections.
Thanks for having me today!
Now before you ask why I didn't ask certain questions, please remember, Ms. Neill has a strict "no spoilers" rule. I have those same questions and maybe we will find out the answers during her next tour, or in Drink Deep (available November 1st).
Find out more about Chloe Neill, The Chicago Vampire Novels, and other stops on her tour on her website http://www.chloeneill.com/ . I encourage you to check out the other sites on her tour since they will definitely have different questions.
FREE SWAG Giveaway:
1) Please leave a comment below.
You can ask more questions about the CV universe that I can pass on, what you love about the CV books, or anything else you think of.
2) Then leave and email or twitter name here or email it to me at (wegie at ymail dot com), so I can contact you if you win. I will only contact you if you are a winner. I will also post the winner(s) here and on MuseLed Blog facebook page by Thursday, Oct 20th.
