Why don’t you share with us the very exciting news you recently received. On March 25^, early in the morning, I was getting ready to go to the dentist to have a temporary crown done. I answered the phone on the way out the door. It was the contest director of the RWA^® calling to say THE YARD MAN had finaled in the Romantic Suspense category of Golden Heart.^®

Who did you tell first? Haha! Besides my son, who heard the screaming when I set down the phone from the other room, I immediately e-mailed my crit partner, a.c. Mason, of course.

Where did you go immediate after? The dentist, of course. Life goes on, even though your brain is buzzing with happiness. Not an altogether bad way to sit in the dentist’s chair.

How did you decide to enter the contest? And what category to enter? Once again, haha! It was my crit partner, a.c. Mason, who convinced me to enter the Golden Heart. I didn’t want to enter.  First of all, even though THE YARD MAN had finaled in several contests last year, in the fall months the ms had been getting it’s butt kicked in the romance category and I wasn’t feeling all that confident. Around the time of the Golden Heart entry deadlines, I decided to try entering the RS category. I knew I had written a romantic suspense story but the historical setting had always thrown me when entering contests.

Are you planning to attend the award ceremony? Going to Nashville, baby!

What is the manuscript about?

Set in late Victorian London, THE YARD MAN is the first in a series of romantic suspense novels featuring a clever and wickedly sexy Scotland Yard detective, a love story and a suspense/thriller subplot.

Here’s the blurb:

Zeno Augustus Kennedy is part stoic gentleman, part adventurous Scotland Yard agent. Brilliant, troubled, and wildly uninhibited in bed, he is an enigma of the first order. Having lost his mistress, killed in a horrific blast perpetrated by Fenian dynamiters, Zeno has struggled for years to forgive himself for not preventing the bomb attack. Just as the memory of his explosive past begins to ease, the young widow Cassandra St. Cloud moves in next door.

After six months of marriage and nearly three years of mourning, Cassandra is more than ready to purge off her widow’s weeds and begin life anew. An artist by temperament as well as training, she is not only eager to paint again but entertains the idea of a romantic escapade, something discreet but rather daring. Having an amorous and famous detective for a neighbor proves to be more than tempting, especially when her affaire with Mr. Kennedy catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

Where did you get your inspiration for the story? I was knee deep in another historical romance novel, which was rapidly turning into a trilogy. After writing over 300,000 words with no end in sight, I was feeling a bit drained and overwhelmed. I needed a break from the ms. Having read and enjoyed Amanda Quick’s mystery/suspense, romance novels, I began thinking about something set in the late Victorian period. I didn’t want to do yet another variation on Sherlock Holmes, so I opted for Scotland Yard detectives (often portrayed in novels and film as bungling inspectors). I thought why not create a special branch of elite detectives and hook them up with feisty heroines?

Is it true that The Yard Men Series has two branches? Yeah, there is Special Branch and Secret Branch.

Tell me the unique attributes of each branch and the tone of the novels. The first novel, is romantic suspense and involves Special Branch detective, Zeno Kennedy. In that story, I introduce several other detectives, including Phaeton Black, an eccentric, somewhat troubled character who I instantly knew I wanted to develop into the dark hero of his own story. Since Phaeton is an occult detective I needed to create a new division of Scotland Yard called Secret Branch. These stories are darker and more erotic in tone and incorporate both suspense and paranormal elements.

Are there more Yard Men in the wings? And what branch do they work for and why?  Oh yes. I have another RS story called THE CARNAL SINS OF RAPHAEL, which involves Detective Rafe Lewis and an industrial tycoon’s daughter on the run from a crazed, maniacal killer who hates the new machine age and is determined to see anyone involved in modernization obliterated. What I love about this suspense tale is I have them on the run from the beginning to the very end of the story.

THE MISS EDUCATION OF DOCTOR EXTER is a story I am also excited to write. Reader’s first meet Doctor Exeter in Phaeton Black’s story, when he and Phaeton team up to solve the vampire murders (amongst other crimes). In THE MISS EDCUATION OF DOCTOR EXETER he solves a series of occult murders that come to involve his ward, Mia, (now fully grown up) who has begun to shapeshift into a Leopardess. As the dark mystery unfolds, Mia helps Doctor Exeter expose a strange, brilliant inventor bent on revenge. Together they defeat a small army of undead creatures and uncover a plot to eliminate every member of the British Royal Society. In the process, they also fall into a very heated, sexually charged romance.

Share with me your research techniques? How much do you do? As you know, I do a lot of research on the front end of every story. As I begin the writing process, I research details as I need them. I am a big believer in sprinkling in lots of authentic period details, which helps ground the characters as well as the reader into the world/time frame.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Very early on, I think I wanted to be a screenwriter or filmmaker. I went to art school and eventually fell into working as an advertising creative. I continued to take film school courses and ended up involved in a film production company (documentary projects, music videos and TV commercials). Finally, I figured out I was more than likely a storyteller and began to write down my stories. For the past year and a half, I have been working very hard at learning the finer points of fiction writing.

At what point do you feel you shifted your focus to your literary career? When Tony, my partner of ten years died of cancer, I went through a very important shift in priorities. I thought––no one knows how long they have on the planet. If you have stories to tell and you’d better get them told.

Who inspires you? People who are passionate about what they do.

What are you especially grateful for when it comes to your writing? I am grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received along the way. My crit group and wonderful crit partner (of course). I also want to recognize the creative risk-taker in me. It is not easy forging your own path in fiction writing, but I think it is critical to developing your voice as a writer.

Tell me something I don’t know about you? I have so many dark secrets I’m not sure which one to tell.

I like doing a speed round for others to get to know you. I’m going to list a few things and I want you to name your favorite.

Superhero? Doctor Who

Hero? Edward Sissorhands, Jack  Sparrow––Heathcliff. Obviously, I gravitate towards the eccentric, darker types.

Time Period? 1880––1910.

Historical Novel? SEA OF POPPIES, is a current favorite. The novel is set in British Raj India. Part of the research I am doing for my next historical novel.

Historical Film? A Room With A View (such a feel good movie) or Wuthering Heights, the BBC version with Tom Hardy. Yes, I know you love him too!

Thank you. That was great fun.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to be asked about a special talent, a pet, so on that you’d like to share with us. I have a horse named Bronson who I have owned since he was three years old. He has won many blue ribbons and buckles for me. He is smart and brave with an attitude––truly a hero.

What’s next for you? Two historicals in the works. One set in British Raj India at the turn of the century, tentatively titled FOREVER AND A DAY and another set during WWII Scotland called THE SHEEP INSPECTOR. Both are mainstream novels with romantic elements.

I wish you all the success G. Jillian Stone. Thank you for sharing with us your exciting experience as a 2010 Golden Heart Finalist for the Yard Man in the Romantic Suspense category.

Thank you, Mason, for the interview and all your support over the last year. You have truly

been a huge part of all this excitement and I would not be celebrating the Golden Heart final if you had not talked me into entering.

G. Jillian Stone can be found at the following places:

Website: http://gjillianstone.com
Blog: Mondays at http://ahistoryofromance.wordpress.com

Mason
a.c.Mason
Darkness ♀♂ Desires
www.acmason.com

She has had some really wonderful things happening with her writing over the last few months.

She recently blogged for SFWA about Paranormal romance please take a moment to read here: http://www.sfwa.org/2009/12/how-i-fell-in-love-with-paranormal-romance/.

Keep an eye out, as I will be interviewing Susan again soon.

Mason
a.c.Mason
Darkness ♀♂ Desires
www.acmason.com

I’m excited to be here.

The readers don’t know but this book is the first work of yours I ever had the privilege of seeing in the writing stage.

That’s very true, and through the critiquing process you were also the last person to see the entire manuscript before I found my publisher, Tease Publishing LLC.

Tell me about the process you’ve been through with this novel? Where did the idea come from for this book?

Actually I dreamed of Laura and David, and since I was a science fiction and fantasy author at the time I didn’t think that their story would work out for me.  I wasn’t yet a romance author. Still the characters persistently inhabited my dreams until I had no choice but to write their story. When I was done, I sent it to my critique group which was made up of science fiction and fantasy authors. They were very good technically but told me they didn’t know about writing romance and that’s what it evidently was. One person told me I had too much sex in it.  They were very honest though about the whole thing.
I ended up looking for a romance critique group.  I began reading everything about romance writing and romance books.  Then I found my current romance critique group and met you, a.c. Mason! 

We were so young back then.

I really enjoy the journey these two take. Haven’t we encountered David Hilliard before?

You have. After writing THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS, I had this most amazing dream about two supernatural rescue workers, Gregor and Regina, at the World Trade Center site on Sept. 11^th.  Gregor has this vampire friend, David, who is also a rescue worker. That story became WHEN LOVE SURVIVES. It kind of backs up the series a bit and introduces David and what he’s like before he met Laura. WHEN LOVE SURVIVES, which is a paranormal/sf/fantasy romance novella, was published last month by Tease Publishing LLC.

Tell us a little about the different creature some of the readers may not have come across before? 

LOL.  That would be Laura Cordelais.  I do a tremendous amount of research. In Greek mythology, there was a very early group of people called Telkhines that lived on the isle of Rhodes.  According to the myths, Telkhines were talented metal smiths able to fashion incredible weapons and wonderful jewelry. They could also control the weather.  The God Zeus was angered by their talents to manipulate the weather to their will and their arrogance about it.  Arrogance was a sure fire way to anger a Greek God, so he and Apollo paid them a visit.  When he visited the home of Dexithea and her sisters, he and Apollo were welcomed, fed, and entertained.  So when Zeus punished the Telkhines by making them dog-faced sea demons, he left Dexithea, her mother, and her sisters out of it. He even blessed Dexithea by giving her the further gift of controlling lightning. 

In the story, Laura Cordelais is a direct descendent of Dexithea.   

Blub:

Being descended from an ancient race blessed by Zeus doesn’t help Telkhine Laura Cordelais. For Vampire David Hilliard to save her, he must kill her, and by loving her, he could lose her forever. When plunged into a dark underworld of voodoo and sorcery, will they escape? Together?

A taste:

Laura struggled through the dark and burst through a great light.  She gasped for breath and it filled her.  Warmth spread through her every part, then a surge of energy she didn’t understand.  Her heart beat.  Differently.  Odd.  Different from any feeling she’d ever had.  Her eyelashes fluttered and then in the dim light of a strange windowless room, she saw a man’s face. 

His dark, curly hair framed his chiseled features.  What struck her most were his dark, fathomless eyes.  I can get lost in those eyes and never want to leave.           

He smiled.                              

She flushed.  I hope he can’t hear what I’m thinking.           

I can.

She sat up, smiling with embarrassment.  “You pulled me out of the river?”           

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”  Laura trembled.  “I don’t understand.  I was dying.”

            “You were very badly injured in the fall.  I was going to take you to the hospital, but you said, ‘No hospital.’  That you’d keep trying to kill yourself.”  His jaw tightened.  “I couldn’t bear the idea of your death.  Please, forgive me, but I couldn’t let you die.”  He gazed deeply into her eyes. 

Laura moved her tongue inside her mouth and came across the fangs.        

“Oh, my God!”  She tried to sit up, but he pushed her gently down.           

“Don’t get up just yet.  You’re still healing.”

“You made me a vampire?”  Every tale she’d heard as a child in New Orleans rushed back to her.  Vampires were monsters.  “Now I’m a monster!”  Anger flushed through her.  How dare he make her this!  He had no right.  She seethed. 

“No.  You are not a monster.  Neither am I.  I gave you a life.  It’s your choice how you live it.”

Then another emotion unexpectedly filled her, when she gazed up into his eyes.  I couldn’t bear the idea of your death.   His tender words echoed in her entire being and soothed her broken heart, as if he’d kissed her lips without touching her.  She looked at him with wonder, reached up and caressed the young beard on his chin.  He smiled and she could see his fangs now.  Strangely, she wasn’t frightened.

“We must do the last part.”   He bit into his arm just inside the elbow and put it against her mouth.

“No.”  She pushed his arm away.

“You need it to stop the hunger from possessing you.  Just close your eyes and drink.” 

The blood oozed into her mouth, as he pressed his arm against her lips.  At first, she choked and sputtered but then finally accepted it.  Laura tried not to think about what it really was.  The warmth reminded her of ginger tea with a citrus tang.  

“Since I am your sire, my blood will give you a balanced mind.  You will not need to feed again until tonight.” 

After a few more minutes, she pushed him away.  The wound on his arm healed before her eyes.  Wide-eyed, she smiled.  “I feel so strong and well.  I don’t ache or hurt anywhere.”  Then his reference to being her sire struck her.  “So you own me now!”  Her anger flared again along with her strength.  She slapped him.

“What was that for?”  He held his hand to his cheek.

“Oh, I don’t know.  You made me a vampire and now you own me.  Take your pick.” 

David gazed upward.  “This isn’t going well.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“God.”

Laura scoffed.  “A vampire talks to God?  Does God answer you?”

David frowned at her and sighed.  ”God apparently has one hell of a sense of humor.”

“What does that mean?”

“Never mind.  Let’s get back to the subject at hand.  No, I do not own you.  I have no claim on you whatsoever.  You are free to decide where you want to be and with whom.  I’ll help you get started, that’s all.”  With every word, he seemed more uncomfortable.  “We do have a blood tie though, so if you ever need my help, just think of me and I’ll come.  I’ll find you.”

Her anger dissipated.  Laura enjoyed seeing him vulnerable.  And he didn’t hit her back.  She smiled.  “I don’t know your name.”

“I’m David Hilliard.”

This time she gently touched his face.  “I’m Laura Cordelais.”

He held her hand to his cheek and closed his eyes.

Laura gasped as she realized her surroundings.  “Do you live here?”

“No.”  He chuckled.  “I just needed to get you out of the sun.  I have an apartment.”

“Well, that’s a relief.  I thought I’d have to live in a cemetery.” 
           They both laughed.

Laura looked around at the grim tomb.  A spider crawled up the stone wall nearest her, and she trembled.  “I’m afraid of small, closed spaces.  And bugs.”

He enclosed her in his arms.  “Don’t be afraid.  As soon as it’s dark, we’ll leave.” 

Her mouth was so close to his, she could almost taste him.  Then he pressed his firm lips against hers.  

Hmm.  He tastes of honey.  I love honey.

Their fangs knocked together.  Laura giggled nervously.

“Shall we try that again?” he suggested.

She nodded. 

David gently took her chin and tilted her head slightly.  Then his lips possessed hers again.  Laura tingled from head to toe and wondered if a vampire was capable of love.  She hoped David was. 

When their lips parted, Laura frowned.   

“I’m still angry with you.”

“Really?  You don’t sound that angry.”

“I’m furious with you.  I mean you made me a vampire.”

“Are you furious?”  He carefully pushed a hair off her face and kissed her forehead.

“Now that’s not fair.  Are you using your hypnotic powers on me?”

“No.  I want everything between us to be real.”  He kissed her left temple and moved down her jaw line.  His mouth caressed her lips.  His tongue rubbed her fangs.

“Whoa.”  Rubbing her fangs stirred a passion so hot, it was hard to ignore.  Still.  He had just made her a vampire.  All his distractions were making her forget that.  She should be angry with him, but his kiss stirred up a frenzy of desire. 
                                                                       #
The excerpt is based on David’s earlier request to God to take pity on his loneliness.  Of course, keeping her is a whole different issue.  The two are torn apart by supernatural forces that refuse to see a vampire together with a Telkhine, and it’s here that Laura truly discovers the enormity of her powers. Will she be able to stay with David?

Where can the readers find THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS?

It just went on sale at All Romance Ebooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thestormylovelifeoflauracordelais-374695-139.html

What other work can the readers find of yours floating around?

WHEN LOVE SURVIVES is also at All Romance Ebooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whenlovesurvives-362921-143.html  I love that story because of Regina O’Malley’s character. If you love the Irish, you’ll love Regina.  The story itself speaks of courage and heroism, not only of the character but of all the rescue workers.

What’s your next project?

A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS is a special romance novella and it introduces the Arnhem Knights. Who are they? You’ll have to wait and find out. David and Laura are also in it, as it’s also part of my Vampires of Manhattan series.

If readers are looking for you, where can they find you?

I’m on Twitter as onlyladyknight.  I’m on Facebook as Susan Hanniford Crowley.  They might want to Facebook friend me as all my friends get the announcements from the interviews and contests on the Nights of Passion blog, which is at http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com

I share the blog with yours truly, a.c. Mason, and B.B. Roberts.  My personal website is http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com  

Susan as always it’s been a pleasure. I hope to have you back when A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS comes out. I wish you many sales on THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS.

Thanks so much for having me. It’s been fun.

Susan’s books can be found at All Romance Ebooks

Links. http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thestormylovelifeoflauracordelais-374695-139.html

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whenlovesurvives-362921-143.html