Eternal Bloodlines follows a young woman living in a small, quiet town who longs for some excitement only to discover a gruesome murder leading her into a dark mystery she cannot escape from. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

As strange as it may sound, my teen fantasies and imagination were my inspiration for this story. I grew up in Skidway Lake. Yes, it is a real small town. I always told myself I would get out of that town—a place where everyone knew your name, your parents, who you hung out with, and how much trouble you got into. I played on my thoughts from back then to create my main protagonist, Amanda.

When it comes to the vampire theme, I have always been intrigued by vampires—their immortality, death, cold skin, and absence of a heartbeat. I have done research throughout the years on the real vampire, Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler). To add a bit of realism to the story, I had to include him as a character. I had to offer a different perspective of his character.

One other thing I believe the readers should know…I don’t believe they are as romantic as I portray them in this story. My true vision of them is as ghastly entities that would rip you apart without feeling or remorse. I see them as hunters, wilder than animals, looking for their next kill. This version of the immortal vampire is more exciting than the romanticized version, but who doesn’t love a touch of romance in a paranormal story?

Your characters are all incredibly well-developed, drawing the readers into the story and building their connection to it. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?

Although she is not a main character, I loved creating Jessica. She’s a bundle of fun and energy with an “I don’t give a damn” attitude. She is charismatic and a joy to have around. Writing about her was a delight.

In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away by the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?

It’s true that it’s easy to get caught up in the magic and go overboard. However, I focus more on the characters than their powers—how they love, hurt, feel pain, and their triumphs. I want to make each character real—relatable.

Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?

I have thought about a second book, though I have not made a decision. As for the cover, we’ll see what the story holds.

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