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A Touch of Romance
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.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
2021 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards: Bronze – Young Adult
2018 Book Excellence Award Winner – Mystery
2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards Finalist – Fiction: Paranormal/Supernatural
2016 New Apple Summer E-Book Awards Winner – Fantasy
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…
Twenty-four-year-old Amanda Holston dreams of getting a little excitement in her life.
In the sleepy town of Skidway Lake, that may be asking too much.
Until one snowy morning, a string of murders shatters the peace, and a near-fatal accident leaves her scarred – but with more than just wounds. Voices echo in her head, and she sees a dark man in her dreams. She blames the delusions on the accident… but the dark man is all too real.
Haunted by visions and whispers hinting at a destiny she never imagined, Amanda is suddenly thrust into a realm of legend. In this new reality, vampires rule the shadows, myths walk the earth, and a revelation comes to light…
Ancient vampire blood courses through Amanda’s veins.
As she tries to make sense of the implications of her lineage, and her growing attraction to Mihnea, the son of Vlad Tepes himself… Castle Dracul looms in the horizon. Is it a gothic prison or a birthright to be claimed?
Amanda is plunged unprepared into the dangerous intrigues and conflicts of the vampire world. She must learn the secrets of her ancestry if she wants to survive. The brutal murders that plagued her hometown echo ominously in this new realm, serving as a chilling reminder of the darkness that surrounds her.
Can Amanda control the power awakening within her?
Can she forge her own path, or will the shadows of her past and a legacy she never chose consume her?
Passion for the Vampire Legend
JC Brennan Author Interview
Eternal Bloodlines follows Amanda, an average girl with a boring life when an unexpected event sends her life hurtling in a sinister direction. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling novel?
I have always love vampires. However, I wanted to create a story that readers could relate to, one that was different, and Amanda is the one character who could do just that.
I felt that Amanda was a fascinating character, her later character contrasted greatly with her beginning character. What were some obstacles you felt were important to her development?
Actually, there were not any obstacles to Amanda’s development. I used much of how I felt growing up in a small town: want nothing more than to get out, get away, and have an adventure. The use of my personal insights and experiences from growing up in a small town (though none of those experiences involved a vampire, of course) made Amanda’s development almost seamless.
The bond that forms between Amanda and Mihnea is one of the things that I enjoyed about this book. What were the driving ideas behind their relationship throughout the story?
It was important that Mihnea be someone Amanda thought she knew all about from her research and her passion for the vampire legend. It was also important that when she meets the man, she believed she knew about, that he was not that person. But, he needed to be someone she empathizes with, that she can relate to. He needed to be a surprise and change everything she thought she had learned.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next novel is coming in July. It’s titled Shadows Fall. And though I don’t want to give too much away, Detective Levi Sterling has his handful with trying to catch a serial killer.
Author Links: Website | Amazon | GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
A series of unexplained murders and a near-fatal accident propel a desperate woman down a dark and sinister road.
Twenty-four-year-old Amanda Holston dreams of getting a little excitement in her life. In the sleepy town of Skidway Lake that may be asking too much. One snowy morning, while walking through the woods, Amanda stumbles upon the mutilated remains of a young woman. Hours later, police uncover two more bodies. Just when things seem to be getting interesting, Amanda is in a near fatal accident, causing her sanity to come into question. She hears voices in her head and sees a dark man in her dreams. She blames the delusions on the accident. But the dark man is all too real.
Eternal Bloodlines
![Eternal Bloodlines by [Brennan, J.C.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/510kYCvbutL.jpg)
In Eternal Bloodlines by J.C. Brennan, Amanda Rain Holston is a young woman living a very boring life. Her parents have been dead for five years and lives completely alone. She works as a waitress and finds it hard to even get up in the morning because of her tedious existence. A point that is captured perfectly by the picture frames she has with stock images of people in them. The one thing she does that she actually enjoys is going on long walks. It is on one of these walks that she discovers a ghastly sight: a dead body in the snow. This discovery changes everything and Amanda’s life will never be the same.
The book is set in Skidway, Michigan. Amanda has spent her life in the town and expects to grow old and die there, probably from boredom. She longs to escape the confines of the small town. The only good thing she has there is her best friend, Jessica.
The paranormal plot of this book has promise. It starts as a standard tale of a fantasy come true but with some quirky additions that turn this piece into a unique supernatural thriller. It definitely gets interesting when Amanda meets Mihnea. They bond immediately and their love story is sweet. The story loses me a bit with the attempts at making the dialogue fit a different time. It does not always work, and sometimes seems stilted, but it’s saved by the intriguing relationship that develops between Amanda and Mihnea.
I really enjoyed this book, but I found that there were some editing mistakes, to the point where I was a bit distracted; having to go back and reread some sections to make sure I understood them correctly. The book did pick up toward the end. The story became so interesting that I was able to overlook the mistakes a bit more easily. In my opinion, all the book needs is a good editor and I’ll be begging for more. I wanted so badly to focus on the unique and suspenseful story, because under the typos is a fresh take on the vampire genre, one that puts its methodically developed characters into a deadly and captivating world.
Pages: 177 | ASIN: B075G1GK4F
LITERARY TITAN 