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Lost Love
Out of the Darkness centers around a biochemist who meets a mysterious stranger with a rare genetic condition seeking both survival and redemption. Where did the idea for this book come from?
The original idea for this story came from an old Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, Universal Soldier, which gave me the idea of vampire soldiers, Dean Koontz’s Moonlight Bay Trilogy, which gave me the idea of incorporating a real medical condition, and a tangent I went on while researching XP that gave me the idea of making vampirism a virus.
What draws you to the paranormal genre?
The idea of the impossible being possible.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Redemption, survivor’s guilt, lost love, forgiveness, power and corruption, and the healing power of love.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon?
Absolutely.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on edits for Embrace the Darkness, the second book in the Darkness Series, and completing the third book, Edge of Darkness.
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Her research could cure his dark hunger if a covert government agent doesn’t get to her first.
Vincent Maxwell is a vampire with a conscience seeking a cure for his dark hunger. But when a scientist looking to create vampire soldiers captures and kills a fellow vampire, Vincent seeks out Dr. Megan Harper, a research scientist who discovered a link between a genetic light sensitivity disorder and vampirism. Dr. Harper could hold a key to a cure and the answers to Gerard’s death. But getting close to the beautiful scientist could endanger both their lives.
When Megan meets Vincent she believes he suffers from xeroderma pigmentosum, the genetic disease that killed her sister. Sensing a deep loneliness within the handsome man, she offers friendship and access to her research files. But she and Vincent soon become more than friends and Megan learns the horrifying truth. She’s entered the dark and unseen world of vampires and Vincent is her only hope of survival.
Out of the Darkness
Lilly Gayle’s Out of the Darkness blends paranormal romance with medical intrigue, delivering a story that’s both heart-thumping and heart-wrenching. The novel follows Dr. Megan Harper, a biochemist who returns to her hometown to regroup after leaving a high-pressure research job. There, she meets Vincent Maxwell, a mysterious and charismatic stranger with a genetic condition eerily similar to her late sister’s rare disorder, xeroderma pigmentosum. But Vincent hides a deeper secret. He’s a centuries-old vampire seeking not just survival, but redemption. As their lives entwine, science, myth, love, and danger swirl together in a tale of redemption, betrayal, and desire.
To put it bluntly, I got hooked. The way Gayle wove together emotion, science, and sensuality felt fresh. There’s a pulse to her writing that makes even the quiet scenes feel alive. I liked Megan from the jump. She’s brilliant, damaged, and still trying her best. Vincent, on the other hand, is this perfect mix of stoic and smoldering, and watching his emotional thaw unfold gave me chills. I felt genuine tension in their encounters. Sometimes sexual, sometimes just raw and emotional. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it’s the emotional stakes that stuck with me.
There were moments when the dialogue leaned a little too melodramatic for my taste, and a few plot developments felt more convenient. But honestly, I didn’t care much. I was too wrapped up in the push-and-pull between science and the supernatural, the hope for healing, the hurt of loss, and the chance at love. Gayle’s writing isn’t flashy, but it’s emotionally tuned in, which kept me locked in even when the plot veered into familiar territory.
If you’re into moody, brooding vampires and smart heroines with big hearts and haunted pasts, Out of the Darkness is absolutely worth your time. It’s perfect for fans of paranormal romance who crave character depth along with the fangs and fantasy. This book had me feeling things I didn’t expect, grief, longing, excitement, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a vampire story that’s more soul than spectacle.
Pages: 268 | ASIN : B0FB48PMQP
Twists and Surprises
Tempting the Sheriff follows a shapeshifting outlaw whose brother’s antics bring her face to face with the sheriff, the man who remains her enemy but is also her lover. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Funny you should ask! I actually write a “making of” post about each of my books on my website. You can find them all here: Anna Lowe Books.
In brief, I loved the legend of Robin Hood and the daring outlaws of Sherwood Forest as a kid. In fact, Errol Flynn was my first crush, way back when. I also loved the Disney cartoon version in which all the characters are animals, and of course the 1991 movie version with Kevin Costner and a somewhat more capable Maid Marian. As with all my favorite books and movies, I “rewrote” those versions in my mind to insert a super-amazing heroine into the action.
Combine that with my love of paranormal romance, and it was natural that my mind drifted in the direction of a shapeshifter version. Being a big fan of Robin Hood doesn’t make me a fan of re-tellings of familiar stories, but I do love reading/watching movies that use familiar elements to set up and then flip expectations. So, that was one of my goals in writing this series: to remind readers of everything they love in Robin Hood and keep you guessing with twists and surprises that take the story in a whole new direction. I hope I succeeded!
Do you have a favorite among your diverse cast of characters?
Well, Robynne, the crafty female archer and fox shifter, is definitely my favorite, and I swoon over Daniel, the dragon/acting sheriff of Nottingham. I also really enjoy the cast of characters as a group, especially in the way the different shifter types play off each other.
In this book, you blend the paranormal romance with historical elements. Was that a challenge?
The main challenge was to weed out terms or language that wouldn’t have been used in the Middle Ages (phrases like “His eyes telegraphed danger”) while keeping the text easy on modern eyes and ears. I did purposely play with some aspects, such as “the modern convenience” of running water available to Nottingham’s townspeople in fountains “just” a few steps away from their homes!
Can you give fans a peek inside Book 2 of the series?
Yes! Like Book 1, Book 2 (Tempting the Outlaw), is a steamy, suspenseful paranormal romance series that combines the humor of The Princess Bride and the action-packed romance of Outlander, offering a fresh new twist on a classic.
Book 2 focuses on Willa Scarlet, whose secret mission takes her to Sherwood Forest where she meets bear shifter John Little. It’s an enemies-to-lovers story, in which all Willa and John have in common are sizzling chemistry, ruthless enemies, and responsibility for a treasure more valuable than either of them suspected. Before they know it, they’re on the run, deep in trouble and in love, even if neither of them is ready to admit it.
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Don’t believe what they tell you about Robin Hood, outlaw of Sherwood Forest. There never was such a man. But there is a woman…
That’s me, Robynne: fox shifter, master archer, and jaded outlaw with a fierce desire to avoid trouble. But when my impulsive brother and his merry band of misfits rob a passing carriage, they set off a chain of events that changes my destiny forever. Too late to stop them, I settle for the next best thing: taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
All well and good, except that puts the new sheriff of Nottingham hot on my trail. Operative word: hot, because unlike his predecessor, Daniel is a muscle- and duty-bound knight/dragon shifter freshly back from the Crusades. One who inspires all kinds of new desires…
As outlaw and sheriff, we’re sworn enemies, though we want the same things: justice for the downtrodden, the return of our rightful king, Richard…and a chance to indulge our wildest, most sizzling fantasies.
But that’s not so simple for us star-crossed lovers. The year is 1193 — an era of scheming princes, greedy warlords, and ruthless shifters. To earn our happily-ever-after, Daniel and I must rely on cunning, fierce fighting, and love that burns hotter than dragon fire.
I’ve never let rules, expectations, or impossible odds stop me…but I have to admit, this will be one hell of a challenge.
(And if you hear a canine growling, that’s my fox side. Challenge accepted.)
SHERWOOD FOREST SHIFTERS
Steamy, suspenseful paranormal romance!
WINNER PNR GUILD AWARD – BEST VAMPIRES & SHIFTERS SERIES!
Book 1: Tempting the Sheriff
Book 2: Tempting the Outlaw
Book 3: Tempting the Maiden
Can Robynne and the sheriff outwit adversaries, uphold justice, and find their happily-ever-after? Find out in this steamy, suspenseful paranormal romance that corrects all theerrors of the Robin Hood legends. If you enjoyed the humor of The Princess Bride and the action-packed romance of Outlander, you’ll love this fresh new twist on a classic, complete with brave knights, cunning bandits, fire-breathing dragons, and forbidden lovers. Get your copy of Tempting the Sheriff today!
Fair warning: No cliffhangers, but this story concludes with a happy-for-now ending, only because the situation in Nottingham doesn’t yet allow more. Robynne and Daniel will get their HEA by the end of the trilogy, once the events of Books 2 and 3 play out. I swear, it will be worth it!
LITERARY TITAN 