Author Interview: ADRIANNE BRENNAN

Author Interview by A. J. Llewellyn

1. Hi Adrianne, and welcome to the Divas' dark den. You are one of my favorite people on our group Midnight Seductions Authors. Your paranormal/vampire Dark Moon series books Blood of the Dark Moon and Blood and Mint Chocolates have done very well and received rave reviews. I know there are a slew of sequels and even a prequel coming out soon. Can you please tell me where you got the inspiration for the series?

Mostly from dreams and my crazy Muse. My Muse and I go waaayy back. Ah, good times. First he introduced me to the wide, wonderful world of writing, then he got me addicted to things like LARPs (Live Action Role Play) and RPGs.
I just have to send him offerings of wine and chocolate, and he does so much for me. :)
What are the titles and release dates for the upcoming books?
Due to my recent unemployment, my life got a little crazy. I have no release dates for anything right now because I've been focused on trying to make sure I can continue paying my mortgage, and interviews and studying for tech interviews have eaten up my life.
I can, however, refer people to the following page: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html

It contains previews for upcoming books with blurbs and in some cases, cover images.
Examples include books 3-5 in The Oath Series: Broken, Anointed, and Union plus the sequel to Blood and Mint Chocolates which is Blood and Spice, and Book 2 in the series which is Shadows of the Dark Moon.

2. Blood and Mint Chocolates is a fascinating F/F novella in the series, but will soon have its own sequel. What can you tell me about Blood and Spice, and when is it coming out?
Blood and Spice picks up some months after Blood and Mint Chocolates left off with Merideth visiting Kalia and the rest of Clan Corvus in New Orleans. Their relationship continues to grow, but political issues within the Order of the Dragon and the Rose may tear them apart. A new character will finally be introduced, and I'm doing my best to prevent this individual from taking over the story. Needless to say, there's already been some intrigue about this person and I'm looking forward to seeing people's reactions!

3. I am fascinated that you own a big car called The Tardis. You are a Doctor Who fan! Who, in your mind is the best Doctor and why?
Only bigger on the inside! *laughs* That's actually how the name came about. People kept telling me that the car was bigger on the inside and I thought to myself, "Hm...where have I heard this before?" It's even the right color of the police box he travels in, so even better!
Honestly, I'd have to say that it's David Tennant who's pulled off the best Doctor. He's clearly watched the show and has incorporated bits and pieces of all of the Doctors into his personality, and it makes for splendid viewing. I will miss him when he goes, and feel that he's leaving way too soon. :(

4. Speaking of cars…I am excited to know more about your upcoming series My Other Car is a Broom. What can you tell me about it? Obviously it's about a witch, right?
It's about a witch named Samantha living in Salem. Aside from the obvious bad luck she'll have with that name, it's not your typical tale about witchcraft. In this book I'll be covering love triangles, alternate realities, and the fae. It's going to be very interesting when I'm done and I hope people will enjoy it!

5. I know you live in Boston and you juggle your prolific writing schedule with the dreaded day job. How do you balance the two? What is your writing routine like?
Well, the dreaded day job is sadly gone. You'd think this would be mean I would have more free time, but in reality I probably have a bit less. The stress is keeping my Muse at bay and I'm trying to get that back.
My writing routine...well, isn't. I usually am the most awake during the evenings and hence my Muse is out in full force during then. I can't tell you how many times I've sat at a computer, started to type, looked up and suddenly...daylight. I can get like that. :)
I still struggle with the balance. I have a lot going on in my life, and if I don't take care of me then my Muse will withdraw until I do. He's a harsh taskmaster but doesn't like working with me when I'm less than optimal. I recommend long walks, music, trips to the spa, and treating yourself to your favorite meal and beverage.

6. I know you went to Salem and visited some of the “witchy” type stores. What were they like? Did you get a sense of history there and which ones are your favorites?
My favorite stores are Nu Aeon, Artemisia Botanicals, New England Magic, and Magic Parlor. All of them have "the real deal" in regards to their products and are run by the same. I try to avoid the places that sell the colored glitter as "fairy dust" as it's cute, but it's not my thing. :)
There's definitely huge amounts of history. Just wander around in the graveyards and look at the dates of some of the homes. If you're up for it, stay at the Salem Inn--rumor has it that it's haunted. I did once for a weekend getaway and while I didn't spot any ghosts, I did have a wonderful stay.

7. You took a deep dive into the BDSM community for your Oath series. How did you research this genre? Also I have to ask you, why of all erotic genres does BDSM seem to engender such fierce and diverse opinions by practitioners of it?
I'll be blunt--I didn't really have to. I've been in and out of the BDSM community for the past decade or so and have friends who are heavily into the scene and dated a few who were as well. As a result, I've attended certain clubs, play parties, events, and workshops. I'm also a member of a few local groups who do their best to educate and provide resources to others.
If you're ever in Boston, I highly recommend attending the Fetish Flea. :)
Like any subculture that specializes in a particular field of choice for their study/practice/what-have-you, people guard that information jealously and with every five people you'll get twelve opinions. It's a passionate group of passionate people. I'm sure some will read my works and love them. Some may read and dislike certain aspects.
We alt types are an opinionated lot. I think that this comes from being so used to hiding out among the mainstream. We keep it all in, then we explode when we're around each other. I see the same syndrome among fellow pagans, occultists, even gamers.

8. I know you are a fan of the ancient philosopher Iamblichus. What is so alluring about him? Will we see him pop up in your erotic fantasy novels any time soon?
Iamblichus was the one who coined the term "theurgy" which literally means "god work". In essence, it's mysticism and/or magic for spiritual purposes. This term is used heavily within many modern secret esoteric societies, traditions, and religions. I'm also quite fond of his work as not much of ancient Greek mystical thought has survived.
I don't think he'll pop up, but I'm sure you'll find references to other characters in history who will be found just as alluring to others of similar backgrounds. The original 007, John Dee, may make such an "appearance". :)

9. Do you read much fiction or do you prefer non fiction? What are your must-keep books?
I snack, devour, and hoard both. Recent purchases include the latest Charlaine Harris novel, Crowley's Book 4, a book on Reiki, and a huge book on ASP.NET and C#. As you can see, I'm a little diverse in my reading interests. :D
Must keep books include anything by Madeleine L'Engle, Neil Gaiman, Karl Kerenyi, Peter Kingsley, Charlaine Harris, LA Banks, and Yasmine Galenorn. They're among my favorite authors. :)

10. Now for a completely off the wall question. You get to invite six people alive or dead to dinner. Who would you invite and what would you serve?
Jim Morrison, Madeleine L'Engle, Neil Gaiman, Peter Kingsley, Robert Anton Wilson, and Jack Parsons.
I'd make sure an excellent vegan gourmet meal was served. :D Good wine, too.

On behalf of Dark Diva Reviews, I'd like to thank the amazing and wonderful Adrianne Brennan nfor stopping by today. To learn more about this awesome author, please check out her links:

~ "Where love and magic meet" ~http://www.adriannebrennan.com/Experience the magic of Blood of the Dark Moon: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/botdm.htmlTake a bite out of Blood and Mint Chocolates: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/bamc.htmlDare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath