Title: Rare Blood
Author: Susan Old
Series: The Miranda Chronicles Book 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Zairesue Books
Release Date: Mar 13 2018
Edition/Format: 1st Edition ~ Format eBook &
Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Miranda Ortega loves to surprise people who underestimate
her...
...especially powerful, wealthy, brilliant vampire nobility.
Tristan Mordecai has no sense of personal boundaries.
Miranda feels control of her life slipping away as she is pulled
into a nocturnal world of Lamborghini driving, Chanel wearing, egomaniac
assassins with a strict liquid diet.
What's a young woman from the cornfields of Illinois to do?
As the couples maneuvered close to our table, I had this
sense that many of them sniffed in my direction. They were 20-something,
beautiful people without tans. The dresses, heels and expensive suits were
amazing. Each had a bit of drama and mystique to their look. All the Houses
were represented. The music became international. A woman from the House of
Cups appeared in a gorgeous glistening silver kimono and did a graceful dance
with fans. Sir Diego and Sir Franco performed a tango. How could I have ever
thought he held passion for me? What a great actor. Sir Ruben was sitting at
the bar talking to a member of Lady Kananga’s House. He brought Lady Kabedi
over to the table for an introduction. She had graceful long limbs and her hair
was braided with golden threads.
“It is an honor to meet you,” she stated. “Lady Kananga will
be pleased to know you are wearing the bracelet. She wanted me to tell you to
push on the lion’s head if you are threatened.” Before I could ask what she
meant, Sir Ruben pulled her onto the dance floor.
“They are a sweet couple,” I said to Lady Lockporte. I
looked at the bracelet, but did not press the head as I was not sure what would
happen.
“She is the only member from another House my brother has
been allowed to date,” she noted my surprised look. “The Houses are very
competitive. The Magus likes to keep it that way but, between you and me, that
is changing. Lady Kananga and I are encouraging alliances between Houses.
Though why an exquisite, brilliant vampiress like Lady Kabedi is interested in
my brother I will never know.” I laughed.
The Narcissus staff placed small plates with cubes of raw
steak on each of the tables. Small three-prong silver forks were used to eat
their only meal. “Angus, my favorite,” Lady Lockporte said.
I watched Sergio devour a few pieces. It left a slightly red
stain on his lips. He self-consciously dabbed them with a napkin.
“It’s just very rare,” he said.
“You won’t believe this,” Sir Ruben sat down with Lady
Kabedi. “They are calling you Dorothy, you know like the
drop-a-house-on-a-witch girl” he laughed.
“They are a bit afraid of you. Amazing!” Sir Franco added.
“Because,” Sir Diego added, “they can’t just dismiss you as
a ‘Short,’ lines are being blurred. That is quite unsettling for vampires. To
put it frankly, it’s the thought of our prey fighting back.”
“So, you’re saying I freak-out the undead. Unbelievable.”
We sat silently after that watching the dancers as I started
to comprehend my unique status. Suddenly there was commotion at the entrance to
the club. Sir Steve moved the dancers off the floor and signaled for the music
to stop.
“This is a first,” Sir Ruben said. “The Wizard of Oz has
arrived.”
The Magus walked out on the dance floor wearing a black suit
with shimmering lapels and a black shirt. All the vampires stood and bowed
slightly. I stood and bowed but only after Sir Diego gave me a nasty look. The
Magus had two attendants following a few feet behind. He stood in the center of
the room and held up his arms as though giving his blessing to the gathering.
Then he walked over to our table. A red velvet stuffed chair appeared out of
nowhere. After his highness was seated, the rest of us followed suit. The music
resumed and the dancers returned to the floor.
Barnes
and Noble (Print)
Tell us a little about the Rare Blood and where did you get
the idea to write this story.
Thirty years ago, while working as an addiction therapist I
found writing relieved my stress. I could not write about what I did because of
confidentiality and I needed a mental break from my job, so I wrote about
vampires. I had spent several years working the night shift on a psychiatric crisis
team so strange nocturnal behavior and interesting characters were right up my
alley. I wondered what it would be like to have a vampire reveal him or herself
to me, and how would they exist in the modern age, etc. What would their blood
type be? I researched unusual blood types and settled on HH for the vampire
ruling class. The psychiatrists I worked
with over the years inspired the ruler of the vampire world, the Magus. A
particularly handsome, gifted, sexy, athletic client—who could make a virgin blush—became
my inspiration for the romantic lead vampire, Tristan Mordecai. My heroine is a
struggling, feisty young writer, Miranda Ortega. She gets pulled into the middle of a crazy
vampire society because of her Rare Blood type and Templar Knight ancestor. Her
character was inspired by a dear friend who has shattered a few glass ceilings
for Latinas. Yes, my vampires have sex. Would you want to live forever if it
meant never having sex?
How and when did you get started writing novels?
When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the D.R. Congo from
75’-77’ (it used to be Zaire), I started writing fantasy. I was a huge fan of
Tolkein. I wanted to write fantasy that included female lead characters and
cultural diversity inspired by my travels. I still have my old notebooks from
Africa; maybe one day I’ll rewrite that story. A lot of the ideas from my early
fantasy stories have inspired my vampire books. I had completed my book about
twenty years ago, but a lightning storm in Illinois fried my computer. All I
had left were my notebooks, so with a lot of cussing and coffee I wrote it
again. Miranda drinks a lot of coffee to help her keep a grip while staying up all
night with the nocturnal mafia.
What’s the best and worst part of being a writer?
Best: Feedback from people who took precious time to review
the book. Knowing my writing gave someone a little escape from daily stress,
having them describe the book as “Laugh out loud,” and “a juicy, caffeinated
read!” makes it all worthwhile. Writing this book helped me get through breast
cancer twice, young widowhood, being a Federal employee, etc. When I retired last
year, I was able to have the time to get the first book in the Miranda
Chronicles, Rare Blood published. The second book is almost finished. It’s fun
to hear my family and friends say things like, “Is that what goes on in your
head?” Only after my third cup of coffee.
Worst: When I have to write about bad things happening to my
characters. Even when they may warrant vampire justice, it’s hard for me. I got
a little tearful writing about a death in the sequel.
What is your writing
schedule like?
Get up early because I have two old dogs who insist on it.
Coffee and a few pages by nine. Do life sustaining stuff and volunteer work.
More coffee and review/edit what I wrote. Write a few more pages. I write
almost every day.
Where do you get your ideas?
My mind starts asking, “What If….?” “How would that be possible?”
How would vampires react to undead stereotypes? In my book, Tristan has a
grudge against Bram Stoker because he is insulted by Bram’s depiction of a
vampire. He also dislikes most vampire films, because they never quite measure
up to his view of how fabulous vampires truly are. Would the undead like the
computer age? Vampires love computers because it makes it easy to manage their
wealth, research blood banks, and communicate with the vampire world, but they
can’t be photographed so they use Avatars. Would they only have a liquid diet?
I added raw steak along with wine, and black coffee or tea. I considered the
myths that crosses and holy water would bother vampires, it turns out, not so
much. Tristan explains that he would never have been able to get out of a grave
yard if that were true, and he is irritated when someone gets his shirt wet
with holy water. Vampires are really vane, and dress well. The problem with
garlic is not that it harms them, it’s that the odor wrecks their appetite.
Is there something about you or your life that readers might
be surprised about?
I just published my first book at 64, and I’m almost
finished with the second book in my trilogy. Age does not define us. Writers
are all ages, I love to be part of this community! Don’t let anyone tell you
that you are too young or too old to write!
Do you write a novel straight through? Or revise as you go?
Plan a whole series in advance? Or does the series evolve?
I found that books take on a life of their own. I set out to
write one vampire book, but it has evolved into a trilogy. It’s kind of like a
pregnancy where you’re getting ready for one baby, but the doctor informs you
you’re having triplets. The plot twists that my brain came up with were as
unexpected as triplets, but once I thought about them, they made paranormal
romance sense. The leader of the vampire world, the Magus only lets very special
mortals in their twenties join his community. I researched famous people throughout
history who died young and imagined them as vampires. A couple are in the first
book, but more appear in the second book. Think about it, did Billy the Kid
really die? What if the Magus gave him an option he could not refuse?
What’s next after the Miranda Chronicles Trilogy?
The trilogy is about Miranda’s
struggle with the vampire world which starts in her 20’s and continues as she
matures, realizes her strengths and with humor, coffee, and cussing decides how
to respond to the pressure to become one of them. The seduction of never
getting sick, being young, wealthy, and sexy forever has a dark side, really
dark, but would it be worth it? So many possibilities for more storylines with
my fascinating vampires and the surprising reactions of the mortals who get
exposed to them. My vampires exist in different parts of the world, nocturnal
vigilante vampires without borders. I will continue telling their stories about
ancient beings responding to the modern world. It’s all about the worlds within
worlds, that we sometimes become aware of. What would you do if you found out
that a vampire empire secretly existed ruling the night, and they were
interested in you? Start writing.
SUSAN Grew Up in So Cal with hippies and surfers, wrote for
her high school underground newspaper and played in a garage band. Her
adventuresome spirit took her to Central Africa while serving in the Peace
Corps.
Back in the states she worked in Mental Health/ Addictions
for 30 years. Exposure to many cultures/ subcultures and unique thought
processes made writing about vampires a supernatural next step.
When
not writing about Miranda’s struggles with the vampire world, she volunteers at
an animal shelter, and a Veteran’s museum.
Twitter @zairesue
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