Q: Werewolf’s Way introduces the reader to a vibrant and complex world where shifters are forced to follow hierarchal rules set down by the Directive of the Shifter Castes under the thumb of the dragon-shifting draechen. What was the inspiration for the backdrop to the story?
A: For the Chronicles of the Shifter Directive, I spent a lot of time brainstorming the world building. I came up with more than one idea, but nothing seemed to satisfy me. And then, it hit me. In most shape-shifter stories—mine included—werewolves and vampires are Alpha males with a lot of authority and power. What if I created a world in which things were the other way around, in which they had to fight not for power, but for freedom and survival?
From that idea, a larger concept emerged. The actual idea of “caste” is inspired from real-life India and other countries, where social stratification divides people in artificial, discriminatory hierarchies. I suppose that, in many ways, the Directive of the Shifter Castes is a metaphor for problems that exist at a world-wide level in reality.
Q: Both Werewolf’s Way and Draechen’s Mate deal with the political intrigue and rising tensions between the dragon-shifters and the fae. Was there anything that was especially fun or difficult about writing this aspect of the series?
A: In Chronicles of the Shifter Directive, a large part of the story rotates around the idea of duty vs. love. Naturally, as a hopeless romantic, I always like love to win, but political intrigue still forms a part of the process. It was actually interesting to write. Most of my characters had a certain involvement in the paranormal world as a whole, and their relationships changed the dynamics between their species. In certain cases, these tensions led to love, while on other occasions, they acted as a barrier. I’m actually a Political Science graduate, and it was nice to help my characters through the murky waters of politics—even if I was a little idealistic in it.
Q: In the first book in the series, Prince Shtamakarein is originally introduced as the villain, but there are hints that there’s more to him than meets the eye. What was it like having to slowly redeem his character and show another side of him so that he could become the hero in Draechen’s Mate?
A: Karein is actually a character that was created before Graham and Caelyn in the first book. He was always meant to be a sort of anti-hero, and I knew from the very beginning that I would give him his romance. With Karein, I wanted to find a balance between his dark side and the one capable and worthy of love. In fact, in the entire series, I wanted to show that people are rarely motivated by one single issue. Even when outsiders will despise a person for seemingly evil action, they might not know what lies in that person’s heart. Karein is like that—a man who tries to do the right thing in a bad situation, and has to face impossible odds to create a new path for himself and, eventually, his mate.
Q: Graham and Caelyn, the heroes of Werewolf’s Way, overcome a tremendous gap in social class as well as problematic political circumstances so they can be together. What draws you to write about heroes triumphing over such difficult obstacles?
A: I chose Graham and Caelyn for my first book to show exactly that, the gap in social class and the hurts that it can cause, but also the fact that there’s always hope. In the beginning, not only Graham, but also Caelyn were bound by their circumstances—Graham imprisoned by the draechen and Caelyn in a gilded cage created by his lineage. In spite of it, though, my heroes were strong enough to surpass all that, to see past the labels and to make their own story—no matter what anyone else said. It is a hopeful romance, one with which I wanted to point out that anything’s possible, that sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith and break free of the norm to build something better, for yourself and your loved ones.
Q: The Directive was put into place to end the fighting between the werewolves and vampires and to prevent future struggles. However, the end of the war came at a great price with the sacrifice of the fae prince Talrasar and the draechen prince Kaelezrin. In Draechen’s Mate, Sari and Karein find their relationship shares many similarities to Talrasar and Kaelezrin’s bond. What was the significance of tying together the past and present this way? Do you intend to explore the parallels between the two couples further in the rest of the series?
A: Actually, there is a great significance to tying together the past and the present. Like I said before, Karein was created before Graham and Caelyn—and so was Sari. But the very first characters who existed were Kael and Talrasar. They are actually very “old.” I think I’ve been musing over writing them down for years. For that reason, they are very dear to me, and their connection to Karein and Sari is very important. Their sacrifice is explored in more than one way all throughout the series—but I’ll leave the details for the readers to discover in the next books.
Q: Many of the heroes in this series seem to come from broken or dysfunctional families. Sari, for example, has to find a precarious balance between his mother, who is the High Priestess, his father, who is the fae king, and his resentful stepmother and stepsiblings. The relationships these heroes have with their family members often create conflict and affect their characters in profound ways. Were there any challenges in dealing with the various family dynamics and how these relationships change the characters for better or worse, and if so, how did you approach them?
A: I’ve always thought families are very important in defining both fictional characters and real people. The fact that many of my heroes belong to royal or noble families made it all the more complicated. At that level, hunger for power can often distort relationships which should be loving. Of course, these issues affected my characters, but also influenced their later bonds with their mates. Karein, for example, doesn’t have a value as a family member beyond what he can do as a soldier—and for that reason, he doesn’t value himself either. On the other hand, because of his background, Sari has a strong sense of duty, but also experienced a great deal of loneliness. When the two of them find each other, they finally begin to heal. For Graham and Caelyn, it’s somewhat different, because Graham actually has to face discrimination from his family after choosing a sprite mate. But everything is part of the process of growth the characters go through.
Q: The series has some very conniving and sinister villains, such as the spiteful Princess Akara and the power-hungry, warmongering draechen emperor. Where does the inspiration for the bad guys come from? Are there specific qualities that your villains share or traits that make some more evil or loathsome than others?
A: The feature that most defines the worst villains in Chronicles of the Shifter Directive is that hunger for power, that willingness to destroy anything or anyone for self-interest. I suppose there are plenty of leaders in the real world who show it—if not exactly in the way the draechen emperor did so. I don’t think I fathomed my villains after someone in particular—but the extent of the corruption and violence running rampant in today’s world gave me a lot to work with in that regard.
Q: What qualities do you think are important for the hero in a romance? Are there types of men you prefer to write about?
A: That’s actually quite a difficult question. There are so many things that make a good hero. In romance stories, looks are important, but also courage, the willingness to stand up for one’s beliefs, and of course, for true love. If I’d have to choose one specific type of hero, though, I would say I like the outcasts, the brooding heroes with dark secrets and wounded hearts. Like I told a friend once—my favorite superhero isn’t Superman, it’s Batman. Karein is kind of like that, which is why he’s one of my favorite characters.
Q: If you could be any of your characters, who would it be and why?
A: From Chronicles of the Shifter Directive, I think I’d like to be Sari or Caelyn. On one side, it would be nice to be able to help people with my own hands. On the other… Well, if I had powers of illusion, it would be very fun to play tricks on my loved ones. What can I say? I’m not perfect.
Q: Out of all the characters you’ve killed off, whi
ch one do you most wish you could have spared? Why?
A: In the first books of the series, I don’t think I killed off anyone whom I’d have liked to spare. There are two secondary characters in book four, Naga’s Concubine, and book five, Emperor’s Consort, who suffer this regrettable fate. I do wish I could have given them a better ending, because they had their reasons for their actions, but it couldn’t be helped. I’ll leave the readers to discover who they are.
Q: Who do you look up to? What are some of their qualities that you strive to possess as well?
A: My mother. She is a very brave person who surpassed all of the difficulties in her life. I want to one day be as strong as she is.
Blurb
Black dragon Karein Tersain is the ultimate soldier. He has fought to contain the werewolves and vampires who once nearly destroyed the world, enforcing a Shifter Directive he doesn’t really believe in, all the while struggling with nightmares and plagued by restless guilt.
But as his two hundredth birthday approaches, his time is running out. Without a mate, he risks being killed by his own people. To top things off, his father, the draechen emperor, arranges his marriage with a fae, Sari Norrenddare.
A political match is the last thing Karein needs. Or so he thinks, until he meets Sari. The moment he sets his eyes on the beautiful fae, Karein realizes Sari is his true mate.
But even as the two men fall desperately in love with each other, Karein’s family aims to begin a war with the fae. Can the strength of one mate bond change the destinies of two peoples and save the paranormal world from chaos?
Blurb
In the paranormal world, the greatest legend is that of fae prince Talrasar Myrthylar and his dragon mate Kaelezrin Tersain. It is the story of the Great Sacrifice, a time when two warriors ended their own lives and their bond to save the world from destruction.
But their story isn’t over yet. An unexpected attack on their descendants suddenly brings them back, two men out of time, relics of a past long considered myth.
However, once again, their attempt to help costs them, and the two men are separated. Suffering from amnesia, Talrasar falls into the hands of an unlikely foe. A desperate Kael begins the quest to find his mate, enlisting the help of their descendants.
Meanwhile, a new political ploy threatens Ornoz and its shaky leadership. Can Talrasar and Kaelezrin navigate the murky waters of their chaotic future? Will their sacrifice finally be repaid or is the warriors’ dream to have a family fated to never come true?
Blurb
Ice dragon Sagenamadeen Zager has always been a loyal soldier, renowned for his cold demeanor. But his life changes when Sage meets and falls in love with Prince Camden Isaiat.
Camden is the only one who truly manages to melt the ice around his heart. But Camden is also a naga, a member of the second caste and a chimera. Their love is a taboo. And it isn’t only the draechen who are against it, but also Camden’s family.
When Sage agrees to join them in the naga capital, he becomes little more than a concubine. But just as Sage and Camden decide they’ve had enough, a vampire ploy targets the naga. Mysterious forces are at work, and Sage is the only one who can keep his mate safe from them. Can he prove the true power of his mate bond surpasses all labels, or will distrust, hatred, and darkness separate him from his lover?
Blurb
Ice dragon Hareem Tersain was born to lead the draechen empire. He thought nothing could become more important to him than Ornoz. He was wrong.
When his path crosses that of one beautiful werewolf, Hareem is torn between love and duty. For Hareem, Taryn Lovington, his mate, is perfect. But their bond is taboo. Other draechen would never accept a ninth caste member as an emperor’s consort and a werewolf’s child as an heir. Trying to protect Taryn, Hareem sends him away.
He doesn’t realize his foes know about his connection with Taryn. When Taryn is attacked by vampires, a chain of events is set into motion that reveals an unexpected enemy. Forced into unlikely alliances, cornered by the selfish desires of others, Hareem has to build a safer world, one where he and Taryn would be free to love each other. Will he succeed in this daunting task or will he pay the ultimate price for making the attempt?
Blurb
Draechen prince Rachen Tersain is desperately in love with sprite Alwyn Cyraltin and aware they share a bond. However, he still has trouble separating his identity from that of his twin brother. Thinking he doesn’t deserve a mate, he maintains an almost platonic relationship with Alwyn.
That changes when Alwyn comes to him, revealing his greatest fears and doubts. Rachen attempts to help his mate, but a vision from his brother-in-law, Sari, throws the Tersain into chaos. Now, Rachen has to fight to prove Alwyn’s innocence in front of his loved ones.
As the sexual tension between Alwyn and Rachen increases, so does the apprehension of the imperial family. With Alwyn’s powers growing and the Tersain struggling between their affection toward Rachen and their fears of the unknown, Rachen is the only one who can find a solution. Can he give his mate the love they both need or will the fire of their passion be extinguished by Alwyn’s secrets?
Blurb
What is the value of a law long considered obsolete? How does one decision affect the course of the entire history?
Most people never get the chance to find out, but Phoenix and Rachen do. Much to their dismay, they find themselves in a reality torn apart. The draechen emperor, Shtamakarein Tersain, rules the world with an iron fist, but he doesn’t realize his mate is the man he considers his worst foe, Sari. His brother Hareematek hunts the nearly extinct werewolves, not knowing that his other half is among them. The entire world—paranormal and human—is at war.
Phoenix now faces the hardest decision of all – having to choose between the life of his mate and that of countless others. And when his powers disappear, the situation grows even more hopeless.
Will love be enough to fix the broken bonds? Can the world be reborn from the ashes, or will it collapse into ruins of a mutated history?
THE END
Chronicles of the Shifter Directive Companion Guide Page 5