Book Tour: Blood Debt by Nancy Straight Character Interview

Book Blurb:

Her whole life, it had just been the two of them. Before her mother’s last breath, she gave Camille the information she had craved her entire life: the identity of her father. Daring to contact him, Camille was welcomed by an entire family she never knew existed. But nothing comes without a price, as she discovers when her family claims a legendary heritage tracing back to a Centaur touched by Zeus. 
As she learns the secrets of her Centaur bloodline, she is drawn into a forbidden love with Drake. Her family acknowledges her life may be the blood debt required to pay for her mother’s transgressions. The same person who once held her mother captive, and forced her into decades of hiding, now controls Camille. Her only chance is to seek a piece of her mother’s past that will win her freedom and the life she desperately desires. 

Character Interview:

With Drake from Blood Debt:

Alisia, thank you so much for letting me stop by for a chat today.  Nancy told me she’s been stalking your blog for a while and it’s great to be here and meet you.

Tell me a little something about yourself…  My name’s Drake Nash, I’m twenty-four years old, I work for my father’s construction business, and I was born a pure-blood Centaur.

Tell me how you feel about being a Centaur…  Hmm, a tough one.  I’ve always been a Centaur.  How do you feel about being a human? 

How did you feel when you first saw Camille, as I know a lot of thoughts were going through your head with your betrothed standing next to you?  Right, well, you cut to the chase don’t you?  Could we go back to the last question?  No? Okay, well, formerly betrothed.  Bianca and Gage are happily together now.  I suppose I should try not to get gushy on everyone, but it’s safe to say that not only did I forget how to breathe; the earth forgot how to rotate when I first saw Camille. 

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when I say Camille’s name to you?   When I first met her, my first thought was she was an apple; a very red, delicious, sweet, beautiful apple – the Forbidden Fruit.  Now when I hear her name the only thing that comes to mind is: Mine.

How did you feel when Bianca and Camille were first becoming fast friends?  Are you kidding me?  I was betrothed to Bianca and I wanted Camille, male Centaurs don’t get to choose who they marry.  I had already been chosen by Bianca.  The fact that the two were becoming friends was about as welcomed as having a brand new bed of nails delivered to replace my mattress – strange and uncomfortable. 

When Bianca and Camille told you of their little conspiracy plot, what were you thinking and how did you think it would play out?  It was the equivalent of being thrilled to have vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day and then someone sits down with a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey and says, “Here, why don’t you try this.”  I was thrilled with my vanilla ice cream, a little smug to tell you the truth.  Then just the idea that I might get one small spoonful of Chunky Monkey was worth letting Gage have my whole bowl full of vanilla.   

How did you hold up when Zandra took Camille and you couldn’t find her? I was a wreck.  Camille and I had done the unthinkable – we had planned an un-chaperoned date the night she was kidnapped.  When she didn’t arrive at 10pm I worried she may have been delayed.  By 11 pm I was furious with myself thinking our plan may have been discovered.  At midnight I realized she wasn’t coming.  The next morning I wracked my brain until I could come up with a good reason to call her brother Brent.  That’s when I learned she had been kidnapped by her grandmother.  For two solid months, thoughts of Camille consumed me.  The day Gage called and said we were all going to Zandra’s to bust Camille out was the first time I could breathe in two months.

I know you would do anything to be with Camille, but did you ever think about something happening to her to keep her from you permanently? You mean like finding out a marriage had been arranged by her grandmother, to my best friend, Gage?  

Are you happy with how things turned out between yourself, Camille, Gage, and Bianca? Is there a word stronger than “Yes?”  Maybe, “Hell Yes!”  If there is, substitute it!  Bianca should never have chosen me, she and Gage were meant for each other.  I can’t imagine a life with anyone other than Camille – I’ll need to give her some time, but she’ll feel the same way I do soon.

Do you regret anything?  Many things.  I regret accepting Bianca’s betrothal to begin with and putting my friendship with Gage in jeopardy.  I regret that I didn’t spend more time with Camille on the yacht when I had the chance.  I regret not following Camille home from lunch the day she was kidnapped.   

Do you think Zandra will ever find you and Camille? If we have to stay on the run for years, I’ll never complain, because I got a second chance with Camille.  That’s more than I’d ever hoped for.  Zandra is the most powerful Centuride on the planet and she’s none too happy with us, but we’ll do whatever is necessary to stay out of her sights.

In a perfect world, what would happen with you and Camille? The world will never be perfect, but it’s pretty darn close to it right now.  We escaped from Zandra’s house, we’re looking for the one Centaur artifact that can save us both and we’re together.  It feels like perfection to me.

Alisia, it’s really been an honor to stop by today! 

About the Author:

Nancy was born in Sioux City Iowa, left the cold of the Midwest in 1991 and only returns to see family in the summer time. She spent ten years traveling the world as a US Marine and settled in rural SC.  She has two fantastic son, three rotten dogs and an amazing husband.  When not writing she enjoys RVing with her family, swimming and reading all types of romance genres.  Her favorite is paranormal romance.