Blood Shadows by Lindsay J. Pryor
Blackthorn
Series Book One
Genre:
Paranormal Romance
Publisher:
Bookouture
ISBN: 9781909490000
ASIN: B00AAMO252
Number of pages:
380
Word Count:
117,000
Cover Artist:
Henry Steadman
Book Trailer:
http://youtu.be/PKxHJfXeqW0
Book Description:
For
vengeance - would you trust a vampire?
For justice - could you betray your family?
For love - are you ready to question everything you believe in?
Gifted with the ability to read the shadows of ‘third species’ beings, Caitlin Parish is the Vampire Control Unit’s most powerful agent. Despite that, her mission to hunt down Kane Malloy – a master vampire – comes with a death wish. Many have tried, but few have survived.
For Caitlin, tracking Kane is about more than just professional reputation. With her parents both mysteriously killed 7 years apart to the day, Caitlin knows that without Kane’s help she is next.
She has four days to make a deal with the wicked, the irresistible, the treacherous Kane Malloy. The vampire who despises everything she stands for.
Or die.
For justice - could you betray your family?
For love - are you ready to question everything you believe in?
Gifted with the ability to read the shadows of ‘third species’ beings, Caitlin Parish is the Vampire Control Unit’s most powerful agent. Despite that, her mission to hunt down Kane Malloy – a master vampire – comes with a death wish. Many have tried, but few have survived.
For Caitlin, tracking Kane is about more than just professional reputation. With her parents both mysteriously killed 7 years apart to the day, Caitlin knows that without Kane’s help she is next.
She has four days to make a deal with the wicked, the irresistible, the treacherous Kane Malloy. The vampire who despises everything she stands for.
Or die.
Interview:
1.
Where did you get the idea for the novel?
The concept for the Blackthorn series starting
evolving 16 years ago when I relocated to a big city over 300 miles away from
everything I knew. Not long after moving there, I got lost walking home one
night. I ended up in a very isolated and run-down area. Iron bars were on
windows. Metal shutters were on doors. The place was dead. I was terrified, but
the idea for Blackthorn was born – dark paranormal stories set in an urban,
gritty backdrop of social unrest, where vampires brush shoulders with humans.
It instantly became a dystopian world where humans were calling the shots,
where there was segregation and prejudice. It was the perfect environment to
breed conflict between characters, particularly my heroes and heroines.
Blackthorn inevitably developed into a backdrop for dark and intense romances
that will eventually each play an integral role in the future of all who live
there.
As to what inspired Blood Shadows, the first
book in the series, it must be 10 years or so since I came up with the idea so
I can’t place it exactly. I remember seeing a film where there was a chase down
a back alley along a chain-link fence and I immediately thought of an agent responsible
for keeping vampires in order in Blackthorn. I love strong heroines so I wanted
to make the agent a woman. The bad-boy vampire was inevitable.
2.
Your title. Who came up with it? Did you
ever change your title?
My publisher came up with
title Blood Shadows. Blood Shadows was originally called
‘Beguiling The Enemy’, which was a working title when I subbed it to the New
Voices 2011 writing competition. I’d already written another book in the series
called Blood Roses (coming Spring
2013) when I signed a three-book deal with my publisher. They wanted to tie the
series titles together as part of the branding for Blackthorn. As my heroine is
a shadow reader, Blood Shadows worked
perfectly.
3.
Which came first, the title or the novel?
The novel always comes first.
4.
Since becoming a writer, what the most
exciting thing to ever happen to you?
I’ve been a writer for almost
thirty years, so that would be tough to answer. I only became a published
author very recently. Signing a three-book deal was immense. Then aside from
finally being able to hold a copy of my book in my hand, I think the most
exciting thing was seeing all the design work for Blackthorn. I have a
tremendous cover designer (he’s worked with some of the biggest mainstream
names in the world) who took on the Blackthorn book covers and crest. I cried
when I saw it all.
5.
What book are you currently reading or
what was the last book you read?
The last one I read was Ash by James Herbert. He’s one of my
favourite authors. It was superb.
6.
What was your first book that you ever
wrote (very first one you wrote, not published)?
The first full-length book I
ever wrote was a children’s story called The
Gift about a girl who inherits a pen and whatever she writes with it,
happens. I was a teenager when I wrote it. It started off light-hearted but
quickly got very dark. It showed how dangerous it can be making judgement and
decisions about other people’s lives. I quickly resolved I’d be better placed
writing adult stories!
7.
What is your writing process?
First, I think of a concept
that is going to create conflict. I then speed-date the hero and heroine in an
isolated room to see if they spark. After that, I plan out the core conflict
between them and how that will be incorporated into an external plot. To
structure, I ensure there are at least three pivotal moments in their
relationship and three in the plot. I put all this into an outline before
writing the first draft. I keep writing until the end is written. After that, I
go back and revise, then revise some more. Finally I send it to my editor.
8.
Who are your favourite authors of all
time?
Anne Rice, Bram Stoker, Emily
Bronte, Roald Dahl, James Herbert, James Patterson and Stephen King.
9.
At a book signing, do you just sign your
name or do you write a note? How do you come up with stuff to say?
I tend to be guided by what
people want me to write. And if someone just wants my signature, that’s fine
too.
10. What
is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I don’t know – I guess that
depends on what their perception of me is! I’ve had a lot of people assume I’m
American, mainly because US writers dominate paranormal romance. I’m British –
Welsh to be precise.
I guess because of the dark
nature of my books and some of the graphic scenes, I don’t quite reflect the
social stereotype of a special needs teacher who spent years as a Sunday school
teacher and has an active passion for animal welfare.
11. How
do you react to a bad review?
I’ve been lucky so far. (I
emphasise ‘so far’ – it’s inevitably only a matter of time.) Since the launch
of Blood Shadows last month, I’ve
been met with amazing reviews from bloggers and 4 to 5 star ratings on Amazon
and Goodreads – all of which I’m extremely grateful for. I suppose the closest
I’ve come to a negative review is a 2 star rating off a reader. That was hard.
Really hard. But there will be plenty of people who won’t like what I write,
and I have to deal with that. I can’t please everyone and will screw myself up
trying. That’s not what writing is about – especially not my kind of stories.
12. How
did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I celebrated my signing with dinner with
my husband. For my first sale I was immersed in revisions for the second book
and lots of work around the launch, so I compensated by celebrating with my
readers on Facebook and Twitter. I’m lucky to have a lot of interaction with my
readers, which I love.
Excerpt:
He appeared from behind her.
His movements were swift and accurate:
snatching the gun from her hand, in the same instant he forced her face-first
up against the wall, her earpiece hitting the ground.
She caught her breath, pressed her palms
and knee to the wall in preparation to push back but his hard body was already
against hers, his power reminding her that the strength she had in spirit was
absolutely no match for the supposedly three hundred-year-old six-foot vampire
who had her pinned to the wall as easily as he would a sheet of paper. And as
she felt the tip of her own gun press below her ribs, she knew all four shots
of the potent sedative, too powerful for the human body, would end it all for
her.
Just
like that.
But instead of firing, his soft lips
brushed her ear, the arrogant upward curl of those enticing bow lips as clear
in her mind as if he were facing her. He tutted playfully, his low rasp raking
beneath her skin. ‘A little girl doing a man’s job – bound to end in tears.’
Caitlin clenched her fists. Brovin and
Morgan had to be less than a minute away. She had to stall him. Her instinct
was to try to reach back and catch his wrist. All she needed was her fingers on
his pulse point and she’d finally know those dark recesses that no expert could
reach – information she so desperately needed. But she knew she wouldn’t have
enough time to wait for that painfully slow vampire heartbeat, even if she was
in a position to get to him. There was only one way she was going to get the
time with him that she wanted and needed.
‘Kane Malloy, I’m detaining you under
section 3.4 of the Vampire Disciplinary Clause…’
He laughed, deep, guttural, terse. ‘You’re detaining me?’
‘On twenty-one alleged accounts of crimes
against members of the third species including your own, thirty-two against
humans…’
‘Delusional as well as reckless. Are you
seriously the best they’ve got?’
‘It’s over, Kane.’
‘You breathe too fast to be convincing,’ he
goaded.
‘You don’t breathe enough to judge me.’
He exhaled curtly. Panic jolted through her
as he deftly unclasped the belt threaded through her jeans. To her disgust, for
the first time on any tracking operation, she froze.
Kill her? Yes, of course the thought had
crossed her mind. No matter how unbelievable or surreal it seemed, she had
known it was a possibility. But rape? With her colleagues closing in there was
no way even Kane would have the arrogance to attempt it in the minutes, maybe
even seconds he had left.
But this was Kane. And if he wanted to
leave a message for the VCU, a dead and violated tracker would ring loud and
clear.
The fact she'd even got this close would be
insult too much for his ego.
She snapped back a breath as he yanked her
belt through the loops. And as his heel cracked the buckle, destroying the only
way the VCU could locate her, she knew it was about to get worse.
Her phone followed next, removed from her
back pocket by his stealthy fingers.
‘You’re lucky you serve a purpose,’ he
said, combing her hair back over her shoulder.
Her heart pounded painfully. ‘What’s that
supposed to mean?’
‘You’re the one who’s obsessed with me –
what do you think?’
As he traced the back of his cool fingers
tenderly down her exposed neck, a caress more sensual than she would have
thought possible for someone with such renowned brutality, Caitlin held her
breath. She was stunned by her own involuntary arousal, suppressing it with
every iota of conviction she had.
‘I think you’d better walk away,’ she said,
battling to get her focus back on the job. ‘Or give yourself up.’
‘Not going to happen, Caitlin.’ Pressing
the tranquiliser gun tighter into her side, Kane made her wince, his reputation
restored. ‘Question is, are you going to walk out of here co-operatively or am
I going to have to carry you?’
You can read the first three chapters on Scribd for free:
Check Out What Readers Have
to Say About Blood Shadows:
“Lindsay
J. Pryor easily earns a place alongside Paranormal Romance's best
writers!” ~ Michele Hauf
“An incredible voice for paranormal.” ~ Rhyannon Byrd
“An incredible voice for paranormal.” ~ Rhyannon Byrd
“I
drooled on my keyboard.”
“Wow!
This is just soooo good.”
“Utterly
captivating.”
“Flawless,
tight, sensual, electrifying!”
“Tell
Kane he can have my soul RIGHT NOW!”
“Every
moment was dripping with tension.”
“I
forgot to blink.”
“Girl,
you can WRITE! And you can write sexxxy!”
“Fang-a-licious!”
“I
nearly fainted when he removed her belt.”
“The
sexual tension is off the charts.”
“After
Kenyon’s Zarek, I thought I’d never fall for another bad boy again...”
“Jaw-droppingly
good... I’d want to shout ‘Bite Me!’”
About the Author:
Lindsay J. Pryor is a British Paranormal
Romance author who writes dark, intense stories set in the dystopian world of
Blackthorn.Her trademark powerful vampire heroes and utterly combustible sensual romances have earned Lindsay comparisons with both J.R Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon.
A finalist in Mills & Boon’s New Voices competition in both 2010 and 2011, Lindsay has already proved a smash hit with readers.
Comments like “Utterly captivating”, “Jaw-droppingly good”, “Awesome”, “I forgot to blink”, “The sexual tension is off the charts”, “I nearly fainted when he removed her belt”, “I drooled on my keyboard” and even “Tell Kane he can have my soul RIGHT NOW!” convinced Lindsay she just might have what it took to become a published author.
With the launch of Blood Shadows, that dream is now a reality. Her journey to published author though has been a long one.
Lindsay has been creating stories since she was nine years old, when she quickly decided that fantasy was more interesting than reality. She thought she’d grow out of it but hasn’t yet.
Despite years of bashing out stories on an old typewriter, it was the death of her father in 2007 that finally convinced Lindsay to try and become a published author.
“One of the last things my dad said to me was to do what I wanted to do in life. After he passed away, I pulled out all my scribbles from over the years and got back to writing what I loved most – paranormal romance.”
If reviews are anything to go by, it was a journey well worth making.
I have read and love Blood Shadows. Lindsay can write chemistry between her characters like no other. I am already looking forward to the next book in her series.
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