Straight from the Library: Straight Chatting from the Library: Catherine Russell

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READ THE INTERVIEW

If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?

This is an easy yet painful answer. It would to my mother, who at 48, passed away in 1989. I wasn’t at her bedside when she crossed over. Though she knew I loved her, still do, not being there in person, for me, is a loss that can never be corrected. Apologizing for not being there when I wasn’t, though I’m not sure if she knew I wasn’t there or not, regardless, I would’ve been there until her last breathe on this earth. There’s not a day that goes by that having her gone doesn’t affect me. She was too young to leave so soon.

If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?

Well I’d have to say a house elf, such as in “Harry Potter”, however it would not be an indentured servant or slave, but highly respected. I’d love to have help or just watch it do magic. I believe they’re highly intelligent, kind, and compassionate. With a simple snap of their fingers I could be transported somewhere else. Who wouldn’t want to avoid airport lines and fees, let alone not pay for airfare, right?!

How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

Each author of any genre can use, reuse, and recycle so many different creatures, effects, etc. I use my personal background and experiences to create my world, that way they're original, unlike anyone else’s lives or world. No two lives are the same, though they may share similar elements, they’re as different as snowflakes.

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?

r For myself, the best advice would have to be to believe in oneself and create my own world without editing anything until I knew the story was complete. The worst…would be to write out the story line ahead of time, to plot out what happens where. I did attempt to stencil out a rough draft once…key word being “once”. It destroyed my creativity completely and I hit a wall, not able to think of my next steps. For me, letting my thought process flow like a river through a new route, completely untamed, is best for creating the most original and fantastic scenes and story.

Are the experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I’d have to say a mix of both. Some of the experiences are a combination of my own plus other friends and family members. There are more than a few events that mirror my own life. My characters in this story are based on actual people in my life at this time, all that’s changed is the physical descriptions…and even that can be only minimal at times. As a child, I too had a small scrappy dog named Toto, just like in “Wizard of Oz”, plus I grew up on South Hill in Puyallup Washington in the back woods, with streams that I’d splash about in as a toddler and young girl. I always dreamt that I had guardian angel, someone who would catch me if I fell, ran too far…though as I grew I learned to be my own savior, to become stronger and stand up for myself, handling anything life threw at me no matter the circumstance.

READ THE BLURB

Megan O'Day seems to be navigating the unpredictable relationship with Geoffrey Drake, her centuries-old vampire guardian angel, rather well. But then his past suddenly rips him from her, forcing her to face the unknown future alone in the gripping sequel to The Stage.

Still bound to Geoffrey through the power of the Link despite his unexplained absence, Megan's mind is flooded with his haunted memories. While she relives the darkest moments of his previous life, she discovers his attachment to a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her.

As she questions Geoffrey's love for her, she strikes up a dangerous alliance with Geoffrey's brother, Alexander, who is also a vampire. She hopes that he will help her find a way to rescue Geoffrey: instead, he seems to be awakening new emotions and desires within her.

As the past and present collide, Megan struggles to fend off Alexander's dark seduction. Is Geoffrey truly beyond the reach of her love forever? If not, what must be sacrificed to bring them back together again?

READ AN EXCERPT

Geoffrey and I stepped into one elevator, the others squeezed into the other. I fumbled with the box as the elevator doors closed. The elevator jerked slightly. Geoffrey had pushed the stop button, and gently took the box from my hands as the elevator halted between floors. I grinned, knowing what he was up to. I reached up to his delicious mouth as his cool palms softly held my face.

Whenever our lips touched the link became a hyper wire of electric current. My tongue danced in time with his as his venom flowed into me. Along with my being the mythological link to him, we’d also discovered that I was immune to his venom—but mind you, it still had its drawbacks. Sure, it gave me enhanced senses and physical abilities, but it also made me sicker than a dog if the dose was too big, basically a nasty hangover.

Just as his icy fingers skimmed my waist, the call buzzer rang, interrupting our moment. I had about two seconds before he pulled away, so I held him tighter to me, tugging on his delicious lower lip a bit longer, and his fingers grazed the top of my hips, which only made me want him more.

Damn buzzer. And I was just getting started, too. He grinned as I tucked my shirt back in.

“At least we won’t have interruptions to worry about anymore,” he said aloud as he tucked my hair back behind my ear, sending a small thrill through me.

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