BLOOD LAW FAQs

It's hard to believe BLOOD LAW has been available for two weeks now. Seems like only yesterday I was stressing out over whether anyone would read it or like it... Wait... That was yesterday... ;)

So, since it's been out for a couple of weeks now, I've gotten a few frequently asked questions so I thought I would address them here and then add them to my website in a day or two. Oh, and if you're dying to ask me questions, feel free to either email me or join the live chat I'll be hosting on my message board later this week. The date/time is still in the works, but it will most likely be sometime Thursday night.

Now on to the FAQs....

1. Is this the first in a series or a stand alone novel?

BLOOD LAW is the first in a new series. The second book, BLOOD SECRETS, is slated for release in summer 2011.

2. Why did you write BLOOD LAW in third person with multiple protagonists? It's confusing!

First, there is only one protagonist -- Alex. It's her story. The others are secondary characters with varying importance in the story.

Many urban fantasy books are written in first person point of view, and there's nothing wrong with staying in the head of one character for an entire book. I've written first person point of view and enjoy the challenges it creates. However, for Alex's story, I needed to show other view points as well. As the saying goes, "There are two sides to every story." Well, in BLOOD LAW, there are five or six sides to the story. Whenever I read a book that's written in first person, I'm always wondering what the bad guys and other characters are doing when they aren't around the protagonist. I wanted show what these characters are doing. It was a stylistic choice that I and my publisher think works well for a suspense-based urban fantasy series.

3. Why are your vampires walking around during the day? Aren't they undead and therefore restricted to night?

No, my vampires aren't undead. They're living, breathing, mortal creatures with long lifespans who have evolved alongside humans throughout history. I haven't revealed everything there is to know about them in BLOOD LAW because not all the information is relevant to the events depicted in the book. More info will be forthcoming in later books.

As for why they're walking around in daylight, it's a simple explanation. The "myth" that sunlight kills or harms vampires isn't part of the original folklore and legends of Eastern Europe. If you've ever read Dracula by Bram Stoker, you'll know that Dracula is also a daywalker.

The sunlight "myth" comes from the 1922 silent film Nosferatu. Count Orlok, the vampire, is trapped in a room and is being hunted by an angry mob. The film makers needed Orlok to be out of the room before the mob enters so they could end the movie on a dramatic note. Hence, sunlight comes through the window and Orlok fades away with the dawn. This is also during the time when motion pictures were a new technology and this sort of special effect made Nosferatu an instant hit. It also inserted the sunlight "myth" into the collective consciousness of vampire mythology even though it's a complete fabrication and isn't based in original folklore.

Another reason to make my vampires able to walk during the day is that they're cops. If they were restricted to roughly 12 hours of night for their investigations while bad guys have the potential of using the full 24 hours available in a day, they wouldn't be very effective as law enforcement officers.

4. What genre is BLOOD LAW? Is it suspense, thriller, mystery, horror, urban fantasy, or romance?

It's a little of all them. BLOOD LAW is classified as urban fantasy (or dark urban fantasy). It is not a paranormal romance. I have nothing against the PR genre. In fact, I like to read PR as much as the next person, but I don't write it.

Yes, there is a strong romantic element to the plot centered around Alex and Varik. However, it is not the primary focus of the book and for that reason BLOOD LAW can't be called a "paranormal romance." If you're looking for a straight-up para-romance romp, you're going to be disappointed.

5. What is up with Varik's hair? Why would any guy have long hair nowadays?

There is a story behind the hair and all will be revealed in good time. Patience, Grasshopper.

6. Will (insert character name) be back in the second book?

Some of the characters in BLOOD LAW will be in BLOOD SECRETS. Unfortunately, I can't tell you who except to say Alex and Varik will be back.

7. Is there anything special we should know about Dweezil, the cat?

Yes, he likes long naps in the sun. He favorite flavor is tuna. His favorite toy is a wadded up piece of paper, and he hates going to the vet. Otherwise, he's just an average, run-of-the-mill Maine Coon cat.

8. Will there be other creatures introduced to the town of Jefferson, Mississippi? Werewolves? Fairies? Shifters?

No. I intend to keep the series strictly limited to vampires and humans.

9. Where can I find a copy of BLOOD LAW?

It's available in stores nationwide. If you're looking for an autographed copy, try Bienville Books in Mobile, AL, Murder By The Book in Houston, TX, or Dreamhaven Books in Minneapolis, MN.

I'll be signing copies in the following locations as well:

Barnes and Noble in Spanish Fort, AL on July 24 (2-4pm)

Romance Writers of America National Conference in Orlando, Florida -- July 28-31 (I'll be part of the 2010 "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing.)

Page & Palette in Fairhope, AL on August 14 (2-4pm)

If you're unable to attend any of these events or contact the stores I mentioned, you can send a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) to the following address, and I'll send you a signed bookplate that can be easily placed in a copy you already own. (Also makes a great gift!)

Send bookplate requests to:

Jeannie Holmes
PO Box 9945
Mobile, AL 36691-9945

10. I'm a blogger/reviewer and would like to interview you. Is that possible?

Absolutely! Just send me an email with your name, the name and a link to your blog/site, and when you'd like to post the interview. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. My schedule's a little haywire at the moment and it may take a day or two for me to respond so please be patient.

And so ends the frequently asked questions.... I'll add more as more questions are sent to me. Thanks to all who've read BLOOD LAW and contacted me! It's greatly appreciated. :)