Spotlight/Author Q&A: Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Hi, Dianne.  Welcome back to EBookObsessed.  We haven’t spoken to you in a few years and since then you have written one… two…about a dozen new stories and each one is amazing in its own way. 

Hi, Lucy! Thank you! I’m happy to be back and super glad you’ve enjoyed the books.

Since we have last spoken, you branched off from your original Immortal Guardians and wrote The Gifted Ones series which occurs in the past and the Aldebarian Alliance series set in a distant universe.   Past, present, or far, far away – Do you have a preference where you want to keep writing?

Honestly, it’s hard for me to choose. For those who are new to my work, all three of my series are related and revolve around gifted ones (individuals born with advanced DNA that gives them cool abilities most people lack) and Immortal Guardians (gifted ones who were transformed by a rare, symbiotic virus that gives them preternatural speed, strength, and longevity—making them essentially immortal—but drives ordinary humans infected with it insane and turns them into psychotic vampires.) You don’t have to read one series to enjoy the next. But there ARE some fun cross-over characters. My favorites are Marcus (who is a teenaged squire in The Gifted Ones medieval and time-travel romance series and an immortal in the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series), Eliana (who appears in the Immortal Guardians and Aldebarian Alliance series), and Seth (who appears in all three series).

So, which one do I most want to write? Well, I’ve seen quite a few readers say that reading a new Immortal Guardians book is like visiting best friends. And that’s exactly how writing an Immortal Guardians book feels. I always enjoy taking that crew on new adventures. But recent years have made me want to get off the planet for a while. LOL. Fortunately, the Aldebarian Alliance series allows me to do that. (I’m actually working on the 5th book now.) 

And yet, having said that, I’m very eager to get back to The Gifted Ones. I definitely have more tales to tell in that series. Did I mention it’s difficult to choose? 😀

Your Immortal Guardians each have their own unique gifts, but they are mostly stuck in the constraints of Earth. In the Aldebarian Alliance, you’ve set them out into your own universe and the only constraint is your imagination.  Is it freeing to create your own universe or is it overwhelming? Speaking for all your readers, we are having, as Simone would say, a freaking awesome time in space. 

It IS freeing, and I’m having a freaking awesome time, too. Sci-fi romance writing is particularly fun for me because, as you said, there are no constraints on my imagination. I get to create new worlds, new species, new planets, and new technology. New good guys. New bad guys (who are pretty much the scourge of the galaxy). In THE AKSELI, I even created my first AI character nicknamed T, who nearly stole the show.

In all of my series, I endeavor to write each book in such a way that readers would say, “I know this wouldn’t happen in real life, but—if it did—I could totally see it happening this way” and make the stories and characters feel realistic despite the fantastical elements. But with sci-fi, I’m no longer restricted by what’s possible on Earth. And wow, is it fun! I’m really enjoying taking my gifted ones and Immortal Guardians off-planet on these new adventures. Especially the latter. After hundreds of years of hunting and slaying psychotic vampires and engaging in epic battles with greedy mercenaries and other enemies, these powerful women needed a change and are like children on Christmas morning: bright-eyed and full of amusing excitement as they tackle every new experience.

I was crying when Eliana was talking with Seth in The Segonian. Were you crying writing that?

Absolutely. And I still tear up when I listen to the audiobook. (Kirsten Potter is such an awesome narrator.). I can pretty much guarantee that anything that makes readers tear up also made me tear up while writing it (I flat-out ugly-cried while writing CLIFF’S DESCENT) because I’m so close to these characters. But Eliana also made me laugh soooo much… as did Dagon when he mentally chanted, “Don’t picture her naked. Don’t picture her naked.” LOL

Coming back to Earth, I loved your choice of Leah Somerson, a more mature woman, for Seth’s love interest in Death of Darkness. Did you find a lot of the fans to be accepting of your choice or did you find them to be unhappy that she wasn’t young and innocent?

An overwhelming majority of fans liked that she was in her 40s. And honestly, I just didn’t think someone young and innocent would suit Seth. He’s thousands of years old and basically carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, trying to keep all of the immortals he commands and the humans who aid them safe while they protect humanity from vampires and battle some seriously scary foes. He’s suffered great losses over the years. Leah has, too, something that strengthened their bond. And she recognized him as a fellow workaholic who desperately needed some downtime. 

A few of the youngest IG readers seemed surprised by Leah’s playful nature. But that playful nature—the teasing and laughter and dancing—was exactly what Seth needed… and was something he couldn’t resist. I had so much fun watching the two of them shock the Immortal Guardians crew with their behavior. 

With the exception of Cliff’s Descent, which was mostly a retelling of events we already experienced, your next book, Rogue Darkness, is the first book in the Immortal Guardian series since Seth’s book, Death of Darkness, revealed all the secrets. Was it harder or easier to write this story with everyone’s cards on the table?

Actually, BROKEN DAWN followed Seth’s book, too, but it took place in Texas and didn’t include as many of the familiar characters fans have come to love. So ROGUE DARKNESS will be the first one since CLIFF’S DESCENT that takes place in North Carolina with the whole crew present. Though the first big series arc ended in DEATH OF DARKNESS, a new one has begun. And I didn’t find diving in difficult at all. I’ve wanted to tell Sean and Nicole’s story ever since DARKNESS RISES was released. I’ve always enjoyed friends-to-lovers stories, which made this one particularly fun to write. Sean may very well be the most light-hearted and funny Immortal Guardian I’ve written. Though concern for his sister often left him somber in DARKNESS RISES, his true personality really shines through in this one. Sean made me laugh as much as Sheldon does. And you know how crazy Sheldon is.

Thank you for stopping by. Again, I want to say how much I love your stories. Each one is unique, exciting, and so much fun. I look forward to each upcoming story **cough, cough** David *cough* and who knows who could be next.

Thank you for the fun interview! I always enjoy visiting and will definitely keep an eye out for David’s love interest. 😉

I hope your readers will enjoy Sean and Nicole’s story!

We are so excited to share with our readers the next exciting novel in Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians series! Keep reading to find out more and for your chance to win in the tour-wide giveaway! Rogue Darkness releases June 13th, grab your copy today at one of your favorite online retailers!

ABOUT THE BOOK

ROGUE DARKNESS
Immortal Guardians Book 12
by Dianne Duvall 
Release Date: June 13th, 2023

New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall brings readers the next stand-alone novel in her “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly) and “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews) Immortal Guardians series.

Immortal Guardians have hunted and slain psychotic vampires for thousands of years. Now someone is hunting them. Humanity remains oblivious to the existence of immortals, vampires, and gifted ones, so how does this rising nemesis even know who they are and where to find them? Could it be the machinations of an old nemesis—one they thought they defeated? Or is this something new? Because unlike the foes they’ve faced in the past, this one doesn’t just target immortals. He targets those who are near and dear to them.

A gifted one under the Immortal Guardians’ protection, Nicole has worked hard to land her dream job—that of an Immortal Guardian’s Second or mortal guard—and loves working with Sean. He’s smart. He’s funny. And despite the sometimes dark existence he leads, the two of them laugh a lot. Years spent as a special ops soldier prepared Nicole well, enabling her to keep Sean safe despite his tendency to dive headlong into danger. But can it keep her safe? The enemy they face is determined and shrewd. Uncovering his identity may require new methods of engagement and force her to take a few risks.
Sean hasn’t been immortal long, but he knows the rules. And according to the rules, Nicole is off-limits. She’s his Second. His guard. His best friend. The one person who knows him better than anyone else. Though he loves every minute he spends with her, friendship is all they can ever have… isn’t it? Sean soon begins to question that as the two of them engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the enemy, one that will reveal the true depth of their feelings for each other and drive him to abandon the rules altogether.

The Immortal Guardians Series:

 

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, the Aldebarian Alliance sci‐fi romance series, and The Gifted Ones medieval and time‐travel romance series.  The Lasaran, the first book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a #1 Audible Mover & Shaker. The Segonian, the second book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a Barnes&Noble Top Indie Favorite. Audible chose Awaken the Darkness as one of the Top 5 Best Paranormal Romance Audiobooks of 2018. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews). Dianne’s books have twice been nominated for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. And her audiobooks have been awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence.

Dianne’s books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and/or Kobo Bestseller lists.  The first book in Dianne’s The Gifted Ones series, A Sorceress of His Own, is a prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A USA Today bestseller, A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that was awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence and was an Audie Finalist. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, is a time travel romance that won the GraveTells Readers’ Choice Award for Best Historical Romance.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the psychotic vampires she creates in her books.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit DianneDuvall.com or sign up for her Newsletter. You can also find Dianne online . . .

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