Interview with Dianne Duvall, author of Death of Darkness

by Grant

in Author Interviews, Fantasy, News, Romance

19 Aug 2019

What can you tell us about your new release, Death of Darkness?

Death of Darkness is the latest book in my Immortal Guardians series, which features powerful preternatural heroes, strong heroines, action scenes that will keep you flipping pages well past your bedtime, and romance that is alternately steamy, sweet, and laced with humor. (If you’re new to the series, don’t worry. Each novel and novella can be read as a stand-alone story. You’ll just know more about the secondary characters if you read them in order.) Death of Darkness is also by far the most requested book of the series thus far because it revolves around Seth, the immensely powerful leader of the Immortal Guardians. Seth has led the immortals for thousands of years, guiding them, protecting them, and doing everything he can to help them find happiness in what can otherwise be a pretty dark existence. Together they have protected humans from psychotic vampires, defeated corrupt mercenary armies, and even defended military bases under attack. But spearheading all of this has kept Seth too busy to consider pursuing his own happiness. Then he meets Leah… and everything changes. Leah sees Seth in a way no one else in the world does. She wants to erase the darkness that haunts him and replace it with love and laughter. Even when an enemy who is determined to watch the world burn threatens everything, Leah is determined to remain by Seth’s side and help him triumph over his nemesis and find long-deserved happiness. I had a LOT of fun with these characters… as well as with the Immortal Guardians’ reactions to their austere, illustrious leader falling in love. There are moments that will make readers laugh out loud, and others that will make their jaws drop. I hope everyone who picks up a copy will enjoy the ride.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I have always been a voracious reader. In fact, one of my earliest memories from elementary school is of waiting eagerly for the Book Bus to visit. It came twice a month, first to deliver a brochure filled with the book covers and an order form, then to deliver cellophane wrapped stacks of lovely books I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. Each story I eagerly devoured fired my imagination and sparked an intense desire to create my own. I started writing stories when I was around twelve or thirteen years old and have loved it ever since.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

1—Stephen King’s ON WRITING. I am a huge admirer of Stephen King. I learn something new every time I read one of his books. And his fiction novels always fire my imagination and make me want to sit down and write for hours. So it didn’t surprise me at all when I loved ON WRITING, too. 2—Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST NIGHT. Paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres. This one really stood out. I loved the characters and the storytelling. It was a great introduction to an entertaining series. 3—Laurann Dohner’s FURY. This totally hooked me on Laurann’s New Species series. I’ve devoured every book in it since. 4—Karen Marie Moning’s THE IMMORTAL HIGHLANDER. The books in the Highlander series were among the first time travel romances I ever read. And I really enjoyed them. This one, The Immortal Highlander, was my favorite and one I return to often. 5—Stephen King’ THE STAND (Uncut). What can I say? Stephen King is a phenomenal writer. I think this was the first horror novel I ever read, and I absolutely loved it. In my opinion, it’s one of his best. I could read it again and again.

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

My online friends will not be at all surprised by my answer to this one: My first guest would be Stephen King. I would love to sit down with him and ask his opinion on some of the massive changes that have taken place in the publishing industry over the last decade.

What’s your favorite thing about writing? My favorite thing about writing is watching the stories that ramble around in my head unfold in their entirety. I’m what is known in the writing world as a pantser, not a plotter. In other words, I fly by the seat of my pants instead of outlining the plot in detail before I begin each book. I may have a general idea of where I’d like the story to begin and end, but the road in between is unpaved and simply unfolds as I write. I love the surprises that result. Also, because I write series with ensemble casts, I like that I don’t have to say goodbye to the characters I create as soon as I finish their book. Those characters can go on to play crucial roles in future books in the series, so they continue to grow and expand and entertain me. What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day will find me working on my current manuscript, promoting my latest release, and going over edits, copyedits, and proofs for my next release. Working on my current manuscript is my favorite of the three. I really do love to write. I also enjoy spending time in my Books Group on Facebook. It’s such a fun, positive place to “kick back and relax.” And I like to keep up with reader and author friends online.

What scene in Death of Darkness was your favorite to write? There were so many favorite scenes in this one that it’s hard to choose. But I think the one that tops them all is the first time my Immortal Guardians crew meet Leah face to face. Their reactions to her and her responses to them made me laugh out loud.