Interview: Alexandra Ivy, author of 'Hunt the Darkness'

Paste BN and New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Ivy can't remember a time when she didn't have a book in her hand. She read anything she could get her hands on and fell in love with books by Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie and J.R.R. Tolkien, just to name a few. In addition, she's read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. Her love of reading has paid off because her long-running Guardians of Eternity series has earned a legion of devoted fans. Hunt the Darkness, the latest in the series, is, not surprisingly, earning high accolades and has hit the Paste BN bestsellers list. Alexandra joins us to talk about her Guardians and the latest addition to their dark imaginative world.

Lea: Welcome to HEA, Alexandra! It's a thrill to have you here today.

Who are the Guardians of Eternity?

Alexandra: They started with a clan of vampires who live in Chicago. I wanted to create a brotherhood of demons who were struggling to overcome their violent natures and survive in an ever-changing world of humans. Of course, it wasn't enough that they had to adapt to technology or negotiate truces with other creatures of the night; I had to make sure they occasionally were forced to confront the apocalypse. : )

Lea: When Darkness Comes, the first book of what set out to be a vampire trilogy of stories, was published in January 2007. Seven years later the Guardians are still going strong. We are now on book 14. Wow! What's your secret to keeping the Guardians world unique and interesting so readers remain engaged?

Alexandra: It still shocks me! I never dreamed the Guardians would continue past the first three books. I think the secret to most series is the readers' dedication to the ongoing characters. Although I always introduce a new hero and heroine for each book, the original cast plays a vital part in the ongoing storyline. They're like old friends we get to visit over and over.

Lea: You incorporate a fair amount of mythology into your narratives. Would you describe these books as paranormal romance or has the series evolved into a dark romantic fantasy? Or is it sort of a combination of the genres?

Alexandra: I think it's more of a combination. At its core it's a romance, but the series has gone beyond the traditional vampire stories to include a wide range of demons and fairies and even new worlds. I never did color in the lines very well and my characters refuse to behave. : )

Lea: Do Dante, Viper and Styx, the three vampire heroes introduced in the first three novels, still make appearances in the stories?

Alexandra: Absolutely! I love the interaction between the characters and to be honest, they've become such a part of my life it would feel strange to write a Guardian book and not have them interacting with each other. And I usually have readers asking to see more of them.

Lea: You've woven a vast number of ghoulies into the Guardians world, including mages, vampires, werewolves, fey, demons, spirits, wizards, trolls, ogres, zombies … I remember reading about at least one necromancer, and we can't forget our beloved friendly miniature gargoyle. How do you keep everyone straight? Do you use a storyboard or an algorithm outline for the series?

Alexandra: Oy, I was very foolish when I first started writing the series and I never bothered to do more than jot down a few notes that I usually managed to lose before I started the next book. By book six I was nuts. : ) I finally purchased WriteWay (a computer program created by author Lara Adrian's husband) and forced myself to take the time to put in all the characters and different storylines. It was like pulling teeth, but now that I have it all in one place, it's been unbelievably helpful.

Lea: I heard a lot of positive things about WriteWay at the RT Booklovers Convention in New Orleans. Romance writers who are using the program are finding it very useful.

You are a prolific author and along with the Guardians of Eternity you write/have written the Sentinels Series and the historical romance series Hellion's Den. And you co-write the Bayou Heat series with Laura Wright. How many hours do you devote to writing a day? Do you finish one book then start on the next before edits arrive? Basically, how do you juggle all these worlds and keep them organized in your mind?

Alexandra: I write a crazy number of hours, usually eight to 10 hours a day and even weekends, especially when I have a deadline coming up. And I'm often writing at least two books at a time. Which means, of course, I have no life ... lol. But I never forget that I'm so, so blessed to be able to do what I love. That's a gift that makes my insane hours a lot more fun!

Lea: You have a vivid imagination. Do your characters tell you their stories? What inspires your muse?

Alexandra: So many things inspire me. It always starts with the characters, who they are, what they need, their greatest fears and how I want them to grow through the story. But, plot twists can often be triggered by some world event or overhearing a conversation ... yes, I'm a terrible eavesdropper. : ) It can make me think ... what if, and then my imagination takes off! Of course, it doesn't always work and I have to make changes midstream, but I never run out of plots, I only run out of time!

Lea: LOL. There are never enough hours in the day.

Hunt the Darkness is about the vampire Roke and Sally, a nymph-like witch. Please tell us about their story and their roles in the Guardians world.

Alexandra: I know everyone says this about their lead characters, but it's really, really true that Roke and Sally were two of my favorite couples. And to be honest, they were a happy accident. : ) Sally started off as the bad guy (or in this case, girl). But at the end of the story, I kept thinking about her, and why she had been with the Dark Lord ... finally I realized I had to write her story. Again, I didn't intend to put her with Roke, they were just so opposite. Then my twisted brain realized that's exactly what I needed! They bridge the world between my vampires and my newest race of fairies ... the royal Chatri.

Lea: I love stories where the hero or heroine needs to be redeemed. I think it adds dimension to the conflict. ; )

Can we beg you to share a little excerpt from Hunt the Darkness?

Alexandra: For sure!

CHAPTER 1

Northern Canada

Roke hadn't yet given into his overwhelming desire to commit gargoyle-cide.

But it was a near thing.

Roke was anti-social by nature, and having to endure the endless chatter from a stunted gargoyle for the past three weeks had been nothing short of torture.

It was only the fact that Levet could sense Yannah, the demon who'd helped Sally flee from Chicago, that kept him from sending the annoying twit back to Styx.

His mating connection to Sally allowed him to sense her, but Yannah's ability to teleport from one place to another in a blink of an eye meant by the time he could locate her, she was already gone.

Levet seemed to have a more direct connection to Yannah, although they still spent their nights chasing from one place to another, always one step behind them.

Until tonight.

With a small smile he came to a halt, allowing his senses to flow outward.

The sturdy cottage tucked on the eastern coast of British Columbia was perched to overlook the churning waves of the North Pacific Ocean. Built from the gray stones that lined the craggy cliffs it had a steep, metal roof to shed the heavy snowfalls and windows that were already shuttered against the late autumn breeze. A handful of outhouses surrounded the bleak property, but it was far enough away from civilization to avoid prying eyes.

Not that prying eyes could have detected him.

Leaving his custom-built turbine powered motorcycle hidden in the trees, Roke was dressed in black. Black jeans, black tee and black leather jacket with a pair of knee high moccasins that allowed him to move in lethal silence.

With his bronzed skin and dark hair that brushed his broad shoulders, he blended into the darkness with ease. Only his eyes were visible. Although silver in color, they were so pale they appeared white in the moonlight, and rimmed by a circle of pure black.

Over the centuries those eyes had unnerved the most savage demons. No one liked the sensation that their soul was being laid bare.

On the other hand, his lean, beautiful features that were clearly from Native American origins had been luring women to his bed since he'd awoken as a vampire.

They sighed beneath the touch of his full, sensual lips and eagerly pressed against the lean, chiseled perfection of his body. Their fingers traced the proud line of his nose, the wide brow, and his high cheekbones.

It didn't matter that most considered him as cold and unfeeling as a rattlesnake. Or that he would sacrifice anything or anyone to protect his clan.

They found his ruthless edge...exciting.

All except one notable exception.

A damned shame that exception happened to be his mate.

Roke grimaced.

No. Not mate.

Or at least, not in the traditional sense.

Three weeks ago he'd been in Chicago when the demon-world had battled against the Dark Lord. They'd managed to turn back the hordes of hell, but instead of allowing him to return to his clan in Nevada, Styx, the Anasso had insisted that he remain to babysit Sally Grace, a witch who'd fought with the Dark Lord.

Roke had been furious.

Not only was he desperate to return to his people, but he hated witches.

All vampires did.

Magic was the one weapon they had no defense against.

Regrettably, when Styx gave an order, a wise vampire jumped to obey.

The alternative wasn't pretty.

Of course, at the time none of them had realized that Sally was half demon. Or that she would panic at being placed in the dungeons beneath Styx's elegant lair.

He absently rubbed his inner forearm where the mating mark was branded into his skin.

The witch claimed that she was simply trying to enchant him long enough to convince him to help her escape. And after his initial fury at realizing her demon magic had somehow ignited the mating bond, Roke had grudgingly accepted it had been an accident.

Lea: Can readers enjoy the books as stand-alones or do you suggest reading the books in series order?

Alexandra: I do try to make sure each story can be read as a stand-alone with a new hero and heroine in each one. But there is an overall story arc that runs through the series, and there are a number of characters that pop in and out of the stories, so I think you have a better understanding of the world if you read them in order.

Lea: We have to talk about Levet, the much-loved miniature gargoyle with a French accent who is a recurring character in the Guardians series. Levet is a riot. He's witty and gregarious, the perfect sidekick. When did we first see Levet pop up in the series? I know he's a favorite of yours, too.

Alexandra: He actually arrived in my second book, Embrace the Darkness. He was just supposed to be a secondary character that disappeared at the end of the story, but I absolutely fell in love with him. He not only allows me to add a sense of humor to the books, but he's a perfect foil for the arrogant, supremely alpha vampires. He's the one character who can always cut them down to size. : ) Plus, he gets to say the things we all think, but are too polite to say!

Lea: What role does Levet play in Hunt the Darkness?

Alexandra: He has a fairly large role in helping Roke track down Sally's father, as well as dealing with Styx and Viper as they try to discover who is attempting to destroy the leaders of the demon-world.

Lea: We should mention to readers that Levet has his own novella, aptly named Levet, which is available as a digital download published by Zebra.

Alexandra: Yes, and I'm very excited to announce that he will also have a Christmas story that will be released in October ... A Very Levet Christmas. Levet is forced to play the role of Christmas Angel. : )

Lea: Oh, that sounds like such fun!

What can we look forward to coming next from the desk of Alexandra Ivy? Will we see more Guardians books?

Alexandra: There are a number of books coming! Bayou Heat, Sentinels, Masters of Seduction and of course, the next Guardian! We don't have a name yet, but it will be released June 2015, and it will by Cyn's story! Here is an excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

IRELAND, PRESENT DAY

Cyn, clan chief of Ireland and former berserker, moaned as he slowly regained consciousness. His brain was fuzzy which meant it took a full minute to realize he was lying butt-naked on the cold stone floor of a cave.

Bloody hell. It had been a millennium since he'd awaken in this precise cave, naked and disoriented. He didn't like it any better today than he had a thousand years ago.

What'd happened?

With a groan he forced himself to a sitting position, his body hardening at the intoxicating scent that teased at his nose.

Champagne?

A fine, crisp vintage that made his entire body tingle with anticipation.

For a blissful minute he allowed the fragrance to swirl around him. It was oddly familiar. And, surprisingly, it stirred a complex mixture of emotions.

Arousal. Wariness. Frustration.

It was the frustration that abruptly forced him to recall why the scent was so familiar.

Muttering a curse, Cyn had a searing memory of following a beautiful fairy through a portal. No...not a fairy, he wryly corrected himself. A Chatri. The ancient purebloods of the fey world who'd retreated to their homeland centuries before.

He'd been there to help Roke locate his mate, but Princess Fallon had shoved him out of the throne room when it was obvious that Roke and Sally needed time to work out their differences, insisting that he leave them in peace.

He'd only been vaguely annoyed at first. He didn't trust the cunning Chatri as far as he could throw them, especially not their king, Sariel. But, he wanted Roke to work out his troubles with his mate.

Besides, he was male enough to appreciate being in the company of a beautiful woman.

Or in the case of Fallon...a breathtakingly exquisite woman.

Her hair was a glorious tumble of rich gold brushed with hints of pale rose. The sort of hair that begged a man to bury his face in the silken mass. Her eyes were polished amber with flecks of emerald and framed by the thickest, longest lashes Cyn had ever seen. And her ivory features...gods almighty, they were so perfect they didn't look real.

He might be suspicious of Fallon, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy fantasizing about having her tossed on the nearby chaise longue while he peeled the gown off her slender body, he'd assured himself.

So he'd allowed himself to be distracted by the lovely female as he sipped the potent fey wine, not realizing the danger until his head began to spin and the world went dark.

Idiot.

He should have known that they were plotting something.

He might have a fondness for the fey, but that didn't mean he wasn't well aware of their mercurial natures.

And their love for luring the unwary into their clever traps.

Lea: Alexandra, thank you for joining us today. It's been such a pleasure to chat with you, and congratulations on the success of Hunt the Darkness! : )

Alexandra: Thanks so very much, Lea! It's been an honor.

Find out more about Alexandra and her books at www.alexandraivy.com.

Lea Franczak cannot remember a time when she didn't have a book in her hand. She's read and enjoyed multiple genres but is especially partial to contemporary and erotic romance, dark gritty romantic suspense, paranormal romance and has recently become a New Adult junkie. Lea has been blogging and reviewing since 2008 and is active on Goodreads. Lea is also HEA's Tweeter Extraordinaire. Follow HEA on Twitter (@HEAusatoday).