Author Interview + Giveaway! Featured: Taryn Browning

Today, I have the delightful Taryn Browning, author of the Dark Seeker novel series here doing an interview for the blog! She was kind enough to answer some questions about her vampire hunter series, short story "Dark Beauty," and its following novel series, Dark Seeker. The questions are about the prequel story, "Dark Beauty," since that's all I've read, so far, but they are both part of the same fictional universe.

At the end of the interview, find out how ONE lucky reader can win a free Kindle ebook copy of Taryn's novel, Dark Seeker, which is now available for sale. UPDATE (10/18/2011): THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW EXPIRED...

1. Is “Dark Beauty” your first published work? Tell us a little about your history and experience as an author.

Yes. I’ve written three independent novels ranging from YA paranormal romance to urban fantasy, and a short story (Dark Beauty). I also have a bunch of partials and a novella floating around that I hope to get back to sometime in the not-so-distant future. Although, I’m not counting on it since I already have ideas for book #2 in the Seeker series.

2. I've seen you mention that you are represented by a literary agent. Your vampire-hunter short story, “Dark Beauty,” seems to be self-published. Why did you decide to self-publish this title?

Even though I’m represented by an agent, I am self-publishing a short story and the first novel in a series of books to come. I think many authors are starting to dip their feet into both the traditional and self-publishing worlds. For me, self-publishing allows me to share my stories with readers while also pursuing my traditional publishing dreams. Plus, I’m having a great time getting to know readers and I enjoy discussing YA. I absolutely love the diverse characters in Dark Seeker—and I also happen to have a crush on Kai! :) Each character—good, bad, or both (sometimes it’s hard to determine)—has a unique personality and background. They definitely make the book fun to write, and read.

3. Will you be writing more “Dark Beauty”?

Yes. I’ve actually started writing the second story in the prequel series. I’ve had lots of people ask for more of Isabelle and Abram during their Seeker years, so, I’m writing more. Plus, I feel like they still have more to share. Their relationship is touched upon in Dark Seeker. I’d love to fill in more of their back story by continuing Dark Beauty. More of their relationship will also be revealed in the next Seeker novel.

4. What inspired you to write “Dark Beauty”? Did anything from your life or the media influence you?

I am a huge Buffy fan, so I guess you could say it was influenced by my love of the show. I love strong female characters. Like Buffy, Isabelle and Janie can definitely hold their own.

5. Your main character, Isabelle, is from Cherokee descent. What made you decide to give her that particular cultural heritage?

I wanted Isabelle to have a unique background and there are a lot of really cool Native American legends about vampires and demons to further explore in the series.

6. In the world of “Dark Beauty,” the vampire-hunters are called Seekers and they live all over the United States. Can you explain a little about their origin, without spoiling any possible future installments?

Seekers have been around for as long as vampires have existed. They are overseen by the Apotheosis, who place Chapters made up of mentors and past Seekers in each city to supervise Seeker duties. Being a Seeker runs in the family. The offspring of Seekers grow up to be Seekers themselves once they turn 15, or enter high school. From there, they do four-year rotations, starting over again in a different city once they complete their senior year. This continues until they make the decision to leave the Seeker life. During their time as a Seeker they don’t age.

As for Isabelle, Abram and Janie, you’ll just have to wait to find out more about their lives as Seekers and when/if they decide to leave it—and what roles they play within the Seeker “world” in the future. One thing that’s certain is their primary enemy isn’t vampires anymore. There is a new, more deadly hybrid with plans to create more of their kind.

7. I love the snarky friction between Isabelle and Abram. Is there a chance it will lead to some romance between them?

There is definitely a spark between Isabelle and Abram. Since they are much older in Dark Seeker, they have a relationship and history, but I’m not going to tell you what type. You’ll have to read Dark Seeker and the next story in the prequel series to find out. Sorry! :)

8. My final question for you, Taryn, is about your writing process, something I can't help but be curious about with authors... Planner or Pantser?
   
   I’m a panster. I come up with an idea and run with it. I’ve jumped up from the dinner table, rushed out of the shower, and woken up in the middle of the night with a thought in my head. I have to immediately jot it down or I will forget (story of my life). I don’t know if it’s just a glitch in my brain, but stories just seem to roll out of my head. I’ve always had an over-active imagination. I thought it was normal to think up stuff—until my husband told me it wasn’t, lol! :) That’s okay—I embrace it.  

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win ONE free Kindle ebook copy of Taryn's latest novel, Dark Seeker! All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. All entrants who follow this blog will get an extra entry (+1), so be sure to leave me your Google Friend Connect name in the comment below, too!

This giveaway will stay open for entries from Tuesday, October 4, 2011 through Monday, October 17, 2011. That's TWO weeks!