Author Q&A: Thea Harrison

I'm excited to welcome to the blog an author with a new series that is fresh and entertaining!  Thea Harrison's Elder Races series has lots of readers wondering when they will be able to get their hands on the next book!  Trust me folks, if you haven't started this series yet, do so!  You're missing out on reading great storylines as well as being introduced to awesome new characters!

Website:   http://www.theaharrison.com

First I want to thank you for stopping by the blog Thea. I am a huge fan of your Elder Races series! How did you come up with this exciting new world?

Thank you so much—and thank you for having me today. I’m excited to be here!  For several years I have read PNR, urban fantasy, and other works in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. When I sat down to write Dragon Bound, it felt like an organic process that I built out of various images that had been floating around in my head, but I also know that many of the decisions I made in world-building came from reading books that I enjoy. I used tropes that I have enjoyed in the past, or I picked tropes that I wanted to rework in ways that felt satisfying to me, so I can’t really say that the Elder Races universe just happened, when lots of different elements and experiences went into creating it.

I love that all of your characters are different and get along (for the most part). Did you know which paranormal beings you were going to use when you first thought of

The characters are fun, aren’t they? I really didn’t know which paranormal beings were going to go in the mix, because I researched as I wrote the first draft. I would travel along in the narrative and reach points where I had to stop and say, “Wait, now how is that going to work? Or, who are those people that are going to be waiting on the rooftop for Dragos when he gets back to New York?” Sometimes that meant I had to go back in the draft and fiddle passages into place better as the characters began to emerge. I was more of a “punster” writer for Dragon Bound as opposed to a “plotter.” Now I get to work with the understanding that Berkley is supporting the series, so I do much more plotting, along with deeper world-building.

I loved the character Quentin in Dragon Bound and hope we get to learn more about him. Can you tell us if this will happen?

Yes. The readers have not seen the last of Quentin. He shows up for more action in books five and six. I’m looking forward to that!  (YES!)

Speaking of different, Tiago is a Thunderbird and because of this has quite the past. It was really interesting to read his backstory in Storm’s Heart. Did you have to do research for this time period in order to incorporate it into the series?

I really loved creating Tiago. Not only was he an entertaining character for me to explore in his own story, but I also enjoyed the American Indian and ancient Egyptian mythologies I read in order to flesh him out more. I had taken a mythology course in college, which also helped to give me a platform from which to expand. I took the research for ancient Egypt further for book three, Serpent’s Kiss, so the stories build on each other. As both a writer and a history/mythology/religious studies nerd, this had been an immensely satisfying thing for me to work on.

In Dragon Bound, the reader could see how protective Tiago was of Tricks and that carried over into Storm’s Heart. He doesn’t joke around when it comes to her safety and I loved that he was there for her when she needed that support. Did you realize he would be this way when you started writing the series?

I did not! Tiago, Tricks, and many of the other characters may be based on various tropes I’ve read and enjoyed, but when I wrote Dragon Bound, I wasn’t even sure there would be a series. So in way, while I am doing more plotting, as I am writing the series I get to experience a lot of the surprises that you as readers get to when you pick up the stories. For me, the surprises just occur a lot sooner than they do for you.

How many books do you have planned for the series?

This is a great question to follow the last one! I am contracted through book six, and I have the stories and characters lined up already for those. In fact I am currently writing book four, entitled Oracle’s Moon. But I have characters and storylines already forming in my head for book seven and beyond. I hope we all get to explore them!

Are you going to be working on any other future projects that we could look forward to reading?

Yes! There is an Elder Races novella, entitled “True Colors”, that is currently planned as an e-release for December of this year. I’m halfway through writing a second Elder Races novella (unscheduled as of this point). And I’m under contract with Berkley for two dark romantic fantasies outside of the Elder Races universe. We’re fleshing out revision on the first book and talking ideas for the second. Unfortunately one of the things we have to decide is a title for that first book too, so I’m afraid I can’t yet give you a title. If you’re interested, you can check my website for updates. You can also catch up with me on my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/TheaHarrison, or on Twitter:  @TheaHarrison

Thank you, again, so much for having me here today! It’s been a pleasure!

The pleasure was all mine Thea!  Now it's time for info on the books in her Elder Races series!

Book 1:  Dragon Bound  (Released 5/3/11)

Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful–and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they’ve ignited in one another.

Book 2:  Storm's Heart  (Released 8/2/11)

During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle “Tricks” Periwinkle found sanctuary among the wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle’s death, there are those who don’t want to see her ascend to the throne…

Able to wield thunder and lightning, wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the wyr’s best weapons. And he’s sent to protect Tricks when she’s almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them—a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds…

Book 3:  Serpent's Kiss  (Releasing:  10/4/11)

In order to save his friend's life, Wyr sentinel Rune Ainissesthai made a bargain with Vampyre Queen Carling—without knowing what she would ask from him in return. But when Rune attempts to make good on his debt, he finds a woman on the edge.

Recently, Carling's Power has become erratic, forcing her followers to flee in fear. Despite the danger, Rune is drawn to the ailing Queen and decides to help her find a cure for the serpent's kiss—the vampyric disease that's killing her.

With their desire for each other escalating just as quickly as Carling's instability spirals out of control, the sentinel and the Queen will have to rely on each other if they have any hope of surviving the serpent's kiss…

 And coming on 3/6/12

Make sure you stop by the blog later on to read my review of Storm's Heart!