Blue-Moon : You began your writing career with another name, Deborah Raleigh and at that time, you wrote regency historicals. Is this career over, or do you think you may write a historical again ?
A lexandra Ivy : I hope to keep writing historical, although I don’t have any in the works. I really enjoy being able to go from one genre to another. It’s very easy to fall into a rut and I think switching between the two helps to keep my writing fresh.
Blue-moon : Why did you begin to write paranormal romance ?
Alexandra Ivy : I feel in love with Buffy I’d never seen such an original show. It had it all. Horror, humor, and adventure…plus a kick-ass heroine !! I started writing my first paranormal in sort of a private tribute to Buffy, but as the story unfolded I fell in love with the characters and decided to give the manuscript to my editor. Thankfully he saw potential in the story and the next thing I knew the Guardians of Eternity were born.
Blue-moon : There are many paranormal series today. Demons, vampires, shapeshifters are very common heroes. Is this more difficult to remain original, to find new ideas ? Do you think that it’s a challenge for an author to write a great paranormal series among the others ?
Alexandra Ivy : I do think it’s difficult to come up with a completely unique story, but writers today are so creative and the publishers have allowed the stories to be far more inventive than they used to be. There are always those talented individuals who manage to write outside the box and they pave the way for an entirely new take on the paranormal. It’s a very exciting time to be writing (and reading).
Blue-moon : At the beginning of your series, heroes were almost always vampires. In the last books, shapeshifters, werewolves and many other creatures have an important role ? Why ? Are you considering creating another kind of character to give a bigger role to angels or demons for example ?
Alexandra Ivy : My next book will feature a half-Jinn demon and I do have a collection of characters waiting their turn to be written . In future books there will be a demon who can travel between the real world and underworld, as well as a Sylvermyst…which is an evil cousin to the fairies (he’s very dangerous and oh-so sexy) !!
Blue-moon : I love your characters but among them, there’s one who is very special for me : Levet is a French gargoyle and he’s so funny and so ugly ! Why did you introduce this character ? I think that his role is more and more important in the series. Why ? And why is he French ?!
Alexandra Ivy : Levet is my absolute favorite !!! And you’re right…he started off as a minor character, but before I knew what was happening he was taking over more and more of the stories !! I do intend to make him pivotal to the overall arc of the storyline and for those readers who are interested…I do intend to give him a happy ending As for him being French—well, I fell in love with gargoyles during my trip to Paris so I couldn’t think of him as anything but French !!
Blue-moon : Your series will be translated into French. How will you present your series to the French readers ?
Alexandra Ivy : Nothing has been planned (at least on my end), but I’m very excited by the possibilities. I hope that I can connect with the French readers and discover how they enjoy interacting with authors !
Blue-moon : There are already six and very soon seven books in your series. Could you tell us what we’ll discover in your next book ? How many books are you contemplating writing ? Is the end of your series already very clear for you ?
Alexandra Ivy : The next book will be Tane’s story and I’ve truly started to up the stakes. The battle between good and evil is becoming more intense and the end of the world is looming. Right now I have ten books and two anthologies planned, but I haven’t settled on a certain ending. Each time I do I find myself changing it. So it right now it’s going to be as big a surprise to me as it is to my readers
Blue-moon : In your series, the main characters seem to be the heroes but if the women are maybe weaker at the beginning, their role is always very important at the end of the book. They are indispensable for their men and for the world in which they live. Is this a choice ? Do you want to prove that there’s a balance between the two sexes ?
Alexandra Ivy : I always want my heroines to be independent and capable of taking charge of their own lives. I’m old enough to remember when the stories featured females who were waiting for the big, strong hero to charge to the rescue…sigh. On the other hand, I have always been surrounded by men, with an older brother and now a husband and two sons and I love everything about men !!! When a woman can find a true partner in life, she is very blessed.
Blue-moon : In your books, the plot is always very dynamic and complex. Readers are mesmerized until the last page ! I think it’s your books’ major quality. Do you work a lot for this plot ?
Alexandra Ivy : First of all, thank you !!!!!!!! I do try to fill my stories with a sense of adventure and enough mystery to keep the reader turning the page. I begin with an outline and a very specific idea of where I want the story to go, but along the way there are always wonderful surprises and twists and turns I didn’t expect. It’s what makes writing fun.
Blue-moon : French readers are going to discover you and your books very soon, I hope. We know that you are an American author who writes paranormal series but in order to know you better, could you pick out one element in each proposition :
Alexandra Ivy :
Book or movie ? Always book
Tea or coffee ? Actually I’m a soda drinker. I wake up and pull out a diet pepsi before my eyes are even open.
Home, sweet home or travelling all over the world ? I LOVE to travel and France is one of my very favorite destinations !!
Dog or cat ? I love both, but currently I live in the country so I love having a cat around to keep away the mice.
Red, blue, green… ? Lavender.
Poems, novels, essays ? Novels.
The sea or the mountains ? Oddly enough I was born in the mountains but I love the seas. Give me a warm beach and a good book and I’m in heaven !
Thanks so very much for this wonderful opportunity and I can’t wait hear what the French readers think of the Guardians of Eternity !!