Blog Tour: Character Interview - Phantom Shadows By: Dianne Duvall + A GIVEAWAY!!

Thank you so much for letting me visit A Life Bound by Books!  I’m thrilled to be here, celebrating the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS, the third book in my Immortal Guardians series.  Bastien and Melanie’s story was so much fun to write!  I thought today I would give you a glimpse into their characters through a character interview. 

In case you’re new to my Immortal Guardians, I’ll just take a moment to explain that the vampires and immortals in my series are both infected with a rare symbiotic virus that produces the increased speed, strength, and regenerative properties, as well as the photosensitivity and need for blood, that both possess.  Vampires are humans who have been infected with the virus.  They suffer brain damage that causes them to rapidly descend into madness.  Immortals are gifted ones, men and women born with advanced DNA, who have been infected with the virus.  Their advanced DNA protects them from the madness and bestows upon them special abilities that help them as they hunt the maddened vampires who prey upon humans.

An extensive network of humans aids the immortals.  Chris Reordan, head of the east coast division, will be interviewing Melanie:

Chris:  So.

Melanie:  So?

Chris:  Awkward.

Melanie:  *smiles*  You see me all the time at work.  Things aren’t awkward there.

Chris:  We aren’t alone at work.

Melanie:  So? 

Chris:  So . . . you know.  There’s the whole . . . I-want-the-man-you-love-dead thing hanging between us now with no buffers.

Melanie:  *laughs*  Your desire to kill Bastien or at least see him executed by Seth or David doesn’t bother me as long as you don’t act upon it.  So, shall we begin the interview?

Chris:  *smiles*  I do like you, Melanie, despite your taste in men. 

Melanie:  That’s why you hired me.

Chris:  Actually I hired you for that brain of yours.  I knew if anyone could help us gain a better understanding of the virus that infects vampires and immortals and find either a treatment or cure for it, it would be you.

Melanie:  *grimaces*  No pressure, right?

Chris:  *laughs*  Right.  So, let’s do this.  A lot of changes have taken place in the Immortal Guardians’ world and, by extension, at the network. 

Melanie:  BIG changes.

Chris:  I’ve never asked – and have always wondered:  What was your initial reaction to my asking if you would be willing to work hands-on with the vampires who surrendered during Bastien’s uprising?  You played it very cool when I explained I’d be moving them in across the hall from your office and wanted you to work one on one with them, so I couldn’t gauge your true feelings on the notion.

Melanie:  Well, needless to say I was shocked.  There had never been a vampire on the premises before that night.  And I had never encountered one face to face. 

Chris:  I don’t think anyone at the network had, apart from me.  Few had ever encountered an immortal either, for that matter.

Melanie:  True.  And like the other network employees, I had heard rumors of how vicious and violent and brutal vampires could be.  But you told me these were still young, infected only months earlier in the case of Joe and Cliff.  A little longer with Vince.  So I hoped they would still be lucid or at least would have more lucid moments than they would psychotic breaks.  *shrugs and shakes her head*  It was an amazing opportunity.

Chris:  I don’t think Dr. Whetsman or some of the others would describe it that way.

Melanie:  *laughs*  I believe he said you were off your rocker. 

Chris:  Not to my face he didn’t.

Melanie:  He wouldn’t dare. 

Chris:  Were you afraid the first time you met the vampires?

Melanie:  I was terrified.  But this was the first time a chance like this had ever come along.  Vampires voluntarily aiding us in our research?  Letting us run tests, do MRIs, document the progression of the brain damage, the madness.  For the first time, we have real hope that we may someday be able to slow the damage the virus causes in humans.

Chris:  I can see you’re passionate about this.

Melanie:  I am.  The vampires who live here aren’t lab rats.  They aren’t study subjects.  They aren’t monsters.  They’re my friends. 

Chris:  Friends against whom you have to constantly be on guard, in case they attack you and try to kill you.

Melanie:  I can’t blame them for something they can’t control.  I’ve seen how hard they fight it, seen remorse claim them in their lucid moments.  *swallows*  I don’t want to lose another one.  Not to the madness, and not to . . . 

Chris:  *nods*  I imagine it’s hard on Bastien, too.

Melanie:  *faint smile*  It kills you to offer him sympathy, doesn’t it.

Chris:  *throws up his hands*  I can’t help it!  I can’t stand the bastard! 

Melanie:  *laughs*  Look, I know his past is a little dark . . .

Chris:  *gapes*  A LITTLE?  He raised an army of vampires with the intention of destroying the Immortal Guardians!

Melanie:  *waves a hand*  That’s all in the past.

Chris:  I could name several thousand immortals who say it isn’t.

Melanie:  *frowns*  Well, you could help us with that, you know.  You have a lot of influence with the immortals.  If you could convince them to give Bastien a second chance–

Chris:  I don’t think he deserves a second chance.

Melanie:  Really?  After everything he’s done LATELY?

Chris:  *grumbles something under his breath*

Melanie:  *leans forward*  I’m sorry.  I didn’t quite catch that.

Chris:  I said it’s POSSIBLE . . . if he doesn’t open his mouth . . . and if one examines his actions with a magnifying glass . . . while squinting just so after getting blind stinking drunk . . . that Bastien isn’t ALL bad.

Melanie:  I wouldn’t love him if he were.

Chris:  I’m not even going to–  *fumbles in his pocket when his cell phone chirps*  Reordon . . .  *frowns and mumbles*  Speak of the Devil.  *then louder*  At David’s place, interviewing Melanie, why?  *tosses Melanie a disgruntled look*  WHAT?  How many? . . . Damn it, Bastien! . . . NO, you can’t just leave them there.  What if humans see . . . No, don’t throw them on the roof!  *growls*  All right – all right.  A cleanup crew is on the way.  *ends call*

Melanie:  *jumps and answers her cell phone when it rings*  Hello?  *glances at Chris*  Hi, sweetie.  Everything okay? . . . Uh huh . . . Uh huh . . .  *purses her lips*  Sure.  Pizza sounds great . . . Okay.  Love you, too.  *hangs up and studies Chris*  Wow.  Your face is REALLY red.

Chris:  PIZZA!  Seriously?  He just painted Duke University red with blood!

Melanie:  Not the WHOLE university.  And it isn’t HIS fault vampires like to hunt on college campuses.

Chris:  *rises*  I have to go straighten this out, send a cleanup crew.  And, by the way, we didn’t need a BUS before Bastien came along.  One or two cleaners at a time used to suffice.

Melanie:  *weak smile*  Thanks for the interview?

Chris:  *grumbles some more and dials his phone as he leaves*

I hope you’ll enjoy Bastien and Melanie’s story! Thank you for joining us! 

Dianne Duvall

 

Title: Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians, #3)
Author: Dianne Duvall
Publisher: Zebra, 390 Pages (October 2nd, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads



NOTE: This is an adult title intended for readers 18 years and older.

Synopsis: Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it's not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire. . .

Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can't remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different--and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question--he can't put her in danger. But she isn't asking him. . .

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And don’t miss Dianne's big kindle contest.  She's giving away THREE Kindles (or a Kindle Gift Cards if you already have one) to celebrate the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS.  See her website >>>HERE<<< for details. 

GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win a SIGNED copy of your book of choice from the IMMORTAL GUARDIANS SERIES from Dianne Duvall 

      *One winner will receive this prize

Rules and how to enter: 

You must be at least 18 years old to enter 
To enter, complete the Rafflecopter form below  
Name & email address must be provided 
Giveaway is open: INTERNATIONAL! 
Giveaway ends: October 18th, 2012 (12:01 EST) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 A HUGE Thank You to Dianne for asking me to be part of the tour for the third book in the series and for asking me to host the giveaway!