Author S. T. SANCHEZ: Interview with Lana Campbell author of Forever and a Night Series

Welcome Lana! Thanks for taking the time to visit with us today. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve had a passion for romance reads since early high school. You could always find a Harlequin romance in my book bag. In 1994 I decided to try my hand at writing, just for fun. I really sucked at it in the beginning, but I joined a local writers group and slowly began to improve.

In 2014 I decided to get serious about writing. I wanted to publish something. So I wrote Forever and a Night, the first in a vampire romance series. I just published book two Dark Experiments 5/21/17. My third book Deadly Secrets came out 9/30/17.
Every spare moment I have is devoted to writing or reading. Writing is in my blood and I wake up every day excited for the next chapters.
I live in Avoca, AR with my oldest daughter, Jessica, my husband Robert and a cat named Felix.

What got you into writing?

Back when Twilight was becoming popular my teenage girls at the time were so into the series. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about so I read the books. I enjoyed them, loved the vampire aspect, but I wanted to read vampire stories with older protagonists and more human like vampires. So I set about creating a story with a 42 year old female protagonist and an older vampire hero who lived longer than most humans but was mortal. In my stories vampires can eat and they can have children because they are a sub-species of humans, evolved from humans due to a blood disease.

Will you share a short excerpt from your novel

Dark Experiments:

Nathan’s men rushed inside, Christian at their heels. He flipped up his sunglasses and looked about the inky darkness of a huge garage, plenty luminous for vampire eyes. Another standard door led to the belly of the building in the far right corner. He headed toward it, behind Nathan’s six men. Asa, Dominic and Nathan took up the rear, single file behind him.

At this point most everyone inside had surely heard the door come down. Christian needed to alert Tiffany and make her ready for whatever transpired once they emerged into the building’s interior.

We’re here. Get ready. Say nothing and stay calm. I’ll be there before you know it.

You’re here? Thank God, Christian.

Are you alone?

Yeah, I’m still alone and tied down to this damned bed. My heart is about to beat out of my chest. That’s my only tell, but no one except a vampire could here it.

I’ll hear it soon enough and it will be music to my ears.

Be careful.

You too.

Two of Nathan’s men took the battering ram to the interior door. Once it was relieved of it’s hinges, Christian rushed inside behind four of Nathan’s men. He expected to be met by the very least the brother armed to defend his turf, but instead two young thin vampire girls with hideously gray skin and gaunt features stood in a long hall just out a doorway to his right. The scent of chili wafted from the room, and Christian assumed it to be a kitchen.

The two girls appeared terrified, frozen in place, eyes wide and flitting from one armed man to another.

“Hands in the air!” one of the humans ordered.

They instantly obeyed.

Christian raised the barrel of his gun toward the ceiling. These poor little things were no threat. “Are you here by choice?” he asked them.

Both shook their heads, still wearing petrified expressions.

“Take us to the four women they brought here three days ago,” he demanded.

Just then a man walked out the doorway, hands in the air. Christian saw a holstered gun on his hip. The others must have too. Every man took aim on him with their weapons.

“Get down! Face down on the floor. Hands behind your head!” two of the human men yelled.

He did their bidding without a word. Seconds later he was swarmed by three humans, stripped of his gun and handcuffed.

Christian glanced at Asa who stared at the two frightened vampire girls with pity. He felt the same emotion himself, but he needed them to lead him to Tiffany and the others.

“Where are the women?” he asked again with less rancor.

The one closest to them finally answered. “D-down this hallway, take a left and you’ll find them in the curtained cubicles.”

Christian wanted to bolt in the direction they’d indicated, but he held back, glanced at Asa then behind him at Nathan, Dominic and Dimitri. They all wore an expression similar to what was on his mind. This was just too damned easy.

“Are you Terry, Charla’s brother?” Christian asked, stepping up to the head of the prone man who craned his head to glare up at him with equal doses of hate and spite.

“How do you know my name?”

“Never mind that. Get up and lead us to the women.” Christian yanked him up and onto his feet so fast, he’d probably dislocated his shoulder. A harsh grunt of pain said he was correct, but he didn’t care. This man was part of this kidnapping and drugging ring. He deserved a bullet between the eyes, but right now he’d serve just fine as a hostage.

The young sickly girls did not deserve such treatment. “Dominic, Dimitri, could you escort these young ladies out of the building? That is if you want to leave. We’ll make sure you get home, back to your lives, families, whatever.”

Both shook their heads adamantly and the two men corralled them around the small posse in the entryway then out of the building.

Christian shoved the barrel of his gun against the man’s spine. “Lead us to them now.”

Terry, craned his head back and gave him a look of disgust. “I’ll lead you right to them, vampire, but it won’t do you any good. By now they’re all on their way out. I’m sorry about that. I really am. I liked that one with the mouth.”

“Tiffany.”

“Yeah. That’d be the one.”

“You’d better qualify that comment and quick if you want to live. Where are they being taken?”

“I couldn’t answer that, but maybe you can. Where do vampires go when they die?”

Sounds intriguing, which do you prefer: print books or ebooks?

I used to prefer to hold a real book, but I've gotten addicted to reading on my phone with my kindle. So I guess ebooks.

Have you been given any helpful advice?

Tons of good advise from other authors on how to write, how to publish, etc. I was a part of a writer's group for many years. I can't say enough about how important it is to connect and network with other writers.

I agree I have found some excellent groups on facebook and goodreads. Lana currently, what are you working on?

I just finished a vampire romance called Alabama Rain. In this story Alabama Rain is a born vampire whose father is a villainous drug dealer. He’s a much more powerful vampire than Alabama. He forces Alabama to steal drugs for him from his rival drug lord which of course places Alabama in danger. Early into the story she has a run in with Nate Davenport when she’s trying to do a drug theft for her father. When Nate discovers she deals drugs, he’s determined to catch her in the act and bring her to justice. He just doesn’t plan on falling in love with her in the process.

Tell us a little bit about your main characters

I’ve published three books so far in my Forever and a Night vampire series. These are not your typical vampire romances. For instance in my first book Forever and a Night my heroine is 42 with three grown girls who become my heroines in subsequent books. In book one devout christian Mia Peebles falls for billionaire vampire Nathan Davenport.

Is this a stand-alone novel or part of a series?

This is a vampire series, yet each novel can stand alone. And each story has a HEA.

Do you have people read your drafts before you publish? How do you select beta readers?

I haven't before, but I'm planning on it with upcoming novels.

I recommend beta readers, they are essential in my writing process, finding things I have overlooked. Who designed the artwork for your cover? Or did you design it yourself?

My publishers designed the artwork for all three of my books.

What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?

Getting published. All three of my books were published with a small press publisher. Yes, I do get writers block a lot. But in order to get over it I put the book away for a day or two, read, watch TV, basically do something to get my mind off of the book for awhile, then go back to it when I'm refreshed.

Since you wrote in this genre, do you think you will ever write in other genres?

I love writing paranormal romance. I may not always write about vampires, but I'll probably always write paranormal. It's in my blood.

That's so great that you have found your passion! What advice would you give someone who is considering publishing? Should they consider traditional or self-publishing?

I would say go traditional. It's so hard to market your books by yourself when you are self published. But getting one's foot in the door with a big publisher is very hard. Try small presses when you are just starting out. That's what I've done hoping that my name gets out there and eventually I can sell to one of the big five. Also, my first book was published by a vanity press. I wish I’d known no author should have to pay to have their book published. If your work is good enough you will find someone to publish your book and they won’t charge and you’ll make money.

Thanks so much for sharing, find Lana and her books below. Happy Reading!!