The Midnight Breed Series Companion Part 25

My question is why you gave Lucan a last name (Thorne), but none of the other Order members have one. I would love to know the last names to them and how they got them.

-Tami S., Hamilton, OH USA Because Lucan is 900 years old, his surname of Thorne is a name he acquired along the way, more so than a true family name. Surnames were uncommon in the Middle Ages and earlier, so many of the oldest members of the Breed would not have had them, but would have chosen a surname later on to help them blend in with the human world. Dante's occasional use of the surname Malebranche ("evil claws") is a made-up name he's adopted in reference to his favorite daggers.

Surnames are more common among the modern Darkhaven populations of the Breed. In cases where a last name hasn't been given to a more contemporary character in the series, it's either because they don't have one, or because a surname didn't make itself known to me as I was creating the character.

Have there been any discussions about turning The Midnight Breed Series into a movie or television series?

-Teresa A., Knoxville, TN USA Very early on, we had a nibble from a cable television channel that specializes in family dramas and women's films. To no one's surprise, they decided the Midnight Breed series was not right for them! *g* I'm asked by readers quite often if/when I might adapt the series for film or TV-in fact, it's the second most frequent question I hear, right after demands for Gideon and Savannah's story.

The simple answer is, it's not up to me. Adapting a book or series of books for live action drama is very expensive, and it takes the right studio with the right people on board to do it well. If a great team came along with a solid vision for the series, I would love to see the Order brought to life on cable or film.

How did you come up with the design of the Breedmate mark?

-Teodora K., Lukovit Bulgaria The Breedmate mark just "appeared" as I was writing the scene in Kiss of Midnight where Lucan is looming over Gabrielle while she sleeps and nearly bites her. Sometimes little gifts like this happen, and you learn to accept them and figure out what they mean later. For the red teardrop-and-crescent-moon birthmark that all Breedmates are born with, the meaning seemed pretty clear to me right away. It represents the fertility cycle (Breedmates, and Atlanteans, being fertile only during the period of a waxing or waning crescent moon) and the power and sanct.i.ty of blood (the teardrop shape is actually a blood drop).

Can a Breed ever end up with more than one power?

-Jennifer K., Hampton, NH USA Not unless the author screws something up (which happens, much to my chagrin). Breed talents are always inherited from Breedmate mothers. However, with the introduction of the Chase twins, Carys and Aric, being born of a Gen One Breed mother and a Breed father, things could get interesting!

Is Hunter also related to Nathan and Tavia?

-Carrie B., Las Vegas, NV USA Yes. They all share paternal genes from the Ancient who'd been kept in Dragos's breeding lab.

(Translated) I am a fan of Lara Adrian from the first book and look forward to reading many more. My question is, will there be more story for Rio and Dylan?

-Desiree D., Madrid, Spain I'm so glad you're enjoying my books, Desiree-thank you! I don't have plans to revisit or expand on any of the couples whose stories have already been told, but you will see more of Rio and Dylan and the entire cast of characters as the series continues. I try to keep all of the main characters present in some way, so long as it makes sense that they would be involved in the ongoing storyline of the series.

Will all Breedmates find their vampire match they are destined for? Do the vampires instinctively know how to find their Breedmate or does it just happen?

-Karen G., Levittown, PA USA Soul mates and fated mates aren't part of the Midnight Breed series. I try to pair up couples so that in the end it feels like they've always belonged together and are absolutely perfect for each other, but within the story world of the series, there really isn't a destined mate for each Breed male or Breedmate. They meet and fall in love much like we do-by chance, by accident, by sheer good fortune, and sometimes they do it kicking and screaming the whole way.

Will you ever do signings in bookstores outside the US?

-Debra G., Cork, Munster, Ireland Ironically, the only places I have done book tours are outside the United States! I've been to Germany and Italy so far, and just recently had to turn down an offer to come to France for a convention and book signing tour due to conflicts in scheduling (hopefully I'll be invited again another time). My international publishers have been amazingly supportive in this regard, and I hope to do more overseas book tours in the near future. The United Kingdom is one place I would very much love to visit!

Will you ever come to CT for a book signing? I would like to meet you. No author I like comes to CT for some reason.

-Nathasha G., Bristol, CT USA Thank you, Nathasha! I would love to come to Connecticut for a book signing (and to all the rest of the states where readers have been asking me to come for years, as well). Unfortunately, my US publisher doesn't send me on book tours, even though I've made it clear that I would love the chance to meet readers in person. The lack of support in this area is frustrating, but the only way I've been able to meet with US readers is by attending conferences that host public book fairs, and by organizing events on my own, or with the help of book clubs who put together signings for me at their local bookstores. And in 2012, I decided to host my own reader conference, LAMB-Con, in Boston. It was a great time, and I really enjoyed hanging out with readers from all over the country for an entire weekend, not just a couple of hours at a signing.

I hope to do more events in the United States, like LAMB-Con and other types of gatherings, but please understand that my options are limited due to expense and opportunity. To get notified of any of my upcoming events and appearances, be sure to sign up for my newsletter at www.LaraAdrian.com.

How did you come up with the name Tavia for the character? My name is Tavia, so it was so cool to read your book and pretend it was me.

-Tavia H., White Plains, NY USA Hi, Tavia! You have a beautiful name-one of my personal favorites. The meaning behind Tavia's name in the series is explained in her book, Darker After Midnight. She was originally named Octavia by Dragos, because she was the eighth successful live Gen One female birth in his breeding lab.

Do you intend to have only vampires in your series, or will you incorporate other creatures; such as werewolves/shape shifters. Newly discovered, of course.

-Jaynee H., Kelseyville, CA USA The only supernatural beings you'll see in the series are the Ancients, the Breed and the Atlanteans. To add anything else into the mix so far after the fact would only seem tacked on and inauthentic, I think. I prefer to keep the series lore as faithful to its beginnings as I can, and if I have the urge to write something that includes other supernatural beings or paranormal elements (and I do!) then I'd rather begin something completely new.

This series is so amazing. Do you have any other series brewing in the back ground? Starting another?

-Olivia T., Griffith, IN USA Thank you, Olivia! I do have plans for other series, actually. I've been thinking about one particular paranormal romance idea (dragons!) for quite some time now, and I'd like to write some non-paranormal thrillers and romantic suspense stories as well. So, yes-more to come!

What message do you hope fans get from your books?

-Lysette L., Moorpark, AL USA At the core of all my romance novels, even those outside the Midnight Breed series, is the message that we all belong somewhere, that we are uniquely special and important, and that home and family is wherever your heart is happiest. Find that place, even if you have to walk through fire to get there. And when it comes to love, don't settle for anything less than the one person who will cherish and protect your heart like the precious gift it is.

Carys (Chase) is a female and Breed. How will this affect her ability to procreate? Meaning, since she is Breed will she be able to bond with a Breed male?

-Sheri B., Tampa, FL USA Carys, one of a small number of Breed females, is able to share a blood bond with a Breed male. Although the Ancients do not bond, the Breed (their offspring) do because they have Breedmate genes somewhere down the ancestral line. In Carys's case, her mother Tavia is a genetically altered Gen One Breed. Unlike a Breedmate, Carys, being Breed, would not require a blood bond in order to have near-immortal longevity or to strengthen her ESP talent.

Will one of the warriors have their heart owned by a human woman? Is this a possibility?

-Larissa M., Londrina, Brazil Of course, it would certainly be possible for one of the Breed to fall in love with a human woman. For instance, I think Brock would love Jenna and want her as his mate even without the alien DNA that's turned her into something more than mortal. But I don't think I'll write a book featuring a pairing between a true mortal and one of the warriors of the Order, because the sadness of knowing he'll lose his human mate to old age and death would always be a specter casting a dark shadow over the romance. I think a love story between a mortal and an immortal is lovely, but it's also inherently tragic and not something I have planned for the series.

If you were to be remembered for one thing, what would you like it to be?

-Sarah P., Tomah, WI USA Wow, tough question! It's going to sound totally sappy, but I don't care. If I am to be remembered for only one thing, I hope it's kindness. Life is too short, too hard and too d.a.m.ned precious to live it with anything less than an open, loving heart.

How did you learn to write about s.e.x, and how do you know when to fit it into the action?

-Heidi S., Munich, Germany LOL! Years of practice and meticulous research, Heidi. *g* No, the secret to writing about s.e.x is checking your inhibitions at the door and tuning out the fact that one day many thousands of eyes (including your parents and in-laws, G.o.d help them) will be reading every sweaty, moaning word. It's really hard to write a good s.e.x scene if you're worried about what Aunt Mary will think when the hero does that to the heroine, or vice versa. So, ignore the future spectators and let it all hang out (ahem).

As for when to fit the "action" into the "action," it's really a matter of sensibility and good judgment. For instance, dropping a s.e.x scene into the middle of a gunfight probably isn't a great choice. Nor, I would argue, is segueing from a near-rape of the heroine by bad guys into a hot love scene and neck-bite by a h.o.r.n.y alpha vampire hero. A good s.e.x scene needs to be erotic and exciting, but it also needs to make sense within the fabric of the story.

Which of all the stories was the most difficult one to write?

-Isabel P., Munich, Germany Each story presents its own challenges, and there are times during the writing of every book that I want to pull my hair out or dissolve into a fit of tears. Fortunately, those moments never last very long! But there was one particular book that was more problematic for me than any other-not because of a difficult story or characters, but because of something that was happening to me health-wise at the time and I didn't realize it.

When I was writing Ashes of Midnight, I developed a sudden, acute food allergy problem. I'd never been allergic to anything but penicillin, and even then, it was never a big deal that made any foods off limits to me. Well, thinking I was eating healthy while on deadline, I began having a particular salad about three times a week. This salad had a variety of delicious things on it, including gorgonzola cheese...which, in case you aren't aware (as I wasn't) gorgonzola cheese is full of penicillin! I got very sick progressively over a period of several weeks, and had no idea why. Migraine headaches every day. Hives in my hairline and scalp. Severely bloodshot eyes and weird, sporadic facial swelling. Oh, I was a mess! And I started having trouble concentrating, feeling kind of disconnected and lethargic.

I turned in the ma.n.u.script for the book and my editor called me a few days later with a couple pages of revisions and questions about various things in the book. This might not seem alarming, but I hardly ever have revisions (I'm a perfectionist, and I hate letting go of any book unless it's the absolute best I can make it). I struggled through the reworking of the book, even the minor stuff seemed to take me forever to get right, but I still wasn't connecting the dots that something was going wrong with my health. It ended up taking a ma.s.sive allergic reaction and a 3am trip to the emergency room before I understood I'd been slowly poisoning myself for more than a month! And by then I was so messed up, it's literally taken five years and a daily allergy pill the whole time to get myself somewhat back on track. The real b.u.mmer is, I'm still very allergic to any food containing mold or fungus, and that will likely never return to normal. No more cheese or mushrooms of any kind! :::cries::: This may be a weird question. But since the Breed get their food, do they use the bathroom like humans do? Feel weird asking, but it came to me one day and I'm just curious.

-Ashley P., Newark, DE USA It's a very logical question, actually! Members of the Breed do not consume food except in very minute amounts and only in those rarest instances when they're pressed to give the appearance of being human. So, although their bodies are equipped with the same basic plumbing as humans, their main diet 99.9% of the time is fresh blood.

The Breedmates, however, are total foodies. They eat for pleasure, not sustenance, since their mates' blood is all they need nutritionally speaking. And so it stands to reason that the Order's compound and the Darkhavens would have bathrooms. But you won't see me writing about bathroom habits, because...well, eww. I prefer to stick to the fantasy stuff, and leave the rest to the reader's imagination!

With their extra sensitive sensory skills, aren't they having problems with the women's periods? It's a question that pops into my head always when I read about or watch a movie about vampires...

-Marijke W., Julianadorp, Noord-Holland Netherlands LOL! Allow me to refer you to the bit about "sticking to the fantasy stuff" from the question above. *g*

I guard my writing pen with my life no one is allowed to use it or touch it they can only look at it. Which leads to my question will you ever have a merchandise store?

-Mary P., Griffin, GA USA LOL! We've had lots of requests to open a merchandise store, and I'm excited to report that it will be opening soon! The store will be part of my website redesign at www.LaraAdrian.com and will offer all kinds of fun Midnight Breed series merchandise, as well as signed (or unsigned) copies of all my books. Watch for a Grand Opening announcement in my website newsletter, likely sometime in Summer 2013.

How hard is it for you to come up with new Breed characters or to expound on the older ones to make them come alive for a new book due to its wide popularity that wants to keep the Breed alive?

-Jean R., Watertown, CT USA Well, let me tell you, hearing from readers who never want the series to end is a very nice problem to have! And it's tempting to want to keep a good thing going. I'm having a blast writing these books, and there's nothing more motivating than knowing thousands of eager readers are dying to get their hands on the next Midnight Breed novel as soon as it arrives in stores.

But I also feel I have a responsibility to longtime fans of the series-and myself-to maintain the series' integrity and not draw it out endlessly just because I can. I'm a plotting writer, so the thought of an open-ended, meandering series with no clear direction or resolution makes me more than a little twitchy! I'd rather bring it to a satisfying, but finite, conclusion earlier than necessary, than risk letting the series jump the shark years after I should have ended it.

What are the funeral rites for Breedmates?

-Tori R., Port Saint Lucie, FL USA Fortunately, we've not had the need to attend a Breedmate funeral within the series (yet...), but it's very similar to the rites performed for one of the Breed, except for the release of the body. With a member of the Breed, the sun claims the body of the deceased, turning it to ash. With a Breedmate, after rites are performed, her body is cremated and her ashes remain with her mate until his death, if she had a mate, or with her Darkhaven family, if she was unmated. You'll find the funeral ceremonies described in the Rituals section of this Companion book.

Before you wrote the Midnight Breed books you had the Dragon Chalice fantasies as Tina St. John. Was any part of the Midnight Breed partially inspired by the Dragon Chalice series, either a character that you would've liked to develop more or differently, or were any plots inspired off the other?

-Karen W., St. Catharines, ON Canada Very astute observation, Karen! I wrote the Dragon Chalice trilogy (which I'd always intended would be a quadrilogy) a couple of years before I began the Midnight Breed books. In the Dragon Chalice series, Braedon, the hero of the first book is the son of a wolf shapeshifter mother from a hidden, mythical realm and a human father. Through his mother's lineage, Braedon is gifted with a knack for chasing down and locating lost people or objects, earning him the nickname of Hunter (though not at all related to Hunters in the Midnight Breed series). There is also a minor, but pivotal, character named Lara in that book!

But the character I think you're probably referring to is Draec les Nantres, henchman of the villain of that series and one-time friend of Braedon's. I loved that dark antihero (still do) and there are bits of him that ended up in the Midnight Breed series characters, Dante in particular. The Dragon Chalice series was never supposed to end where it did, but my publishing contract for those books got cancelled after I turned in the third book, and I've not yet had the chance to finish the best part of the Dragon Chalice story. I will one day, hopefully soon.

How many books will there end up being in the end for the Midnight Breed Series?

-Rebecca D., Morristown, TN USA I've sketched out plans for seven more novels to complete the series, following Edge of Dawn, plus a handful of novellas along the way. It's possible the number could change slightly before all is said and done, but the series is moving toward a planned conclusion in the current, second arc that began with Edge of Dawn.

I just am dying to know whose book is next. Nathan, please?

-Jamie R., Centennial, CO USA Nathan's book is, in fact, up next! Watch for Crave the Night in early 2014.

Lara, how does it make you feel knowing that the Midnight Breed series and all of the wonderful characters in it, have touched the lives of so many people, in so many different and profound ways?

-Kathleen E., Mexico, NY USA In a word: humbled. Many people aren't aware that I actually began my career as a published author writing historical romances set in the Middle Ages. I wrote seven novels which, for one reason or another, never gained traction in the marketplace or with readers. So, I was accustomed to writing in obscurity, telling stories for just myself (and my editor!). I had no idea how incredible it could be to have readers all over the world enjoying my books and loving my characters as much as I do.

Every email I receive, every social network post and message, every reader I meet at a book signing or conference who takes the time to tell me what my books mean to them, or simply that they can't wait for the next one, is a gift that far outshines any other trapping of bestseller success. It sounds so cliche to say that I love my readers, but it's true. And I'm completely humbled and amazed by the love they give back to me.

Questions for the Characters Actually to all the Breedmates: What is it like to really live with a Breed male? Do they have the same bad habits as human men? And do their special talents in the bedroom and being a warrior just make it worth it?

-Mendi O., Summerville, SC USA :::amused glances and private smiles all around the room as the women of the Order wait to see who's going to tackle that loaded question::: (Renata clears her throat) Yeah, that last part. Definitely. So worth it.

BROCK.

How can you stand the fact not to "feel" Jenna in your blood?

-Cerstin W., Hueckelhoven, Germany I feel Jenna in my heart and soul. I have everything I could ever want or need in her. Our bond couldn't be stronger, just the way it is.

CLAIRE.

When you were first brought to Wilhelm's Darkhaven and then later became his mate, what was going through your mind as you remembered everything that you had gone through with Andreas when you two were together?

-Shauna R., Palm Bay, FL USA Grief. Pain. Confusion. I felt betrayed by Andre, but more than that, I felt a terrible regret for how I pushed him away our last night together. I let my insecurity create a wedge between us. When he didn't come back that first night after we quarreled, or any of the long nights and months that followed, I didn't have any reason to expect I would ever see him again. I made a foolish, dangerous choice in Wilhelm Roth. I didn't realize how far he would go to keep Andre out of my life.

Andre and I were together just four months, then separated for fifty years. Fortunately, we have all the time in the world to make up for those missed shared moments, now that we're together again as mates.

DANIKA.

h.e.l.lo, Danika!!!! I realize we came into the story as it was already playing out. We didn't see much of your Conlan. I'm a HUGE fan of Highlanders. What's your favorite memory of you and Conlan together?

-Ginelle B., Caledonia, MI USA Oh, there were many over the course of nearly four hundred years together. But none sweeter than the moment we made our son together. After so long without the place for a child in our lives, we'd become accustomed to the lack. But then Con and I both woke the same day, feeling an overwhelming urge to bring new life into the circle of our love. I wonder now if he might have sensed his end was coming. I wonder if I sensed it too, but didn't know to recognize it.

The night we made love and shared our blood to create Connor was the most tender, most vulnerable I'd ever seen my brave warrior, Conlan. And I had never loved him more. Not in four hundred years, had I loved him more than in that one precious moment.

Will Connor be joining the Order?

-Phuong T., Angier, NC USA As his mother, I pray he'll choose a different path. But Connor is his father's son, and in my heart I know he is a warrior.

GABRIELLE.

Do the Breedmates have days away? Do you girls get stir crazy? It seems like it could get claustrophobic or they could miss being out in the sun.

-Lawren B., Menifee, CA USA We do go out for day trips, sometimes. But less often, as you can imagine, once the violence around Boston increased with Dragos in the picture. Lucan and the other warriors get twitchy when they're not there to protect us during daylight activities, so for their sanity more than ours, we've all decided to curtail our time outside the security of the compound. Thank goodness for Internet shopping and grocery delivery!

If you could re-do one thing in yours and Lucan's relationship what would that be?

-Sandy S., Olathe, KS USA (Gabrielle smiles and sends a private, intimate look in Lucan's direction) Not one thing. I think we're doing everything pretty well so far.

GIDEON.

Why do you wear gla.s.ses? Doesn't the Breed have good eyesight?

-Edan E., Indianapolis, IN USA Correct. All of the Breed is born with impeccable eyesight. I was no different, until things went south for me around 1974.

(Dante snorts from across the room) Disco wasn't good for anyone, man.

(Gideon ignores him, looks back with a shrug) I had a bit of trouble down in Louisiana. If you want the blow-by-blow, Savannah and I spilled all the details just for that book you're holding in your hands right now.

This is something I have always wanted to know, Gideon...do you ever miss fighting Rogues with the others?

-Kimberly M., Apopka, FL USA (Takes Savannah's hand in his, rubbing his thumb over his mate's smooth skin) Sure, I miss being in the thick of the action. But I made a promise to someone that means even more to me. Now I make do using my other considerable skills-if I do say so myself-to help the Order take out our enemies in other, more creative ways.

HUNTER.

How has parenthood changed you?

-Sandy S., Olathe, KS USA I can think of no way that it hasn't changed me. Any more than I can think of a single thing in my life that hasn't been changed because of the love of this woman. (kisses Corinne unabashedly, in front of everyone gathered in the room) ~ ~ ~.

LUCAN.