Teresa: Thanks so much for the invitation, Jayne! It's so nice to hang out with some classy broads instead of those big-butted chicks over at Squawk Radio. (Of course I'm referring to their artistic renditions, not their actual butts. Although come to think of it...hmmm...)Jayne: Speaking of Squawk Radio, a wicked little elf named Christina Dodd told me that you had thought about calling your new book THE VAMPIRE WHO ATE ME instead of THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME? Is this true?
Teresa: Only in Christina's twisted little mind. I would never stoop to such a low-brow double entendre to express the deeply spiritual love that Portia and Julian have for each other. I had considered something much classier and more in keeping with the transcendent tone of the story—like THE VAMPIRE WHO SHAGGED ME.
Jayne: Having read your books and knowing you to be a soft-hearted soul who loves toddlers and kittens and all creatures great and small, I find it hard to imagine you creating a stone-cold killer for a hero. How did you get around the fact that your hero might need to um...eat a few people just to survive?
Teresa: Well, in the Teresa Medeiros universe, a vampire can survive just by snacking between meals. Julian, being the sexy vamp that he is, has discovered that wherever he goes, there are women willing to offer him a little sip of themselves. He takes just what he needs to survive and he makes sure they get what they need in return. (Wink, wink.) Needless to say, when Portia comes back into his life after an absence of five years, she puts a real kink into his somewhat kinky lifestyle.
Jayne: I hear that you first introduced Portia and Julian in AFTER MIDNIGHT as the sister of the heroine and the brother of the hero. What's this I keep hearing about some mysterious crypt? Why are your readers threatening to don t-shirts that say, I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CRYPT!
Teresa: I'm such a shameless tease! In AFTER MIDNIGHT, Portia and Julian were locked in a crypt together by the villain and Portia was forced to sacrifice herself to save Julian's life. (Or his existence or whatever it is that vampires have.) But after the incident, neither of them will talk about EXACTLY what happened in that crypt. So I started THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME knowing I had a mystery to solve.
Jayne: Did you have it all plotted out before you starting writing?
Teresa: Ha! I spent four months spinning my wheels, calling friends and begging for help, whining to my editor and agent because I honestly had NO idea what had happened in that crypt. I knew it was important and I knew it would inform the whole book but I was clueless! Out of desperation, I finally sat down and started writing anyway. It wasn't until I got to the scene where Portia and Julian confess all to each other that I found out what had happened between them. And my jaw dropped! I literally jumped out of chair, yelled, "Holy crap!" and began to whoop and holler. My husband thought I'd lost my mind (which is a frequent occurrence around here during deadline anyway.)
Jayne: Were your readers as surprised and pleased as you were?
Teresa: I can honestly say that I've never gotten so much feedback so quickly on a new release. And so far all of it has been positive!
Jayne: So what's next? Any more sexy vamps in your future?
Teresa: I think I've said everything I have to say about vamps at the moment although I might like to peek back in at the Kane/Cabot family at a later date. I haven't said much about my next project yet but I can tell you that it will be another historical paranormal, that I'll be taking a walk on the "wild" side and that the new file on my computer desktop is labeled, "Hello Kitty." ;)
Jayne: Thanks so much for being with us today?
Teresa: Thanks for having me, Jayne! You're one of the classiest broads I know!
