**CONTEST ENDED** The first installment in Patrice Michelle’s SCIONS series for Silhouette Nocturne, SCIONS: Resurrection, was released in January and reviewed by Devon and Alicia Thomas. Book two, SCIONS: Insurrection, comes out in May, and you can get a sneak preview here. Read on to find out just how an author comes up with new twists on vampire and werewolf mythology.
Read on to the bottom of the post for a contest. Take it away, Patrice!
SCIONS series…the cool idea, then what?
by Patrice Michelle
Many thanks to Devon and Sybil for inviting me to guest blog on The Good, The Bad and The Unread.
If you’ve read the first book in my SCIONS series with Silhouette Nocturne, then you’ve probably read the reader letter in the front where I talked about the fact a vivid dream inspired the idea behind Scions:Resurrection.
When I woke up from that surreal dream and started writing, I was faced with an interesting dilemma…how was I going to make THIS new vampires series different from my Kendrian vampire series. I figured if I was given this super-cool idea via a dream, I HAD to do something with it. The story would be written, but how was I going to set it apart?
Then I started thinking about all the vampire movies I’d seen and the few vampire books I’d read and each of them pretty much started with the premise that vampires “existed” and the story rolled on from there. What I decided to do with my SCIONS series was to back up a few steps and explain, not only where vampires came from, but also address some other aspects of traditional vampire and yes, werewolf lore, too. I liked the idea of creating my own reasons why vampires couldn’t tolerate the sun and why silver was poisonous to werewolves, while at the same time developing these paranormal beings in a contemporary setting and tying them to the human world.
My world building was moving along in my mind, but what made it all fall into place was the idea for a prophesy—that each of the beings in my SCIONS world were intricately locked together, not just because of the government’s secret SCIONS project (that was the catalyst for their existence) but because of decisions they each made in their past.
Working with paranormal beings and giving them very human issues and responses appealed to me on many levels. With SCIONS, I got to build several different societies, their politics and hierarchical organizations, all while linking them all together. Yet, as much as I would like to claim that I had every single plot twist and turn in the SCIONS world planned out in excruciating detail, my characters—with their own motivations, their likes and prejudices, their codes of honor and aptitude for compassion—followed their own romantic paths to happiness, ultimately dictating the outcome. I hope you enjoy each of the SCIONS stories.
What about you? When you read a paranormal book, do you like to know the paranormal hero or heroine’s origin or reason for their existence?
CONTEST! (Contest is over)
Comment here and you could win a signed copy of Insurrection. The winner will be picked from comments made between now and 9am U.S. Central on Saturday, 22 March, according to the blog timestamp. Only one entry per IP address, but you can comment as often as you wish (we’ll use just one of your comments for the contest). Good Luck!
Hi, Patrice!
I like knowing what makes characters tick, regardless of what they are–human, vampire, alien, fae. In some cases, knowing what ‘made’ them pretty much explains their motivations, in others it’s part intrinsic of who they are but not the most important or visible part, story-wise.
Personally, I really dig stories that take me “back to the beginning” as it were.
Hi Patrice,
haven’t read Resurrection so far, because I am still waiting on it to be delivered.
I really like to get to know the characters better, so the background information are really important for me.
I enjoy the world building in a story. I think it’s important to have the background. This is what sets the story apart from the others and allows the reader to become more involved with the characters. Your scion series sounds really interesting!
Hi Patrice!
I’d have to agree with azteclady (first time for everything, hee) I want to know what makes the character tick, why they are the way they are, experiences that make them the ‘person’ they are, etc.
Can’t wait to read Insurrection! 🙂
I’m with azteclady, also, Patrice, whether pararnormal or not, what made them what they are today. And, in a paranormal, yes, the background of their existence is important to follow along with their motivations in a world unknown to us.
I’m agree with the ladies. I would like to know every detail about the hero or heroine. They help us understand why the characters have a certain personality.
Hi Azteclady, I’m with you, too. Knowing what makes a person tick is very important to understanding their motivations. That’s why I thought it would be neat to go back a little bit and give reasons “why” vampires and werewolves existed. Granted, my vampires and werewolves aren’t ancient, but the ‘lore’ about them has been around forever (whether true or not), so that was the background that I started with when developing my vampires and werewolves.
Hi Danny, Oh no…you haven’t received Resurrection yet? Ack! I hope you get it soon, since the next book is due to be released in a little over a month. Yes, the more background the better…I totally agree!
Hi Jill, World building can be so much fun, as long as the characters are incorporated as an intricate part of it. I hope you enjoy my books if you decide to pick them up.
Hi Wendy, Exactly! A character’s background makes up everything about that person-their likes, their dislikes, their “issues”, how they handle problems or in the case of some characters…hehe, how they avoid facing them. 😉 I think it helps the reader empathize and understand where the person is coming from. I hope you enjoy Landon’s story in Insurrection!
Hi Pam P, Agreed. I think especially in a paranormal world, knowing their background is key when trying to understand how they approach life, why they make the choices they do and who they ultimately end up with as their significant other.
Hi Jane, *nods* Yep, we’re all on the same page. Gimme all the details!
I too want to know a lot of background. Characterization is very important to me. If I don’t care about the characters, there isn’t a plot that will keep me interested.
Hi Patrice…..
It helps me a lot esp in a “new world” or diff world type book to understand how things run. I think it helps you connect to the places and the characters better. Or it does for me.
I can’t wait to read this book.
Part of the fun of paranormal romance is exploring the world the author has created. The ones that are the most fleshed out, with consistent explanations and rules are the most successful ones, IMO.
Hi Patrice! It looks like you have another great read in the Scions series. I absolutely loved the last book and can’t wait to try this one. Hope I win the contest. Thanks for blogging with us.
Caitlin
ckh988@aol.com
Hey Patrice! I loved reading & reviewing Resurrection and can’t wait to read Insurrection!! I would agree with everyone else hear about wanting the background information but for those stories that don’t explain the “beginnings”, I just assume it’s the basic information we grew up hearing about…
I love getting the backstory, where the characters are coming from. It helps me get into the world. I loved Resurrection and am looking forward to Insurrection. See you in Pittsburgh!
Hey Patrice!
I agree with everyone here. I really like when an author includes the story within the story. Sometimes a character does/says something that wouldn’t be understood without some history.
Kim
*going through withdrawl waiting for Landon* **SIGH**
Hi Patrice!
Yes, I like knowing all the “back” story of a character. I love your books.
Patrice, I can’t wait for Landon’s story — if it’s as good as Ressurection, there’s no way I can pass it up!
I like to have the background information on characters. They seem more real to me that way.
I love knowing where the hero/heroine, as long as it doesn’t distract from the story. I have read instances where the back-history is so detailed that the main story loses some “oomph” because of it.
Most of the time though, it’s great!
I love allllll your writings, you have have yet to leave me less than floored 🙂
Catslady, here, here! I totally agree. I MUST care for the characters or all that time spent reading the story is wasted.
Judy F, you bring up a good point. I mentioned earlier about the readers being able to empathize with the characters, but yes, connecting with the characters is another great aspect of making sure to build the characters’ backgrounds, to delve deep enough. I can’t wait for you to read Landon’s story, too! ?
Devon, yes, a fleshed out paranormal world with consistent rules is important in helping the reader suspend disbelief and readily fall into the fictional world.
Caitlin, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed Resurrection and are looking forward to Insurrection!
Debbie D, Thanks so much for reviewing Resurrection and I’m very happy to hear how much you looking forward to reading Landon’s story! And yes, I’m the same way with stories that don’t provide the background…I just assume the traditional lore is true. That’s why I thought it would be neat to address the “why” of it in SCIONS.
Kay, The backstory does help us all feel like we are intimate friends with the characters. Glad you’re excited about Insurrection! See you at RT!
Kim S, yes, the history is key to understanding a character’s motivation, especially a character as dark as Jachin was. LOL! Landon will be here before you know it. ?
Martha, thanks for the compliments on my books. I’m so happy to know you’re enjoying them so much. I think you’ll get plenty of Landon’s and Kaitlyn’s “history” in Insurrection. * nods *
Werefan! Thanks. I hope you like Landon’s story in Insurrection just as much, if not more since he’s a wolfie! 😉
Little Lamb Lost, Excellent point. In a paranormal world, grounding the supernatural characters with a history and even sometimes putting them in very human-like situations is a great way to make them feel “real”.
Aimee, definitely agree about the “dribbling” in of the backstory so that the “live” story isn’t weighed down. And the further into the series, the more of an intricate balancing act it becomes. Thank you for your awesome compliment! I hope Landon’s story lives up to your expectations and then some. 🙂
I can’t wait for Landon’s story either. I love a good werewolf story. I just love and hate it when you set up characters in the first book for future books because then I know I’ll have to wait for their stories LOL I think background is extremely important because it get’s you more invested and involved with the character(s). You feel like you’re rooting for them [or against them] when you know their past or what led up them being in the position they are in.
Hi Sheridan, I understand the love/hate of meeting new characters because of the wait, but I hope you’ll feel Landon was worth the wait in the end. Insurrection will be out before you know it. The stores often put the books out a couple weeks before the official release date.
And yes, there is a certain investment we readers make in characters because of their backgrounds. If we know them and understand them, we can root for their happiness and cheer when they triumph over the bad guys…or even when the characters overcome their own internal issues and finally come to terms with themselves. 🙂
Absolutely, I like to know more about where the hero/heroine come from and what makes them act and think the way they do. I feel it is quite important to the story line to know why characters react the way they do. Usually even the villian is evil do do his background and I definitely think all this information makes the book more interesting. It also gives the reader a sense of knowing why a character acts the way they do in a situation and sometimes whether it is due to the person’s background, their fear or dislike for a person or place, or their love for someone.
Looking forward to Scions: Insurrection as I thoroughly enjoyed Scions: Resurrection. Congratulations on this series.
I’ve always thought the vague explanations about the beginning or lack of explanations about the beginnings of vampires, werewolves, etc. unsatisfying. Some authors propose that they’ve always been here but hidden–works pretty well though the idea that a secret race or two could be kept hidden for thousands of years is a little hard to believe, especially given the curiosity of human beings and the impossibility of keeping an ongoing secret–after all we now know who Deep Throat is! Hope this reads as a better explanation.
Shari C, Yes, I SO agree that the background is just as important for the “bad guys” too. We need to understand what motivates them just as much…at least I like to know. Thanks for the congrats on the Scions series. I’m thrilled you enjoyed Resurrection!
Joy, I get what you’re saying. That’s why I thought backing up a bit would be something different that I hadn’t seen. Granted, it’s my own spin, but hey…that’s why I write fiction, so I can have a blast making up a world and playing in that sandbox with my characters. *g*
Hi, Great question. If it is a series, I would want to know at some point the reason they exist. In just one book, I think I would also want to know. Maybe, because I ask about my own existence a lot and wonder if I will ever truly get an answer. It always helps me to better understand a character and why they might be good or evil. Their mission may make them one way or the other. Thanks,Cindi
Hi Cindi, I’m like you…at some point I would want to KNOW, too. 🙂
I love knowing the origins. It’s part of the world-building in a fantasy story. It might not need to come in the first book, but eventually it’s fun to find out. (Personally, I love the way Kim Harrison is doing it in her HOLLOWS series. She’s feeding us just a few more bits about the races each series . . . )
I’m glad you were able to remember such a cool dream! The book sounds wonderful.
I think that no matter what type of story, paranormal or not, I would like to know what the hero or heroine’s background… what they do and how they are…the characteristics and personalities are some of the important qualities of the main character in the story.
Hi Patrice.
Thanks for the blog and have a good chat tonight.
Anya
I haven’t read any of these books but they sound great. I to like to get to know the characters in the books that I am reading. If you don’t get the feel of the characters then you lose something in the book.
Hi Patrice,
I love both of your series, the Kendrians and the Scions. I wish there was more about the Kendrian series (hint, hint). I can’t wait to read Scions: Insurrection. The first one was great! Ariel and Jachin’s stories are amazing. And it is great to have more background about the origins of the Vampire and Werewolf races (as said above). The cover for Insurrection is steaming hot. 😉
Hi Liviania, I totally agree that it’s fun to dribble out the details of the past as the series unfolds. Kim has done a fantastic job with hers. And I’m glad I remembered the dream, too! ?
Hi Acdaisy77, Yes, all the little details that make up that person’s personality are very important.
Hi Anya, you’re welcome. Thanks for commenting.
Hi Virginia H, getting the know the characters is half the fun isn’t it? I think this is especially true of paranormal characters because we expect them to have “super” everything. That’s why it’s always a blast to sometimes put them in “everyday type” situations in the middle of all that “paranormal” stuff. It helps us all relate to them (maybe even brings a smile as we read) by grounding bits of the story in normalcy. I hope you enjoy my books if you decide to give them a try.
Hi Carolyn, I’m so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed both my series. I’ve enjoyed writing both of them! And yes, I totally agree…Scions:Insurrection’s cover is hot. It fits the story very well. 😉
i love the first one, though i alwys think your books are great!
im really liking the noctrunal line alot
Hi Tami,
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my stories as well as the Nocturne line in general. 🙂