5 Questions with Rachel Vincent

First up for 12 Months of Halloween is an interview with Rachel Vincent author of The Shifters and Soul Screamers series.

1. For those reading this interview that have not encountered you on their bookshelves would you be able to give us a short introduction?

I am a cat owner, former English teacher, and the author of the young adult Soul Screamers series as well as the Shifters series (adult). I live in San Antonio, Texas, where we’re currently experiencing our first cold day of the year, and my central heat doesn’t seem quite up to the challenge. (Picture me bundled and hunched over my keyboard. ;))

2. Faythe your heroine is a werecat – did you consider other werebeasts before settling on cats as the main weres of this series?

Nope. I’ve always been a cat person.

3. The term paranormal romance seems to have become a catch-all within the supernatural genre, how would you describe your writing?

I actually write urban fantasy. The difference between paranormal romance and urban fantasy (as I see it) is that if you take the romance out of a PNR novel, the story falls apart. But if you take the romance out of urban fantasy, you lose an element of characterization and sexual tension, but the plot still holds up. In other words, in UF, the fantasy/plot is the focus, whereas in PNR, the character relationships and romance are the focus.

But that’s not to say that my novels don’t have intricate character development, because they do. But plot and world-building, for me, come first. Which is why it always surprised me how vehement the readers are that Faythe’s romantic life should end a certain way (and they don’t agree on what that way is). 😉

4. Which authors can you recommend as inspirations

As writing inspirations? Um…in the sense that after reading their writing I want to become a better writer myself, there’s Stephen King (I’m a huge fan), Kelley Armstrong, Courtney Summers, Holly Black, etc… An eclectic list, huh?

5. Can we expect more tales of adventure featuring Faythe and her Pride or is Alpha her last outing? If it is can you let us know what else we can expect book-wise from you in the future?

Alpha is Faythe’s last book. I haven’t ruled out the possibility of a spin-off series, but it’s not currently in the works. Early in 2011, my Soul Screamers series will debut in the UK, and in January, My Soul To Steal (Soul Screamers 4) will be released in the US. That fall, both If I Die (Soul Screamers 5) and the first in my new adult series will be released.

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A Review of Alpha will follow soon.