Interview and Giveaway from author Denise Verrico

We are happy to have Denise Verrico back by for another visit. She's here to talk to us about her Immortyl Revolution series and what we can expect from her recent release, My Fearful Symmetry. Make sure to keep reading after the interview and find out how you can enter to win an MFS t-shirt.



Paranormal Haven: For those who are new to your books, can you tell us what the Immortyl Revolution series is about?
Denise Verrico: The series plot deals with rival groups of vampires competing to capture the secrets of immortality for science and an uprising of a slave class. That being said, the stories are at heart about characters striving for things that are very important to a lot of us. My vampires are very human in their desires and inner conflicts. Mia, the heroine of books one and two, wants to be loved and valued for the woman she is. Kurt in books one and two wants to right wrongs and help those less fortunate. Cedric in book three---well, he’d really like to be a rock star, but he wants respect and the love of someone who cares for who he truly is, not the image he’s forced to uphold.


PH: Can you tell us a little about your latest release, My Fearful Symmetry?
DV: I like to say that it’s a story of lust, intrigue and betrayal. Cedric MacKinnon is a young man, living on the streets of London, who is discovered by a master vampire. His journey takes him to India where he becomes an adept of the ancient arts, a temple dancer in service to the Goddess Kali. He soon learns this means he’s actually a courtesan and a pawn in court intrigues. There he falls for a seductive female adept, Sandhya, a woman forbidden to him. Cedric faces a lot of danger and heartache, but he rises above them with humor and an irrepressible spirit. He’s actually very funny in an irreverent way.


PH: How is this book different from the previous books in your series?
DV: Well, I have the male protagonist in this one. Also, it takes place mostly in India instead of New York. Now this isn’t modern India that you’d find in reality. A lot of the story is set inside of the chief elder’s palace in the middle of a jungle, where they live much as Immortyls have lived for three thousand years. There are even tigers guarding the compound. I believe there is more of a fantastical feel in this book. Magic comes into play with Cedric, whether it is real or not is for the reader to decide.


PH: How would you describe Cedric?
DV: If he’d had his druthers, he would have been the front man for a stadium rock band. He loves to dress like this. Cedric is quite the naughty boy and makes me laugh a lot. Men and women both are enamored of him. He’s very sexy and more than a bit vain about it. Sings like an angel, dances like a demon. He loves rock music and adores David Bowie. Yet underneath all this, he has the spirit of a tiger and the soul of a warrior.


PH: What role does he play in the revolution?
DV: Cedric is pivotal in Kurt’s fate. We see the story of the revolution unfold anew through Cedric’s eyes. It’s kind of like in the Japanese film, Rashomon, in that you get a whole new take on what’s happening in revolution. Cedric is at the heart of the conflict within the Immortyl ruling class. He’s forced to entertain political allies of the chief elder and even offered as a bribe to one of the most powerful Immortyls. The boy is a valuable pawn on a dangerous chessboard. After a lot of abuse, he begins to sympathize with the other side.


PH: Will be see him again in future books?
DV: Oh yes, Cedric is a major player now. You’ll get to see the sparks fly between he and Mia in the next book, Ratopia. Cedric is a constantly evolving character. There are a lot of surprises in store from him.


PH: Do you plan to revisit Kurt and Mia's story?
DV: They are the backbone of the saga. Cedric’s story becomes intertwined with theirs. I couldn’t create this gorgeous creature without throwing him into Mia’s path, just to see what happens. Mia takes over as POV again in book four. She accomplishes a lot in this book, really comes into her own as a leader. Her relationship with Kurt is tested, but as always remains strong.


PH: The rituals and customs of the Immortyls are very detailed. Where does the inspiration for them come from?
DV: Well, several places. I studied Indian customs, religions, mythology and costume for flavor, but I wanted my Immortyl culture to be distinctly vampire in nature. The things my Immortyls do aren’t what real people would do. The customs of the adepts of the ancient arts are drawn somewhat from Tantrism. Tantra is a form of Goddess worship from India, older in origin than Hinduism. In tantra, the female principle or Shakti is revered. A lot of people have heard of new age tantric sex practices. They have some basis in Indian tantra. Sex is often part of tantric ritual. I took a lot of ideas from my research and put my imagination to work. I’d also read a lot about sacred courtesans and temple artists in various cultures, and I used some of these ideas as a springboard.

There is a lot of misunderstanding in the West about the worship of Kali. She isn’t the goddess of death, but of time. A lot of this comes from movies like Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom that portrayed a group of violent Kali worshippers known as the thugees. The thugees did once exist, but they were an aberration. The vast majority of those who worship Kali are not violent.


PH: What can readers expect to see happening in future books?
DV: Wow, big things are on the horizon for all of the characters. Upheaval in the Immortyl culture and more interaction with the mortal world, lots of cool fights and of course more chances for my characters to make sparks together.


PH: If your series was made into a movie, what actors/actresses would you like to see play your characters?
DV: Christina Ricci would make a great Mia. She’s a perfect blend of Italian American looks and attitude. I’d love Elijah Wood for Kurt. He has the ethereal beauty and smarts. Oh, there are those big blue eyes too. For Cedric, no one would be better than the young British actor, Nicholas Hoult. He was just in the new X Men movie as Beast, and he starred in the British TV series Skins. This kid is phenomenally talented. If you want to see him really show his stuff as an actor, rent A Single Man with Colin Firth. This boy is going to be a huge star. Okay, I’ve gushed enough about a twenty something actor. It’s unseemly in a woman of my age.

Giveaway

First we want to thank Denise for answering a few of our questions. To find out more about Denise and her books, visit her website or blog.

Denise is giving away a My Fearful Symmetry t-shirt (size extra large). This giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only. Here is how to enter:


1. Leave a question/comment for Denise or leave a meaningful comment about something from the interview.
2. Leave your email address in your comment or have it available on your profile


Winner will be announced on July 20th and will have 3 days to respond to our email [or message us at Paranormalhaven(at)gmail(dot)com] with their shipping information or another winner will be chosen. Good luck everyone!

Denise is also hosting a giveaway on Goodreads for a copy of My Fearful Symmetry. Head over and enter in today.