Interview and giveaway from author Tes Hilaire

Today we have author Tes Hilaire with us to talk about her new Paladin series and her new release, Deliver Me from Darkness.  Make sure you keep reading after the interview to learn how you can win 1 of 2 copies we are giving away. 


How are your Paladins different from others in the paranormal romance genre?
I honestly haven’t read any other Paladin series in the PNR genre so I can’t make any direct comparisons. If can tell you how my Paladin are different from the other immortal warriors out there though! First and foremost probably being that they are not “immortal.” They can be killed, though they do have enhanced strength and abilities and the do age though at a remarkably slow rate, like a thousand or more years. Then there is the angel factor. The original Paladins were all volunteer angels who gave up their wings to come down to earth and protect the One God’s children. In doing so they gave up their immortality and also became just a little bit human, gaining with that human emotions and human strengths and weaknesses. None of the original Paladin, except Ganelon the betrayer, still live and the current Paladin who reside upon the earth are even more human than ever, their ancestors having breed with the human populace. As you can imagine, this creates all sorts of interesting issues. :-)

Can you please tell us about your release, Deliver Me from Darkness?
Deliver Me from Darkness is Roland’s story. Roland is a vigilante vampire and fallen “angel” Paladin who yearns for, but doesn’t believe in, redemption for his soul—until the day his soul-mate, Karissa, is delivered to his door. She is everything he could ever need or want, but she is also been taught that all vampires are evil and never to be trusted. Only she must, because though she does not know it, she’s the last female Paladin. And her heritage and untamed powers have put a bulls-eye upon her from both friend and enemy alike.

What 3 words would you use to describe Roland? What about Karissa?
Roland – tortured, honorable, vigilante Karissa – sassy, stubborn, resourceful

Who is Calhoun and what’s his relationship to Roland?
Logan Calhoun is Roland’s best friend. They are approximately the same age (close to three hundred years old) and grew up together. When Roland was turned, it was Logan who was sent to track him down and kill him. Only Logan still saw something of goodness in his old friend. Something that stayed his hand and had him swearing to aid his once-friend in finding his honor again. Oh, and he told his first lie ever: telling his father and the rest of the Paladin that he’d taken care of the problem. Okay, maybe that’s just “bending” the truth. Logan really hates to lie. It goes against his nature. ;-)

Who are the enemies of the Paladins?
Anything with an evil soul. The banished Lucifer and his minions are their inherent enemies as they strive to pull down the boundaries between heaven, hell, and earth. Despite being greatly outnumbered, the Paladin appeared to be succeeding in their task of keeping Lucifer’s hordes in check, but then one of their own, Ganelon, aligned with the fallen Lucifer, betraying his Paladin brothers. An already desperate war became more so, and now the Paladin are no longer fighting simply for His children, but for the continuation of their own existence.

What is a marking?
Think of it as an invisible tattoo that only another Paladin can see. Originally the marking was one of the most sacred traditions among the Paladin. It was said that for every Paladin He created He also created a soul that would perfectly match, and the marking was a signal to all that the mate had been found, accepted, and the irreversible bonding of their souls complete. As time passed and fewer Paladin females were born, the finding of a true bond mate became rare. Desperation modified the marking, enhancing it with ceremonies and spells to form a bond that is not naturally there. That ceremony is now both a test to see if a pairing is compatible and then, if it is, a seal of intentions with the hope that the formed pair-bond will grow eventually mimicking that of a true mate-bond.

Is Deliver Me from Darkness the start of a series? If so, what can we expect next?
I recently turned in book two of the Paladin warriors. Deliver Me from Temptation starts off a few months after the end of Deliver Me from Darkness and is Logan’s story. Beyond that I’m working out plot lines and character arcs for the next few books in the series.

What other upcoming releases do you have in 2012?
Deliver Me from Temptation is coming out in December 2012! I’m very excited.

DELIVER ME FROM DARKNESS BY TES HILAIRE – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2012

A stranger in the night…

He had once been a warrior of the Light, once of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he live sin darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up on his doorstep.

Comes knocking on the door…

She is light and bright everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can’t deny his heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daphne Award-winning author and former Tennessee native Tes Hilaire doesn’t remember how old she was when she wrote her first story, but she’s pretty sure it had something to do with a boy and a girl and a happily ever after. Displaced at an early age to “the north country,” her stories turned darker as she started creating whole new worlds to escape the harsh, upstate NY winters. Now back in the South, her stories remain edgy, exciting, and bring a hint of dark fantasy to paranormal romance. Best of all, no one ever has to shovel snow. For more, visit her website at http://www.teshilaire.com/.


We want to first thank Tes for taking some time to talk with us. For more information about Tes and her books, visit her website or check her out on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to Sourebooks, we have 2 copies of Deliver Me From Darkness to giveaway.  Open to U.S./Canada residents only. 

Fill Out Giveaway Form Here

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