Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons ~ Contest: And The Winner Is....

Kailana!!!!!

Congrats, babe. You've won a free download of Tempting Darkness and your name has been entered in Rene's April drawing. To see what you might win from that, see here.

Kailana, please email either myself or Rene.

Congrats again!

And thanks so much to everyone else who visited yesterday. Don't forget to buy your copy of Tempting Darkness. You can get it here.

Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons on Fate

Recently the subject of Fate came up in a conversation I had with a good friend. Although I toss the word around in my books, I’ve never given Fate much thought when it came to my own life. Well, that conversation got me thinking about Fate and whether or not it was something I truly believed in. After lengthy consideration I came to the conclusion that I do believe in Fate. In spades. I just never realized it.

I believe things happen for a reason and they happen when they’re supposed to. I also believe people come into our lives for a reason. It’s pretty difficult for me not to believe that after the last year and a half. Since I’ve been published I’ve met a wealth of people, some who’ve hindered me and some who’ve become as vital to me as breathing is. But all have helped bring me to the point I’m at now. I believe this all goes back to Fate. I called it kindred – and with my friend that’s what it is. We’re two like spirits who found each other to make a whole. Cheesy? Maybe. But it’s true.

I also find that Fate had a hand in my writing. Since I was a kid I’d scribble plenty of “beginnings” but no “middles” and certainly no “ends” to the stories cooking up in my head. That all changed when a car hit my brother and ended his life at only thirty-eight. It made me take stock of myself. I looked around at all that I’ve never accomplished and realized I couldn’t lave this world without having ever tried to reach my dream of being a published author. That’s what compelled me to sit down to write a book to the end. I finished Midnight Sun three months later.

I took a chance and it paid off. But – even if I’d never gotten published, I believe Fate forced my hand to write these Templar books. Through my characters I came to know myself better. I saw my own pain reflected in Constantine. My guilt came to the forefront with Lucian and my sense of responsibility with Tristan. With Sebastian I realized that although I put up a good facade, I’m not as tough as I believe. And with Raphael I found my humor again. More importantly, through them all I’ve dug down deep and pulled out a strength I’d buried beneath the muck of life.

Fate began this journey I’m on almost thirty-four years ago and I have to say – it’s been one hell of a ride.

Do you believe in Fate? Do you think you'd be where you are today without it? Or do you think you make your own Fate?

Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons W/ Special Guest Andy Douglas

Andy graciously agreed to be tortured interviewed today.

Rene Lyons: When you get hit with a steel chair, what’s the first thing that goes through your mind?

Andy Douglas: OUCH!!!!

RL: What’s the craziest thing a fan has done to get your attention during a match?

AD: On more that one occasion, we've had female fans bend over and moon us and once we had this 40 or 50 year old lady flash us.

RL: What do you do if you get a “wedgie” in the ring?

AD: Slowly tip toe over to Chase and let him get it out for me!


RL: You’re being exiled to Transylvania. What are the three things you’ll bring?

AD: 1)Laptop 2)Underworld DVD 3)Rene Lyons

RL: If you had the chance to ask any one person (living or dead) one question, who would it be and what would you ask?

AD: Vlad the Impaler. I would want to know the truth...is he really the original Dracula?

RL: What’s one strange thing no one knows about you?

AD: I really really, someday, want to buy and restore a duplicate of the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard.

RL: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it read?

AD: Here once Andy Douglas laid. In the grave he hadn't stayed. He's out there roaming in the dark. On the night he'll leave his mark.

Sanctuary’s Finest: What was it like modeling for a romance cover?

AD: It's an honor. I was extremely excited when Rene asked me to be a part of Tempting Darkness.

SF: Be honest now, did you feel less of a man for having done it?

AD: Ha, less of a man.......try twice the man! Having women reading a romance novel and having my picture as mental food.....doesn't get much better.

SF: Would you do it again?

AD: In a heartbeat.

SF: What would it take to talk you into reading a romance novel?

AD: Well before this it probably would never happen, but I do plan on reading Tempting Darkness.

SF: Is there anything upcoming with modeling now that you were on the cover?

AD: Well I have an appointment coming up here in Nashville with a major modeling company so who knows what's in store for the future.

RL: If you had to a pick motto for your life, what would it be?

AD: Live with no regrets!



Great Interview! If you have any lingering questions, leave a comment. Who knows, if we're lucky Andy might decide to pop by later and answer them. Andy? What do you say?

You can also visit both Andy and Rene online:

www.renelyons.net
www.andydouglas.com

And on MySpace:

Rene Lyons
Andy Douglas

Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons ~ CONTEST!!!!!!!

So......anyone want to win a prize? Tonight at 10pm est I'll select one person at random who's left a comment on one of our posts today to win a download of Tempting Darkness.

You'll also automatically be entered in my April contest, of which the winner will receive a mouse pad with the cover of Tempting Darkness on it, signed by both Andy and Rene. A bookmark, postcard with the image of Andy Douglas, and a print copy of Midnight Sun – all signed by Rene Lyons. From Andy, you’ll be getting a bandanna and a signed picture of him! Oh, and let’s not forget, a $10 gift certificate for My Bookstore and More!

Just leave a comment to be entered. GOOD LUCK!

Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons w/ Special Guest Andy Douglas

Rene Lyons:
When I was a kid I was afraid of everything. And I do mean everything. From the dark to latex Halloween masks – my fears knew no bounds. Forget horror movies. Even the cheesiest B-movie could keep me awake for weeks. But that all changed the day I happened to watch Dracula starring Frank Langella. I shared Lucy’s awe of him and ultimately, her pain when the sun took him from her. I walked away from that movie sharing her secret smile after seeing Dracula’s cape flutter across the sky – a hint that though he was gone - he wasn’t gone.

My love of vampires was born that day. I went from being the kid who was terrified to sleep with a foot dangling off the side of the bed (didn’t every bed have that damned razor-toothed demon living under it?) to sleeping with my window open and forgoing garlic (a nearly impossible feat in an Italian household). Basically, if Dracula chanced upon me, I was ready!

Yeah, I guess you can say I had it bad. Wait. Did I say had? I mean have. I have it bad. Some might even go so far as to say I have a (slight) obsession with vampires. I often get asked "what’s their appeal?". To that I answer – everything. People assume that because I write romance it’s the romantic aspect of them that appeals to me the most. They’re wrong. I’m not a very romantic person nor are my books heavy on the flowery romance. It’s the darkness of the vampire myth that I find most appealing. They’re creatures steeped in shadow, sin, and sexuality. And that captivates me. Their majesty and savagery fascinates me.

After Midnight Sun was published I met plenty of people who shared my love of vampires but none who shared my obsession - until I was introduced to Andy Douglas. His love of vampires matched my own and made him the perfect man to help bring Lucian of Penwick to life. I’m lucky to know him – even luckier to call him a friend. Now, with that said, allow me to turn this post over to my kindred spirit, Andy Douglas…

Andy Douglas:
I too was afraid of scary movies as a child. It probably didn't help that I watched the movie Poltergeist at age 5. I really didn't start enjoying scary movies until my late teens. However, there was always one scary character that I was never afraid of.......Dracula. I can always remember having a fondness for vampires and Dracula. My mom even made me dress up as something different for Halloween one year because she was getting tired of me being Dracula every year. I'm not sure what it is but the vampire world has always been a part of my life.

The aspect of the vampire world that I hate, is the "goth" side. Every time people find out that I'm in to vampires, they say "well you don't look like you would like that kind of stuff." And that's due to the fact that I don't wear all black, have a pale face, and paint my fingernails black. To me, goth and the vampire world are two separate things. What I do and what I enjoy is a belief and a lifestyle that revolves around vampirism and an idea of how vamps would interact within today’s society. It does not revolve around wearing black because my parents pissed me off. But hey, that's just me. Thank you.

What about you? What were you afraid of as a child? What creature of the night fascinates you now? Are there any clichés that drive you nuts now that you're older?

Guest Blogger: Rene Lyons

Most days run pretty smoothly around here. I rise bright and shinny at noon. My servant brings me a gilded tray bearing a steaming cappuccino, scones, and my morning paper. The nanny has Jesse fed, dressed, and in a wonderful mood. I languish in bed for an hour or so, thinking up some juicy plot-twist I’ll get to writing in between my manicure, massage, and hair appointments. After I write a bit, it’s usually off to some fancy boutique to shop for some cute clothes. Once back home, I take back to the computer where I spend the rest of my day lost in a world of vampires, demons, and demi-gods.

Well, the last part is true. The rest? Not so much.

I’m usually awakened at six (as in a.m. Blah) by a toddler yelling, “all done! Inside, Nae. Eat now.” In case you don’t speak “toddler” that’s “I’m all done sleeping. So are you, Mommy, so get your lazy butt out of bed and fix me some breakfast. Now!” And so, I drag myself out of bed, shuffle to the bathroom - where I contemplate flushing myself down the toilet. As I impatiently await my coffee to perk (is it me, or does it seem to take forever to make at that ungodly hour of the morning?) I make pancakes for my daughter, who by now is bouncing off the walls. I sit with her while she eats (no, I don’t do breakfast. Just the idea of food that early turns my stomach) wondering if there’s some law that prevents me from crawling back to bed, leaving her with the run of the house. (What? Don’t look at me like that! You’ve all thought the same thing too.)

By the time I get to the computer I already have a headache.

Throughout the day I try to get in as much work as possible without it getting in the way of my time with Jesse. I think I (sort of) have a nice schedule worked out. I’m sure when she’s older Jesse will be on some shrink’s couch talking about how I was a neglectful mom while she was growing up. And I’m sure I’ll think she’s lost her mind considering how hard I work to make time for both her and the writing.


Come the night, I work. And I mean work. I write until my fingers ache and my eyes feel as if they’re going to explode. I write until my head hurts so much I damn near have tears in my eyes. Most of what I write I keep. Some, come the next morning, I’ll trash and wonder what the hell I was thinking the before night. But always, I love what I’m doing. I’ve waited over thirty years to be at this point and never once have I forgotten I’m living my dream.

So although my life isn’t exactly calm, orderly, and luxuriant, it’s more than I could have ever hoped for. This is one hell of a ride I’m on. Thankfully, I have fantastic readers, a great family, and amazing friends to share it with.

- Rene Lyons

www.renelyons.net

The Daystar by Rene Lyons

Hero: Constantine Draegon
Heroine: Lexine Parker
Category: Paranormal
Page Count: 247 pages
Grade: B-
Buy It: Here.

Can she heal lifetimes of pain and make him believe salvation is possible?

Always feeling different from the world around her, a power grows within Lexine Parker. In the light is where she belongs—even as she finds herself thrust into the nocturnal realm of the Templar vampires.

Scarred by a brutal past, Constantine is a creature consumed with rage. He knows only darkness and sin. Believing he fights a losing battle of redemption, heaven is something he doesn’t dare hope for—until Lexine makes him believe salvation is possible.

Locked away in an ancient castle, they come together in body and spirit, searching for love to chase away the darkness. With Constantine’s soul at stake and Lex’s life on the line, the nights tick down to a cataclysmic event that could tear them apart forever.

This book was a book that I've been waiting a LONG time to read and I'm glad that I did because I enjoyed the story as a whole, but there was a bunch of little things that bothered me, but none of those things had anything to do with the story, just little stupid things that I couldn't stomach and hope to high heaven I never see again. Like, Raphael calling Lex, boo and Constantine's constant nickname for Lex being, elf. I didn't like them but I didn't hold those little things against the story as a whole. Then there was the fact that I couldn't get used to Allie being a vampire so whenever she would bare her fangs, I tried to stifle my giggles. It was just so weird for me to read about Allie being a vampire, weird and dumb, but there you go. There were other things I didn't care for, like Goth guys, I'm not into that whole Gothic guys, they don't attract me but Rene did a good job of making me see Con for what he was and still being able to respect him even though I wasn't swooning with delight over him, the way I was whenever my main squeeze, Raphael was mentioned in the story.

So, in this story we read about Constantine Draegon and Lexine Parker's romance story. Constantine is a Templar Knight and Lexine is Allie Parker's sister. The whole story revolves around the Daystar. Now, in Midnight Sun we read about how the Templars as well as all the Evil vampires and their bad armies are looking for the Daystar because whoever has the Daystar has the power to rule the world. Very cool things, I think and it was good to see Lex come into her own with her link to the Daystar.

What I liked about the story is that the story for me didn't drag, it was good enough to keep me interested in what was going to come next and I really liked the ending. I liked that everything didn't just always go good for Lex and Constantine, I liked that they had to work for their happy ending and work they did. I loved how the ending scene went down and I just loved how completely in love with Lex Constantine was. He may not have said the words, but they were there in his actions and in the way he loved Lex. He was not going to give her up without a fight and that's exactly what he did. He fought for her.

I loved that.

There was a lot going on right up into the last chapters of the story and that is what I loved, they overcame overwhelming odds to be together and Con's love for Lex was strong enough to get them through it and man that makes my romantic heart melt a little. It's just so effing romantic and you know I love me some good romance.

Rene definitely delivers with this one.

Con's book was everything I hoped it would be and a little bit of what I hoped it wouldn't be and besides those little things that left a bitter taste in my mouth, the book was still really good and I would recommend this book to all those who want to continue the Templars series and read more about good vampires.

That goes for you 5 who knows who you are...=) Read this and let me know how you liked it. I liked it a lot.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"No matter what happens, rest assured that I've already seen Heaven. I see it every time I look at you."

-Constantine

"Forever, elf, I want you forever."

-Constantine

Who knew Constantine could be so sweet? But he was, beneath that icy personality and cold attitude that he shows the world, Constantine Draegon was NOT the monster he wanted everyone to believe him to be. He just was what he was. He didn't apologize for being the complete bastard that he was to everyone, he made his bastardness (is that a word?) apart of him and people either accepted it or they didn't. I think Rene did a wonderful job of portraying Constantine Draegon and having him stay true to his character, there wasn't one part of the book where I thought, OH YEAH RIGHT CONSTANTINE WOULDN'T SAY THAT OR DO THAT, it was all on point. So good on ya for that one, Rene. I loved it!

Lex accepted him. I liked that about her, what I didn't like about her was that she cried all the time. I'd probably be the same way but gosh, all of her crying and her being scared of everything just wasn't working in her favor to be a really good heroine to me. She wasn't the woman that her sister was and though I don't hate Lex, she's not my favorite heroine. She was just there and Constantine happened to love her.

That's it.

Constantine, mean and fierce Constantine. I wanted to love him and I did but I wasn't IN love with his character like I was with Sebastian and like I was with Raphael and Raph isn't even a main character in the stories yet....I was more drawn to Seb and Raph in these stories but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of Constantine. He was a fabulous hero, very masculine and very strong, but my heart lays elsewhere and that's that.

Great job, Rene...you did good with this one, I look forward to reading more of the Templars in Lucian's book...where the bloody hell is Lucian woman? I want to read his book like..NOW!

I can't wait for more Templar action, that's for sure.

Midnight Sun by Rene Lyons

When things go bump in the night, Allison Parker bumps
back. As the resident Ghost Hunter in a quiet, rural town,
she's thrust into the nocturnal world of the Templars.
Embracing the night, she finds a place where she belongs.

Damned by God, Sebastian of Rydon knows only blood and
death. After eight hundred years of merely existing, he
learns what is to live after Allie comes bursting into his life.
Her spirit guides him out of the dark.

Caught up in a web of hate and revenge, they search for love
as their world is torn apart

I have been anxiously awaiting this novel. Over the course of the last few months, I've come to know Rene Lyons quite well, and I'm very pleased to announce that I don't have to write a terrible review for her first book. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Allie Parker is a Ghost Hunter. She spends her nights walking through creeping houses and buildings looking for the things that go bump. One night, however, her entire world changes. She's attacked in a park by some vampires and is saved by...some other vampires. Damned Knights Templars to be exact. Through them, she's drawn into an entirely different world. She's also drawn to one of the Knights, Sebastian of Rydon.

Seb doesn't want anything to do with Allie. Sure, he's attracted to her, finds her funny and intriguing, but he's damned to live as the un-dead for who knows how long, and contrary to popular belief, Allie's of the living. He's not touching that with a ten-foot pole. His counterparts (the other Templars), however, have a totally different plan, so they set it up so that Allie finally gets entrance into Seb's home, which she's wanted to check for ghosts, but she was set up, because Seb is there. Something she didn't plan on at all. They share a moment of extreme passion and then Allie walks out, leaving Seb reeling.

In the meantime, the Templars are searching for The Daystar, a holy relic which will allow vamps to walk in the daylight and give them absolute power. Through one mean, creepy renegade who's after Lucian, another Templar, the other renegades figure out that Allie is the key to the Daystar and start stalking her. Of course, Allie knows nothing of any Daystar, but that doesn't stop the renegades from going after her, of course.

Throughout this, Seb and Allie find themselves together more often than not and falling totally in love, much to the amusement of the other Templars.

Overall, I loved this book. The Templars themselves are amazing. Each of them has their own personality, and they're all fiercely loyal and protective of those they consider their own, like Allie. The humor and sarcasm was awesome and I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading. But unlike some other books, I didn't think the sarcasm seemed out of place.

The best part? Allie. She was an amazing heroine. She didn't suffer from Penis Envy, she didn't fight her feelings for Seb, and she didn't act TSTL by trying the whole Ultimate Sacrifice thing. She was a real woman, and one I was very pleased to read about. I was totally cheering her on! She acted like a real woman would, too, when faced with dangerous situations! Loved her.

Seb? Well, I loved him, too. He was more withdrawn than some of the other Templars, but he was tortured and once he committed to Allie, he fought with everything he had to keep her and prove to her that she was his world. I loved that.

There were a few things that bothered me. The beginning is kind of confusing. RL was setting the stage for the series, I think, but the POV's jumped around too much, IMO. I was also a little disappointed in the ending. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet, but basically what I thought was going to happened DIDN'T and it bugged me. Of course, that's totally personal preference and doesn't have much to do with the story itself.

To be honest, I'm very anxious to read the rest of the series (you might remember from our interview with her that there will be 5 books total), especially Constantine and Lucian. For a first novel, this one was amazing and I can't wait to see what RL has in store for us in the future! I highly recommend this book!

4 out of 5

Dylan's Review:

Okay, Holly gave you guys the run down of what this book is about so I'm just going to skip right over that part of the review...

Hero: Sebastian of Rydon
Heroine: Allie Parker
Grade: A

I really enjoyed this book.

A whole lot.

No, I'm serious. It met all of the expectations that I had for it. A hot hero, a great heroine and a great storyline. It didn't drag on and on like some of the books that I've read lately. And the secondary characters were second to none. Especially my Raphael. But don't mind me because where he's concerned, I'm all kinds of biased. hehe.

Now, Sebastian of Rydon.

What a fantastic hero. He's one of those heroes that grabs you from the very beginning, at the beginning when we first meet Sebastian and he's his usual surly, grumpy self who gets all pissed off at Raphael and Con for their little prank, it was so cute to me. I think what I loved the most about him is he didn't turn away from his feelings for Allie. They were strong and they were true and he didn't shirk them aside like most heroes do, he knew what he had was special and he guarded her as best he could. He was such a strong warrior and the softer, tender side he showed Allie was just too sweet for words, he was sweet without being a wuss, I liked that very much.

My favorite Sebastian part of the book is when he thinks this about Allie:

The smile she gave him when he told her they were already friends reminded him of the sun he hadn’t seen in hundreds upon hundreds of years.

Sunshine.

That’s what she was—a blinding midnight sun cutting through the darkness of his existence.

Say it with me now, Awwwww....

Now, onto Allie Parker.

She is probably my most favorite heroine to date, I'm talking from any book that I've read or even written myself, Allie Parker is one balls to the wall girl that I think is absolutely awesome. She's definitely one that I can relate too, she's outspoken, fun and witty like no one's business. Her sparkling personality and her razor sharp wit is great to read about and just her character in general, I loved that she didnt feel the need to fight battles bigger than her body. She didn't have penis envy, she didn't try to 'help' Sebastian out by doing stupid things to get her into danger and she was just out and out great fun to read about. Her growing love for Sebastian was sweet and how she fought to keep Sebastian for herself was something I admired about her, she didn't let the future bother her so much, she savored the time she had with Seb and it was just fantabulous to read.

Sebastian and Allie as a couple was probably my favorite part of the book, they just worked well together, they didn't function well apart and so they spent a great deal together and I just loved that very much. They completed each other and as corny as it sounds, it was GREAT to read about.

What I liked about the book and about Rene's writing is that her characters stand out in my mind. Sebastian of Rydon is Seb to me, he doesn't remind me of anyone from any other books that I've read, he's seperate in my mind and he's an individual, I mention this because as much as I loved J.R. Ward's Brothers from her Black Dagger Brotherhood books, Zsadist to me, is Zarek of Moesia incarnated. Same pissed off attitude, same back story, tortured and all that jazz, it's just, familiar to me. And that's fine and dandy, I can still love both series (well, that last statement can be said for one of the series still anyway) and be okay with that but in Rene's Knights Templar series, each of her characters are individuals, Tristan, the Leader of the Knights Templar does not remind me of Ash nor does he remind me of Wrath, he's Tristan and he's unique in his own way and I very much look forward to getting to know him in the upcoming books, as well as the other Templars.

I wasn't as confused as I was when reading the other series when I read this book, it's easy to follow, the storyline flowed well and the book was just awesome, I really do love this book. It's a fantastic start to a great series and I'm very anxious to read the rest, so Rene sweets, brava sweets, brava!

One thing I hate about this book?

You know my cover snob ass had to comment on this one...I hated the cover! Ugh, I know Mailyn could have really hooked up your cover, you're lucky I can overlook the not so greatness of your cover to look deeper into the greatness of your book.

Midnight Sun by Rene Lyons

Where the damned come to play.

When things go bump in the night, Allison Parker bumps back. As the resident ghost hunter in a quiet, rural town, she's thrust into the nocturnal world of the Templars. Embracing the night, she finds a place where she belongs.

Damned by God, Sebastian of Rydon knows only blood and death. After eight hundred years of merely existing, he learns what is to live when Allie comes bursting into his life. Her spirit guides him out of the dark.

Caught in a web of hate and revenge, they search for love as their world is torn apart.

...following on from Holly & Dylan's review.

I was completely hooked to this one, right from the beginning. In fact, I became pretty foul when I was constantly pulled away from my Sebastian time - of which my family can undoubtedly attest to. Suffice to say, my ever romance loving heart could not stay away. Every minute I could spare, I had my eyes glued to the screen, reading with anticipation and glee - and often found myself laughing out loud, thereby causing anyone who sat beside me to see what was so darn funny.

And this one indeed had many outright funny moments. I think the humor sprinkled throughout the novel has got to be one of my favourite things about it. It can be deadly serious and heart thumpingly spine chilling, and then bam! *insert humor here* It was FAB! In particular, there's a scene towards the end of Chapter 3 that made me laugh so much, it has fast become one of my favourites.

There were just so many great things in this one..but some that must be mentioned:

* Hands down, Sebastian of Rydon is one smokin' hot Templar. *fans self* I love how he's so fierce yet so gentle with his Allie. And it was great to see how quickly she was able to penetrate his defenses that he had put up and held for so many centuries. It was heart warming to see him finally find some sort of peace, after suffering for so long. I loved everything about him, hell, even the way he 'broods' is sexy to me. LOL.

* As Holly has already mentioned, Allie didn't suffer from common heroine issues and she definitely did NOT get on my nerves! I thought she was sassy, smart and very brave - and when the shit hit the fan, she didn't go charging in but rather thought quick on her feet, assessing the situation and the best way to keep herself safe. She was independent, yet she knew exactly when she was out of her league and when reinforcements were needed. Smart girl, indeed.

* The way all the Templars embraced Allie into their fold, and swearing to protect her with everything they had. They were fierce and deadly and yet, all of them had a softness about them that had me grinning like a fool. I even loved how Constantine, who seems to be the more intimidating of all the Templars, wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Allie's welfare.

""Like we wouldn't protect you.." -- Constantine to Allie

and then later, a fierce warning..

"Allie better be in one piece, Sebastian"

To be honest, I was a bit hesistant to Constantines character for such a small insignificant reason, but now..I can't wait to see what Rene will cook up for him!

* The sizzling chemistry between Allie and Sebastian. They both wanted each other, but being from two totally different worlds, Sebastian didn't want anything to do with her. Without a soul and in search of redemption, he of course thought Allie should have nothing to do with him. But as fate would have it, nothing could squash what was between them. And when both of them realised it, neither tried to fight it anymore. They accepted it and fought to be together and ultimately, fought for their other half.

Overall, I was very pleased with Midnight Sun. After waiting impatiently for its release, I had set expectations for it in my mind - and I'm delighted to say I was not at all disappointed! So KUDOS to you, Rene! It's a keeper! :D

The only thing that stopped this one from being a perfect 5 is that I wanted more. I wanted more insight into the world of the Templars and of how they came to be doomed, and perhaps a sneak peek into their lives prior to the present day. I just wanted a little more background info to see the 'bigger picture'..or maybe that's just me being a curious wench. ;o)

Bottom line: I highly recommend this one, especially those that enjoy a good paranormal. Don't pass this one up! *grin*

4.5 / 5

Author Interview: Rene Lyons

Rene Lyons

Over the last month or so, those of us here at SF have been very blessed to meet and come to know the soon-to-be published author Rene Lyons. We started stalking her blog and have been very anxiously awaiting her first novel, Midnight Sun, which comes out in eBook format on July 18th (ONE WEEK from now..WOOHOO!) and in mass market paperback in October.

Because we're forever curious, and because we wanted to help Rene promote her first book, we asked if she would be willing to be tortured interviewed by us and she very graciously agreed.

Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let us give you a little bit of background info on our up-and-coming author.

Rene is a sweet, short, petite mother who lives with the love of her life in New York. She comes from a large Italian family who support her in her writing absolutely, hates to cook, loves Twisted Sister (a woman after my own heart here!) and swears blondes have more fun (Ok, ok, she actually said HELL NO when asked that..but I'm allowed my little fantasies, right?).

To give you an idea of what you're in for with her new series, here's a little snippet of information about her Knights Templar:

On Friday October 13, 1307 King Philip of France ordered
the arrest of the Knights Templar. Three years later, after
suffering unimaginable tortures, fifty Knights were burned
in the center of France.

Five of those Knights, the guilty among the innocent, rose
up from the flames to stand before the archangel Michael.
Damned to walk the night as vampires, they were given one
chance at redemption. If they succeed they will once again
know God's grace and be welcomed into Heaven.

If they should fail, the deepest pit of Hell awaits them.

Doesn't that sound amazing? We here certainly can't wait to read more about these damned Templars.

Alright, let's get down to it. Shall we start with Midnight Sun?

Tell us about Midnight Sun. What can we expect from it?

Well, you can expect to meet five Templars damned by God for sins they’d committed while alive and serving in the Order of the Knight Templars. You’re also going to meet Allie Parker, a tough as nails ghost hunter who can hold her own against these badass vampires.

You know how some of us here (ehm..HOLLY) feel about heroines, Rene, be honest, are we going to find a reason to hate on Allie?

Oh God, no! She loves – and I mean loves – being a woman. She’s secure in her own skin, which made it easy to write her alongside such formidable male characters. Nor does she suffer from the Too-Stupid-to-Live disease. I can’t abide a heroine like that and so made a conscious effort not to create one. I need to be proud of my heroines or else why bother writing them.

Thank goodness for that. We've about had our fill of TSTL heroines.

As a reader, how do you feel about the finished product that is Midnight Sun?

I love it! I’m extremely proud of this book, and not only because it’s my first published work. Midnight Sun began as one book I started writing a year ago and evolved into so much more. With the help of my editor (who has one hell of an eye when it comes to storytelling) it became a book that surpassed my every expectation.


Last year, Rene lost her only brother during a hit-and-run accident. She took the loss hard, as any sister would.

What inspired you to begin writing this series?

It was a combination of loving vampires and the Knight Templars. After I lost my brother I had a crisis of faith. It led me to wonder what would happen if people of extreme faith suffered the same doubt as I was experiencing. Slowly I began to see these five medieval warriors. Then I saw them wearing the distinct white mantle of the Knight Templars. I knew I had some truly incredible characters forming in my mind.

Be sure to check out Rene's site and the excerpt she has up for Midnight Sun.

Let's move on to some general Templar questions, because we're very curious about them and we want to entice our readers to be also.

Where did the idea behind The Templars come from?

Oh, that’s easy! To break it down, Tristan is my fierce sense of loyalty and my need to protect those I love. Constantine is my anger and pain. Raphael is my sexuality and humor. Lucian is my honor and compassion. Sebastian is my common sense.

Hmm, sounds great, no?

Which Templar is your favorite and why? (Come on don't be a chicken, which one do you feel closest too?)

When I wrote Midnight Sun I believed Sebastian was, and would always be, my favorite Templar. But then I started Lucian’s book (I haven’t given it a title yet) and he threw me for a loop. Seriously. When I began him a couple of months ago I had him all planned out in my head. He had other ideas however! Fairly quickly I saw he wasn’t going to play by my rules. He became a completely different man than the one I intended to write. The deeper I get into his story the more I fall in love with him. He is a man to be admired. So there you have it. The secret is out – Lucian of Penwick holds my heart.

Intrigued yet? We sure are. But for as much as we're intrigued by the Templars and the stories surrounding them, we're curious about the number of books in the series.

Do you have plans to write books for all of the Templars?

Yes. There are five Templars and I will write each of them a book. No more, though. There won’t be any Templar vampires popping out of the woodwork down the line. Although, we do meet some interesting female vampires in this series...

What makes your Templars different from say, The Dark Hunters or The Carpathians?

As far as the Carpathians, I’ve no idea. I’ve never read Christine Feehan, nor do I plan to now that I’ve taken on writing vampires.
The Dark Hunters, however, I’ve read plenty! I love Sherrilyn Kenyon and her vampires. However, my vamps are the traditional kind. Dead as doornails. They are minus their souls, and only God can return it to them after they’re destroyed. There is no winning it back and continuing to live on as mortals. And the only ‘rules’ they are forced to abide by are the Ten Commandments – more or less. ;)


More or less, huh? Doesn't that sound interesting? You know we're all, for the most part, obsessed with tortured heroes, and it sounds like your Templars are right up our alley, but I have to wonder....

Who is the most tortured of the Templars?

Constantine Dreagon. He is as tortured as they come. His past is brutal. When I wrote his back-story I often found myself in tears.

Constantine's book is titled The Daystar and is scheduled to be released on October thirty-first, Halloween, in eBook format. There's more information available on her site about The Daystar, along with an excerpt that will, if you're anything like us, leave you breathless with anticipation for it to be released.

Through various chats and emails with Rene, we've come to learn that writing Con's story was very emotional for her. It's not uncommon for her to say, "Con made me cry today".

With that in mind, we asked her whose book she was most looking forward to writing, and her answer surprised us. We were sure she'd say Con's had been the best for her, but nope.

Whose book are you most looking forward to writing?

Tristan Beaumont’s. His will be the last and since I’m a ‘pants’ writer (I write blindly, you know, by the seat of my pants), I am eager to see how the series will end. I have an idea how it will go, but until it’s written anything can happen – as I’m learning with Lucian!

Since we found Rene, her blog and her website, Dylan has become mildy obsessed with Rene's character, Raphael. Of course, those of us who know her realize why she's become obsessed. If you check out the profiles Rene has on her site for her Templars, you'll notice that her muse for Raphael is none other than David Beckham, Dylan's favorite man to lust over So, naturally, she's very curious about Raphael.

What do you have planned for Raphael?

I was dreading this question! I intended to kill him off. I was going to gloss right over his book (which is the fourth in the series) and kill him off in book five (The Prize, which is the final book in the series and is Tristan’s story). I have since rethought that idea. I believe his story needs to be told and I know I’ll have a blast telling it. He is the typical Devil-May-Care character. Or is he? Only I know and I’m not about to share such privileged information! At least not without a truckload of Starbursts as a good bribe. ;)

So many books to write, so little time. Rene is going to be one busy beaver in the near future which is fine and dandy with us, since we're eagerly awaiting the release of all of her books. Her Templars are already a part of our SF world and this interview shows just how anxious we are to read Rene's stuff. If you didn't know how obsessed we are with Rene's Templars, all you need to do is visit Rene's sidebar on her blog, you'll see that we've staked our claim on each of the Templars.

Shall we dig a little deeper into Rene's world? We asked Rene some questions about her writing style and some random questions about her we wanted to know.

We love a good vampire story, so what can we expect with your vampire stories?

Tortured heroes and a couple of seriously tortured heroines. I’m not a fan of tying up a happy ending in a pretty bow. My characters have to work for their happiness and I can promise the roads they must take to get to them aren’t smooth by any means. Nor is there any guarantee they’ll even reach the end of it. Though each book will have some humor in them (I love to laugh in ‘real life’ and that spills over in my writing), these books are not ‘light’. Far from it. As the series goes on the books will take on darker tones. Hence the whole ‘working for that HEA’.

We love the sound of that. Too many authors seem to take the easy road, lately. We're glad you're not one of them.

When you have writers block, what tricks or methods do you have to get yourself out of a funk?

I go back and rework what I already have written. Usually that brings back the muse. I also ogle pictures of Andrei Claude. He’s always good for a bit of inspiration! And if those methods fail to work, I simply allow myself to slack off a little. I seem to only suffer from WB when I’m pushing myself too hard and I’m nearing a burnout. So, before I loose touch with my writing completely, I take a step back and allow myself the time to breath and rejuvenate my mind. (oh God, that sounds so cheesy! lol) I also have some amazing friends (you know who you guys are!) who seem to be a new source of motivation.

Who is your favorite vampire? Angel, Spike, Dracula, etc?

Angel. Hands down. But early Angel. Not end of the show’s run Angel.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

Roughly three to four months. But that was prior to getting published. Now, with edits on existing books and promoting my upcoming releases I suspect it will take me longer to get through a book. And I’m grateful for the extended time since Midnight Sun and The Daystar flew by as if in a blur.

Once you're done with a book how do you get into your next project?

I’m always thinking ahead. Once I’m nearing the end of one book I’m already thinking about the next. Or rather, that’s when the characters of the next project begin to scream at me to hurry to get to them. Lucian was the worst. I swear I woke in the middle of the night needing to finish The Daystar just to get Luc to shut up!

When did you start writing?

I always liked writing. Yet it wasn’t until I read Saving Grace by Julie Garwood a few years later when I realized that I didn’t merely like it. I loved it. Writing became as much a part of me as breathing.

Did you do a lot of research for your hero's or make most of it up?

I should say I researched for years! That would be a lie, though. Since I’ve always loved the Knight Templars I only needed to go back and check certain dates since I placed them in a real events (the mass arrest of the Templars in France and the execution of fifty Knights three years later). Everything else is made up!

Now, on to the more random questions we asked Rene, because we were too nosy not to ask them...

What's the best book you've ever read and why?

There are actually two. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet and The Jester by James Peterson and Andrew Gross. Both books put you back in the medieval age. And as someone like me, who seriously wishes there was a time machine that could send me back to the time of William the Conqueror, I loss myself in those books.

Who's your favorite author?

Lynn Kurland. She could write a grocery list and I’d buy it.

Quick, your house is on fire, what three things are you going to save after your family?

My laptop (my writing is in there!). My box of photographs. My daughter’s favorite stuffed animal (a grubby teddy bear she loves).

Are you a hot and steamy love scene lover or do you prefer to read tame, breeze over the sex love scenes?

It depends on my mood. Lately I’m all about the erotica, since that’s what most of my friends write.

What are you reading?

Nothing at the moment. I have too much writing going on.

What genre do you like most?

Paranormal romance. Give me a good vampire or ghost romance any day!

Your favorite type of vacation?

A relaxing one on a beach. Or Disney. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t like Disney?

Did you ever think you'd be where you are now in your career?

Are you kidding? I still don’t believe it. I wake every day needing to remind myself I really did it. I chased the dream and a caught it by the tail.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

At my computer writing stories that hopefully, people will want to read – with my editor still trying to explain to me what a dangling participle is. (lol)

Rene is so much fun to chat with and we're grateful that she took time out of her busy writing schedule to answer some questions for us. We hope that you're just as excited to read her books as we are and we hope that when she makes it all rich and famous, that she won't forget us here at Sanctuary's Finest...

A very special thank you to Rene Lyons from the ladies here at Sanctuary's Finest, we wish you nothing but the best of luck in your writing career and we all just wanted you to know that you have loyal fans in the whole lot of us.

Don't forget to pop over to her blog and say hello.

Rene also very graciously agreed to visit tomorrow to answer any lingering questions our readers may have for her. Just post a comment and she'll reply tomorrow.