Home » Chloe Neill, Interviews, LE Guests

Interview: Chloe Neill

29 Sep 2009 | Submitted by: Jackie | 69 Comments |

Today Literary Escapism is ecstatic to welcome back Chicagoland Vampires author, Chloe Neill! The second novel in this great series, Friday Night Bites, comes out next Tuesday and I dearly cannot wait to get my hands on a copy.

The story of a young heiress’s initiation into the dark society of the Chicagoland Vampires continues…

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they’re enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But should people learn about the Raves—mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle—the citizens will start sharpening their stakes.

So now it’s up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn’t want peace between them—someone with an ancient grudge…

Doesn’t this sound phenomenal? If so, stick around, we’re giving away a signed copy this week!
______________________________________________

For my readers who are unfamiliar with your novels, Some Girls Bite and Friday Night Bites, can you describe the world you want to introduce them to? What was it about this world that you wanted to share?

Two worlds, I think: The first, contemporary Chicago. I love the city, the Lake, the food, the neighborhoods, the architecture. If folks read one of my books and get the sense they’d like to visit, then I’ve done good by the Windy City.

The second, a world of vampires who’d lived for centuries assimilated into the human population, but who’ve now announced their existence to the world. I tried to recreate the rules and mechanics that I thought that kind of population would have created for themselves while they were underground. The Canon. The governing Greenwich Presidium. A very structured system of Masters and Novitiates, to ensure that no one stepped outside the rules set out by the GP and risk the vampires’ exposure. Hopefullly, it’s interesting and realistic enough that it draws readers in.

I have to say, I loved how Merit did not immediately take to the idea of being a vampire.  Lately, it seems like most characters who get accidentally turned just go with the flow or thinks this its cool.  Why did you have Merit react the way she did?  How did you determine the reaction she was going to have and what was your reasoning behind it?  How would you have reacted in her place?

Thanks!!

That was very tricky–and, to be honest, I’ve read some reviews in which Merit is criticized for being “whiny.” But Merit’s change occurs *during* the book, as opposed to our picking up the story of a vampire after she’s been turned. She’s human on page 1, and by the end of the first chapter, she’s a vampire. That’s quite an adjustment to make, or it would be for me.

I think I would have reacted just like she did. Keep in mind that Merit wasn’t changed by consent. She had a very specific plan for her life, and being a vampire wasn’t part of that plan. In the matter of a few days, the entire life she’s known–from grad school to sunlight–is taken away from her. While it’s fun to think “Oh, I’d love to be a vampire,” it’s still quite an adjustment to face. She’s slowly getting there–coming to terms with who and what she is–but it’s definitely a transition, and I think that’s an honest reflection of how most of us would react.

Can you introduce us to some of your supporting characters? The ones we haven’t seen a lot of, but will in the future?  Who was the most fun to write? Who gave you the most problems?

Sure. Jeff Christopher, who is one of Merit’s grandfather’s employees and a shifter in his own right, has a role in both Friday Night Bites and Twice Bitten. He’s very smart, a little geeky, and very much in love with Merit. We meet Gabriel Keene, head of one of the four American shifter packs, in Friday Night Bites. He plays a key role in Twice Bitten, as we get to know the Packs and a lot more about their internal dynamics (and love of cabbage rolls).

Mallory, Merit’s former roommate (as of Friday Night Bites) remains the most fun supporting character to write. She’s so sassy, very creative, and very, very witty. I get to be silly when I write Mallory, which I very much enjoy.

Morgan, head of Navarre House, is very hard to write, mostly because he doesn’t really know who he is (which means consequently that I don’t know who he is). He’s still very “human” (as Ethan might say), and is still coming to terms with Masterdom. That makes the writing tricky…I don’t want him to seem like a silly, too-dramatic character, but he definitely has his issues.

You have your first young adult novel, Firespell, coming out in January; are there any other projects that you have swimming in your head that we might see later?  What do you anticipate for, or look forward to, in both the Chicagoland Vampires and Dark Elite series?

Hopefully, I’d anticipate a long and happy history to both series, but that depends on sales. :) FIRESPELL is my first YA book, which I’m very excited about. The story just occurred to me, and I really love my cast of characters. This book has a much more magic-focused bent than the Chicagoland Vampires books, so it’s got lots of fun potential.

In addition to DE and CV (and a sequel series to CV), I have two additional urban fantasy series planned, but it’s a matter of having time to write them.

How did you feel when you saw your first published book in the bookstore and has the reaction changed much knowing you’ll have more books on those shelves at some point?

To be honest, I was a little bit sad the first time I saw Some Girls Bite in a bookstore. There was only one copy of the book in the entire store, and it was alone in the romance section. I’d imagined at least making it to the “New Release” table. Kinda anticlimactic.

I squealed with delight the first time I saw it on Amazon. And the first time I saw Friday Night Bites on Amazon, and while I’m watching Friday Night Bites squeak up the Barnes & Noble rankings. That kind of stuff never gets old.

Now, if I ever walk into a bookstore and there’s a stack of Chloe Neill books, or a sign that says “If you liked Some Girls Bite, you’ll also like…” then I’ll feel better. :)

Why urban fantasy? What is it about the genre that drew you to it or did it chose you?  Are there any other genres you want to try?

I’d love to write a Regency or historical romance, but I consider myself to be a writer of urban fantasy. I love the ability to create a world, to use interesting tidbits and quotes and happenings from the mundane world, but mix them with the supernatural. The genre definitely chose me.

Which authors do you read and/or think “Damn! I wish I had thought of that first”? Who would you love to sit down with and discuss fantasy literature with?

Does Claire Fraser count as an appropriate answer? Everytime I read “Outlander” again, I just want to sit down and stare at Diana Gabaldon out of awe. Jamie Fraser is just the king of romantic heroes. So fabulous. I’m also in awe of Susan Johnson’s historicals. The woman does amazing research, and her books have always felt very honest to me. And so well-written.

During your recent stop at Naughty Editions, you were talking about how readers enjoy the mystery man that seems to continually pop up in great romance novels.  I do have to admit, that little supernatural twist does it for me a lot of times, but who does it for you?  Which characters have that little extra something extra that intrigue you so much?  Which authors tend to write these characters the best?

See above! I love Jamie, I love J.D. Robb’s Roarke (which is a bit more scifi/mystery than supernatural), and I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood-ers. I tend to best like heroes in books with detailed world-building, because a good hero has to be that much better in a complex world–he has to know how to use it, manipulate it, make the best of it.

And now I’m channeling Ethan Sullivan. :)

Name five books that are sitting next to you. Why are they sitting next to you?

The Wolf Almanac, for background on wolf behaviors. The Dictionary of Symbols, for interesting symbolic bits. Echo in the Bone, for my vast love of Jamie Fraser, Creative Quarterly magazine, and the newest issue of Cooking Light. (But only for the articles, lol.)

Thanks to everyone for reading, and thanks for having me today!
_______________________________________________

Thank you Chloe for visiting Literary Escapism.

Contest Time!  We’re giving away a signed copy of Friday Night Bites and a Cadogan House gift pack, which includes a pen, bar coaster, sticker, Visitor’s Pass and bookplate, to a lucky commentator.  And just because Chloe is just that awesome, we’re also giving away a copy of Some Girls Bite.  That’s right, two winners and it’s fairly easy to enter. All you have to do is answer this one simple question: Who would you love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with? Remember, you do have to answer the question in order for your comment to count. The contest is open to everyone, so everyone overseas can join in the fun as well.

As always, if you want more chances to win, you can post about today’s contest on your blog, social network, or anywhere you can. Digg it, stumble it, twit it (#litesc), share it with the world. Wherever you share it, make sure you add a link to it along with your answer (all in the same post please). The more places you share it, the more entries you get.

For more entries, purchase any of Chloe’s novel (or any novel) through LE’s Amazon store sometime during this contest and send a copy of the receipt VIA email for your purchase to: myjaxon AT gmail DOT com. Each purchase is one entry and it has to be through the LE Link.

Join the Literary Escapism Facebook page and you’ll get an additional entry. Make sure you leave a comment here so I know that’s why you’re joining. Only new readers to the group will be considered.

For an additional entry, subscribe to Literary Escapism’s newsletter in the sidebar. All current subscribers will also have an additional entry.

I’ll determine the winner with help from the Research Randomizer. All entries must be in by midnight on October 6th.

69 Comments »

  • Chris said:

    I would LOVE to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with Charles de Lint.

  • Wendy said:

    Hi, Chloe! Congrats on your coming release! I haven’t read Some Girls Bite yet but ti definitely sounds great and I love the cover so I can’t wait! :D

  • Wendy said:

    Who would you love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with?

    It’s kind of hard to choose because I love so many UF authors but Jim Butcher definitely comes to mind!

  • Patti said:

    Hi Chloe – I loved Some Girls Bite and have been awaiting FNB ever since! Great world and characters!!

    I would love to talk about urban fantasy with Patricia Briggs. I love her Mercy Thompson series – a strong heroine who’s not obnoxious.

    I posted your contest on my sidebar:
    http://www.sleeplessinneworleans2.blogspot.com

  • Pixie said:

    Hey Chloe

    I think I’d like to sit and talk with Dakota Cassidy, her humor would be great for the conversation!

  • Qwill said:

    Hi, Chloe. I enjoyed the interview and will be adding your books to my TBR. I love Chicago and books set there.

    I would like to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with The League of Reluctant Adults!

  • Qwill said:

    Hi, Chloe. I enjoyed the interview and will be adding your books to my TBR. I love Chicago and books set there.

    I would like to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with The League of Reluctant Adults!

  • Chloe said:

    Good morning, everyone! Thanks for dropping by!

  • Aurora said:

    +:::::!! Patti stole Patricia Briggs from me!!!! Lol! I love Mercy!!!!!!
    I am sooooooo very excited for FNB!!!! I loved Some Girls Bite and have been waiting patiently for more Merit &Ethan hottness!!!!!!!!

  • ~Michelle~ said:

    In all honesty, I’m not really familiar with the urban fantasy genre, so I can’t really answer the question…but I loved Some Girls Bite, and am anxiously awaiting Friday Night Bites. :)

  • Jen D. said:

    Hi Chloe! I have Some Girls Bite in my TBR pile but, my boyfriend keeps threatening to leave if I don’t pay attention him. So I haven’t had a chance to get to your book yet. *bows head* However, after reading this interview I have decided that I’m going to tell him to shut his pie hole and get down to business. Thanks for stopping by today.

    I’d like to pick Kim Harrison’s brain. I like her writing style and she cracks me up.

    Jackie thanks for the interview and contest.

    Have a great day guys.

    *Jen*

  • elaing8 said:

    Hi Chloe,
    Great interview.I would love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with Chloe Neill of coarse :) or Kim Harrison.

    I love SGB and would love to win FNB’s prize pack.

  • elaing8 said:

    oops for got to say I subscribe to the LE newsletter

  • Jessica S. said:

    Ooh tough question. I guess I would love to be able to sit down and chat with Rachel Vincent. I love her books and I would love to chat with her about how she went with a different supernatural creature than what we usually see.

    Will post info on my blog: http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com

    Can’t wait to read FNB!!

  • RachaelfromNJ said:

    I would love to talk urban fantasy with Devon Monk. I love her series and I’d be interested in her writing process.

    I tweeted about your contest earlier today.

    These books sound really good and I’d love to read them. :)

  • Angie said:

    Thanks for this fun interview. I love Merit’s name and I love the 5 books next to you question.

    I would love to sit and talk urban fantasy with Patricia Briggs. I am a huge Mercy Thompson fan.

    I joined your Facebook page for this contest.

    I subscribed to the newsletter.

    Thanks, Jackie!

  • Van P. said:

    I would love to sit and talk urban fantasy with Chloe Neill of course! and Ilona Andrews…i am a big fan of their writing and i love the kate daniels novel!

    - i joined your facebook page (Literary Escapism)

    - i subscribed to the newsletter

    Can’t wait to read FNB!

  • Tabitha Chedore said:

    Great interview. Can’t wait to read more about Merit and Ethan and all the other characters in Friday Night Bites.

    I would love to sit and talk with Kelley Armstrong, Chloe Neill, and Jeaniene Frost.
    I love reading more about Clay and Elena, Merit and Ethan, and Cat and Bones.
    All are wonderful characters in books that are always worth the wait.

  • Abigail said:

    I would love to interview Patricia Briggs :)

    I posted this in the Contests & Giveaways section on my blog

    http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

  • Kate A said:

    Awesome interview! I’m really looking forward to reading Friday Night Bites.

    I would love to talk urban fantasy with Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Richelle Mead and Jeaniene Frost. Their books are some of favourites and definite must-reads.

    Great contest!

  • Elie N said:

    I would love to sit donw and chat with Charlaine Harris. Her books got me started reading again. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.

  • ShootingStarsMag said:

    Oh gosh, I don’t know…I’d like to talk to Jocelyn Drake…V.K. Forrest….Molly Harper.

    Tweet-

    http://twitter.com/ShootingStarMag/status/4487612529

  • Katarina said:

    Besides Chloe, whose brain would be great to pick, I’d love to hear from Molly Harper.

  • bridget3420 said:

    Kim Harrison

  • bridget3420 said:

    Blogged

    http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/2009/09/giveaway-list_29.html

  • Jenny N said:

    Nice interview and thanks for the giveaway. I’m a huge Mercy Thompson fan so my first choice would be a sit down with Patricia Briggs.

  • Dawn M. said:

    I would choose Ilona Andrews or Patricia Briggs or Carrie Vaughn. :0)

    I subscribe to the newsletter.

    Thanks!

  • Casse said:

    Hey Chloe, I can not wait to read your books I am going to get Some Girls Bite because oddly, I’ve slept on it! I know, I have been under a rock or something because lately I have been hearing a lot about it.

    I would love to sit down and talk Urban Fantasy with Michelle Sagara (West). Because her books are strictly UF. A lot of books nowadays have blurred the genre lines with Paranormal Romance (which I also love) but Sagara is purely UF magic! If I could invite C.E Murphy as well then I’d be in HEAVEN!

    My Tweet- http://twitter.com/CatholicKittie/status/4491338873

    Casse

  • RKCharron said:

    Hi :)
    Thank you for the great interview & thanks for sharing Chloe :)
    Your covers, they are beautiful.
    It is so hard to pick just one author to discuss UF with, can I pick Team Seattle?
    (For those who don’t know Team Seattle includes Michelle Read, Caitlin Kittredge, Mark Henry, etc)
    :)
    All the best,
    RKCharron
    xoxo

  • Stumbling Over Chaos :: Go get a cup of coffee before you start this linkfest, eh? said:

    [...] at Literary Escapism is having a contest for two Chloe Neill books and assorted other goodies. I really, really enjoyed Chloe Neill’s excellent vampire romance, Some Girls Bite, and [...]

  • Anonymous said:

    I’d love to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with C. E. Murphy. I love her Walker Papers series. I’m a new fan at Facebook and posted a link to this interview/contest. (Angela True)http://www.facebook.com/home.php?filter=app_2309869772

  • Debbie F said:

    I would love to seat down with Charlaine Harris. I loved her books! I haven’t read any of these and they sound great. Thanks

  • Mary D said:

    It would be so much fun to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with Patricia Briggs – she’ one awesome lady/author!!!

  • Donna S said:

    For classic works I would want to talk to Bram Stoker, but for modern books I would love to talk to Jim Butcher.

    Posted on the sidebar here: http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

  • chrys said:

    I would like to sit down with Kelley Armstrong. It was a very hard decision, but I am currently reading Frostbitten.

  • blackwolf said:

    I would love to talk urban fantasy with Richelle Mead

  • Stephanie Shradar said:

    I would LOVE to sit down and chat most with Jeanine Frost, although I’d be torn the entire time between wanting her to tell me about the rest of Bones and Cat’s story and not letting her say anything so I can read it myself :)

    Other authors that I think it’d just be fun to hang out with would be chloe neill, patricia briggs, melissa marr, richelle mead, rachel vincent, Ilona Andrews, Karen Marie Moning…..I’m dying to know about Barrons!!!!! (EEK)

    thanks!

  • blackroze37 said:

    mmm not real sure, all autor are of urban.. but jackie kesslere

  • Mary Jo T said:

    I would love to sit down with Kylie Chan, author of the Dark Heavens Trilogy (White Tiger, Red Phoenix, and Blue Dragon) as her 4th book , Earth to Hell is coming out soon. The series is a fascinating blend of Chinese gods/martial arts/ magic and mythological creatures set in modern Hong Kong and Australia.

    I’ve friended you on Facebook and signed up to your newsletter, and posted this page on my readers group (writers warren yahoo group)

    Thanks!

  • Chloe said:

    Hi!! OMG I’m so excited waiting for FNB. Definitly I want to participate in the contest and an international like this one!!!

    If I have to choose one UF Author to sit down to talk to and discuss urban fantasy with I’ll pick J. Frost, I enjoyed very much her Night Huntress Serie and think it would be a really good option or Chloe Neill of course.

    Thanks for everything! Great interview!! : )

    PS: I’m just suscribed to the to the LE newsletter too, hope get lucky

  • Grace said:

    Hi Chloe,
    I loved, loved Some Girls Bite and can’t wait for Fri Night Bites. I’d love to sit down and chat with Jeannie Frost or Patricia Briggs. Sorry, I know that 2.

  • Grace said:

    PS – I just joined the face book page and left a comment

  • Chelsey said:

    I loved Some Girls Bite and I cannot wait for Friday Night Bites! I would love to be able to ait down and interview Chloe Neill, because I would love to be able to pick her brain. She’s new and imaginative! (But of course, there are a lot of authors I love to read too…like, Richelle Mead, Charlaine Harris, and Patricia Briggs.)

  • Lise said:

    I just finished Some Girls Bite 2 days ago and am anxiously awaiting Friday Night Bites! As for who I’d love to sit and chat with about Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance I’d love to talk with Chloe, Jeanine Frost, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon. Gena Showalter or Charlaine Harris. I’m still relatively new to this arena of stories so I’ll have to check out Patricia Briggs since so many folks would like to talk with her.

  • CherylS22 said:

    I’d love to sit down with Stephenie Meyer & discuss urban fantasy.
    Thanks for the great giveaway.

  • pixie13 said:

    Honestly, I don’t pay that much attention to genres, so I had to totally look this up. Wiki is listing Mercedes Lackey & Laurell K. Hamilton as Urban Fantasy writers, and I love both authors, so I would so sit & talk with either of them. ThankS1

  • Book Sp(l)ot said:

    I think I’d like to discuss urban fantasy with…Joss Whedon maybe ;)

    and I already subscribe to the newsletter and I’m joining the Facebook group now, too.

    -Lucile

  • SAM04 said:

    I love Some Girls Bite, so ready for Friday Night Bites!!
    Can’t wait for more in the Chicagoland Vampire series!

    There are quite a few authors I would love to interview…. but among my top picks are Richelle Mead and Chole Neill.
    Thanks for the awesome books (past and present)!

  • Jacqueline L. said:

    Hmmm…tough question. Maybe Simon R. Green or Mark Del Franco.

  • Llehn said:

    Neil Gaiman! Mr Gaiman has an unusual perspective on the world and it would be so interesting to hear what he has to say!

  • Jo said:

    Great interview!! I’d so love to read this series!

    Who would you love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with?

    Just one? Jeaniene Frost, I think. I absolutely love her Night Huntress series! Simply amazing!

    Tweeted
    Blogged

    I joined the facebook page (Joanne Stapley)

    I subscribed to the newsletter.

  • Scott Romanski said:

    I love to talk with Chloe Neill, Laura Hamilton, Gena Showalter, just to name a few…..i’d love a huge “conference” type thing where they could all just “riff” off of each other

  • Katie S. said:

    I would love to talk with Jim Butcher. A really really close second would be JR Ward. Both seem incredibly cool.

  • Rose said:

    Great interview. I LOVE Friday Night Bites and am so happy that I came across it earlier this summer. For books, I would love to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with Kelley Armstrong. I really enjoy her Women of the Otherworld series. For TV/film I would absolutely LOVE to sit down and talk with Joss Whedon! :0) Thanks for the contest. I joined the facebook page (Rose S) and subscribed to the newsletter.

  • wanda flanagan said:

    sherrilyn kenyon definatly love those dark hunters

  • wanda flanagan said:

    ps following LE on facebook just signed up

  • Caitlin Usignol said:

    Right now I would say Patricia Briggs I am loving the Mercy Thompson series. Also I have read her Alpha Omega Series

  • Diane Sadler said:

    Who would I love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with?
    I would really like to talk to Charlaine Harris right now since her tv show has sparked a renewal in the popularity of her books.

  • Jacki said:

    There are so many authors that I would love to sit down and talk to, but I’ve been lucky that when I email authors that so many of them email back.

  • Demi Bradley said:

    I am not that familiar with urban fantasy yet, but after reading Chloe Neill’s books, I think I would like to some more of them. So I would say Nora Roberts, but she isn’t urban fantasy! lol So I would have to say Chloe, when I read her first book, it was like a breath of fresh air, out of all the other books I have read. It’s something different than the other vampire books I have read. There is something fresh about, I don’t really know how to explain it! But I would def. sit down and talk to her, how to came up with the idea, and it would be just wonderful! lol

  • Selina A said:

    I would sit and talk to R.L. Stine (yes I know he is aimed at the younger crowd) but he is actually the author that I grew up reading and got me in the horror/mystery/fantasy genre. He opened that door and now I’ve locked myself in and won’t leave :) Now, I get to read Chloe Neill’s awesome work!!

    PS super psyched for FNB!!

  • Mary said:

    I would love to interview Kelley Armstrong or Patricia Briggs.

  • Linda said:

    I picked up Some Girls Bite a while ago & have been anxiously awaiting FNB. If I had a chance to sit down with Adrian Phoenix and discuss UF, I’d be a happy camper =)

  • Paradox said:

    Who would you love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with? – Charles de Lint or Melissa Marr!

  • kimi said:

    Jim Butcher or Ilona Andrews

  • susan leech said:

    I enjoyed the comments and interview and the book sounds great. I hope to be entered in the contest. I think this book would look so nice on my book shelf. ha Oh yes, I think it will look good in my hands while I am reading it too. ha susan L.

  • drey said:

    Who would you love to sit down with and discuss urban fantasy with?
    – Hmm… Patricia Briggs (Mercy rules!), C.E. Murphy (I actually Facebook-”found” her, lol), and Jim Butcher (I heart Harry)…

  • vanesa said:

    I would LOVE to sit down and discuss urban fantasy with Ellen Schreiber!!!!

    I joined your Facebook page for this contest. My nick in Facebook is vanesa lopez.

    I subscribed to the newsletter.

    My twitted http://twitter.com/vane_argentina

  • Haley said:

    I absolutly, positively LOVED Some Girls Bite!!!!!

    The authors I would love to sit with and discuss urban fantasy are Charlaine Harris(Southern Vampire Mysteries), Richelle Meade(Vampire Academy series), Stephanie Meyer(Twilight Saga)and ,obviously, Chloe Neill.

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