The Phantom Shadows Tour: Character Interview by Dianne Duvall, Review and Giveaway

Please give a warm welcome to Dianne, Todd who is interviewing Cliff today. Thank you for stopping by BLH today! 

Thank you so much for letting me visit Book Lovers Hideaway! I’m thrilled to be here, celebrating the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS, the third book in my Immortal Guardians series. 

In case you’re new to my Immortal Guardians, I’ll just take a moment to explain that the vampires and immortals in my series are both infected with a rare symbiotic virus that produces the increased speed, strength, and regenerative properties, as well as the photosensitivity and need for blood, that both possess. Vampires are humans who have been infected with the virus. They suffer brain damage that causes them to rapidly descend into madness. Immortals are gifted ones, men and women born with advanced DNA, who have been infected with the virus. Their advanced DNA protects them from the madness and bestows upon them special abilities that help them as they hunt the maddened vampires who prey upon humans. 

Since few know Bastien (the hero of PHANTOM SHADOWS) better than the vampires who once served him, I thought I would give you a glimpse into his character through an interview with Cliff, a vampire who surrendered to the immortals and now works with Dr. Melanie Lipton (the heroine). Cliff plays an interesting role in PHANTOM SHADOWS and will be interviewed today by Todd, one of the guards at the human network that aids Immortal Guardians: 

 Todd: Thanks for letting me interview you, Cliff. 

 Cliff: No problem. I’m just surprised anyone is interested in hearing what I have to say. Vampires aren’t too popular around here. 

 Todd: Well, after what you did for us recently . . . and what you went through because of it . . . Let’s just say there are quite a few here at the network who are looking at you differently and would like to know more about you. 

Cliff: Cool. 

Todd: So, how did you become a vampire? 

Cliff: I wanted to blow off some steam after finals week– 

Todd: You went to Duke, right? 

Cliff: Right. It was the end of my freshman year. I went to a party with some friends, got drunk off my ass . . . The next thing I knew I was sick as hell with what I thought was the worst hangover ever. 

Todd: But it wasn’t a hangover. You were transforming. 

Cliff: Yeah. 

Todd: Who turned you? 

Cliff: I have no idea. The glands that form above the fangs of vampires and immortals release a chemical like GHB under the pressure of a bite. I couldn’t remember a thing. I don’t even remember leaving the party.

Todd: When did you realize it wasn’t a hangover? 

Cliff: When my skin blistered in sunlight. I’m Black. I’ve never had a sunburn in my life. 

Todd: Didn’t the fangs clue you in first? 

Cliff: I didn’t realize the massive toothache I was experiencing was a result of growing fangs. It took a while for them to come in fully. 

Todd: What did you do? 

Cliff: I hid what I had become as long as possible and put off feeding until I was almost too weak to get out of bed. There was no way to hide the fact that I couldn’t go to class anymore so . . . I had to get out of there. 

Todd: How did you find Bastien? 

Cliff: *smiles* Bastien found me. He came upon me while I was hunting. From the very beginning, I knew he was a stand-up guy. 

Todd: *skeptical* Bastien? 

Cliff: Yes.

Todd: Even after you found out he was raising an army of vampires to defeat the Immortal Guardians? 

Cliff: Dude, the Immortal Guardians were my enemy. They wanted to kill me, no questions asked. I learned very quickly to hide from them. So Bastien’s plan to eradicate them made joining him and his army all the more appealing. 

Todd: And how WAS living with his army? 

Cliff: Better than being on my own, that’s for sure. Whatever else you might think, Bastien was trying to help us. Every single one of us was sane when he recruited us and he did everything he could to keep us that way.  

Todd: Vampires descend into madness pretty quickly. How did you like having madmen for roommates?

Cliff: Bastien kept that crap in check. Immortal Guardians may not fear him, but vampires sure as hell did. Any vampire who went berserk and harmed another vampire or preyed upon an innocent human was very swiftly and harshly punished, if not annihilated. 

Todd: Bastien killed vampires? 

Cliff: He had little choice. 

Todd: I didn’t know that. 

 Cliff: Few do. All they know or care about is that he killed an Immortal Guardian and intended to kill many more. 

Todd: That’s . . . pretty hard to forget. Or forgive. 

Cliff: *shrugs* Dr. Lipton didn’t have a problem with it. 

Todd: *frowns* Honestly, I don’t know what she sees in him. 

Cliff: What you and the others don’t. Or won’t. 

Todd: Did you know before the rest of us that she was attracted to him? 

Cliff: Of course. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. 

Todd: And the feeling was mutual. 

Cliff: *nods and smiles* It was actually pretty entertaining. Bastien kept COINCIDENTALLY visiting whenever Dr. Lipton was working with us. He tried to appear as though his only interest was in how she was trying to help us, but . . . his eyes gave him away. 

Todd: If you’re going to tell me he gazed at her with a sappy, lovesick expression . . . 

Cliff: *shakes his head* Our eyes glow whenever we experience strong emotion. 

Todd: I don’t– 

Cliff: She turns him on. Big time. His eyes kept flashing bright amber whenever he was around her. Hell, they still do. And he had a hell of a time hiding it. 

Todd: *grimaces* That’s more information than I needed to know. 

Cliff: Look, I get why you and the others are pissed at him. But Bastien isn’t what you all think he is. Do you honestly think Dr. Lipton would love him if he were? 

Todd: Considering how brilliant she is, I would think not, but . . . 

Cliff: If Bastien were the bastard you think him, he would have told everyone about that disastrous night you had with Cynthia last month and had a big laugh over it. 

Todd: *stares* What? 

Cliff: You know, the night you decided to spice things up in the bedroom with a little role playing and . . . Wow. Your face just got really red. You aren’t having a stroke, are you? 

Todd: How do you know about that? 

Cliff: Our hearing is extremely acute and these walls aren’t soundproofed. Bastien and I heard you pour the whole humiliating story out to Derek. 

Todd: BASTIEN knows? 

Cliff: Yes. And, Dude . . . a muskateer? Really? In what reality did you think that would be hot? 

Todd: She reads historical romance novels! I thought she would think it dashing! And I didn’t know the boots would be so squeaky. 

 Cliff: *lips twitch* Or that you would fumble the sword and– 

 Todd: Okay, in my defense, I’m used to wielding guns, not fencing foils. And if the feather and that big-ass hat brim hadn’t blocked my vision– 

 Cliff: *grinning* My point IS that Bastien knows and didn’t tell a soul. He isn’t a bad guy, Todd. Perhaps if you interviewed him, you would see it for yourself. 

Todd: *hesitates* Okay, I’ll think about it.

 

Blurb: 

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . . Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can’t remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different – and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question – he can’t put her in danger. But she isn’t asking him . . . 

 Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble

Review: 

When I received an email asking to be a part of this tour, I jumped on it. After reading the first two books and I found out Bastian's book was next, I had to read it. And I have to say this book didn't disappoint. This book was incredible, I read it in one setting. I might ramble on so pardon me if I do , I just loved this book so much.

I have said in my previous reviews that my favorite was Roland then I moved on to Marcus, but now I have to say I love Bastian. I know what you all are thinking (yea right) until the next book, but I don't think so. Bastian captured my heart and I think he is going to stay there. Okay maybe until Seth gets a book.

Melanie and Bastian make a perfect pair, I loved how she defended him with everyone. As well as Richart (whom I hope gets a book as well.) But there are some characters that royally ticked me off, one being Roland as well Chris. The treatment Bastian received from the other immortals and The network (though understandable) angered me. I understand to some extent, Roland's hatred but Chris's baffled me(though it is explained later on in the book) and I almost was to the point where I hated him for it.

This book was everything I had hoped it would be and like I said I believe this one is my favorite so far out of the series. Would I recommend? Hell yes! The author just keeps getting better and better and the series addict in me hopes the Immortal Guardians continue for a very long time.

 Rating: 

Heat Factor: 

About The Author: 

 Dianne Duvall is the award-winning author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel Darkness Dawns has been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance 2011 by RT Book Reviews, for Best Paranormal Romance – Vampire 2011 by The Romance Reviews, for Best Debut Book 2011 – Romance by The Romance Reviews, and for Best Book of the Year 2011 by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in her Immortal Guardians series, has been declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews and has been nominated for Best Paranormal Romance 2011 by The Romance Reviews. It has been described as “intense, passionate and engrossing” by The Romance Reviews and as “a clever, unique, and brilliantly executed book” by Long and Short Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series will be released in October 2012. When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels. Website|Blog|Twitter|Facebook 

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcJ9xnm_i2ZKV7jM8dqAgA?feature=mhee 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4400405.Dianne_Duvall

 Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dianneduvall

Contest

So, what romance villain or black sheep would you like to see redeemed? Let me know when you enter to win a signed copy of your choice of one of the first three Immortal Guardians books + swag. :-) International entries welcome. a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t miss my big kindle contest! I’m giving away THREE Kindles (or Kindle Gift Cards if you already have one) to celebrate the release of PHANTOM SHADOWS. See my website for details. I hope you’ll enjoy Bastien and Melanie’s story! Thank you for joining us! Dianne Duvall