Fated For Success
  March 23, 2011  |    Author:  admin

Rebecca Zanetti’s debut novel, Fated, is a steamy vampire tale that blends science and the fantastic. It sucked me in immediately (pun intended).

Rebecca has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about vampires and science. I think her career choices prepared her well!  Rebecca was gracious enough to allow me to interview her for our blog.

Hi Heather! Thanks for interviewing me!

Fated’s heroine is Cara Paulsen. Who is she, and what troubles plague her in Fated?

Cara is a single-mother and a down-to-earth scientist. So when a 300 year old vampire shows up claiming she’s his mate and that the bad vampires are after her daughter…ah…she doesn’t quite go for it. She’s also an empath, a fact she’s denied to herself since childhood. So she has to deal with protecting her daughter, a dangerous attraction to an over-the-top alpha male, and the reawakening of her unwanted empathic abilities.

Well, he is absolutely honor-bound and believes wholeheartedly in fate. And if fate isn’t going his way, he changes fate, so he can still believe. He’s also hot-blooded, can venture into the sun and normally prefers a good Cabernet to someone’s blood.

What was your favorite part about writing Fated?

Honestly, Talen is so alpha-male that when he falls in love and shows his sweet (and slightly clumsy) side, I just melted.

Urban fantasies and paranormal romances pose unique world building concerns. What was your process for creating the world in which Fated is set?

You know, the world just unfolded on its own. After the first draft I had to go back and edit, make sure the world stayed consistent, but I just let it evolve naturally. I’m just finishing up book three (HUNTED) and the world is still evolving as I go.

Fated has some steamy scenes. How did you prepare your friends and family for what they were going to read?

I provided ample warning. So far nobody has listened to me. In fact, during the book launching, I know several of my friends hid behind the potted plant reading page 55. But they seemed to enjoy it. I did a blog entry called “My Dad is Going to Read My Book” awhile back trying to deal with this fact. Also, I’m on the Board of a nonprofit in the area with a couple of Catholic nuns, and they bought the book. I warned them…and they completely ignored me.

What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a complete panster. If someone needs an outline from me, I have to write the book and then go back and outline.

What is the worst writing advice you received?

Nobody wants vampire stories any more. Don’t write one.

What is the best writing advice you received?

Write what you want to read.

What is your next book, and when can we expect to see it?

CLAIMED is the second book in the series and will be out on October 25th. It features Dage Kayrs, the king of the vamps, and Emma Paulsen, a genius geneticist. The war between the vampire nations heats up and the virus plaguing the good guys increases in power. Emma’s not real big on trust, and Dage isn’t used to anyone standing up to him. They have a bit of a conflict.

Thanks again to Rebecca for visiting our blog for this interview!  You can follow Rebecca on Twitter, Facebook, and/or her website.