Christine Feehan's Blog - Posts Tagged "shadow-keeper"
Catching Up with Christine
If you go to my online community you already know that I'm nearly finished writing Dark Sentinel. This is Andor and Lorraine's story. Next up is Leopard's Run.
I wanted to make sure you didn't miss anything going on online, so here are a few fun things that have happened over the last week or so.
Berkley's Bookmas! Don't miss this one!
Bookmas
A sweepstakes and some exclusives!
Talking about crazy things bought online over at HEA USA Today HEA
Another fun quick thing over at HEA USA Today about authors that other authors love
HEA Authors we love
Did you see the cover reveal for Shadow Keeper yet? You can see it HERE
I wanted to make sure you didn't miss anything going on online, so here are a few fun things that have happened over the last week or so.
Berkley's Bookmas! Don't miss this one!
Bookmas
A sweepstakes and some exclusives!
Talking about crazy things bought online over at HEA USA Today HEA
Another fun quick thing over at HEA USA Today about authors that other authors love
HEA Authors we love
Did you see the cover reveal for Shadow Keeper yet? You can see it HERE
Interviewing Scott Nova- Giovanni Ferraro in Shadow Keeper
Actor and model Scott Nova has appeared in several of the trailers, including Dark Blood, Shadow Rider, Shadow Reaper and in the starring role of Giovanni Ferraro in Shadow Keeper. Scott was kind enough to agree to allow me to interview him in celebration of the release of Shadow Keeper.
Scott, what was your own feeling about playing a billionaire playboy like Giovanni?
SN -Well, first it was an honor to work with you again, and to continue portraying the “bad boy” of the family. I got to really just go deep down and pull out what a person would be like with almost limitless funds, and such a fantastic ability of how to travel and convey power. It was a lot of fun to do.
You co-star with veteran actor John Wells in Shadow Rider and join him again alongside Isaac Woofter in Shadow Reaper. What have you learned from these actors?
SN -Oh man, I’ve learned so much from John, it’s amazing how giving he is of knowledge and mentoring. I didn’t become as close of friends with Isaac during the filming of Reaper, but did pick up all sorts of tips and advice by watching and interacting with him during the day long shoot. John and I talk frequently, and I’ve tried like heck to keep up with his projects, but that man is BUSY! The first time John and I had a scene together, I froze up, lol and forgot my lines. So, John did them for me lol
What was it like for you to watch Shadow Keeper?
SN -Watching Shadow Keeper, like all the others, is so very cool. To be on screen with those great actors and actresses is fantastic and to simulate being able to have those powers, all the better.
You’ve played a Shadow Rider and a Carpathian, would you play a GhostWalker if given the chance? Or would you rather play a biker in the Torpedo Ink series?
SN -Well, with the current craze for motorcycle books and the heroes that are in them, I’d have to say that Torpedo Ink would be fun, but a GhostWalker is just bad! 😊 So, I’m not going to answer, I’m going to just say that I’m versatile enough for them all.
Have you had any fans recognize you from one of the trailers and if so, what was that experience like?
SN -Yeah, I’ve had fans of Christine’s work recognize me at conventions and so forth and it’s definitely a cool feeling to be recognized. I will say that it’s surreal in general to be chosen to be in her trailers and associated with her work, and so the fans wanting autographs from me because of it, is just the icing on the cake. But I never am bothered by fans, because if it weren’t for those readers and fans, I’d just be Scott the IT guy.
Where can people go to learn more about you?
SN -I’m currently redoing my website, it’s not up to the standards of todays models and I will host my stock photos that are purchasable for covers and other needs.
You can also always find me on the following Social Media:
Facebook = scottnovacm
Twitter = scottnovacm
IG = scott nova
Thank you, Scott for giving me some of your time for my blog.
Scott, what was your own feeling about playing a billionaire playboy like Giovanni?
SN -Well, first it was an honor to work with you again, and to continue portraying the “bad boy” of the family. I got to really just go deep down and pull out what a person would be like with almost limitless funds, and such a fantastic ability of how to travel and convey power. It was a lot of fun to do.
You co-star with veteran actor John Wells in Shadow Rider and join him again alongside Isaac Woofter in Shadow Reaper. What have you learned from these actors?
SN -Oh man, I’ve learned so much from John, it’s amazing how giving he is of knowledge and mentoring. I didn’t become as close of friends with Isaac during the filming of Reaper, but did pick up all sorts of tips and advice by watching and interacting with him during the day long shoot. John and I talk frequently, and I’ve tried like heck to keep up with his projects, but that man is BUSY! The first time John and I had a scene together, I froze up, lol and forgot my lines. So, John did them for me lol
What was it like for you to watch Shadow Keeper?
SN -Watching Shadow Keeper, like all the others, is so very cool. To be on screen with those great actors and actresses is fantastic and to simulate being able to have those powers, all the better.
You’ve played a Shadow Rider and a Carpathian, would you play a GhostWalker if given the chance? Or would you rather play a biker in the Torpedo Ink series?
SN -Well, with the current craze for motorcycle books and the heroes that are in them, I’d have to say that Torpedo Ink would be fun, but a GhostWalker is just bad! 😊 So, I’m not going to answer, I’m going to just say that I’m versatile enough for them all.
Have you had any fans recognize you from one of the trailers and if so, what was that experience like?
SN -Yeah, I’ve had fans of Christine’s work recognize me at conventions and so forth and it’s definitely a cool feeling to be recognized. I will say that it’s surreal in general to be chosen to be in her trailers and associated with her work, and so the fans wanting autographs from me because of it, is just the icing on the cake. But I never am bothered by fans, because if it weren’t for those readers and fans, I’d just be Scott the IT guy.
Where can people go to learn more about you?
SN -I’m currently redoing my website, it’s not up to the standards of todays models and I will host my stock photos that are purchasable for covers and other needs.
You can also always find me on the following Social Media:
Facebook = scottnovacm
Twitter = scottnovacm
IG = scott nova
Thank you, Scott for giving me some of your time for my blog.
Shadow Keeper Round Up!
The ride's not over!
We've had a lot of fun with Shadow Keeper and I wanted to make sure you didn't miss any of it.
Here's a rundown of some of the fun things we've done for the book release.
Let me know what you enjoyed the most!
**********
Who is Your Shadow Rider Trainer? Take the Quiz!
**********
USA Today Happy Ever After Interview
**********
Amazon’s Best of the Month
**********
Shadow Keeper Book Trailer
**********
Read the First Chapter of Shadow Keeper
**********
Reader’s Entertainment Interview
**********
We've had a lot of fun with Shadow Keeper and I wanted to make sure you didn't miss any of it.
Here's a rundown of some of the fun things we've done for the book release.
Let me know what you enjoyed the most!
**********
Who is Your Shadow Rider Trainer? Take the Quiz!
**********
USA Today Happy Ever After Interview
**********
Amazon’s Best of the Month
**********
Shadow Keeper Book Trailer
**********
Read the First Chapter of Shadow Keeper
**********
Reader’s Entertainment Interview
**********
The Laws of Attraction for Shadow Riders
Shadow Riders are assassins who mete out justice, using shadows to travel. The Ferraro family is one of a few “Riders” worldwide, so rare that it is the duty of a Shadow Rider to marry and produce more Shadow Riders. If a Rider hasn’t found someone to marry by the time they reach a certain age then the family will arrange a marriage to an appropriate Rider of another family.
Not all Shadow Riders are born knowing they have that rare ability. When Sasha and Giovanni meet there aren’t enough shadows in the club to realize she’s a Rider, but Giovanni feels pulled toward her anyway. Sasha has no idea what she is, but she does realize she can tell when someone lies. Giovanni has his work cut out for him when they meet. And on more than one level.
But, when two Shadow Riders meet, their shadows move like serpent-wraiths, reaching out for each other. They can feel one another; know when someone is a Shadow Rider. They can also feel a compatibility with another Rider. Often this potential compatibility can be triggered by the sound of that person’s voice. Combined with the reaching and intertwining of their shadows, a Rider will feel something deep within him or her click into place and they will know this person belongs with them. Or potentially does.
If a Shadow Rider claims a mate and that mate rejects them, things become disastrous for both of them. The same goes for divorce. Should two Shadow Riders divorce, it rips their entwined shadows apart leaving one partner without their memory and the other partner unable to ride the shadows ever again. So, choosing someone who will fully accept a committed relationship is imperative.
It’s different if a Shadow Rider is widowed. With the partner deceased, the entwined shadows fade away and are not violently ripped apart as it happens with divorce. Though the partner may be sad, they could still re-marry and they lose nothing. They keep their memories and their ability to ride the shadows.
A Shadow Rider could marry a non-Shadow Rider if that person has the riding gene. Some of the Ferraro’s extended family are “Greeters” or “Investigators” and they have different gifts and abilities. Other Shadow Rider families in the world have these gifts and abilities and may hold a recessive Shadow Rider gene, but not have manifested in that person. Instead, that person could have a child with a Shadow Rider and their child could also end up a Rider.
We find out in Shadow Reaper there are Shadow Rider families and extended families all over the world. Training is often done outside of the family. Ricco was trained in Japan and we learn of powerful Shadow Rider families there. Riders throughout the world look to pair up, with or without the benefit of love, in order to produce more riders. An actual love-match isn’t easy to find.
So every chance encounter for any of the Ferraros could lead them to find a Shadow Rider who will match them. A mate. Love. All they need is a lot of luck and a lot of shadows.
Not all Shadow Riders are born knowing they have that rare ability. When Sasha and Giovanni meet there aren’t enough shadows in the club to realize she’s a Rider, but Giovanni feels pulled toward her anyway. Sasha has no idea what she is, but she does realize she can tell when someone lies. Giovanni has his work cut out for him when they meet. And on more than one level.
But, when two Shadow Riders meet, their shadows move like serpent-wraiths, reaching out for each other. They can feel one another; know when someone is a Shadow Rider. They can also feel a compatibility with another Rider. Often this potential compatibility can be triggered by the sound of that person’s voice. Combined with the reaching and intertwining of their shadows, a Rider will feel something deep within him or her click into place and they will know this person belongs with them. Or potentially does.
If a Shadow Rider claims a mate and that mate rejects them, things become disastrous for both of them. The same goes for divorce. Should two Shadow Riders divorce, it rips their entwined shadows apart leaving one partner without their memory and the other partner unable to ride the shadows ever again. So, choosing someone who will fully accept a committed relationship is imperative.
It’s different if a Shadow Rider is widowed. With the partner deceased, the entwined shadows fade away and are not violently ripped apart as it happens with divorce. Though the partner may be sad, they could still re-marry and they lose nothing. They keep their memories and their ability to ride the shadows.
A Shadow Rider could marry a non-Shadow Rider if that person has the riding gene. Some of the Ferraro’s extended family are “Greeters” or “Investigators” and they have different gifts and abilities. Other Shadow Rider families in the world have these gifts and abilities and may hold a recessive Shadow Rider gene, but not have manifested in that person. Instead, that person could have a child with a Shadow Rider and their child could also end up a Rider.
We find out in Shadow Reaper there are Shadow Rider families and extended families all over the world. Training is often done outside of the family. Ricco was trained in Japan and we learn of powerful Shadow Rider families there. Riders throughout the world look to pair up, with or without the benefit of love, in order to produce more riders. An actual love-match isn’t easy to find.
So every chance encounter for any of the Ferraros could lead them to find a Shadow Rider who will match them. A mate. Love. All they need is a lot of luck and a lot of shadows.
The Rules of Shadow Riding
The ability to travel using shadows in order to bring justice to those who deserve it isn’t as easy as it may sound. Cool, yes. Easy? No.
As I began world-building for the Shadow Rider series I realized I’d have to make some things complicated in order to have conflict both internally and externally. That would make things harder on me as the writer, but the stories would be more compelling.
First of all, there wouldn’t be a lot of Shadow Riders, but there would have to be some or having two Shadow Riders marry would become very complex. By the end of Shadow Reaper, the second in the Shadow Rider series, you realize there are other Riders all over the world. Ricco had been sent to train in Japan and there you discover there are a few families who have Shadow Riders. There are leaders of those families and there are rules of conduct. Over those families is a council, but I don’t talk much about that. Not yet.
The Ferraros always had abilities, but it wasn’t until the Saldis tried to wipe out the entire family that those who survived went to America to start over.
Not everyone born into the Ferraro family, or their extended family, can Ride the shadows. Not all of them have special abilities. Some are normal people. But, a few do have other abilities like being a human lie detector, which comes in handy when you’re an investigator for the family, or a greeter.
The way it works is that someone from the outside comes in to ask for justice that they feel they wouldn’t get, or they didn’t get, through regular law enforcement. That person is greeted and assessed and if the Ferraros take their case two investigative teams are assigned; one to investigate the accusation, the other to investigate the accuser. If the investigator finds evidence of injustice then it is decided how that justice will be meted out. That’s when a Shadow Rider is called in. They ARE justice.
Shadow Riders can sense each other, especially if they can see someone’s shadow. Shadows touch and the two Riders can get an impression of each other. Sometimes they can tell if the other person would be a good match for them. They may even feel compelled to claim this person, which is both good and bad.
Claiming that other person means you’re together forever. The penalty for divorce is steep. Lost memory for one; loss of Shadow Riding ability for the other.
Then there’s the training and riding itself. Training starts at age two and begins in the home. At a certain age the child is sent to train with other Shadow Riders and remains there until it’s felt that the training is complete. A Shadow Rider, even after he/she returns from training, trains daily. Their body and mind must be kept in top shape because the act of riding the shadows is severe on them.
As a Rider enters into a shadow their molecules are torn apart. Those molecules travel down the “tubes” which connect shadows and as the person exits the tube they are instantly reassembled. This process can be painful, especially if they are traveling fast or at great distance. While they’re inside the tube, reaching the place where they wish to exit, they must mentally remain aware since they have to find an appropriate shadow to exit from and this means choices must be made in a split second. Often, before going on a mission, Shadow Riders will be given floor plans or photographs of the place in which they must exit. Even knowing where things are and that the likelihood of there being shadows to choose from when they arrive at their destination, there are no guarantees that there won’t be people already in that area. They could exit and be killed the moment they’re solid again.
The physical and mental demands of Shadow Riding means that not everyone born a Rider can actually ride the shadows. We know in Shadow Rider, the first book in the series, that the youngest of the Ferarro brothers, Ettore Ferarro, was killed when he was forced by his parents to ride the shadows. He was just 16 years old.
Shadow Riders have their own set of rules and processes. These are put in place to ensure the law never catches up with them. They use the paparazzi as alibis and are not allowed to take justice into their own hands. Justice and how it is dealt with is something that must be agreed upon by the family unless there’s imminent danger.
It becomes even more complicated within the family structure itself and how the family conducts business. For example, if it is determined justice must be dealt in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles family would not do it. They need to keep away from trouble in their own city unless they’re defending themselves. So, the Ferraros from Chicago or New York would be assigned. Several members of that family would visit Los Angeles, making sure the paparazzi see them. The Shadow Rider who does the actual assassination is never seen in the city. They slip in, do what’s needed, and wait for the rest of the family to go home. Their presence is masked and the rest of the family is given alibis.
I’m not finished with the world-building for this series, so rules and processes may evolve as new stories require. But, this was a base to start with and so far I’ve enjoyed this fictional kick ass world.
As I began world-building for the Shadow Rider series I realized I’d have to make some things complicated in order to have conflict both internally and externally. That would make things harder on me as the writer, but the stories would be more compelling.
First of all, there wouldn’t be a lot of Shadow Riders, but there would have to be some or having two Shadow Riders marry would become very complex. By the end of Shadow Reaper, the second in the Shadow Rider series, you realize there are other Riders all over the world. Ricco had been sent to train in Japan and there you discover there are a few families who have Shadow Riders. There are leaders of those families and there are rules of conduct. Over those families is a council, but I don’t talk much about that. Not yet.
The Ferraros always had abilities, but it wasn’t until the Saldis tried to wipe out the entire family that those who survived went to America to start over.
Not everyone born into the Ferraro family, or their extended family, can Ride the shadows. Not all of them have special abilities. Some are normal people. But, a few do have other abilities like being a human lie detector, which comes in handy when you’re an investigator for the family, or a greeter.
The way it works is that someone from the outside comes in to ask for justice that they feel they wouldn’t get, or they didn’t get, through regular law enforcement. That person is greeted and assessed and if the Ferraros take their case two investigative teams are assigned; one to investigate the accusation, the other to investigate the accuser. If the investigator finds evidence of injustice then it is decided how that justice will be meted out. That’s when a Shadow Rider is called in. They ARE justice.
Shadow Riders can sense each other, especially if they can see someone’s shadow. Shadows touch and the two Riders can get an impression of each other. Sometimes they can tell if the other person would be a good match for them. They may even feel compelled to claim this person, which is both good and bad.
Claiming that other person means you’re together forever. The penalty for divorce is steep. Lost memory for one; loss of Shadow Riding ability for the other.
Then there’s the training and riding itself. Training starts at age two and begins in the home. At a certain age the child is sent to train with other Shadow Riders and remains there until it’s felt that the training is complete. A Shadow Rider, even after he/she returns from training, trains daily. Their body and mind must be kept in top shape because the act of riding the shadows is severe on them.
As a Rider enters into a shadow their molecules are torn apart. Those molecules travel down the “tubes” which connect shadows and as the person exits the tube they are instantly reassembled. This process can be painful, especially if they are traveling fast or at great distance. While they’re inside the tube, reaching the place where they wish to exit, they must mentally remain aware since they have to find an appropriate shadow to exit from and this means choices must be made in a split second. Often, before going on a mission, Shadow Riders will be given floor plans or photographs of the place in which they must exit. Even knowing where things are and that the likelihood of there being shadows to choose from when they arrive at their destination, there are no guarantees that there won’t be people already in that area. They could exit and be killed the moment they’re solid again.
The physical and mental demands of Shadow Riding means that not everyone born a Rider can actually ride the shadows. We know in Shadow Rider, the first book in the series, that the youngest of the Ferarro brothers, Ettore Ferarro, was killed when he was forced by his parents to ride the shadows. He was just 16 years old.
Shadow Riders have their own set of rules and processes. These are put in place to ensure the law never catches up with them. They use the paparazzi as alibis and are not allowed to take justice into their own hands. Justice and how it is dealt with is something that must be agreed upon by the family unless there’s imminent danger.
It becomes even more complicated within the family structure itself and how the family conducts business. For example, if it is determined justice must be dealt in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles family would not do it. They need to keep away from trouble in their own city unless they’re defending themselves. So, the Ferraros from Chicago or New York would be assigned. Several members of that family would visit Los Angeles, making sure the paparazzi see them. The Shadow Rider who does the actual assassination is never seen in the city. They slip in, do what’s needed, and wait for the rest of the family to go home. Their presence is masked and the rest of the family is given alibis.
I’m not finished with the world-building for this series, so rules and processes may evolve as new stories require. But, this was a base to start with and so far I’ve enjoyed this fictional kick ass world.
