Behind the Books: Vampires in Manhattan Series By Susan Hanniford Crowley

I get all my ideas for my books right out of my dream journal. I’ve done this for so many years that often the dream is really a chapter or several chapters for my book.

While I’m writing, I do not read other people’s books, with the exception on any historical or place research I need.

The first book I wrote was actually The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais. That’s where I got to know a lot about Vampire David Hilliard. David is the only vampire character who appears in every one of my vampire novels. He co-stars in Stormy as that is his origin story as well as Laura’s.

In what order should a person read them? You can read them independent of order, but some people like reading them in order to learn more with each book, about David, or some of the other characters.

Here’s the order:

When Love Survives
The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais
A Vampire for Christmas
Vampire in the Basement

Why Manhattan?

While I haven’t lived in Manhattan, when I was growing up I spend a lot of time there when I visited my Aunt Helen and Grandmother. I know where places are and even though some places change (such as restaurants), other places are solid like Central Park.

The first book published was When Love Survives, which is about September 11th when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were attacked and destroyed by terrorists in hijacked planes. It brings out how New Yorkers came to help to rescue as many as they could. In the book, even paranormal beings and people with supernatural gifts arrived to help.

Blurb:

Regina O’Malley doesn’t know she’s magic. All she knows is that she’s late for her internship at a prominent brokerage house at the World Trade Center.

Gregor Vasiliev, shapeshifter and a financial advisor at the World Trade Center, hates the office coffee. While on a coffee and donut run, there in the street stands the lifemate he’s been searching for.

He must act now or lose her forever.

~

On a side note: Vampire David Hilliard appears for the first time as a friend who has also responded to the crisis.

*

The publisher called to tell me they were publishing it. She said that it made the entire staff cry. They were also eager to see The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais.

Blurb:

Lightning!
Being descended from an ancient race blessed by Zeus doesn’t help Telkhine Laura Cordelais, when she’s desperate and standing between life and death. Her destiny looks bleak. Every choice leads to death, and there is no winning door. Or is there?

Thunder!
Begging God for love, Vampire David Hilliard finds his request answered in the form of the tormented and dying Laura. In saving her, he falls in love and dooms them both to a dark underworld of voodoo and sorcery from which nothing can escape.

The Storm Begins!
Curses, Keres, demons, oh my! And the unicorn’s horn. This wild paranormal adventure romance is a world of humans, vampires and rare supernaturals. Can David and Laura find their way out? Or will they be forever separated by the door between life and death?

~

And that’s how Stormy as I call it for short was published.

One reader told me she hated all vampire stories but decided to give mine a try. She loved David Hilliard. She was surprised that he was religious and a hero and just loved the book.

*

Next came A Vampire for Christmas. My publisher asked if I had a Christmas book. I said, “Yes, I do.”

Here’s the blurb:

Georgia doesn’t know she’s a Harmony. Jobless and about to be homeless, her heart sinks when a hand snatches the coat of her dreams from the storefront window. Then she sees him staring at her reflection . . . the stalker.

Trevor Stenwood, a vampire and Arnhem Knight, is handsome, sophisticated, and tongue-tied every time he sees her. Sworn to protect the supernaturals of the city, he’s fallen for a woman marked for death by demons. How can he save her when she’s afraid of him?

At Christmas time in New York City, will love bloom in the snow?

~

Side note: Not having a reflection in a mirror is a myth. Folklore and documented case histories don’t bear that out.

What I love is that Georgia keeps on going no matter what hardships are happening in her life. Trevor comes from a rich family of vampires but he is also a vampire knight called an Arnhem Knight. This is the first time the Arnhem Knights are mentioned. They take an oath to prevent human death by vampire and to help Supernaturals needing assistance. (They include paranormal beings.)

People have walked up to me and talked about how much they love A Vampire for Christmas. All its fans don’t necessarily post a review on Facebook.

*

The final and 4th book is a madcap, magical romp called Vampire in the Basement.

Here’s the blurb:

Regina and Gregor
They survived one of New York City’s greatest disasters, and on their wedding day in Maine walk into another. Gregor aims to destroy the intruder who claims his bride. Regina must save the man she loves from a deadly curse with her magic. But she doesn’t know magic.

Lorraine and Theo
Everything about Lorraine is broken. She shapeshifts and forgets her clothes. She’s divorced and doesn’t believe in love anymore. Tall, blond, and handsome, Theo, vampire and Arnhem Knight, desires Lorraine, but is it more than lust? Would he give up the Arnhem Knights for her?

Love, furry handcuffs, and a pine tree.

~

This book is the sequel story to Regina and Gregor from New York. They are going to his family’s home in Maine for their wedding. Sometimes weddings are peaceful and superb. At other weddings, anything that can go wrong will.

One of the influences on me was the Norse mythology, in particular The Saga of the Volsungs which has shape shifters in it and not everyone in a family shifts to the same animal. A character shifts to an animal that is most like them. Someone who spend the night reading might be an owl. A person who loves hunting might shift to a wolf.

What animal would you shift too if you had the power?

Next week, I will talk about the Arnhem Knights of New York Series. Visit https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004YXOGXG to see all my books.

Between the hustle and bustle of the winter season and the storms that keep coming, remember to keep those you love safe.

All the best always,
Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and an author

David & Laura: A Vampire Christmas Story: An Arnhem Society Special Edition is available on Kindle and Amazon Paperback (Note: a steamy novella in a pocket sized book)

EverNight for ages 13-113 is now available on Kindle and Amazon Paperback.
EverWarm for ages 13-113 is now available on Kindle and Amazon Paperback.
Lady Fallon’s Dragons for ages 13-113 is now available on Kindle and Amazon Paperback, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, BAM online bookstore sells the paperback, Scribd, and in paperback in the UK at Waterstones, also on Amazon around the world.
The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 3 is available in Amazon Print and Kindle, Nook, Kobo,  Apple, Walmart ebooks & Smashwords.
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 now in Kindle and Print! Walmart Bookstore Online
Vampire in the Basement, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 4 available on Kindle.
Poseidon’s Catch(mythology romance) is available on Kindle.
Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room (steampunk romance) is available on Kindle.
A Vampire for Christmas, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 3 available on Kindle.
The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 2 available in Kindle and Print and Barnes and Noble Print
When Love Survives, Vampires in Manhattan Book 1 is available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, and iBooks (on Apple devices).

Now we wait
for the return of the princess.