August 29, 2007
Here it is again, Readers Ask Wednesday. Today I'm going to answer Danielle's question, but first let me warn you that her question contains a spoiler for Rises the Night.
(Before I get to that, let me remind you that I accept reader questions at questions at colleengleason dot com, and I pick one to answer every week. Sometimes more. If I answer your question, you get entered in a contest to win an advance copy of my next book.)
So, anyway, if you haven't read Rises the Night, stop reading here.
Come back tomorrow. Please.
Okay, so if the rest of you are with me, here's the question:
In Rises the Night, did you plan on having Victoria's Aunt Eustacia be killed or was it just something you thought of as you went along. Also, will it have a impact of Victoria in the next novel?
Lovely question, thank you, Danielle. And how astute you are to have picked up on the fact that I don't always know (in fact, really rarely do) what's going to happen until it does.
In fact (don't mind me if I digress for a moment), there's really only one thing I know for certain that's going to happen in the five books I have planned about Victoria, and that's who she is going to end up with, romantically.
Other than that–nope. I don't even know if Lilith will be vanquished by the end of Victoria's story.
So, anyway, to answer your question: when I started thinking about Rises the Night (which at the time was called simply Gardella Two), I realized that Aunt Eustacia probably had to die in order for Victoria to be able to spread her wings.
It happens all the time, the mentor dying: Obi-Wan, Brom, Dumbledore, Gandalf, etc.–and in this case, I thought it was very important for Eustacia to let go of the reins and to allow Victoria to take on her responsibility. Plus, Eustacia had led an extremely long, valuable, full life, and even though Kritanu mourns her, she was ready to go.
So, while I did know that she wasn't going to make it through the end of the book, what I didn't know was how it was going to happen until much further along.
As far as having an impact on Victoria in The Bleeding Dusk, yes indeed. She has to take over as Illa Gardella, and for the first time, there's no one (eg, Eustacia or Max) as a filter between her and her duty.
The second installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles takes Victoria to Venice and Rome.
My novel, 
August 29th, 2007 at 11:08 am
As a writer (unpublished as of yet), I understand exactly what you are saying, though, for me, I usually have the whole story in my head. Sometimes, however, things happen which surprise the hell out of me or characters say something and I say, “What?! Are you crazy?!” I think you have to be able to go with the flow of the voices in your head because they won’t shut-up until you do.
By the way, I’m in love with Max. If Victoria decides she doesn’t want him, I’ll take him…
August 29th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
I love the read the answers to these questions. Interesting that you only know who she will end up with and everything still comes together.
August 29th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I’m excited that you know who she will end up with! My vote of course is Sebastian, but he’s King mystery, Mr. Secret sexy pants, my usual type. I knew Eustacia had to go eventually, I just wasn’t prepared so soon. I can’t wait to see our girl spread her wings. I’m writing my first novel now, and I’m finding that one character in particular couldn’t care less about my little outline. Bastard.
August 30th, 2007 at 2:13 am
I literally gasped out loud when Eustacia got her head lopped off! Wasn’t expecting that one at all.