by Lodeen Smith

LS: Everyone asks when you started writing and seeking publication, what I want to know is where did your very first story come from?

Sherrilyn: The first book I ever wrote was Sharron's Secret when I was seven years old. I have a sister with Cerebral Palsy and had recently been told in school about how if you lose one sense other senses will become stronger to help compensate. It made me wonder what senses my sister and her schoolmates had that compensated for the mental and physical challenges they faced.

My mother was a huge horror fan and like her, I was a classic Twilight Zone, Friday Night Fright and Night Galley junkie. So out of my fascination for that was born an idea. If someone was born like my sister, unable to speak, hear or see, then maybe, just maybe they would have telekinesis and telepathy. 

The heroine of my first book was my sister. She was a child whose only outlet with the world was her mental powers and she fell victim to an evil baddie who wanted to exploit those powers for their own uses. It was kind of a Linda Blair meets Escape to Witch Mountain.

LS: Did you ever show this book to others? Who encouraged you to write?

I showed that poor thing to anyone who would look at it. I wrote it, then sandwiched it between two pieces of blue cardboard and stapled it. I still have it in a box up in my attic. It, among many others I've written, made the rounds of all my friends, family and teachers. 

Over the years a lot of different people encouraged me. I knew from the moment when I was six years old and my sister told me how books were created that I wanted to write them. It's been a goal I have pursued ever since. It's what I live for and it's the only thing I have EVER wanted to do.

I'm convinced this is eerily genetic. My eldest son who is now seven is creating his own books as well. I have to keep paper on hand for him so that he can create his military stories and make his own books. 

LS: You say on your site that you come from a musical family.  How many instruments do you play and how long have you played them? Which one is your favorite?

Sherrilyn: Goodness, let's see if I can remember. I've played guitar and Dobro off and on since I was five or six. I started piano when I was six. Picked up my first drumsticks around the age of seven. My Flute, which is my baby, I started at seven. Piccolo and French Horn came at age thirteen. Other instruments that I have played, but haven't had my hands on them in so long that I would probably embarrass myself are: banjo, harmonica, coronet, bass, organ and dulcimer.

My favorites to play are the spoons (started those at age four), Flute, Tin Whistle and Violin/Fiddle.

 LS: Everyone comments on the beauty of your sites. Where did you learn web design and how long have you been at it?

I think I was blessed because I'm ambidextrous. I'm able to use both the left and right side of my brains equally which has really come in handy doing web work. What few people realize is that I have a heavy art background and was even accepted into SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Unfortunately, I couldn't afford tuition or the hefty cost of art supplies and had to turn my sights to a more reasonable goal.

I entered college as an art major and did pursue it for as long as I could afford it, but after completing about half my courses, I ended up switching majors to the much cheaper History department.

I still do a tremendous amount of art whether it's restoring/repainting Barbies, sketching and painting or ceramics. The computer artwork came later. After teaching college courses for a couple of years where I barely made twelve thousand dollars a year, I needed something that would actually pay for day care AND groceries, not to mention paying the rent on time would be nice too. 

So I went looking for computer jobs and lo and behold there was an ad in the local paper where they needed someone to teach computers. Since I had an extensive background in both teaching and computers, I answered it and was hired. 

As for the web design, I started piddling with notepad and HTML back at the tail end of 1994 and have been tampering with it ever since trying to see what I can make it do. 

LS: When you write, do you use all your senses? Such as when you are setting books in New Orleans do you see it, hear it, etc.?

Sherrilyn: I try to anyway, and I like to think I succeed at it ;) Yes, when I write, I can feel and see everything clearly in my head. Every smell, every glimmer of light. Things go through my head like a movie. Locations where I have lived, such as New Orleans, tend to come easiest, but I've done a lot of reenacting, role-playing and such that helps with that as well.

LS: I know you were in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). How has that helped your writing?

Sherrilyn: It gives me a world of insight in how clothes feel and how heavy some of them are. It also helps in reminding me of how long undressing can take :) 

It also helps with the above mentioned visualization. Not to mention, I just love making costumes :)

It also has helped a lot in that I have actually jousted and sword fought while visiting SCA friends, tournaments and events. I've worn a full suit of armor and have handled working weapons of all kinds.

LS: I've heard mentioned that you have a background in martial arts. What did you study?

Sherrilyn: I don't know if I would call it a background. I did Aikido for a few years, but never very seriously and I practice US Yoshukai Karate with my sons who are just starting and my hubby who has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. 

I think the most interesting thing along that vein that I've done is to be the sparring partner for two golden glove boxers. For that matter, I TKO'd one of them during practice.

LS: Where so you see the Dark-Hunters going? 

Sherrilyn: Far into the future :) I have over forty books planned for them at present and get at least a new idea a week. I've laid them out very carefully and hope to be doing these books for a long time into the future.

LS. Where did you get the idea for the Dark-Hunters?

Sherrilyn: They have lived with me for over twenty years now. Acheron as a character has appeared in unpublished short stories since I was in junior high school. Other vampires came along later, Gregori (is it me or does EVERYONE have a vampire named Gregori), Odette, Zarek and the rest. I started publishing them back in the mid 1980's for a magazine I was editing for.

LS: How do these differ from other vampire books on the market?

Sherrilyn: These ain't your mama's vampires :) Forget what you know or think you know about vampires and be prepared to meet a whole new breed. Every rule you think you know in this world will have an exception. Every time you think you know something, be prepared for the unexpected. These guys are their own masters and they are unlike anything that has come before them. 

Their legends and brethren date back to Atlantis and they have been kicking butt and taking names for the last eleven thousand years. They are ancient warriors, male and female, who have been trained for one thing and one thing only--to save mankind from the evil not only in this dimension and realm, but from others as well.

Each rule, each law has been carefully thought out and crafted to allow given loopholes and adventures that will be unique to each book and each character. The ending of each book will be completely different from it's predecessor.  

I went into this series thinking YEARS into it. I wanted to create a world where the reader would never get tired of the same old same old (or me for that matter). I wanted a world like that in which we live. Where every day would start with limitless possibilities. 

It is for that reason that I created the 3 separate branches that work together. The Dark-Hunters who protect the night, The Were-Hunters who protect the past, present and future and the Dream-Hunters who protect our dreams (I just love those evil Skoti who infiltrate dreams and deliver up erotic adventures :)

And here are a few quick facts I gathered about Sherrilyn:

Favorite Movie: Army of Darkness :)

Favorite Album: Coming Home, Ozzy Osbourne, Mad Season, Match Box Twenty

Favorite Food: Spaghetti or Lasagna

Favorite Color: Black and Burgundy

Favorite Animal: Here kitty, kitty. (sort of true, I love all animals and am hoping to get a cockatiel soon to add to my farm)

Favorite Clothes: I go for the dramatic. Long flowing dresses, goth clothes (they are SUPER comfy) or jeans and t-shirts. It makes me easy to spot at a conference or booksigning. I'm always the short red-head dressed all in black. 

Favorite Author: Too many to name, but a few quick faves are Isaac Asimov, Cathy Maxwell, Burt Cole, Stephanie Laurens, David Drake, Christina Dodd, Jim Butcher, Teresa Medeiros, Harry Harrison, Cherry Adair, Laurell Hamilton, Nicole Jordan, and the list goes on...

Favorite Book: To many again to name,  it would either be The Windflower or any of the Stainless Steel Rat series.

Favorite car: My absolute fave is the vintage 65 Mustang.

Car you drive: Mustang :) I'm a Ford girl.

Favorite Dark-Hunter: Can't tell. It would make the others jealous and they might not talk to me anymore :)

Lodeen Smith is a former reviewer for Paperback Forum and has been reading romance since she was ten years old. She currently writes reviews and interviews for the online newsletter Vampire Romance