Feehan, Christine

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Feehan, Christine

PERSONAL:

Born in CA; married; husband's name Richard; children: eleven.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Christine Feehan Productions, Domini Stottsberry, P.O. Box 181, Mendocino, CA 95460. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Author. Has taught martial arts and self-defense classes for more than twenty years; has also worked as a telephone operator and at a newspaper company.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romance Literature (PEARL) Award for Best Novella/ Short Story, for novella After Twilight; PEARL Award for Best Overall Paranormal Romance, 2001, for Dark Fire; recipient of five additional PEARL Awards; Career Achievement Award for Contemporary New Reality, Romantic Times magazine, 2003, for body of work.

WRITINGS:

"DARK/CARPATHIAN" SERIES: PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVELS

Dark Prince, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 1999.

Dark Desire, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 1999.

Dark Gold, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Dark Magic, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Dark Challenge, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Dark Fire, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Dark Legend, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Dark Guardian, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Dark Symphony, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Dark Melody, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Dark Destiny, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Dark Secret, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Dark Demon, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Dark Possession, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Dark Hunger (graphic novel), Berkley Trade (New York, NY), 2007.

"GHOSTWALKERS" SERIES; PARANORMAL ROMANCE/ADVENTURE NOVELS

Shadow Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Mind Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Night Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Conspiracy Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Deadly Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Predatory Game, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2008.

"DRAKE SISTERS" SERIES; PARANORMAL ROMANCE/ADVENTURE NOVELS

The Twilight before Christmas, Pocket Star (New York, NY), 2003.

Magic in the Wind, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Oceans of Fire, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Dangerous Tides, Berkeley Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Safe Harbor, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Turbulent Sea, Jove Books (New York, NY), 2008.

OTHER

The Scarletti Curse (romance novel), Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Lair of the Lion (romance novel), Dorchester (New York, NY), 2002.

Wild Rain (romance novel), Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Marjorie M. Liu) Dark Dreamers (romance novel), Leisure (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor to books, including A Very Gothic Christmas: Two Novellas, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2001; Fantasy, Jove (New York, NY), 2002; The Only One, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2003; Lover Beware, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 2003; Traveler by Melanie Jackson, Love Spell Books (New York, NY), 2003; Hot Blooded, Jove Books, 2004; The Shadows of Christmas Past, Pocket Star, 2004; and After Twilight. Feehan's works have been translated into numerous languages.

SIDELIGHTS:

Christine Feehan began writing as a young girl. The first true love scene she wrote was confiscated by her teacher in math class. She went on to become a successful romance writer, beginning with the publication of Dark Prince, the first novel in her "Dark/ Carpathian" romance series. Each book in the series focuses on immortal Carpathian vampire hunters who are also vampire-like but only kill vampires and evil individuals they encounter. At the center of the novels is the protagonists' search for love, which is necessary if they are to be able to keep feeling emotions. In an interview with Claire E. White for WritersWrite.com, Feehan explained how the series evolved: "We had suffered a terrible loss in our family and I found it had robbed me of my ability to write, which was like breathing to me. I created the Carpathian world out of that darkness. I wanted them to go on no matter how bleak their existence, to hold on until the light came for them. I loved vampire stories and myths and asked myself why would someone choose to give up his soul. A life without love was the only answer I could come up with that made sense as nothing else is that important."

In the second book in the series, Dark Desire, physician Shea O'Halleran is called to the Carpathian mountains through her dreams of a Carpathian named Jacques. She soon learns she is the target of vampire hunters who believe she is one of the undead because of a strange blood disease she has that makes her sensitive to light and requires daily blood transfusions. When she finds Jacques, he has been buried alive, a stake plunged into his heart by an evil vampire. O'Halleran helps Jacques, and the two eventually fall in love. Writing on AllReaders.com, a reviewer commented: "How Shea eventually discovers who—and what—she really is and what love is make for a deeply satisfying love story."

In Dark Gold, heroine Alexandria Houton is a computer programmer who follows a voice that calls to her, only to find her little brother in the hands of a vampire. The vampire chains Alexandria inside a cave and begins the process of transforming her into one of the undead when Aidan Savage, a Carpathian who is in San Francisco hunting vampires, comes to rescue her. Houton's fate is now sealed; she becomes an undead Carpathian. Nevertheless, she insists that she will lead a normal life, testing Savage's patience as he waits for her to accept her fate and his love. An AllReaders.com contributor felt the character of Savage is "such a strong personality" that other characters "seemed to pale in comparison," and went on to call the book "a great addition to the Dark series."

Dark Guardian, the eighth book in the series, pairs female cop Jaxon Montgomery with Lucian Daratrazanoff, another immortal Carpathian who hunts vampires. The two meet when Daratrazanoff rescues Montgomery after she has been shot while investigating a case at a warehouse. Montgomery has led a life of self-imposed loneliness because anyone who gets close to her is in danger of being murdered by her stepfather, Tyler Drake. Daratrazanoff, one of the oldest and most powerful Carpathian vampire hunters, has maintained his will to live by believing there is someone out there to love. Montgomery is determined to protect the Carpathian from her evil stepfather. The two fall in love, and Daratrazanoff begins the process of turning Montgomery into a Carpathian and his mate for life. A Publishers Weekly contributor found it hard to believe the tough and independent female cop would so willingly submit to becoming a Carpathian, but added: "Nevertheless, Feehan's newest is a skillful blend of supernatural thrills and romance that is sure to entice readers who can stomach the occasional gory scene."

Dark Symphony tells the story of Byron Justicano, a Carpathian vampire hunter who falls for concert pianist Antonietta Scarletti. Scarletti is blind and has psychic powers. The Carpathian soon learns that Scarletti is the object of a murder plot associated with someone who is pilfering the Scarletti family fortune, and he is determined to save the woman he considers his life mate, even if it means his own death. Harriet Klausner, writing for AllReaders.com, commented: "Some amusing scenes lighten the taut intrigue; together they blend into a supreme symphony." A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that new readers "may be daunted by the complexity of the Carpathian world," but predicted that they will ultimately "be roped in by this unconventional and intriguing installment."

Feehan's vampire romance series has continued to garner favorable reviews, with a Publishers Weekly contributor noting that Dark Melody "may be her most emotionally engaging installment to date." In Dark Destiny, Feehan introduces her first female Carpathian vampire hunter. A Publishers Weekly contributor found "inconsistencies" but noted "the story has sufficient sensuality to keep readers sated."

Dark Secret finds Colby Jansen raising her two younger siblings, Ginny and Paul, on the family ranch after the death of their cherished stepfather, Armando Chevez. Bad luck constantly befalls the Jansens and their ranch, until members of the Chevez family and the De La Cruz brothers, members of a powerful local family, arrive to take custody of Ginny and Paul and then dispose of the ranch. Colby finds herself attracted to the fierce but handsome Rafael De La Cruz, and soon the pair have joined forces to combat an ancient, tremendously powerful vampire. As a torrid romance erupts between the two, Colby begins to display the beginnings of telekinetic and telepathic powers. According to Library Journal contributor Kristin Ramsdell, Dark Secret is characterized by "lush prose, stunning sensuality, and an emotional intensity that nearly sends the pages up in flames." Diana Tixier Herald predicted in Booklist that fans who appreciate the "horror aspects of the Dark series will revel in the scary demons and toothy serpents."

Dark Demon brings together Carpathian Vikirnof Von Shrieder, who is on the verge of becoming a vampire for lack of a soul mate, and Natalya Shonski, a vampire hunter who feels obligated to help Vikirnof recover from wounds received while fighting at her side. She initially rejects him because of her hatred of Carpathians, but soon the couple realizes that they are indeed soul mates. They must cooperate in an attempt to foil a plan to destroy all the remaining Carpathians. Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion brings the diverse and widely scattered Carpathian family members together for the Christmas season, even as the race of vampire hunters contemplates its gradual extinction due to low birth rates and high infant mortality. A Publishers Weekly reviewer called the novel a "sex-and magic-filled treat, which makes a good entry point for newcomers." Dark Possession returns to a South American setting as Manolito De La Cruz works to win his soul mate, MaryAnn Delaney, a counselor for abused women who has come to Manolito's family estate in Brazil to help a rape victim. MaryAnn is initially wary of De La Cruz, but their relationship soon solidifies. In the background, jaguar men lurk in the jungle around the De La Cruz compound, and MaryAnn is astonished when she discovers that she herself might be a werewolf. Another Publishers Weekly contributor concluded that "Feehan's combo platter of danger, fantasy, and wild, uninhibited romance continues to sizzle."

Shadow Game, the first in the "GhostWalkers" series, focuses on a government effort to turn a group of psychics into a useful military weapon. When some of the group, known as GhostWalkers, begin to die, the psychic Lily Whitney, daughter of the doctor in charge of the group, sets about to disband them. After her father's death she falls in love with Captain Rylan Miller, one of the GhostWalkers. Kristin Ramsdell reported in Library Journal that while the romance does not have "the fantasy feel of her Carpathian romances," it "is equally intense, sensual, and mesmerizing." Mind Game continues the story of the GhostWalkers and was called "an electrifying read, one that should satisfy her fans and cement her reputation as the reigning queen of the paranormal romance" by a Publishers Weekly contributor.

Night Game, the third GhostWalker novel, finds Raoul "Gator" Fontenot back in Louisiana and desperately searching for Flame, the survivor of evil genetic modification experiments conducted by Dr. Whitney. Flame, who possesses paranormal sonic talents, does not know that Whitney intentionally built cancer into her new genetic makeup. Gator has to find her and convince her that he is one of the good guys before her affliction takes over. Meanwhile, the duo joins forces to search for a missing singer who is a friend of Gator's family. Herald, in another Booklist assessment, observed that Feehan's talent at creating "believable characters thrown together in wild, action-packed circumstances makes for a satisfyingly sexy romance."

Briony Jenkins, the protagonist of Conspiracy Game, was once thought to be autistic but is actually one of Dr. Whitney's genetically enhanced humans. She has augmented physical and psychic talents and is a powerful empath. Briony consequently finds it painful to be around crowds, but she maintains her position as a circus performer in a trapeze act with the four brothers from her adoptive family. Seeking solitude after a performance in Africa, Briony meets GhostWalker Jack Norton. He has just escaped from an enemy camp, where he was viciously tortured. She helps heal his wounds, even as he uses his own paranormal abilities to give her temporary respite from the sensory overload that result from her empathic nature. They part ways, but the machinations of Dr. Whitney bring them together again. Herald felt that this "fourth entry in Feehan's satisfying action adventure romance series may be the best one yet."

Ken Norton, Jack's twin brother, is the main character of Deadly Game. He is on a mission to prevent the assassination of an American senator married to one of Dr. Whitney's enhanced humans. When Ken meets Marl, Briony Jenkins's twin, the two feel an incredibly powerful attraction for each other. But this attraction is an artificial emotion installed by Whitney, along with their enhanced abilities, for the seeming purpose of breeding two of his experimental superhumans.

Feehan is also the author of the "Drake Sisters" series, a paranormal romance series that began with Magic in the Wind. In the sequel The Twilight before Christmas, the author elaborates on the story of the seven Drake sisters, who have paranormal powers and are much beloved by their local townspeople. The sisters become upset when they sense an impending danger as Christmas approaches; soon they must deal with an evil that threatens the town. Kristin Ramsdell, writing in Library Journal, commented: "Chilling, suspenseful, passionate, and rewarding, this is not your average holiday romance."

The "Drake Sisters" novels continue with Oceans of Fire. Abigail Drake, while studying her beloved dolphins, witnesses a shooting of two men on a small boat offshore. With the help of the dolphins and her sisters, Abigail rescues the surviving victim, a local man. When she gets him to shore, she unexpectedly encounters Alexandr Volstov, an Interpol agent and former lover who broke her heart years before. Soon, she and Alexandr are considering a romance with each other again. As the story behind the shooting leads to dangerous times, Volstov becomes determined not to lose Abigail again. In a review of Oceans of Fire, Booklist reviewer Herald called the series a "complex blend of fantasy and suspense with a substantial backstory." The narrative is "brimming with exhilarating action sequences and sultry love scenes," according to a Publishers Weekly critic.

Libby Drake, the protagonist of Dangerous Tides, is a physician and healer who enjoys the most chaste and demure reputation of all the seven Drake sisters. When one of her teenage patients falls from a cliff, a rescue operation is quickly mounted. However, Ty Derrick, a biochemist and one of the rescuers, sustains grave injuries when his harness fails and he, too, suffers a fall. Libby, long infatuated with Derrick but convinced that he would never be interested in a woman like her, marshals all her formidable magical and medical powers to save him from what would otherwise have been a fatal plunge. Derrick reveals that he has nurtured a crush on Libby for some time, and the pair soon indulge in a romantic relationship. It becomes alarmingly clear, however, that someone is intent on causing the couple harm. Derrick's fall may not have been an accident due to faulty equipment, and Libby thinks an alleged mobster is out to kill her. Her reputation is threatened, too, after someone takes steamy clandestine photos of Libby and Derrick and sells them to a tabloid newspaper. Herald, in another Booklist review, believed that the novel "offers a tempting blend of paranormal romance and mystery."

In the fifth "Drake Sisters" novel, Safe Harbor, sister Hannah is attending a fashion show in New York when she is attacked by a knife-wielding slasher who targets supermodels. Local sheriff and handsome eligible bachelor Jonas Harrington witnesses the crime on television, and he vows to find her attacker and bring the perpetrator to justice. Meanwhile, the remaining sisters rush to Hannah's aid, saving her with their combined magical powers. As the story progresses, Harrington finds that his unreciprocated love for Hannah is causing unforeseen complications for his investigation. The story contains all the elements that Feehan's many fans "have come to expect: action, gunplay, danger, bad guys, good guys, gorgeous women, and magic," observed a Publishers Weekly reviewer.

Feehan also writes nonseries romances, including Lair of the Lion, which is based on the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast." This gothic retelling focuses on the romance between noblewoman Isabella Vernaducci and Don Nicolai DeMarco, the latter suffering under a family curse that causes all of men to be perceived as "beasts." A Publishers Weekly contributor commented: "Though the relationship … is overwrought at times … they're a perfectly matched pair … and their steamy sex scenes heat up the pages." The reviewer went on to call the author's take on the classic story "inspired."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 15, 2003, Dianna Tixier Herald, review of Shadow Game, p. 220; October 15, 2003, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Dark Melody, p. 396; July, 2004, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Dark Destiny, p. 1827; February 1, 2005, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Dark Secret, p. 949; July 2005, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Oceans of Fire, p. 1908; November 1, 2005, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Night Game, p. 30; May 15, 2006, Brian Willard, review of Dark Prince, p. 63; June 1, 2006, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Dangerous Tides, p. 47; September 1, 2006, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion, p. 65; October 15, 2006, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Conspiracy Game, p. 34; February 15, 2007, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Deadly Game, p. 43.

Library Journal, May 15, 2003, Kristin Ramsdell, review of The Only One, p. 72; August, 2003, Kristin Ramsdell, review of Shadow Game, p. 64; November 15, 2003, Kristin Ramsdell, review of The Twilight before Christmas, p. 55; November 15, 2004, Kristin Ramsdell, review of The Shadows of Christmas Past, p. 47; January 1, 2005, Kristin Ramsdell, review of Dark Secret, p. 91.

MBR Bookwatch, March, 2005, Harriet Klausner, review of Dark Secret.

Publishers Weekly, April 8, 2002, review of Dark Guardian, p. 211; August 19, 2002, review of Lair of the Lion, p. 72; February 24, 2003, review of Dark Symphony, p. 58; August 11, 2003, review of Shadow Game, p. 263; October 20, 2003, review of Dark Melody, p. 42; January 26, 2004, review of Wild Rain, p. 236; June 28, 2004, review of Dark Destiny, p. 37; July 19, 2004, review of Mind Game, p. 150; August 23, 2004, review of Hot Blooded, p. 42; November 1, 2004, review of The Shadows of Christmas Past, p. 49; May 30, 2005, review of Oceans of Fire, p. 45; July 10, 2006, review of Dark Celebration, p. 53; May 14, 2007, review of Safe Harbor, p. 37; July 9, 2007, review of Dark Possession, p. 37.

Reviewer's Bookwatch, November, 2004, Christina Francine Whitcher, review of Dark Challenge.

ONLINE

AllReaders.com,http://www.allreaders.com/ (January 7, 2008), Harriet Klausner, reviews of Wild Rain, Dark Symphony, and Dark Legend; Rachelle Wadsworth, review of Dark Prince; Meredith Griffin, review of Dark Magic; Sherrie L. Jones, review of Dark Legend; Kayelle Allen, review of Dark Challenge; reviews of Dark Gold, Dark Fire, Dark Desire, and Dark Guardian.

AllSciFi.com,http://www.allscifi.com/ (January 7, 2008), Harriet Klausner, reviews of The Twilight before Christmas, Shadow Game, and Mind Game.

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (June 12, 2003), Janice Bennett, review of Lover Beware; (June 20, 2003), Nichole Keeton, review of Lover Beware; (June 24, 2003), Judith Saul, review of Night Game; (October 25, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of Lover Beware; (January 16, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Night Game; (March 21, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Dark Demon; (June 20, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Dangerous Tides; (August 22, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Dark Dreamers; (August 29, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Dark Celebration; (October 24, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Conspiracy Game; (January 12, 2007), Kathy Boswell, reviews of Night Game and Conspiracy Game; (February 20, 2007), Kathy Boswell, review of Deadly Game; (July 24, 2007), Harriet Klausner, review of Safe Harbor.