Interview with Berni Stevens Author of Dance Until Dawn

Today I am very pleased to welcome Berni Stevens to my blog, author of Dance Until Dawn.

1. Can you tell us the inspiration for writing Dance Until Dawn?

I’ve been a fan of paranormal fiction for a long time, but when the paranormal romances first began flooding the market in the early 1990s, I really wanted to write something set closer to home. All the authors at that time, were American and so naturally enough, all the stories were set in the US. The US settings were, of course, fabulous – and very exotic – Louisiana, St Louis, New Orleans and Washington State etc., but I wanted to write something set in London. 

2. There have been quite a few Vampire stories over recent years, how is yours different?

Unfortunately there will always be unfavourable comparisons with the most popular books in the genre.  My vampires are adults, there’s no high school, no proms or graduation, and the heroine worked as a professional dancer before fate took a hand. The London setting also makes it different, and the fact that the story opens with the heroine already a vampire. So the ‘will he or won’t he turn her’ cliché is avoided. I hope this will intrigue the reader!


3. Who was your favourite character?

Without a doubt, my favourite character is Will. A well-known author once told me that you have to be in love with your own hero, because if you aren’t, no-one else will be.  Will evolved and developed as I wrote the first book and now he feels very real to me. I just adore him!


4. Do you have a favourite place where you like to write?

I can write anywhere if an idea comes to me, so I tend to always carry a small notebook around with me. But probably the most wonderful place I’ve written anything was in the peace of the Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Not a sound except for the odd screech of a turkey buzzard and stunning scenery all around. Of course I can’t just whizz off there whenever I want to, so most of my writing is done in my office!


5. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I love travelling – especially to the American deserts – where I like to hike canyons, searching for old Native American ruins. I like horse-riding too, but my biggest passion over the years has been dance. I started ballet and modern at the age of six, and in recent years was a long-time member of the Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden.  The recent craze of Zumba is also good fun.
My favourite book is Bram Stoker’s Dracula and I’m on the committee of the Dracula Society.
(And I have a wonderful husband and son!)


6. Are you a morning or a night person? 

I’m more of a night person. I seem to gather a second wind after midnight :)


7. What are you reading at the moment?

I’m reading Brenda and Effie Forever by Paul Magrs. The whole series is brilliant, and the books have me laughing aloud.


8. If you could have one wish, what would it be?

One wish . . .  at this moment in time, I’d probably wish for the awful financial climate to get better, so there are more jobs, creating a better way of life for everyone.


9. Are you working on anything else at the moment?

Yes, I’m working on the third book in the series, which features another character from Dance Until Dawn as the main character. Of course Will and Ellie appear in this book too, but they have stepped back a little to allow another romance to take centre stage!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/berni.stevens.5
Twitter: @circleoflebanon
http://bernistevens.blogspot.co.uk
Follow Will on Twitter: @austen_will

A big thank you to Berni for stopping by my blog, Dance Until Dawn is available from Amazon UK