Today, a new Cherie Priest book hits bookstores!
She is no stranger to release days. She’s had her share the last few years. One of those releases, Boneshaker, even went on to be nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards and became a Steampunk fan favorite overnight.
Cherie does not stop at Steampunk though. This year she decided to publish two additional novels outside of that genre—tackling urban fantasy—and that’s how vampire and world-renowned thief Raylene Pendle came to be. Bloodshot was published several months ago and now its sequel, Hellbent, is also in fine bookstores everywhere!
Here is a bit more about Hellbent by Cherie Priest:
Vampire thief Raylene Pendle doesn’t need more complications in her life. Her Seattle home is already overrun by a band of misfits, including Ian Stott, a blind vampire, and Adrian deJesus, an ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen.
But Raylene still can’t resist an old pal’s request: seek out and steal a bizarre set of artifacts. Also on the hunt is a brilliant but certifiably crazy sorceress determined to stomp anyone who gets in her way. But Raylene’s biggest problem is that the death of Ian’s vaunted patriarch appears to have made him the next target of some blood-sucking sociopaths.
Now Raylene must snatch up the potent relics, solve a murder, and keep Ian safe—all while fending off a psychotic sorceress. But at least she won’t be alone. A girl could do a lot worse for a partner than an ass-kicking drag queen—right?
To celebrate today’s release of Hellbent, Cherie agreed to an interview! Enjoy!
RELEASE DAY INTERVIEW: CHERIE PRIEST
Shawn Speakman: HELLBENT is your direct sequel to BLOODSHOT, an urban fantasy with some real bite. First, tell Suvudu readers a bit about BLOODSHOT and your fiery character, Raylene Pendle?
Cherie Priest: Raylene is a severely OCD vampire thief. Which is to say she’s a thief, and a vampire. Not that she steals vampires. That would be … weird.
SS: Was the story in HELLBENT a natural progression for our Cheshire Red, Raylene?
CP: Oh yes. It opens with a chapter that’s basically one very long penis joke, so it follows quite nicely. It also answers one of the big questions from BLOODSHOT, regarding what happened to Adrian’s sister. (But not in the penis chapter. That would be … weird.)
SS: Gotta say, I love Cheshire Red and her supporting cast, particularly Adrian de Jesus, your ex-Navy Seal/drag queen. Will that progression of story drive you to write a third book in the series?
CP: Why thank you! And the truth is, I’d love to do a third book. I hope I get to do a third book. But whether or not I get to do a third book … that’s still up in the air. It was only a 2-book deal, and we’ll have to see how well HELLBENT sells before I get to commit to any future projects in Raylene’s universe.
SS: I just returned from Comic Con where I met many of the writers in George R. R. Martin’s FORT FREAK Wild Cards anthology. What was it like working with George and the other writers?
CP: It was 100% weapons-grade awesome. I leveled up as a writer from working on that project, and being edited/managed by George. He knows what he’s doing, and he knows what he wants. He taught me how to write a real mystery, and how to cut through all the bullshit you think you need when you’re telling a story … but you really don’t.
SS: GANYMEDE, a steampunk book, is also released later this year. What are you currently working on and what does your future hold in store for us fans?
CP: I’m working on a follow-up to GANYMEDE called INEXPLICABLES – which I’ve been calling a a book about teenage juvenile delinquents, hypothetical ghosts, and gangland mayhem within the walled city of Seattle … now with Bonus! zombie Sasquatch and the return of everyone’s favorite elderly cross-dressing Native American princess. After that, I have a proposal on deck called FIDDLEHEAD, a story set in Washington D.C. and featuring a great deal of spying, a primitive computer, and two presidents with the same goal – but violently different plans. FIDDLEHEAD isn’t in the can yet, but we’re hoping Tor will be game for it.
SS: Thanks for your time, Cherie!
CP: Thanks for having me, as always!
Bloodshot and Hellbent by Cherie Priest are in fine bookstores today!
