Dark Debt Blog Tour and Merit Interview

By Barbara Bones - March 03, 2015

A vampire never gets old. But neither do his enemies. When a figure from Ethan’s dark past makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don’t know whether he’s friend or foe. But they’ll have to figure out soon, because trouble is brewing in the Windy City. At an exclusive society soiree attended by the upper echelons of the human and supernatural worlds, Merit and Ethan barely stop the assassination of a guest. When the target turns out to be a shady businessman with a criminal edge, Merit suspects a human vendetta. But the assassins have fangs…. The connections to Chicago’s Houses go deeper than Merit knows, and even one wrong move could be her last….

Happy release day, Saucy Readers! We are honored, once again, to be a stop on Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires Blog Tour! We don't need to tell you that we adore this series, but if you want to know how Dark Debt is, check out Barb's review here.

Today we are thrilled to have an opportunity to sit down with everyone's favorite vampire, Merit, Cadogan House Sentinel. So click through to see what Merit has to say about immortality, motherhood, and her beloved grandmother. Then be sure and enter for a chance to win a terrific CLV prize back courtesy of the fabulous Chloe Neill!

The Wenches are excited to welcome Merit!

We know that you're a very busy Sentinel, and we appreciate you taking the time to talk with us today. So we'll get right to it.

Name three things you just cannot do without.
Loved ones. My sword. Mallocakes.

If things start to calm down in Chicago, given the opportunity of getting a week off, just you and Ethan (with no mystery solving shenanigans), where would you go and what would you do?
I'd find a place for peace. Sleep late, then bacon in bed. Walk on a beach beneath a brilliantly full moon. Just have time to *be*, without magic or mystery or anything else interrupting.

Since it’s been prophesized that you and Ethan will have a child, are you worried about balancing the duties of mother and Sentinel? Are you planning on still being the Sentinel? Will you start a daycare at the House? ;)
*Blushing* Let's not get ahead of ourselves. That said, I'm pretty sure there are plenty of women who've had children and still led extraordinary lives. I don't know why I couldn't stand Sentinel, but there's not much precedent.

What was your grandmother like? We see a lot of Chuck and adore him, but, what was his wife like?
She was a wonderful and bright and caring person--and one of the most generous people I've ever known. She loved to cook, and always had a smile on her face. She liked to tease my grandfather, but worried a lot when he was still a cop. She made a fantastic meatloaf, and she'd make half a dozen at a time and carry them around to people in the neighborhood who needed a bite to eat. I miss her terribly.

Now that you seem very comfortable in your vampire skin, is there anything you still miss about your old life?
The sun. I'm mostly used to darkness now, but I miss sunlight. I miss sharp shadows and feeling warm sunlight on my face.

When universities begin changing their policies about vampire students, would you go back and finish your doctorate? Would you like to go Jonah’s route and amass a lot of degrees? If so, what would you study besides literature?
I honestly don't know. I loved being in graduate school, researching, teaching. But I've changed over the last year. I don't know if I could go back to that, because I don't think I'm the same person anymore.

How do you feel about being cosplayed? Is it flattering or just too weird?
Both. Very flattering, but so strange to think that someone would want to live in my skin.

What are you most proud of in your life? What would you do over if you could?
I'm proudest of moments when I do things that I didn't think I could do. When I try things even when I know I might fail. When I take risks even when I'm afraid.

Is there anything you've always wanted to do but haven’t done? What would happen if you did it?
Not that I can think of. Having a child, maybe. But we aren't to that point yet. :)

What’s the best part of being a vampire? What’s the worst part?
The best: a very forgiving metabolism. The worst: I'm nervous about immortality. About watching those I love die, the things I know pass into history.

Lightning Round:
Star Wars or Star Trek? Trek!
Cats or Dogs? Dogs.
Favorite color? Blue.
Mac or PC? Whatever Jeff prefers. He's my computer whiz. ;)
Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke or good champagne.
Coffee or tea? Tea.
Skittles or M&Ms? M&Ms in one of those enormous bulk bags.
Favorite book? Too many to count. Preferably fairy tales.
Favorite movie? Newsies? :D
Beach or mountains? Beach.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy night!

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Now, you can enter for a chance to win a great prize from Chloe Neill that includes a signed international copy of Wild Things, pen, keychain, Hard Bitten button, bookmarks, lanyard, and cotton tote bag!

***US entries only, please.

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The fun doesn’t stop here. Want more chances to win? You can also enter the Dark Debt Grand Prize Giveaway, which runs February 23 through March 6 on Chloe’s web site.

What is the Grand Prize Giveaway prize?