Bloodbond, Book 2, The Bloodborn Series

     Zachariah Degore spent ten years locked under ground as a feral vampire. Now he has to redefine what it means to be healthy and whole. With his human life behind him, he starts anew in the vampire city of Ichor Knell with the vampire shah as his kin. He must prove he is worthy of his place in this new world.

     Laurel Covaci is vampire elite, she would never court a feral vampire. After two hundred years she has yet to find a mate who meets with her satisfaction. She hides the pain of past hurt and abandonment behind a cold façade. Zach is confident that Laurel is the vampire for him, but can he break through her icy walls and convince her he's the mate she's been waiting for?

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature a new [to us] author, Sydney Winward, as she celebrates the release of Bloodbond, Book 2 in The Bloodborn series. With Sydney is Lady Laurel Covaci who will go first.

Where are you from? The vampire city of Ichor Knell. I was born here, and I will likely die here. After over two hundred years, I’m not at all eager to leave my homeland.

Tell us a bit about Bloodbond. It is a story about learning to love and trust again, about overcoming prejudice and becoming the person you were meant to be.

What did you think the first time you saw Zachariah Degore? I would never choose to associate with a feral vampire. I didn’t care that he was Dracula’s kin. I wanted him exiled from Ichor Knell. For good.

What was your second thought? I begrudgingly thought he was handsome. Why couldn’t he have been an ugly feral vampire?

So it wasn’t love at first sight? Oh no. I hated his guts, if only for the fact that he was feral. As us vampires believe, once a vampire turns feral, they never come back from their savage state. It turns out everything I believed about Zachariah was wrong. I soon became intrigued with his incredible control of his thirst, and when I learned he couldn’t read… My scholar self couldn’t help but step in to become his tutor.

What do you like most about him? His innocence. He was locked in an underground cellar for most of his life and hasn’t had many life experiences. I’ve enjoyed tutoring him and watching him experience some of Ichor Knell’s greatest joys. Not to mention giving him his first love bite. Intimacy is a completely new concept to him.

How would you describe him? Zachariah is very passionate and determined. He is never idle with his time, and instead takes advantage of his new life above ground. Although he is so busy, he is always very attentive to me and my needs.

How would he describe you? Although it wasn’t love at first sight for me, he fell in love with me the moment he laid eyes on me. He was very persistent to court me despite my initial hesitance. He often tells me how beautiful he thinks I am, and how much he enjoys my singing voice. I am simply glad he didn’t give up on me after how much I snubbed him.

What made you choose teaching as a career? I inherited my scholarly mind from my mother, and my grandfather before her. I love learning so much that I couldn’t just keep my knowledge all to myself. I love teaching others what I know, Zachariah being one of my pupils himself.

What is your biggest fear? Abandonment. I have been hurt so many times in my past, both from my father and from those I’ve courted, that getting too close to someone terrifies me.

How do you relax? Curling up with a good book always puts my mind at ease.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My brother, Oriel, often tells me to take a leap of faith. I guard my heart so closely that it’s difficult to let others in. But when I followed his advice, my life has been so much better because of it.

Thank you, Lady Laurel for taking time away from your teaching to spend time with us. Now we’d like to chat with Sydney.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Books have had more of an impact on me as a writer. Christopher Paolini helped fuel my passion for writing, while Brandon Sanderson and Sarah J. Maas inspired me to continue writing. Two of my absolute favorite books are The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Like my character, Laurel, I have a hard time allowing anyone to get close to me. I am afraid of getting too close to someone, putting so much effort into a friendship, only for that person to disappear on a whim. Unfortunately, I have been burned too many times to trust people easily. This same fear manifests in Laurel, which is something that impacts many of her decisions and personal relationships.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? During the long and tedious process of researching agents and publishers that fit well with my novel, I came across The Wild Rose Press. Another deciding factor for me was that they made beautiful covers that I would be proud to market. I decided to submit to them, held my breath for about two months, and when I heard back, I was beyond elated.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Oh, I have so many books on my TBR pile! Hard Magic by Larry Correia. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. Healing Hearts by Sarah Eden. Several from other authors from The Wild Rose Press. Beyond the Fall by Diane Scott Lewis. My First My Last My Only by Denise Carbo. Damned When I Didn’t by Cherie Colyer.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I recently submitted the next book in the Bloodborn Series to my editor, so I’m holding my breath until I hear back! It’s about Dracula and his story before he became the leader of vampires. Lots of snarky attitude and dry humor. Plenty of violence. And an exciting romance.

To learn more about Sydney Windward and the stories she creates, to:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Instagram