Catherine Spangler returns to the Lair.

Interview by Suzanne

Pull up a chair Banditas and Bandit Buddies! Today, we have a guest who had a blast her last time visiting with us, my good friend, Catherine Spangler. Cathy is not only one of my favorite people and writers, but a big hit with both my daughters, who just gobble up her paranormal romances! So please welcome, Cathy...

Suz: Cathy, TOUCHED BY LIGHT is a continuation of your Atlantean Sentinel series. Can you tell us about the series and how this new book fits into the series?

Cathy: The Sentinel series is about Atlanteans reincarnating into current-day earth. First, the "bad" Atlanteans (Belians who worshipped Belial, made human sacrifices, and caused the destruction of Atlantis) started coming in, attracted by the new technologies. They thrive on chaos, fear, and blood, and many are dictators, drug lords, serial killers, etc. The good Atlanteans (the Sentinels) are now reincarnating to stop the Belians. They track the Belians psychically. They have one edge-human conductors who can amplify their psychic powers. A conductor is always opposite sex of the Sentinel, and the tracking process (a conduction) raises sexual energies. There are currently three Sentinel books: Touched by Darkness, Touched by Fire, and Touched by Light. Each is stand alone, but they're also linked.

Suz: Adam Masters isn't a typical Sentinel. How does his bonding with Julia change the Sanctioned dynamics? How does his bonding with Julia change the Sentinel-Conductor relationship?

Cathy: Adam is actually a Sanctioned, and more powerful than a Sentinel. His job is to oversee the Sentinels and conductors in his region (Texas). He's not supposed to have a matched conductor or perform conductions, yet when he meets Julia Reynolds, he quickly realizes she is indeed a matched conductor for him-which is unheard of. When he's put in a position of tracking one of his own Sentinels (something he would never ask his other Sentinels to do), then he also realizes that he and Julia are supposed to be together. It doesn't really change the Sentinel/conductor relationship, but it does create big upheavals for Adam.

Suz: Julia Reynolds is no simpering miss to be used by Adam as he pleases. How did she get that way? And how does she change during her relationship with Adam?

Cathy: Julia has never fully recovered from a horrendous attack twelve years ago, when she was stalked, brutally beaten and raped, and left for dead. Her leg was shattered, and she must use a cane to get around. She's buried herself in a brilliant teaching career, seeking refuge in order and discipline and control in her life. She doesn't want Adam messing up her haven, and she certainly doesn't want a relationship with any man, much less Adam. He's like a god, far beyond a plain woman like herself. But as she works with Adam to track the missing Sentinel, she finds herself attracted to him, and realizes she's no longer dead inside and can still experience sexual desire. When she almost dies during their tracking, she decides to throw caution to the wind and enjoy a relationship with Adam-even if it's only temporary.

Suz: The Belians are the dark forces in you paranormal world. Are the Sentinels going to best them or are they too strong?

Cathy: The Belians are basically as powerful as the Sentinels. It could go either way, and sometimes the Belians win. As I've already mentioned, the Sentinels have an edge with their conductors (there are none for the Belians), but there are no guarantees.

Suz: Miriam is an interesting secondary character. How is she involved in the story?

Cathy: I love Miriam. Underneath the Goth makeup, multi-colored hair, and multiple earrings, Miriam is basically conservative and extremely intelligent. She also comes from a Gypsy heritage and has psychometric abilities, and can read auras and Tarot cards. She becomes involved because she's one of Julia's students, and when she sees Julia and Adam together, she checks Adam's aura (which isn't normal) and gets a read from money he gives her. She knows something dark and sinister is going on, and believes she's being guided to help in some way. So she follows Adam and Julia to San Antonio, and ends up helping them in their search for a missing Sentinel and a dangerous Belian.

Suz: You usually write paranormal books. Are their more of the Sentinel series or can we expect something different in your future?

Cathy: Right now, all my story ideas are paranormal. I love those elements so much, it's basically impossible to keep them out of my books. Currently, there are no more Sentinel books planned, partly because of the downswing in the publishing industry. I am working on a new paranormal series about angels, and dusting off my "Silly Aliens" series (you can read sample chapters from Cowboys and Aliens on my website at http://www.catherinespangler.com/fun.htm).

I also want to tell you about the fun "Mr. Right Sentinel" quiz I have on my website. You can take the quiz and determine which of the three ultra-sexy Sentinels is your perfect match (okay, so Adam is a Sanctioned, but he's included in the quiz). You can find the quiz at http://www.catherinespangler.com/fun_quiz.htm. And if you do take it, I hope you'll comment on the blog and share your match. It will be interesting to see which Sentinel is the most popular.

Are you getting tired of the most written paranormal themes (vampires, werewolves, etc.)? What would you like to see in future paranormal trends (angels, demons, magic, etc.)?Do you think we might get some good discussion with those questions? We can let readers know that they can chime in on the questions or take the quiz and give their results, and either way, they'll be entered into the drawing for the book. I'm giving away a copy of Touched by Light today, so jump in for a chance to win.

Thank you so much for letting me hang out here today. The Bandits are ultra cool! .

Paranormal Author, Catherine Spangler is in the Lair!

Interview with Suzanne Welsh

Catherine Spangler grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, home of The Marshall Space Flight center. Her father worked for NASA, on the space program, and she credits that exposure with giving her a fascination for space travel and other worlds. She began writing as a teenager, but then "real life" intervened, and she devoted her time to starting a family and business career. After her children got older, the desire to write returned and new stories took flight.

Now, former Golden Heart finalist, national bestselling and RITA nominated author, Catherine Spangler alters your reality with TOUCHED BY FIRE, the second book in her edgy, sexy Sentinel series. These romantic fantasy thrillers center on the ancient superhuman race of Sentinels, and the human conductors who are psychically linked with them.

Legends of Atlantis . . . sexy alpha heroes . . . strong, resilient heroines . . . combustible sexual attraction . . . magic . . . fantasy . . . myth. What could be better than these elements, all woven into a contemporary paranormal thriller!

Step into the hidden world of the Sentinels, and surround yourself with the ancient magic of Atlantis, and the suspense of hunting ultimate evil—and of course, the empowerment of love.

Catherine, welcome to the Bandit Lair. Pull up a hammock and make yourself comfortable!

Suz (pouring them both a glass of wine): Both my daughters, who adore fantasy romances, and I have loved your stories for years. Where did you get the idea for this new series involving Atlantis?

Catherine (snuggling down into this lovely, swaying hammock): I think it started when I became interested in the psychic Edgar Cayce at the tender age of eleven, and discovered MANY MANSIONS by Gina Cerminara. After that, I devoured books on metaphysical subjects. I was especially fascinated with Cayce’s 700+ readings on Atlantis. I studied those readings, and other books on Atlantis, feeling as if I might have once lived on that mystical continent.

At the same time, I was also a budding author, writing off and on into adulthood. I wasn’t content to write ‘normal’ stories. I was drawn to paranormal romance like a spaceship to a black hole. My first books, the Shielder series, were science fiction romance. Then I switched to romantic urban fantasy and found the perfect match for my fascination with Atlantis and my desire to write paranormal stories.

Suz : So, what exactly is a Sentinel?

Catherine: Sentinels are reincarnated Atlantians returning to Earth after thousands of years. Their sole purpose is to track down Belians—evil Atlantian entities who were responsible for the destruction of Atlantis. Reincarnating into the Earth in large numbers, Belians thrive on blood, death, terror and chaos. They have found violent venues as serial killers, drug lords, gang leaders, brutal dictators, any form of incarnate evil. The Sentinels are sworn to stop them.

Suz: Sounds like the Sentinels have their work cut out for them. Do they get any kind of help?

Catherine: Since both Sentinels and Belians have supernatural powers, and both occupy mortal human bodies, they are evenly matched, which makes it pretty difficult for the Sentinels to defeat the Belians. However, the Sentinels have one edge—a small group of psychic humans known as conductors. These humans can link psychically with Sentinels and enhance the tracking of Belians. The linking process is called a conduction, and involves the rise of energy through the body’s spiritual chakras, creating a powerful sexual surge. Most conductions involve sex.

Suz: I’m liking this connection. Is the heroine in TOUCHED BY FIRE a conductor?

Catherine: (Snickering. Bad, bad Suz!) Yes, Marla Reynolds is a conductor, but she doesn’t know it. When she meets ultra-sexy Luke Paxton at a Houston bar, she’s upended by the powerful sexual attraction between them, not realizing it’s the pull of a matched Sentinel and conductor. Luke knows what it is, though, and realizes Marla might be the only person who can help him track a Belian serial bomber.

Suz: How does Marla feel about this?

Catherine: Marla is not a happy camper. She is resistant to Luke’s charms. She’s been emotionally frozen since a brutal attack on her sister eleven years ago, and knows Luke is way out of her league. She avoids him—actually she stands him up—which drives him to a desperate act to get her cooperation—kidnapping. Even then, Marla proves to be one of his biggest challenges and more than a match for him.

Suz: Can you tell our readers more about Luke?

Catherine (fanning herself): Luke is ultra hot. He wears a lot of leather and rides a Harley. He’s the cool element in the relationship—incredibly sexy, yet deadly serious about his mission to track Belians.

Suz: This is the second in the Sentinel series, can you tell us a little more about the first book, TOUCHED BY DARKNESS?

Catherine: TBD is about dark and dangerous Sentinel Damien Morgan who accidentally discovers a young male Sentinel in the small Texas town of Zorro. The boy is unprotected and has received no training. His mother, Dr. Kara Cantrell, is a conductor who has been on the run from the supernatural battles between Sentinels and Belians ever since her Sentinel lover was murdered. She wants nothing to do with Damien, doesn’t want him near her son, or to help him track the Belian stalking Zorro. Damien has to convince her to let him protect the boy, as well as getting her to conduct for him so he can catch the Belian—without losing his heart in the process.

Suz: Sounds like a great series. What else would you like to share with us?

Catherine: I have a lot of fun stuff going on in conjunction with the release of TOUCHED BY FIRE. I’m giving away a Sentinel pendant (beautiful pink quartz crystal cabochon, hand wire-wrapped in sterling silver) in my contest at Fresh Fiction. I also have a great book video playing on my MySpace page, or you can view different versions of the video on my website and vote for your favorite, which puts you in a special drawing for a Barnes & Noble gift card. While you’re at the website, check out the excerpts and reviews.

Thank you so much for having me on the Romance Bandits. This is an amazing, creative, and fun group. I’d like to leave you with a question, and I’ll be giving a set of the two Sentinel books TOUCHED BY DARKNESS and TOUCHED BY FIRE to one of the responders. The question:

Which authors are your “comfort reads”, those authors whose books you read more than once, even with a towering TBR stack? Some of mine are Linda Howard, J.D. Robb, Charlaine Harris, and JR Ward. Who are yours?

Suz, didn’t you say something about chocolate . . . ? Oh, and do I get to keep the hammock?