In 2009, amid the explosion of vampire-related literature that suddenly seemed to assail bookshelves across the land, one new series debuted to much acclaim among the vamp chick-literati. In Some Girls Bite, first-time author Chloe Neill introduced us to Merit (first name then unknown), reluctant vampire, thrown headlong into the complex world of supernatural politics in a modern-day, parallel Chicago. Here, ahead of the release of our kickass heroine’s fifth adventure, Drink Deep, Chloe talks Merit, mythology, first person, fairy blood and, of course, junk food…

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GS: For the uninitiated, how would you describe your Chicagoland Vampires series?

CN: True to the name, vampires have come out of the closet in Chicago, and humans aren’t exactly thrilled about it. Our heroine, Merit, was turned against her will to save her life, and she’s thrown into the middle of the chaos.

GS: And could you please introduce us to our heroine, Merit?

CN: As a human, Merit was a graduate student in English literature. As a vampire, she’s a warrior charged with protecting her vampire House. It’s a big change, and she’s trying to adjust gracefully. And with much sarcasm.

GS: Also, a word on the men in Merit’s life? Ethan? Morgan? Jonah? Catcher?

CN: Only a word? I’ll spare the gory details to avoid spoiling the plots for folks who haven’t read the series, but Ethan, Morgan and Jonah are variously into our girl, Merit, although Catcher is most decidedly off limits, and very much in love with Merit’s former roommate, Mallory.

GS: The first Chicagoland novel came out in 2009, and now here we are, a little over two years later, and you’re releasing the fifth. How does that make you feel?

CN: BUSY! It’s fantastic, but also really surreal. My editor and I were just discussing that between January 2011 and January 2012 I’ll have released five books. I feel so fortunate that folks have enjoyed the books, and in moments of severe stress, I’m trying to remember that.

GS: Almost every successful author seems to have a fun story about their long, often rocky, road to publication. What was that journey like for you?

CN: My road to publication was actually incredibly (also surreally) short. I didn’t start writing until 2005, and Some Girls Bite was my second manuscript. (I sent out my first for one well-deserved rejection, then put it in a drawer.) I targeted my submissions to authors and agents who seemed to like heroine-driven urban fantasy. I sent SGB to the slush pile of one publisher, Penguin, and got an offer about six months after I first submitted the first three chapters. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

GS: What came first: Merit, or your vampire mythology?

CN: Merit came first, as did the idea of her being bitten without consent. Ethan came next, and the vampire mythology—particularly the Houses—flowed from him.

GS: I wanted to ask one specific point about your vamps: why is it that only stakes made out of aspen wood will kill them? And since they know this is the case, why haven’t they been on a millennia-long crusade to send the aspen tree extinct?

CN: Aspen wood is a traditional for stakes in some international vampire mythos. And that’s a great question, but that’s like asking why vampires don’t destroy all the swords in the world so they can’t be injured by them. I don’t think they’d find it honorable.

GS: And, hey, why is fairy blood so intoxicating to vampires? When did this become a thing?

CN: I’m not revealing to Geek Speak readers information Merit doesn’t even know.

GS: To clarify, I mean when did this become a known fact in vampire land? It's just that it's also a big factor in the Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood storyline, so I was wondering if suddenly this has become a new Vamp Fact, where it wasn't before? Or does this go back further, to some earlier text that you uncovered during your research?

CN: I didn't realize the fairy blood bit was in Sookie books, and I wouldn't say it's part of the mythos per se. I just put a vampire, a testy fairy queen and a sword in the room. It seemed like a natural development.

GS: It is through Merit’s voice that we learn all of this, and so much more; indeed, first person seems to be very much the stylistic norm in Urban Fantasy. Why do you think that is?

CN: I think using the first person brings a directness to the narrative—fans can imagine that they are the heroine, and I think that really appeals to readers of Urban Fantasy.

GS: How much do you identify with Merit? The chocolate cravings? The encyclopedic knowledge of fast food? The fact that she’s an accomplished dancer, or that she studied English Literature? Is any of that you?

CN: The love of reading, sarcasm and chocolate is definitely me. I'm a vegetarian, so the knowledge of fast food isn't me per se, but as a former grad student, I can relate to knowing how to eat on the cheap. The bits about dance and English literature are the result of lots of research.

GS: The first three novels in the series were quite self-contained, but now here in Drink Deep we have another cliffhanger! After the twistiness of Hard Bitten’s dying moments (forgive the pun), I’m beginning to think you enjoy torturing us. Or is this just a mark of your confidence in the series; you’re free to leave us with a cliffhanger because you know you’ll have a chance to resolve it?

CN: I’m definitely not torturing anyone on purpose--but these aren’t the kind of books in which nothing really changes for the heroine from book to book. Merit and the rest of the characters need to grow and adapt, or (at least for me) there’s no point in reading the series. And I wouldn’t say that I use cliffhangers exactly—the endings are a recognition that time doesn’t stop for the vampires between books. The show must go on, even if the show isn’t always rainbow and roses.

GS: What are your favorite vampire-related tales?

CN: I love the darkness of vamps in Laurel K. Hamilton’s and Kim Harrison’s novels, and their intricate mythology in the J.R. Ward books. Although I don’t read much fiction at all these days; I spend too much time writing it!

GS: Aside from your own, who would you classify as the hottest vampire in fiction?

CN: Hmm. Probably Zsadist.

GS: Actually, all of your main vampires -- indeed, all of your main characters -- are described as pretty damn hot. Even your bad guys, like the vampire-hating McKetrick, are allowed the dignity of such things as “a body that wouldn’t quit”. It’s kind of like your books are cast by the CW. Is this a conscious choice for you, or is it just that when you create a character you visualize them as being attractive?

CN: Keep in mind that vampire Houses pick and choose their own members, much like really exclusive sororities and fraternities. The idea that their members would be supernaturally attractive just seemed logical to me. They’re also well-trained, so they’re generally going to be in fabulous shape.

GS: Probably my favorite brand of hotness in Chicagoland is the head shapeshifter, Gabriel. Your shifter mythology is really interesting, in that not only does each pack have the standard Alpha, but dominating all of them is the Apex. How did this brilliant innovation come about?

CN: Thanks. However, the Apex and alpha are the same thing. Each group has an Apex (which is basically another word for alpha; I just liked Apex better). Gabriel is the Apex (e.g., alpha) of the North American Central pack and is only in charge of his shifters--but his territory includes Chicago, which is why he's really the only one that matters at the moment.

GS: Have you ever considered a Chicagoland spinoff, perhaps featuring the Pack?

CN: I think it would be fantastic, except with a more-than-full-time day job, I have absolutely no time to write it. Maybe someday.

GS: Leaving Chicago’s hottest vampires for a second and checking in with Chicago’s hottest teen witches: why don’t you tell us a little bit about your Dark Elite series?

CN: Sure! Lily Parker is the nearly sixteen year-old heroine of the Dark Elite series. She’s just been sent to Chicago for boarding school under very weird circumstances, and she discovers the things that go bump in the night are actually magical . . . And so is she.

GS: And finally, when did it first occur to you that Merit merchandising would be a great idea? Because, hey, who doesn’t want to rock a Cadogan House T-shirt?

CN: I wanted a Cadogan T-shirt more than anyone, so I merchandise to keep myself clothed. Plus, designing the stuff is such a nice mental break from writing! It’s such a great way to be creative and make fans happy.

THE FINAL FIVE WITH CHLOE NEILL

Trek or Wars? It’s a three-way tie: Star Wars, ST:TNG and the new Star Trek movie. (And they all beat LOTR in my book.)

Marvel or DC? No preference, actually. I’m not much of a superhero gal.

Vampires or werewolves? Vamps!

Dragons or unicorns? Unicorns. They poop rainbows, you know.

Time travel: pro or con? Con. Way too confusing, with too much potential for trouble.

-- Rachel Hyland