Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire
Recently I was forwarded a letter from a reader, and it occured to me to share her questions and my replies with everyone rather than do a single reply.
For those interested in my Barrett series http://www.benbellabooks.com/catSF.html or they're on Amazon.
The questions:
I was recently at a writer's conference and met someone who used to be in a writer's group with you 12-13 years ago in Ft. Worth! Her name is _______,
Tell her I said hello!
we were talking about the vampire series I'm writing, and she asked me if I'd read your books, and of course I have. Which leads me to why I'm writing to you. I read several of the Jack Fleming books years ago, but only recently had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Barrett! I have a few questions because Book Four was left a bit open ended, and yet there doesn't seem to be a fifth book!
Oliver was smitten with Elizabeth, and she was fond of him. Cousins often wed in those days, so did they ever get together?
Oliver's fond of her but in the sort of cousinly way not found in Arkansas. He cares deeply for her like a protective friend/brother/cousin, but she's off his menu. She's got issues too. It's going to take a lot of time before she gets serious with anyone again.
Jonathan and Nora had a brief discussion about the vampire who sired her,
"Sired" is not my word for it. Check with those Masquerade people. I was here before that lot. Joss Whedon's used it too, and though I adore the man I'd rather not mix up our nomenclature. (It's a Writer Thing. Be inspired by others, but don't use their terms.)
but she was unwilling to say too much about him or about her own death as a human.
Can't blame her for that; it had to be pretty awful for her!
I thought maybe Jonathan might want to look for this mysterious vampire. Were you leading into a fifth book when you put that line in the water?
If a publisher will buy it. Sales have been slow on the Barrett series, so that's not a likely thing just at present.
I'm also curious about Jonathan's father's reaction to meeting Richard...
So am I.
At what point does Richard find out ? And that Jonathan is a vampire? How does it effect their relationship?
I don't know!
And does Mrs. Montague end up with Jonathan's dad? I hope so. The poor man deserves some happiness.
Indeed yes, but again, I don't know.
Will Nora ever realize that she really doesn't have to fear losing her independence because Jonathan would never try to control or bully her? Will she ever really, really love him and succumb to those feelings?
Sounds rather too soap opera/romance novel-ly there! If she ever looks up into his "blue gaze" and he "growls down at her roughly" I'll bitch-slap them both.
All these loose ends have been rattling around in my curious mind!
They're excellent questions, very well thought out, but I won't have the answers until and unless I get a contract to write a 5th book. It's been discussed, but if sales don't improve the publisher won't be investing more money in the series. The 4 that have been reprinted a couple years back (some with new material!) have not yet paid out their advance, which wasn't huge. Just tell your friends to start buying them and leave the rest to fate.
Thanks-- Pat