Angelique Armae

Angelique Armae is the pen name of author Josephine Piraneo. Miss Piraneo was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1968. Her first 'published' work appeared in the school poetry book in junior high school. This set the stage for a lifelong passion in the art of writing. In high school Miss Piraneo wrote for the school column in the local newspaper. Today her aspirations are a bit higher and much more time
consuming.

Josephine's first novel - COME THE NIGHT - is a vampyre tale set in medieval Ireland. Her main character in the book is a vampyre who is of Irish and Roman descent. This did not come as a surprise to Miss Piraneo since she herself is of Irish and Italian heritage. But what did shock the native New Yorker was the over-all idea of writing about vampyres. COME THE NIGHT came as an inspiration born out of the blue while Miss Piraneo was working on a tale of angels and the angelic realm.

When not traveling to promote her writing, Josephine works as a front desk manager at a local hotel. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), the Beau Monde, the Saratoga RWA chapter and is president of the RWA Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal sub-chapter.

Miss Piraneo resides in upstate New York together with her cat Tabitha - the online feline fiction star. She is currently working on a new paranormal novel.

An Interview with Angelique Amae

PNR: Angelique, your real name is Josphine Piraneo. Is there any significance to your pen name, Angelique Armae?

Angelique A.: Yes, there is, so I'm glad you asked that one! When I first started writing, I wrote fantasy novels about angels and the angelic realm. I wanted a pen name that reflected the work I was writing. The first thing that popped into my head was angelic army. I translated that into french and played around with the words and came up with something that could be a person's name: Angelique (as in angelic) and Armae (armee is french for armies). But everyone thinks Angelique from Dark Shadows when they hear I write vampyre novels - I guess my angels knew my future way before I did :-)

PNR: Your debut novel COME THE NIGHT was a P.E.A.R.L. finalist for 2001 and you’ve hooked up with the incomparable Vampire Vixens, in short your writing has gained considerable recognition in a very short time. This must be exciting. What inspired you to become a writer and to choose paranormal romance as your forum?

Angelique A.: My maternal grandfather was a writer. and he was from Ireland and my father's mother was a natural born psychic. With genes like that, coming from both sides of my family, I just had to write and I had to write paranormals! Also, I'm a huge fan of historical romance and celtic myths, so I try to add those elements into my work.

PNR: COME THE NIGHT is a debut novel and the first in an Irish Vampyre series. This is a historical paranormal romance set in Rome and in Ireland. The focus on this tale is Lazarus Conlon who is born in the latter half of the fifth century. He is the child of a mortal woman and a fallen angel. In a unique departure from the usual vampire scenario, Lazarus is brought across as an infant. Why?

Angelique A.: Because that's the way Lazarus wanted it! I'm a character driven writer, and my characters often lead me instead of the other way around. Lots of times I get an idea and before the first chapter is finished the story line has changed and my characters are dictating the where, when, how, etc. In this particular novel, Lazarus had to be brought across as an infant because being vampyre was the only way hislife could be saved, even if it meant he had to give up being mortal. In angelology, the off spring of the Grigori - angels who coupled with mortals - often died in infancy. I had to find a way for Lazarus to survive - he was main character! So he had a choice of either death or vampyre.

PNR: Lazarus’ grandfather honors his daughter Octavia’s request for Lazarus to be brought across. He stipulates that Octavia must be brought across as well to see to the rehabilitation of his soul. How is that done' and why is it important?

Angelique A.: Lazarus' grandfather, (a vampyre and Roman statesman) repented during the time of Christ. Infact, it was Christ (the Nazarene) who exorcised Romulus' soul. But after the Nazarene was crucified, Romulus lost all faith in humanity. and thus returned to the way of the vampyre. When he was later given the Amulet of Christ, his soul was rehabilitated by the Angel Raphael. The rehabilitation process involves fighting the evil side of the vampyre, and the temptations of hell. To keep their souls in a rehabilitated state, my vampyres are not permitted to feed off humans unless it is to bring them across. They have a pack of wolves that were made especially for them to feed off when needed - the wolves are not of this earth and are infact, a part of the vampyre Tribe. In between these 'wolf' feedings and the act of bringing across a new member to the Tribe, my vampyres survive on the fruits and berry wines of Paradise. The angel Raphael is in charge of keeping the Tribe supplied with this nourishment.

PNR: As you said, Romulus had been rehabilitated by the Nazarene. Two sacred relics are entrusted to his care? What is the significance of these relics? What become of these relics after his death?

Angelique A.: The relics are the Amulet of Christ and the Saint John Stake. The amulet contains the blood of Christ and can return a vampyre to his/her mortal state. The St. John stake is a weapon, a stake made from the wood of Christ's cross and the silver from the platter that carried St. John the Baptist's head. The stake is needed to fight the Dark Breed of Vampyres. Lazarus and his Tribe are known as the New Breed - vampyres whose souls have been exorcised and rehabilitated. The Dark Breed are those who are villainous vampyres.

PNR: Aside from his mother, Octavia, Lazarus has a second guardian, a representative of his father’s family. Why does Montgomery feel the need to watch over his nephew.

Angelique A.: Montgomery is a Grigori, and he belongs to the group who fell from grace after coupling with Cane's daughters (Adam and Eve's son). But Montgomery repented and was welcomed back to Paradise. As part of his penance, he was appointed Lazarus' guardian angel and must also protect Lazarus' Tribe. However, the irony in this is that Montgomery holds a secret in his heart and because of this secret he loathes the vampyre.

PNR: We find Lazarus, a grown vampire, six centuries later, in Ireland. This raises a question. Lazarus is no doubt a special case, but apparently your vampyres can and do age. Is there an age at which they stop, or is it just that they age extremely slowly?

Angelique A.: My vampyres, if brought across as children, can age to about 35.

PNR: Which would be a human's pysical and sexual prime <g>. As Romulus’ heir, Lazarus now has charge of his tribe, who are known as the New Breed. This is, as you mentioned, opposed to the Dark Breed of vampyres. Can you be more specific about the distinction? Why do they now find themselves in Ireland, and what made you choose this setting?

Angelique A.: The New Breed are vampyres whose souls have been exorcised and rehabilitated. The Dark Breed are those who still remain in the shadows and live for plundering and doing evil. Lazarus' maternal grandmother was a Tracker, a vampyre hunter/watcher. The Trackers were based in Ireland and Lazarus needed to be near them for protection when he was a child. An evil entity is stalking him and the Tribe, and so he must leave Rome and go to his mother's people. I wanted to write about the Irish vampyre. In ancient Celtic lands often the titles were passed from the mother's side. So I wanted to incorporate the importance of the female role/heritage in the book. The Tribe would not have survived had they remained in Rome. More Celtic myth will be incorporated into the rest of the series, including the Irish vampyre fairy, and the Banshee.

PNR: Like his grandfather, Lazarus has fallen in love with a tracker. Trackers are mortals who hunt vampires. What problems does this pose for him and his bride, Neomina?

Angelique A.: This is a constant problem for them. Neomina has the ability to pass the Amulet of Christ to Lazarus, but Lazarus has only known the life of a vampyre. So he
is torn between the mortal and vampyric worlds. As for Neomina, she is a Tracker, yet there are dark secrets in her family history that involve the vampyre so she too is caught between both worlds. This extreme contrast helps keep the conflict going between the main characters. Neomina wants to make Lazarus mortal and Lazarus must struggle with the idea of eventually bringing Neomina across to the vampyre.

PNR: The threat catches up with the New Breed in Ireland?

Angelique A.: Yes. Both Lazarus and Neomina must fight this evil entity that stalks the Tribe. And this is where my angel Montgomery comes in as well. The battle involves heaven and hell, angels and vampyres.

PNR: You have quite a few irons in the fire right now. What is next for Angelique Armae.

Angelique A.: NIGHT OF SHADOWS is the next story in the Irish Vampyre series. What is next for Angelique Armae. Aside from the vampyre series, I'm doing a french revolution vampire for RFI's Eternally Yours series. This book is along the lines of the Scarlet Pimpernel meets Dracula! But Irish Vampyres aren't the only characters I'm working on right now. I have an historical romance set in the regency, my fantasy novels (with angels) and a couple of gothics. The gothics have paranormal elements.

I'll be updating my website soon and it will include a special fan page. It will have a fan club set up for my readers to keep them updated on the books and information will be available in the future on the site for special promo material that fans can send for. I have a list fans waiting for the first edition of promo items from Come the Night. Included in this is a companion booklet detailing the history of the Grigori Vampyre, and the Tracker High Council. I had a lot of fun writing this book and I wanted to be able to share it with my fans. I'll be planning fan packs for each of my novels.

Angelique Armae

Website

 Books

Buy it now!

Amber Quill Press
October 1, 2002
ISBN: 159279999X
Paperback

This title will be rereleased in 2006 by ImaJinn Books

COME THE NIGHT - In medieval Ireland, an evil entity stalks Lazarus Conlon, Vampyre patriarch, threatening the safety of his wife and his family tribe. But to conquer this enemy, Lazarus must first fight his own demons including a sacred heritage descended of fallen angels. Amid this strife, Lazarus learns his only true hope rests within the heart and soul of a mortal tracker - his wife - a woman born to hunt his breed. Can his evil antagonist be defeated?

Neomina Delacroix is no stranger to the world of the Vampyre. As appointed heiress of the Tracker Council and the keeper of the Amulet of Christ and the St. John Stake, Neomina's allegiance to her people is sealed in blood. But the true nature of her heritage has been kept secret for years, revealed only to her father - Gerard Delacroix - and to her husband - Lazarus Conlon. When terror strikes the Conlon Tribe, Neomina is their only hope. Can her heart outweigh the duties of her soul?

Featured in this Issue:

They're back! :
Amanda Ashley
Maggie Shayne
Updates:
Christine Feehan
Rosemary Laurey
Romance Interviews with:
Angelique Armae
Keri Arthur
Jennifer Dunne
Charlaine Harris
Katriena Knights
Jaye Roycraft
Susan Squires
Featured Website:
The Vampire Vixens