Kathleen Nance has always adored books, beginning with choosing Golden Books over napping, and this passion has led to a lifelong love of reading and creating stories. As a pharmacist, she wrote drug monographs and answers to medication questions, which strengthened her heartfelt appreciation for the pleasures of genre fiction. A Golden Heart and Rita finalist, she now finds creating compelling characters and can't-put-down plots is an irresistible challenge.

Kathleen, a transplanted Michigander, currently re-sides in New Orleans, along with her husband, three teenagers, and two cats. Besides being soccer mom and bell choir ringer, she enjoys reading (of course!), crossword puzzles, cooking, and scuba diving.

PNR: Since we last spoke, you've added third book to each of your two series. THE SEEKER, released in January, is part of the Sons of Olympus series. ENCHANTMENT, released this month (September) is the much awaited continuation of the Djinn series.

Let’s start with THE SEEKER. In the last book, THE WARRIOR, Harriet a.k.a. Hera had to make a tough choice, to stay on Earth with Zeke a.k.a. Zeus , or take a pardon and return to d’Alphus. She chose to return, but was soon banished once more. How does this affect her relationship with Zeus? Does this affect his choice for their next “project”?

Kathleen N.: Because she left him, when they get back together, there are definitely some trust issues to resolve. Zeus is determined to remain faithful to her now (his infidelities were one of their big problems in the past) however she broke his heart when she left, so he’s also wary of being that vulnerable again unless he knows she’s also willing to believe in him and stay with him. It’s his turn to choose their “project” and part of the reason he picks Dia is to test Hera’s belief in his reformation. (Hera once saw him and Dia share a passionate kiss.)

PNR: That makes sense. We have already met Dia Trelawny in THE TRICKSTER. Dia, a magician, has since become a top billed performer. We’re also acquainted with Hugh Pendragon, a friend of Armond of THE WARRIOR. Hugh, a descendant of Hades, is a seeker. His psychic powers had defined his career. What are the circumstances that bring Dia to Hugh’s door?

Kathleen N.: Hugh is a detective known for his ability to locate missing persons – a consequence of his psychic abilities. Dia doesn’t know about the psychic part (Hugh keeps that pretty much under wraps), but she comes to him to find her sister. Her sister has gone missing, leaving Dia – who doesn’t have a single material instinct and has a blackmailer after her – to care for two sets of twins.

PNR: That would be daunting! To right the wrong that Zeus had done to Dia’s ancestor, he and Harriet must pair her with a son of Olympus, a descendant of the original “gods”. An obvious choice is Dia’s assistant who is of the line of Apollo. Who does Zeus favor Hugh for Dia? Why is this choice a greater risk?

Kathleen N.: Hugh is also a son of Olympus, descended from Hades – a Soul Seeker to the Olympians, god of the underworld to myths. He’s riskier because he’s a darker, more dangerous man than Apollo, but he also has the strength and confidence that Dia needs. Soul Seekers will fall in love but once in their life, a love that is eternal, and when Zeus sees Hugh is drawn to Dia, the matchmaker knows these are the two he must unite. If he fails however, if the Soul Seeker falls in love but Dia and Hugh can’t get past fears of commitments, both will be doomed to a very lonely existence.

PNR: Dia finds Hugh retired, in the past six month’’s since she first met him, his powers have dwindled to almost nothing, forcing him to retire. Is there a connection?

Kathleen N.: Yes.

PNR: The villain of the tale is one of the original Oympians. She’s somewhat unusual, tell us about her. What is her connection to Dia and to Hugh?

Kathleen N.: In writing a tale about a descendent of Hades, I figured I had to bring in Demeter, the goddess of the land. In the original myth, Hades took Demeter’s daughter to be his wife. In The Seeker, Demeter has never forgiven him for this. The original Hades is out of her reach, so she wants revenge on any of his line. Demeter and Dia have had some past conflicts, so when Demeter finds Dia and Hugh together, she finally gets her chance, she thinks.

PNR: We won’’t reveal the plot but suffice it to say that Zeke and Harriet are up to their usual shenanigans making for an interesting and amusing tale. Will we be seeing them again?

Kathleen N.: Thanks. I’d like to write about them again– there are stories for several gods and some secondary characters I think would be fun to explore. The next two books are back to the djinn world, though. Right now, I’m working on proposals, and we’ll see what works out.

PNR: ENCHANTMENT takes us back to the world of the Djinn. Once again we encounter old friends. The hero Jack Montgomery is half-brother to Isis of MORE THAN MAGIC. Isis has married a Djinni, and is living on his world of Kaf. Jack’’s first encounter with Darius, her husband, made a strong impression on him. Shall we say Jack has control issues?

Kathleen N.: Definitely! As a biomedical engineer, Jack is ruled by science and by logic. What he views as the chaotic world of magic in an anathema to him. Also, there were some traumatic events in his childhood, which strengthened his need to remain in control, to be able to explain and understand the world around him.

PNR: What does Jack do to gain control with respect to magic?

Kathleen N.: He uses science and develops a device to interrupt the flow of magic. He’s not out to eliminate magic or to change anyone. He just wants to prevent magic being worked on him against his will.

PNR: After testing the effacy of his invention, Jack stops by a New Orleans bar for a quick celebratory drink and catches the attention of a rather exotic beauty that the fans will remember from Isis and Darius’s story. Tell us about Leila and why she visiting Earth. What is her interest in Jack?

Kathleen N.: There’s a lot more depth to Leila than what was seen in MORE THAN MAGIC. She has very sympathetic (I think) hidden reasons for why she acts the way she does. She has a secret longing/goal and has fixed on Jack as the one to help her get it, having been attracted to him from the moment she saw his picture with Isis. She comes to earth to seduce him.

PNR: Having had a long day, Jack resists his impulse to respond to Leila's obvious interest. How does he become up involved with her? What happens when he realizes that she isn’t your run of the mill lovely lady?

Kathleen N.: When she is attacked in an attempted rape, Jack comes to her rescue. At her request, he takes her to his home to collect herself, all the while trying to resist the attraction he feels for her – after all, after an attempted rape, the last thing she needs is another horny guy. But Leila persists in kissing him. Unfortunately for her, strong djinn emotions, like anger or arousal, manifest with sparkling colors. Jack realizes she’s a djinni and is working an attraction spell on him, so he activates his device.

PNR: Jack’s action interferes with Leila’s fix on their destination, but even more tragic it has stolen her magic entirely. Why is this particularly devastating to her?

Kathleen N.: Because she’s very weak, magically speaking. Consequently, in a world where all comfort and prestige are garnered by magic, life has been difficult for her. We often value most what we have the least of. To lose what little magic ability she has means unbearable hardship and is a shattering blow to her sense of worth.

PNR: For those unfamiliar with the Djinn and their world, tell us a little bit about them and their culture.

Kathleen N.: Their legends say the djinn were originally from earth, greater than man, but lesser than the angels, so they settled in another world, another dimension, wanting to be beneath no entity. Because they were once of earth (Terra), they can return here, but few do. They mistrust and dislike humans, for humans have the power to bind them and force them to become the genies of legend and grant wishes–a fate they will do anything to avoid. Any djinn so bound is banished from their society.

Their world, Kaf, is mostly a world of deserts and mountains (at least the parts we’ve seen so far) and sometimes harsh. But their souls are attuned to her fires and her air, giving them the power of ma-at (as they call magic). The independent, sensual, mercurial djinn are long lived, very infertile (so the few children they do have are treasured), and rarely form permanent bonds. Except when one of them meets the man or woman destined to be the other half of their soul, their zani or zaniya.

PNR: The pair must journey through a hostile and constantly changing environment to get back to Leila’s home and civilization. Far more danger lurks than even they are aware of. Tell us about the villain of this story.

Kathleen N.: Xerxes is utterly beautiful and charming on the outside and totally corrupt on the inside. He has devoted himself to obtaining power, any kind of power, and he will do anything to possess the power Jack has developed. However, he was also a mentor and a good friend to Leila when she was younger, one of the few djinn who did not tease her about her lack of skill. So, he’s not only a villain, but a source of conflict between Leila and Jack.

PNR: This is a really interesting story because both Leila and Jack have to overcome life long issues in order to accept each other and themselves for that matter.

Kathleen N.: Thanks!

PNR: In spite of their differences they have something critical in common. Both have been subjected to torment due to what other’s perceive to be their inadequacies. It seems right that they should each find the one person who would be least likely to care about their shortcomings.

Kathleen N.: Yes, despite their initial dislike and distrust and the fact that they seem like total opposites, deep down they have strong connections. The scientist in Jack needs a woman who will shake up his logical world, and Leila needs a man who can see beyond her limits and masks.

PNR: Jack has a twin and several other brother’s and Leila has a rather interesting friend who could definitely be her male counterpart in the sensuality department. You mentioned two more Djinn stories currently in the pipeline? What is next for Kathleen Nance?

Kathleen N.: Yes. SPELLBOUND, which will be out in June 2003 and it’s Zayne’s story. After that – as I said, I’m working on some proposals, so we’ll see what happens.

Featured in this Issue:

Interviews with :
Jennifer Archer
Shannah Biondine
Kathleen Nance
Jan Zimlich

Kathleen Nance

Website

 Books

Interview 2000
Interview 2001

Buy it Now!

Djinn Series: 3
Love Spell
September 2002
369 pages
ISBN: 0505524848

Sultry. Alluring. Tempting.
The woman in the New Orleans bar was pure sin and sex in a stunning package. And for once, hardworking, practical-minded Jack Montgomery let himself be charmed. He had sworn he would not let magic hold sway over him again, yet passion was another matter. But no sooner had he taken the beautiful stranger in his arms than he discovered his mistake: Lovely, dark-haired Leila was far more than exotic; she was a genie. When he kissed her, heat lightning flashed around them, the air sparkled with color and a whirlwind transported him out of this world. Literally. Trapped with Leila in the land of the Djinn, Jack would have to choose between the principles of science tat had defined his life and something dangerously unpredictable and unsettling ... Enchantment.

Buy it now!

Sons of Olympus: 3
Love Spell
January 2002
390 pages
ISBN: 0505524651

Long after she's given up on his return, Matthew Mark Hennessy strolls back into Joy Taylor's life, bolder than Hermes when he stole Apollo's cattle. But Joy is no longer the girl who had so easily trusted him with her heart. An aspiring chef, she has no intention of being distracted by the fireworks the magician sparks in her. But with a kiss silkier than her custard cream, he melts away her defenses. And she knows the master showman has performed the greatest trick of all: setting her heart afire.

Mark has traveled to Louisiana to uncover the truth, not to rekindle an old passion. But Joy sets him sizzling. It is not her cooking that has him salivating, but the sway of her hips. And though magicians never divulge their secrets, Joy tempts him to confide his innermost desires. In a flash Mark realizes their passion is no illusion, but the magic of true love.


More Paranormal Romance

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Sons of Olympus: 2
Love Spell
June 2001
400 pages
ISBN: 0505524171

Buy it now!

Sons of Olympus: 1
Love Spell
June 13, 2000
400 pages
ISBN: 0505523825

Buy it Now!

Djinn Series: 2
Love Spell
March 1999
ISBN: 0505522993

Buy it Now!

Djinn Series: 1
Love Spell
February 1998
368 pages
ISBN: 0505522489