Characters on the Couch: C.E. Black’s Kassandra Darkmorré

Greetings, all! Time for another character on the couch from the box set A Wicked Halloween (buy links below), this time with a vampire with a super spiffy name. I have to admit I’m pretty tired from a long (so far) week and DragonCon preparations, so without further ado, I bring you author C.E. Black and her character Kassandra Darkmorré…

Kassandra Darkmorré is hiding behind the mask of humanity, living her life as nothing more than a spectator. She watches, knowing the outcome of the lives around her.

They lived.
They died.
While she was left all alone.

She never imagined one of her hospice patients would figure out what she was or ask for an explanation on her death bed. And Kassandra surely didn’t expect the dying woman to give her something she hadn’t had in almost two hundred years. Hope.

“What you desire most is achievable. You must accept the invitation when it’s presented.”

While on the search for her true desire, she finds the man of her one and only dream, Cyrus Good. The attraction between them is instantaneous, but Kassandra can’t help but feel like something is missing. And that maybe he has secrets as sinister as Salem itself.

And what about Xavier Drago? The mysterious man keeps popping up when she least expects him to. As annoying and demanding as he is, though, she can’t help but be drawn to him just as intensely.

It all began with an invitation, but will it end with a happily ever after?

The interview:

1. If your character were to go to a psychologist – willingly or unwillingly – what would bring them in? Yes, a court order is a valid answer.

Kassandra would seek advice on how to control her hunger for human blood, while accepting who and what she is.

2. Is the presenting problem one of the main internal or external conflicts in your book? If so, how does it present itself?

It’s one of the main internal conflicts in the book and a catalyst for the external conflict. Kassandra’s self-hatred for being a vampire has held her back emotionally from everyone around her, causing her to obsess over how to control her darker urges.

3. It’s always interesting to see how people act when they first enter my office. Do they immediately go for my chair, hesitate before sitting anywhere, flop on the couch, etc.? What would your character do?

Kassandra would walk confidently into the room, giving you a warm smile before lowering herself gracefully into the chair. All the while, she’s not missed a thing. She has catalogued every trinket, photograph, and dust particle as her instincts determine the office to be safe.

4. Does your character talk to the therapist? How open/revealing will your character be? What will he or she say first?

Once she has determined that you know what she is, and aren’t a threat, Kassandra would be open with you. For the most part. Her stubborn nature and noble reasonings tend to hinder her ability to listen though.

5. Your character walks into the bar down the street after his/her first therapy session. What does he/she order? What happens next?

She would sit alone in the darkest corner of the bar and order a scotch, neat. Once the drink arrived, she would bring the glass to her nose, inhale the scent, tipping it just enough to allow the brown liquor to linger on her lips. Just a taste. Though she would not drink it.
She wouldn’t stay long, not willing to attract more attention than she already had. Leaving the practically untouched bourbon on the table with a large tip, she would exit the bar alone.

6. When you’re building characters, do you have any tricks you use to really get into their psyches, like a character interview or personality system (e.g., Myers-Briggs types)?

No, I don’t use anything like that. I’m a panster through and through. My characters’ personalities and backstories tend to unfold for me while I’m in the midst of the story. I’m always surprised by what they reveal.

Thank you so much, C.E.!

Author bio:

C.E. Black self-published her first book in 2011 and has since published several novels, novellas, and short stories. Though she began her writing career in the Paranormal Romance genre, she found her niche in erotic PNR/Fantasy with her breakout novel, Shifted Temptations. What started out as a standalone romance, became the Amazon best selling Alpha Division series. Though steamy romance, hunky heroes, and feisty heroines are C.E.’s specialty, she enjoys surprising her readers with action-filled plots and exciting twists that makes for a fast-paced read.

Behind the Mask is one of the offerings in the box set A Wicked Halloween, which will contain the newest Lycanthropy Files tale. The entire set – more than $40 worth of books – is on preorder for a limited time for 99 cents. Grab your copy today at:

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