Welcome to the commentary for Vanquished, the final book in the Crusade trilogy! If you haven’t snagged your copy yet click here to see your buying options and get yours so you can read along!

Make sure to comment on each chapter commentary. At the end of the book one winner will be randomly selected to receive signed copies of two of my books. Good luck everyone!

Now, chapter three!

I wrote almost all of the vampire themed poetry for this series. I did most of the poetry for Wicked as well. I enjoy writing poetry. Poetry was, in fact, the first thing I ever had published.

This actually lends itself well to me explaining a bit how the coauthoring process works. (Nancy and I both get asked that a LOT). What’s great about our relationship is that her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We are able to rely on each other. Also, the ideas are exciting because with the two of us working on a book it morphs into something awesome that isn’t necessarily what either of us would have done if working solo. Being a co-author means you have to put your ego aside and decide together what’s best for the story. Nancy and I have had no problems doing this with each other and the results have been remarkable! We divide chapters up, I usually write the odd ones and she writes the even ones. We swap and edit each other’s chapters. In the end it should seem pretty seemless. Actually, we have a hard time telling who wrote what once the book is finally in print!

Nancy and I love writing for Holgar. We’ve written a werewolf series together called Wolf Springs Chronicles (book 2 comes out in December). In it there are distinct similarities between our werewolves and also distinct differences. In the Crusade universe, werewolves can smell each other while in human form (as Holgar does in this chapter) whereas in WSC they can’t. Also in the Crusade universe those who are born werewolves start changing as infants whereas actually turning into wolves is part of puberty for the werewolves in WSC. For both series, though, the ability to transform at will without the aid of the full moon is something a werewolf achieves after they’re an adult and the age varies from werewolf to werewolf.

In the first book of the series Jenn had to return home and face rejection from her family for fighting for what she believes in. Here in this book the same thing happens to Skye and the experience actually helps her deal with her own conscience over the things she’s being asked to do in the fight. Dealing with your own conscience and matters of right and wrong are something Nancy and I enjoy writing about. Those moments when people do the right thing for the wrong reason and vice versa are always intensely interesting ones to write about. Also those moments that shake a person to their core and make them reevaluate everything they’ve held dear are the most important moments in a person’s life.

Even though Holgar is my favorite character, Jamie is the most fun to write. I have a soft spot in my heart for Jamie who is so deeply broken. I believe that no one is beyond redemption, though. Remember that as you’re reading about Jamie in the book.