Thank you for having me on your blog. I’m so excited to talk about Dark Beauty, a short story and prequel to my Dark Seeker novel, along with my favorite young adult books.
I was inspired to write this series by one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like Buffy, the female characters in both stories (Isabelle and Janie) are strong, independent teenagers who don’t take lightly to assistance, especially from the opposite sex. Plus, both girls battle the undead and are tough heroines, a trait that I love in female characters. Two of my favorite series are The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. Both Katniss and Rose are examples of strong female characters who are smart, resourceful, and aren’t afraid to take chances, kick butt, and do whatever it takes to defeat the enemy.
The idea for writing a prequel to my Dark Seeker novel was in-part motivated by another one of my favorite series, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. Like TMI, I’ve fallen in love with The Infernal Devices. This prequel series provides a unique and more in-depth view of the Shadowhunter life and a chance for readers to get to know more secondary characters like Magnus Bane. It also introduces characters that appear later in the TMI series. The blending of both series gives the reader more back-story and a greater insight into the characters’ lives. I feel like Dark Beauty does the same for Dark Seeker. In Dark Beauty, the reader is provided with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily need to be included within the first novel in the original series, but offers a better understanding of characters such as Isabelle, Abram, and a secondary character that later takes on a major role within Dark Seeker.
This has been an amazing experience and I’m so grateful for the positive feedback I’ve received. Thank you again, Nicole, for allowing me to talk here on WORD!
Taryn Browning is the author of Dark Seeker.
For 15-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.