SERESSIA GLASS is a prolific author writing contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the 2000 Romance in Color Reviewers’ Choice Awards winner, Genesis Book of the Year, NO COMMITMENT REQUIRED 2001 Emma Awards nominee, Best New Author, and 2006 Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award Winner, THROUGH THE FIRE. Her current paranormal romance series, THE SONS OF ANUBIS, is part of Harlequin’s Nocturne Cravings line. The first novella, SEDUCING THE JACKAL, debuted in April 2013. The second, HUNTING THE JACKAL, will be available in June 2013.
RK: How did you begin your career as a writer and what was your first foray into speculative fiction?
SERESSIA: I began my career as a writer in 2000 with an interracial romance novel called No Commitment Required. I write a couple of more romances until Parker Publishing asked if I’d like to write a novella for a werewolves in Vegas anthology called Vegas Bites that LA Banks had the lead story in. Of course I jumped at the chance, and the rest is history!
RK: How did you create the character of Kira Solomon, the star of your urban fantasy series? Was there a particular inspiration?
SERESSIA: Kira is the final incarnation of multiple attempts at creating a fantasy and paranormal heroine. She was inspired by everything I’d read, watched, or experienced up to that point. My experiences with the paranormal, my love of ancient Egypt, favorite characteristics of different heroines I’ve admired, and weaknesses of some of my favorite characters.
RK: A lot of discussion focuses on creating powerful female heroines in the romance genre, but how do you create your male heroes? Do you find it more difficult or easier than your heroines?
SERESSIA: It always takes me a bit to get a firm grip on what makes my characters tick—whether they’re male or female. I know when I have them right because the words just flow, and I hear them talking. Still, I know if I’m creating a larger than life, kick butt heroine, the hero needs to be able to hold his own—even if it’s just as a foil for the heroine. So I work really hard at getting the heroines right, and make my male characters tragic heroes—something terrible has shaped them into the men they are when we meet them. Because angsty heroes are my secret weakness!
RK: You use a lot of Egyptian mythology in your work, both in Shadowchasers and Sons of Anubis. Where did this fascination begin? How do you do your research?
SERESSIA: I’ve been fascinated by Egyptian mythology and the ancient culture since I was a child. It probably started with watching the Shazam/Isis power hour when I was a kid. I just feel strangely connected to it, and love to learn about it. My sister’s the same way. I’ve done research at the Michael C Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta which has an extensive Egyptian collection and possessed Ramesses the Great’s mummy for a while.
As for research, I watch every documentary on Ancient Egypt that I can get my hands on, I own a copy of the Book of the Dead, a massive lecture series on DVD and books from Dr. Bob Brier, lots of research books on Egyptian magic, mythology and daily life, and bookmarks on the Pyramid Texts, the Coffin Texts, and other writings from sacred-texts.org.
RK: How do you characterize the difference between urban fantasy and paranormal romance?
SERESSIA: In paranormal romance, you have world building, and action, but the relationship between the hero and heroine are the main focus. In urban fantasy, you have world building, action, and you may or may not have an intimate relationship. The focus is the hero or heroine’s journey through the world you’ve created, their internal and external fights and how they overcome them.
RK: Can you tell us more about your current release?
SERESSIA: My current release sends me back to paranormal romance. SEDUCING THE JACKAL launches what I call the Sons of Anubis series. The Sons of Anubis are jackal shapeshifters created by Anubis to protect the living from the dead who refuses to journey through the underworld and complete the Weighing of the Heart ceremony. The Daughters of Isis are priestesses of Isis who use magic to aid the Sons of Anubis in the fight against the Lost Ones. 4000 years ago betrayal drove the allies apart.
In Seducing the Jackal, Markus, leader of the Sons of Anubis kidnaps Tia, granddaughter of the high priestess to heal his men, who have been struck by a deadly curse. Enemies become allies then lovers and when the truth behind their ancient fued comes to light, they’ll have to join together to save their peoples.
And for some fun questions:
RK: If one of your series’ were made for television, which would it be? Who would you like to see in it?
SERESSIA: I think Shadowchasers would be easier to adapt to the small screen, since I use current-day Atlanta as a backdrop. I always wanted to see Jada Pinkett Smith in it in some way. If she doesn’t play Kira, I think she’d be good as Balm, leader of Gilead and the embodiment of Light. Not sure who I’d pick to play Khefar—they have to look good in dreads. And a loincloth!
RK: Which would you rather face down: a horde of zombies or a nest of vampires?
SERESSIA: If the nest isn’t starving, I’d rather face them. They at least still have reasoning capabilities, and I could convince them to keep me around as a long-term food source. Nothing stops zombies, no known vulnerabilities except taking out the brain, but you have to sleep sometime and they don’t. So I’d rather zombies didn’t exist.
RK: And because this is the Smart Girls love SciFi blog, if you could have a piece of technology from a SF film or franchise, what would it be and why?
SERESSIA: It’s a tie between the transporter from Star Trek and the gate from Stargate. I mean, is there a cooler, quicker way to travel?
Check out Seressia online:
SITE: http://seressia.com/
TWITTER: @seressia
Her most recent entry in the SHADOWCHASERS urban fantasy series, SHADOW FALL is currently available.
And available for pre-order:
Smart Girls love SciFi 
The Shazam/Isis power hour!!! I had totally forgot about that. Love, love, loved it! Also a fan of Egyptian Mythology and fell in love with ancient cultures poking around the British Museum.
Great interview, Serrissa and RK. Thanks, ladies!
Charlee–Is your avatar from Space 1999? I LOVED that show! My sister and I wanted her powers so we could kick butt!
And can I say how jealous I am that you’ve spent time in the British Museum? I’ve studied their collection online–my heroine in the Shadowchasers series, Kira Solomon,spent a lot of time there with her mentor while she studied archaeology.
Mia from Space 1999 – yes! Loved her.
I was really lucky to live down the road from the British Museum for four months. It was great!
I didn’t know about the collection at Emory. Might have to add a day on my trip for RWA Nationals this summer!
Ditto on the Shazam/Isis power hour! The British Museum was a real treat to visit. There was also a wonderful Egyptian tour exhibit in Japan @ two years ago. The museum was packed with visitors.
So much fun interviewing you Seressia:) a real treat for me.
Thanks, RK! I had fun with the answers!
I totally agree on the zombie/vampire question, and you gave props to my favorite sci-fi franchises. Plus, I love your books. Great interview, Seressia!