When Heroines Throw Down... or Meet Chris Green (part 2)

Yesterday’s conversation with Chris was fantastic, yes? Let’s jump right back in. Today, I’ve asked Chris to give us a peek into how her mind works.

ETA: Again, don't forget to leave a comment. Chris has generously offered up two books today to one lucky winner. Post a comment (any comment at all) for a chance to win Mommy and the Millionaire and One for the Road!

KL: It’s throw-down time! Who wins, and would they go for beers after?

CG: Whoo-hoo!

1. Dawn Madison vs Buffy

The win goes to Buffy since she’s got that super slayer strength and skill. Dawn was trained as a stuntwoman and she’s gradually developing powers, but at this point, Buffy’s more advanced. I think Dawn’s co-hunter, Kiko Daniels, would talk Dawn into having beers with Buffy afterward because he would probably have a crush on Buffy, but Dawn would have bottled water.

2. Dawn vs Anita Blake

Ooo, this is tough because Anita is very skilled. I’d say it’s a draw, but both women would come out pretty bloody and there’d be no beers afterward. The reason for the draw would be that Dawn would feel inferior because of all Anita’s men backing her up, and that’d probably give her a lot of extra incentive to brawl.

3. Dawn vs Sara Pezzini of Witchblade

The win goes to Sara unless the Witchblade, which can be so ruthless yet unpredictable, decides it likes Dawn and takes it easy on her. But I do think Sara and Dawn would understand each other pretty well. Maybe there’d even be a drink afterward if there isn’t some pressing paranormal emergency for either of them.

4. Sara vs Elektra

Elektra, but only because I think Elektra is probably one of the only beings who could outwit the Witchblade. Elektra is a freakin’ witch when it comes to springing a trap and carrying through with a mission.

5. Buffy vs Anita

Buffy, and not only because of her super powers, but because, now, she has, like, hundreds of slayers to back her up, plus Willow and maybe even Dracula.

KL: Did you choose Dawn’s name for its significance to the story, or was the choice unconscious?

CG: Oddly enough, I named Dawn after one of my good friends, and that was it, LOL. The “original Dawn” and I have known each other since grade school, and it was only after I named my heroine that I realized there was a Buffy connection. Also, Night Rising, the first VB book, had an “evil rising” theme, and my editor, Ginjer Buchanan, took the concept a step further with all of the initial trilogy’s titles. It all worked out, because Break of Dawn (book 3) is symbolic not only in its imagery, but because it says a lot about what’s happening to Dawn Madison mentally and emotionally, as well.

KL: You’re banished to an island for the rest of your life. You’re allowed to take five books with you. One has to be by Stephen King, one has to be one of your own, and the other three are open. Which will you choose?

CG:

1. The Stand, by Stephen King. It’s one of my top 5, island or not.
2. Baited (written by me as “Crystal Green”). It takes place on an island and might offer inspiration for survival.
3. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt. I read it every few years anyway because it’s just that awesome.
4. The Promise of Jenny Jones, by Maggie Osbourne. Best historical romance ever.
5. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry. The characters would keep me in good company.

KL: How do you feel Dawn’s kick-assness compares to other heroines you’ve written?
CG: As far as my action-adventure heroines, Dawn’s right up there with Camille from The Huntress and Katsu from Baited. They’re all tough, but that toughness comes with certain vulnerabilities. One of Dawn’s vulnerabilities is her family and how they’ve shaped her self-perception. One of Camille’s vulnerabilities was her love for her boyfriend and her determination to save him at all costs. Katsu was bullied by her peers when she was younger, and that turned her into a survivor. None of these women ever give up.

KL: What was the last romance novel you read that sucked you in and made you forget the world around you?

CG: Recently, I’ve been catching up on reading, and I came across a historical called The Lady Killer by Samantha Saxon. It’s about a high-society female assassin, and I was just really taken by how much sympathy I felt for the heroine. Because of the characterization, I enjoyed every page.

KL: Who makes the best Batman: Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, or Michael Keaton?

CG: As weird as this will sound, I really liked Michael Keaton, even though he’s hardly the spitting image of Bruce Wayne, LOL. He was hot in that Batsuit, mostly because there was something about his eyes. You could see how on-the-edge he was, how haunted. Out of all the Batmen, only he and Christian Bale convince me that the character would go as far as he needs to in order to bring about a reckoning.



Thanks, Chris! I had a blast, and I hope you'll come back and hang with us again.

You can read Chris’s current Crystal Green release now. The Second-Chance Groom is available through June. Chris’s second Vampire Babylon book, Midnight Reign, was a February 2008 release, and Break of Dawn will appear on shelves this September.