from The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn
 



FBI Special Agent Alan Stevens has been on the case of "the vampire murders" for months, following a bloody trail across the country. In addition to indulging his irreverent, curious nature, he has a unique -- secret -- reason for being so obsessed with the crimes. 

Alan, how and why did you and the FBI get involved in this case?
I actually brought the "vampire murders" to the attention of my bosses at the FBI. They're used to my unusual interests, so at first they dismissed my story. Of course, they're all thinking the killer is human -- a "normal" serial killer. After the bodies began to pile up, they finally sent me out to investigate. My task is to work with the local police in each jurisdiction and to offer my assistance. To tie the cases together. I never tell anyone what I really think is going on. They wouldn't believe me, anyway. 
 
Tell us about this case. What made it so special?
You probably know that the FBI deals with serial killers quite often. More often than the public knows about. The special thing about these "vampire" murders was the fact that the bodies were drained of blood. Totally. And there were those strange, little holes in the victims' necks. During my investigation, I stumbled on an informant who blew my mind. His story pushed me into a new investigative direction and brought me to Denver, and a group of individuals who could blast the case wide open. And then there was Dr. Kismet Knight, a Denver psychologist who didn't realize what kind of tiger she had by the tail. She thought she was counseling vampire wannabes-- sad Goth pretenders -- when the truth was much weirder. Lucky for me, she was open to my advice --and my romantic advances.  
 
What made the case hard to solve?
It was a combination of the various police jurisdictions not connecting the dots and sharing information, the fact that there was no forensic evidence left behind, and the ability of the individuals involved to keep secrets. In fact, it wasn't until Dr. Knight and I joined forces that the case began to unravel. She has some unique abilities of her own.

Did  anyone else help you with your investigation?
Yes. I couldn't have done it alone, even though I'm pretty amazing, if I say so myself. In addition to Dr. Knight, I was assisted by the Denver police department, especially Lt. Bullock. She had her own reasons for being a bulldog on the trail. And, then there were my "unnamed sources" in the Goth and occult communities. Without them, I'd have been in the dark.
 
Has this case affected your personal life in any way?
Big time. Now I have verification of something I've long suspected but couldn't prove, and that knowledge is both exciting and terrifying. I have my own personal reasons for wanting to learn about these paranormal groups. Once you've seen things that are "impossible to believe," life is never the same. Meeting Dr. Knight has changed me, too. I don't know what's going to happen with us -- I have heavy-duty competition --but now I know for sure that anything's possible. I also know that no matter how scary our human nightmares might be, reality is worse. 


 
Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes vampire books. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot
reader, university instructor and workshop presenter. Her first novel, The Vampire Shrink  -- which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld -- was first released in 2007 and is being re-released (the
rewritten, expanded version) by Quercus Books in 2011 and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak in 2012. Several more books are planned. Undead in the City, an erotic paranormal novella, and Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker, a satire/parody, are now available in e-form from Amazon.com. Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009. For more information, visit Lynda’s website: 
www.lyndahilburnauthor.com. 

From So Close the Hand of Death the latest in the Taylor Jackson series by J.T. Ellison

We are honored to have Lieutenant Taylor Jackson from Metro Nashville Homicide  with us today. Lt. Jackson, tell us why you work in law enforcement.
I have a burning desire to right the wrongs, restore balance to the universe, and keep the streets of Nashville safe.

Why is this case so special to you?
The Pretender has been running amuck for nearly a year, an omnipresent maliciousness in my life. But once he starts hurting those around me, that's it, all bets are off. I'm going to take him down myself, no matter what the cost.

What makes this case so hard to solve?
The fact that the Pretender has a cadre of his own apprentices committing murders across the country in the manner of the Son of Sam, the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac.

Who outside of the police department has helped you?
My fiancé Dr. John Baldwin, FBI Profiler extraordinaire, and Colleen Kick, a true crime blogger.

Has this case affected your personal life in any way?
It shifts my very core, making me do things I've promised never to do.

Thank you, Lt. Jackson for being with us today. We appreciate you dedicating your life to keeping the streets of Nashville safe. We wish you the best in catching the Pretender and his cadre.


J.T. Ellison is the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series, with novels published in 21 countries. A former White House staffer, she moved to Nashville and began research on a passion:  forensics and crime. She has worked extensively with the Metro Nashville Police, the FBI and various other law enforcement organizations to research her novels. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and a poorly trained cat. Visit www.JTEllison.com or follow her on Twitter @Thrillerchick. So Close the Hand of Death (March, 2011) is the 6th book in the Taylor Jackson series, and the 7th novel JT has written. The books are available everywhere books are sold in mmpb, audio and digital.