This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose stories of women protagonists take readers on an emotional roller coaster — Frankie Sutton! If you love dark urban fantasy, you’re in for a treat.
Frankie is known for dark, bold women with a love interest who protects the world from the woman (rather than the other way around). Her latest release, Vampiric Crush, is a steamy vampire romance set in LA around Halloween.
In this spotlight, Frankie shares her bookshelf, her opinion on the future of publishing, her writing evolution, plot inspiration, and lets the star of Vampiric Crush answer some questions.
Whether you write love stories, devour them, or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Frankie! 💖
Let’s start with a few questions for you before we get into the character interview.
How do you handle writer’s block, especially during emotional or steamy scenes?
I would check out music, movies/TV shows, or YouTube videos in the same vibe that the current scene shares.
Was there a particular scene or emotional arc that was difficult (or fun!) to write?
Shae’s (protag) first time (intimacy) with Gerard (antag) is inspired by a particular scene in Eureka Seven (anime) – When the main character of that show saves his love interest from a dark/limbo realm.
How has your writing evolved since your first book?
I used to be a pantser. But after working with an editor for Vampiric Crush, she introduced me to Save The Cat. Since then, I’ve been using that structure to outline my stories. However, my characters often steal the outline and constantly change it. So now I consider me a planster (plotter/pantser).
What do you like to read in your free time?
For comic books, I stick mostly with Marvel (X-Men and Fantastic Four). For novels, vampires do my attention first, but I tend to gravitate toward stories with a dark vibe. Though, I have plenty of manga on my shelf – my favorite is With The Light by Keiko Tobe..
How do you see the publishing industry changing in the next few years?
Recently, agents and editors have finally accepting the New Adult category. But with TikTok creating short attention spans, I believe that we’ll see a rise of agents, editors and the Big 5 publishers will ask for novellas.
Thanks for that. Let’s jump straight into the character interview.
What’s your full name, and do you like it?
My name is Shae Taizer. It suits me just fine.
Where are you from, and where do you live now?
I was born in the Royal Realm, spent my childhood in LA before returning to the Royale Realm. Now my time is split between locations.
How old are you (or how old do you feel)?
26 – Forever.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Stubborn, loyal, dangerous.
What’s your current relationship status?
Engaged to my civilian best friend.
What’s your earliest memory?
Attending a neighborhood kid’s birthday party when I was a kid. I wasn’t impressed with the hired magician.
What’s the biggest event that shaped who you are?
Being the youngest of my people to attend Battle Realm. It’s a planet only reachable by portal travel for testing out your skills in battle in any type of environment.
Do you have any regrets?
Facing off against Gerard alone. I wasn’t ready.
What do you want more than anything right now?
I miss the sun, and eating human food.
What’s standing in your way?
My fresh immortality and needing blood to survive.
Who are you closest to?
My fiancée, Kiran. Physically and emotionally.
Do you have any siblings? What’s your relationship like?
I am an only child.
Who do you trust the most?
Kiran.
Have you ever been in love?
I’m in love with Kiran. He’s my first. Gerard doesn’t count.
What does “home” mean to you?
That’s a civilian concept.
What’s something you’re really good at?
I’ve mastered swords and magic at an early age.
What’s a weakness you try to hide?
Criticizing myself and others.
How do you react under pressure?
No questions asked, just action.
Are you more of a leader or a follower?
I’ve only recently learned how to lead.
What’s one thing people often misunderstand about you?
I’m not uncaring.
Morning person or night owl?
I’m a vampire now… so…. Night owl.
Coffee, tea, or something stronger?
I can only drink blood now. But I do remember orange juice.
Favorite way to spend a day off?
I do like discovering new music. Kiran’s introduced me to so much. I like Janet Jackson.
Do you have any habits, tics, or superstitions?
I tend to charge headfirst into battle.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Slow jams, when Kiran and I are—oh, she’s shaking her head at me. Guess that means I can’t exactly answer this.
What’s the hardest decision you’ve had to make?
Taking Gerard’s bait after he kidnapped Riley.
How have you changed since the beginning of your story?
Aside from no longer being human, I’ve shed my icy persona.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself?
That I have the capacity to love, not just kill.
Who has challenged you the most?
Kiran. In my darkest moment, he stood by my side.
What scares you?
Telling Riley the truth about her biological father. I fear she’ll stop seeing me as her ‘older sister’. I also fear becoming just like Gerard, after all, his blood runs through me now.
If your life were a movie, who would play you?
I guess… someone who can handle a sword and give off the same vibes as me… and who could pass off as being immortal at 26.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
You want me to do what now?
What’s something people would never guess about you?
I’m now tri-species. I’m Civilian (human), Deviant (magic user) and Vampire.
If you could trade lives with another character in your book for a day, who would it be?
My best friend, Rozette. She had her life together long before I began my Deviant training at 13.
What’s your personal motto?
Face what you fear, because it might fear you.
That was fun! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Here’s more about the author, Frankie Sutton.
Howdy, I’m Frankie. Being born and raised within Motown, aka Detroit, it’s no surprise that creativity is in my blood. I’ve experimented with scripts, role-playing, songwriting, novels, and poems. After dabbling with Hollywood (appearing in two movies and a music video) and doing local singing contests, I found my home in writing novels (and poetry).
I hope you loved getting to know Frankie Sutton and hearing about her journey, her inspirations, and her latest swoon-worthy release, Vampiric Crush. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 💖
You can connect with Frankie Sutton here:
📚 Website: CreatorFrankie.com
📱 Socials: Twitter: https://x.com/MotownCountry
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/frankiesutton.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motowncountry/
🛒 Grab her books: Amazon: https://a.co/d/2ag4SKt
Thank you for joining me in spotlighting a fellow romance lover who’s giving us all the feels. Stay tuned for more author features, book talk, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.
Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! ✨📚