M. R. Noble - Blending the Real with the Surreal

Posted on 1st of April, 2021 by Naomi Bolton

M. R. Noble has played a tug of war between science and art her whole life, but the rope broke when she wrote the first line of The Dark Eyes Series. Immersed up to her keyboard in paranormal romance and urban fantasy, she enjoys blending the real with the surreal. The only drawback is she misplaces her mug while dreaming up her next scene, and soon finds herself six cups overpoured. Keeping to her Lake Simcoe roots, she is a member of the Writers Community of York Region (WCYR), where her muse is made not found . . . over a hefty cup of coffee. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes.

Please give us a short introduction to what Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes is about

Blindsided by an attack that destroys her home and blamed for murder, Karolina Dalca, a half-vampire, escapes, only to plunge into the magical societies from which she was sheltered. In between bouts of fighting and the intensity of paranormal, dark fantasy, there are moments of comedy that make this series opener a real page-turner.

The book also contains moments of comedy. Why did you take this approach?

I took this approach to soften the violence. Karo has inhuman strength and battles miraculous odds, by keeping the tone amusing I let readers keep their faith in a happy ending, or I should say, happyish. Karolina is also to blame. As a character she tackles some dark, dark themes, but her optimism shines through her perspective. What gives her perseverance is her ability to see the humor in her circumstance.

Readers say that the plot is unpredictable and interesting. How did you pull this off?

Readers have referred to my work as the “XXX of vampires” or an “MDMA trip through a supernatural nightmare”. I laughed when I read these comments, but in many ways they are correct. As I wrote the story, I stepped inside Karo’s head and imagined what would completely blindside her next.

Additionally, Karo just experienced trauma. Her mother was murdered at her feet. The chain of events that proceed are not pretty. She is numbing, and that’s powerful brain chemistry—especially for vampire. Karo must navigate this biological response and discover the dept of her inner strength, which, aside from all the action, can be equally engrossing.

Karolina Dalca is a multifaceted character with flaws. Why did you create her this way?

I made Karolina this way because it’s human to make mistakes…and she is half-human. Whether one makes the wrong decision from the best intentions, vengeance, or passion—it is how we learn. If Karo did not make poor decisions on occasion, it would be a boring book because there would be no character growth.

Tell us more about the cover and how it came about.

When my publisher asked me what my ideas were for the cover, I told them I wanted a glamorous set of dark eyes. I got one, but it’s more beautiful than I imagined. The book is not about Karo’s dark eyes, it is about Karo becoming Dark Eyes. The transition may be barbaric, but her symbol is powerful.

What are you working on right now?

Dark eyes two, and I am so thrilled because it is better than the first. I promised my readers I would write unrestrained and I will keep this promise.