Q. Why are you writing under a different name?

A. I feel that the lush, exotic and very dramatic world I created for my vampire paranormal romances is so different from the often humorous romances I’ve written as Suzanne Simmons/Suzanne Simms that it’s only fitting. Launching a new series in a new genre seemed to beg for a new name.

Q. Why did you choose Elizabeth Guest as your pen name?

A. It comes right off my family tree. (For trivia lovers, Elizabeth Guest is the name I gave to the heroine in my first historical romance, DESERT ROGUE, published by Avon back in 1992.) I always knew if I ever decided to write under a different name than my own, it would be as Elizabeth Guest, a combination of two great-great-grandmothers’ names. I like to think they would approve.

Q. When did you become interested in ancient Egypt?

A. My fascination started when I was a young girl and I read a copy of Howard Carter’s notes from his 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. In Carter’s own words:

I inserted the candle and peered in...as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, gold--everywhere the glint of gold. For the moment--an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by--I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, "Can you see anything?" it was all I could do to get out the words, "Yes, wondrous things."

I still get goose bumps reading those words! Later, as an adult, I started studying the New Kingdom dynasties and the rest, as they say, is history.

Q. What inspired you to write a paranormal vampire romance?

A. In one word: Seti. I created the ancient pharaoh first. As I wrote about him, I fell in love with the character. I knew I had to find the right kind of contemporary story in which to bring this man to life. NIGHT LIFE and the books that follow are a dream come true for me!

Q. Do you have a name for your vampire series?

A. I thought long and hard about this because I wanted a name that was distinctive and different from all the other series out there. I wanted a name that would immediately identify my ancient Egyptian royal family and the fact that they have awakened. In the end, I chose PHARAOHS RISING.

Q. How many books have you written?

A. I’ve just finished the second book of my PHARAOHS RISING series, which is also my 41st romance novel. All but one of those manuscripts has ended up as a published book. (There is one historical romance sitting on the shelf in my office that has never seen the light of day.)