The book takes place in three time periods: ancient Sumeria, the early days of New England, and modern times. What kind of research did you do to help you set the stage so vividly?

I'd like to say I traveled to ancient Sumeria and took first-hand notes. Instead, I immersed myself in wide-ranging research in professional journals and books that brought the age to life for me. Archaeologists love to talk about their work with a writer patient enough to draw family trees for mythological beings. There is a large amount of information available about colonial life and the witchcraft fever that swept through New England, including primary sources such as trial proceedings and letters. For the twentieth century, biographies provide both facts about a person and about the circumstances of the time, and there are more creative sources. When I wanted some action to take place in the Andirondack resort of Loon Lake about 1910, I managed to find an original summer home preserved in the style of the time, and toured it on a realtor's website. Then there was the research for the paranormal aspects of the story, such as aura-reading and remote viewing. Fascinating!
 
Your web site mentions that Sumerians believed their gods arrived on Earth nearly half a million years ago from their home planet Niburu, when it was at its closest point to Earth. Planet X, as it is now called, supposedly has a cycle of returning to Earth every 3,600 years, and the next return will be in December 2012. So, what are you going to be doing in December 2012? What would Maliha Crayne be doing?

There are a lot of highly speculative theories about December 2012, the return of Planet X being one of them. If you go with the flow of speculation, Planet X collided long ago with the Earth and formed the moon, a more recent close passage to Earth was responsible for the Great Flood in Noah's time, and on another approach caused Atlantis to sink. There are other theories that December 2012, when the Mayan calendar literally ends, will be a time of great transformation. Some say the Apocalypse, some say a wonderful new beginning for the human race. Given all that, I think I'll lay in a supply of wine and spend the month in a cheery daze. Maliha, not the type to let minor things get in her way, will be kicking ass on her latest adventure.
 
I notice that the title includes "Book One." What happens in Book Two?

Maliha gets laid by a Roman centurion. Either that or kills, him. I don't know yet.

What's the last book you finished, the book you're currently reading, and the next book on your list? What's the one book you would re-read if you had time?

I'm currently reading THE LAST LECTURE by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zalsow. Next up is James Rollins' THE DOOMSDAY KEY. For re-reading it would have to be LORD OF THE RINGS. I read the trilogy every three or four years and I'm due.
 
To find out more, visit her web site: www.dakota-banks.com.

Contributing editor Rebecca Cantrell sold her house, quit her high tech job, and moved to Hawaii to write a novel. Her first novel, A TRACE OF SMOKE, starts a mystery series set in Berlin in the 1930s. It will be released in May 2009. As of this writing, she lives in Hawaii with her husband and son.