Interview With David Wagner

Forgive me if this intro is a little all over the map.  It's Friday and I'm pretty excited about today's feature... I know I've been off the radar lately, but ONLY because the publication date for Soul Resurrected is around the corner (this will be a separate blog post announcement next week).  There is SO MUCH going on with this book!  I'm doing a read-thru of the MS that will be off to the editor next week sometime.

*clutches stomach*

In addition, the cover art is well on its way to reveal--mark your calendars--for AUGUST 29TH, 2013 (I'll be getting with my bloggers to help me show it off!).  The gorgeous cover model, Julian, has already been photographed for it by the very talented, David Wagner as I mentioned in a previous post.  I have a special treat at the bottom of this post...but you MUST read the interview first!!  No peeking.

David is also designing the book cover!

It's been an absolute blast collaborating him, pulling the image of Logan from my head into real life.  Only a patient person who's very attentive to details could manage such a feat in all the clutter I've got going on upstairs, and let me tell you, David is both.  I'm sure my author buds would agree, its an incredibly thrilling moment to see a character materialize just as you imagined.  And to top it off, David's enthusiasm in gathering and teasing out those details keeps me questioning how such collaboration can be considered 'work'.

Imagine someone asking you to gush about a character:  "Tell me his story and give me as many details as you can."

In the short time I've worked with David, I've come to look at him as somewhat of a kindred spirit.  So I thought I'd break from my read-thru to get a more in-depth look at his brilliance--the part of these mouthwatering photographs that you don't get to see.

KL: David, thank you for taking the time to let me pick your brain.  Why don't you start out by telling us a little bit about yourself: 

DW:  I grew up in a very rural part of southwest Missouri. I was lucky enough to be born to very caring parents who are still very much in love, and have just celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. I’m the youngest of 3, I have one brother and one sister. I grew up out in the country next door to my grandparents who both had a great knack for storytelling. So I spent a lot of my summers as child with my grand parents and their siblings listening to their stories of living during the time of the great depression, driving Ford Model T’s, and their memories of seeing a movie for the first time or to see an airplane for the first time.

I was drawing pictures of things around our house from the time I was 3. I drew vases. I drew houses. I drew the faces of people on the cover of Life Magazine. My favorite tv show as a child was Bewitched and I knew at a young age I wanted to be like Darrin Stephens. I wanted to be in advertising. I was lucky enough to receive an art scholarship to Missouri State University. My degree was in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Graphic Design and Photography. It was there in a beginners photography class (black and white, film) that I fell in love with photography. But I felt that advertising was the better choice for finding a job when I graduated so I got my first job in advertising as an art director in 1985. I worked in Advertising for 22 years, really loved it and I think it was a great foundation to be come a photographer.

In 2005, I was diagnosed with a rare cancer and went through a very intense and challenging chemo protocol. At one point I had a severe allergic reaction to one of my chemo drugs and had to be put on a respirator for a few days. Over a four month hospital stay, I had two surgeries, a pulmonary embolism, and a ruptured upper intestine. Several times I was told to be prepared and say my goodbyes, but because of an amazing family, nurses, doctors and friends, I went into full remission. But it only lasted 3 months. At that point I had to have an experimental protocol of high dose chemo and a stem cell transplant. I was told I had a 35% chance of getting into remission and a 15% to 20% of dying from the treatment itself. Odds didn’t really seem to be in my favor but it was my only option. This was a very rough period. Basically prior to the chemo, they harvested my own stem cells that would be frozen and then given back to me after my treatment. This is done because high dose chemo is so toxic it completely ruins your immune systems ability to ever let you recover. So you get this chemo that basically get you to the brink of death, and then they infuse your back with your own frozen stem cells which were not affected by the chemo and that brings your immune system back and enables you to recover. I think that experience caused a huge shift in my life that made me feel that it was time to re-evaluate and stop doing things I didn’t want to do and to do more of what I wanted to do.

And what I wanted to do was photograph people.

KL: What an incredible journey.  You beat the odds, came out on top and ultimately pursued what you love.  Truly an inspiration!  So how did you break into photography and cover design?

DW: I think the first part of this question was answered above. One of my very best friends has been a book cover illustrator for years and he was looking for someone to take photographs of models for him to use as a basis for his photo illustrations. So that’s how the book cover work started.

KL: You can check out some of David's cover work HERE. 

What do you predominantly photograph?

DW: Most of my work is for fiction romance and paranormal novels. And since the majority of those covers require photographing very handsome and built men, this has expended my areas of expertise to fitness photography, and fashion photography.

KL: Handsome, built men you say?  Suddenly wishing I had some camera talent...  Do you have any requirements while photographing that get you in the zone? 

DW: My only requirement is a comfortable, relaxed, stress-free environment. No egos, no drama…from myself or the models.

KL: Have you ever photographed anyone famous?

DW: The most famous person I’ve photographed is probably the most well-known fitness model, Greg Plitt. Greg has probably been on the cover of more fitness magazines than any other model and was also one of the trainers on Bravo’s “Workout”.

KL: What do you love most about your job?

DW: I’m still in awe of light and how it shows us things and hides things from us. And it’s fascinating to try to control that to tell a story.

KL: Is there a model you’d love to photograph someday?

DW: I think my two favorite models that I would love to work with are David Gandy and Tony Ward. They are both exceptional models who really push the envelope and are willing to be seen in untraditional ways.

KL: Gandy?  *zones out* Yeah, so, when you book his shoot, let me know.  Happy to be *cough* an assistant or something.  Have you designed covers for any well-known authors?

DW: I think the most well know author that I’ve shot cover photography for would be Kresley Cole.

KL: Pause.

I'm sorry, I MUST take a moment to fangirl.

KRESLEY COLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Okay, moving on.  Is there an author whose cover you’d love to design some day?

DW: Well, I hope to continue to work with author Keri Lake. Beyond that I would love to do covers for some other authors that are not really in the romance/paranormal genre, such as Michael Cunningham, David Sedaris, Dan Brown, Michael Chabon and Caleb Carr

KL: I'm very much hoping to continue working with you as well, David!  If you could hop into a time machine and travel to any point in history, who would you love to meet and why?

I would go to Florence Italy in the 15th century and would try to apprentice with Michelangelo or DaVinci. I think this time of enlightenment, a time when art was as important (and actually part of) science would be wonderful.

QUICK FIRE ROUND:

Life Motto to Live By: Follow your passion. Trite I know, but it’s true.

Favorite Movie: The Hours

Favorite Song/Band: Annie Lennox, “Why”

Favorite Book: Sorry have to give you 2: “The Hours” and “Confederacy of Dunces”

Favorite Drink: Again, 2 answers: Diet Coke and any decent wine.

Guilty Pleasure: Diet Coke and any decent wine.

Star Wars or Star Trek: Oh, SO easy…Star Trek all the way!!!! But with much respect for Star Wars

Batman or Superman: Superman!

ATTENTION AUTHORS!

If you're looking to have some cover design work, get in touch with David!  Let's just take a moment to summarize what makes him a fantastic guy to work with:

  • He's so easy going
  • Has years of experience in advertising and design work
  • Fun to work with and very detail-oriented
  • Has designed covers for some well-known authors (KRESLEY COLE!!!!!!!!)
  • He's got connections to some very sexy men.

Wanna find out how to get in touch with him?

DAVID WAGNER PHOTOGRAPHY

DAVID WAGNER ON TUMBLR

And now ...

here's a special sneak peek teaser from Julian's photoshoot and a quote from Soul Resurrected!

This is NOT the actual photo that will be on the cover.  This is just to get your mouth watering until August 29th, when I'll be doing the actual cover reveal!

Grab your drool bib.

Meet Logan from Soul Resurrected:

"Not following.  And to be honest, I’m caring less the more you talk.  So let’s cut the shit and start the bleeding.”  Logan flipped the dagger in his hand.  “My hand gets twitchy after a while."

- Soul Resurrected (A Sons of Wrath Novel)

 

 

 

SOUL AVENGED LAUNCH DAY!! #SoulAvenged #LaunchDay

It’s Launch Day!!

I’m so damn excited today!  First, my niece was born yesterday afternoon--Baby Jillian ❤  And second, I finally get to share the story and the tough-as-nails protagonist I’ve had chained and locked up for over a year now.  Yep, Soul Avenged is NOW AVAILABLE in both ebook and paperback!

Grab a copy here:

Amazon (Kindle) |  Amazon (Print)  |  Barnes & Noble (Nook)

 

Add it to your Goodreads shelf  HERE.

 

Launch Day also means the official Kickoff of the Soul Avenged Blog Tour!!

In addition to some fun guest blogs, interviews and Sons of Wrath snippets, I’ve got some fantastic prizes to give away.  Check it out:

Grand Prize:

1-Kindle Fire HD (approximate value $199) OR $199 Paypal Cash

1-Sephora Bath & Body X’s and O’s Gift Set

1-Signed Paperback Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1)

1-Sons of Wrath t-shirt

1-Sons of Wrath coffee mug

1-Soul Avenged Notebook

1st Runner-Up:

1-$25 iTunes giftcard

1-Signed Paperback Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1)

1-Sons of Wrath t-shirt

1-Soul Avenged coffee mug

1-Sons of Wrath notebook

2nd Runner-Up:

1-Signed Paperback Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1)

1-Sons of Wrath t-shirt

Participating blogs will have a Rafflecopter form where you can enter to win one of these great prize packs!  This giveaway will run throughout the month of the tour.  ONE of the ways you can enter to win is leaving a comment on the blog.  And you WILL want to do this.

Why?

Because you never know where or when I’ll be lurking and decide to randomly give something away!  Yeah, I'm sneaky like that ... So be sure to include an email address where you can be contacted as well.

You can check out the full BLOG TOUR Schedule HERE.

There are some fandamntabulous bloggers participating on this tour, so if you’re a book lover, be sure to sign up for their blogs because they give some entertaining and informative info on the hottest new releases.  They’ll keep you up-to-date and in-the-know!

On February 28th, I’ll be over at Bitten by Books for a Virtual Launch Party!  One winner will be selected to win a $50 Amazon gift card (open internationally).  Here I’ll also be doing a Q&A in the comments, so feel free to ask me whatever you like!

SHARE THE LOVE

If you love the book, spread the word!

I’m building My Beautiful Readers page and would love to add you!  Take a picture with one of my books (cover page on ereader is fine), wearing Halos or Soul Avenged swag or just the book itself in your favorite reading spot if you’re camera shy like me.  Tell me what you enjoyed about the book.  Voila!  You’re officially part of the crew!

Now go, go, GO!!  And don’t forget to leave those comments!  Muahahahahahaha!

Interview With Jem Stonehouse - Eternal Blog Tour

It's Friday the 13th!  There's nothing unlucky about today - I get to be one of the tour stops for J.A. Belfield's newest release, Eternal.  Even better, I have Jem Stonehouse, the leading lady of the Hollway pack, in-house to answer some curious questions about those delicious Holloway boys.  Before we begin our little inquisition, let's check out the cover for Eternal and blurb:

An unmarried woman living in a house of men breeds hearsay and lore. If only the villagers knew the truth.

It’s not Jem Stonehouse’s marital status that brings unwanted strangers to town. Rather, it’s that she is the only female werewolf in existence — a prize to any pack.

Sean Holloway, the love of Jem’s life, has gone to great lengths to protect her. As a new attack becomes imminent, Sean realizes he must take greater measures with Jem’s safety or risk losing her forever.

His first task must be to marry her, but a force greater than the largest werewolf stands in his way.

Her mother.

 Beautiful cover!  I loved Darkness & Light and Instinct.  Can't wait to dig into this one!

NOTE TO READERS OF THIS INTERVIEW:  CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS!

Jem, I have to tell you that I fell in love with your story in Instinct.  The innocent romance between you and Sean was such a joy to read.  Tell me, what thoughts went through your head when you first caught sight of handsome ‘Mr. Holloway’?

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I spotted ‘Mr Holloway’ long before he seemed to spot me. And whilst I dared allow myself to wonder over the rumours? Due to his reputation, I was somewhat relieved about when I continued to pass beneath his radar. Though that all seemed to go out the window the very first time he made eye contact. Boy, that man’s smile is enough to set even the strongest of pulses into a flurry.

I'll bet...*sets chin on palm, stares off and sighs*

*breaks from stare, notices Jem's 'let's move along' expression* 

Sorry.  Instinct - I found myself frustrated at your mother for her interference.  But as I look at the situation through the eyes of a mother, I can’t say that I wouldn’t do the same.  Can you blame your mother for wanting to protect you and your sister?  Do you think she ultimately expected you to accept Sean for what he is?

I’d never blame my mother for her protective ways. After all, with the death of father, myself and Jessica were all she had left. So it was in her nature, I guess, to try to hold dear to us. I mean, even after she conceded I may have made the right choice in Sean, she still somehow managed to get her way in the old protection department.

There is this dreamy nature about Sean in each of the books:  mischievous and chivalrous at the same time.  Is the man always this way?  Does he ever have a moody moment?

Yes, Sean is dreamy—but then I guess I can say that seeing as he starred in my dreams a lot. He’s also very mischievous, a side of him readers don’t get to see nearly enough of in the books. As well as chivalrous—he’s definitely that. But does he ever have a moody moment ….*Snort* he’s male—what do you think?

Hahaha!  Right on...What's it like being the only female in a house full of rowdy wolves?

The good: they all adore and smother me and would go to the ends of the earth to protect me.

The bad: they all adore and smother me and would go to the ends of the earth to protect me.

What? What do you mean that’s a non-answer?

*sigh* Okay, the over-protection part is as good as it is bad. As is the adoration—because it means I get away with pretty much most of my antics with little repercussion from anyone in the pack, whilst it also means not one of them wants anything to happen to me which brings us full circle to the over-protection part. I get poked a good bit about the eye candy, but to be honest? I don’t actually see that far past Sean other than to be highly mortified by any naked parts belonging to his family.

What?!  *bites lip while suddenly hit by visuals of Ethan...naked*

*shifts in seat*  OK, between the past and the present, what is your favorite time period and why?

Oh, goodness. I think maybe the present. Because females of the world, in general, have a lot more say and rights. That hasn’t quite carried over into the pack with full effect yet, but I’m certainly working on it.

Do you harbor any resentment toward Sean for what he did?

Which time? The first time? The second—the third? The first time, I did for a while. Until I came to understand how desperate he must have felt to panic that way, for him to break every rule he’d been raised to obey because he believed it the only way possible for us to be together. If you look at it that way, it actually sounds romantic. I do wish he’d have spoken to me about it first though. As for the final time he bit me? There is no resentment for that. How can I blame him for an accident that had been prompted into occurrence by events out of our control?

No doubt, Sean would hurt himself before ever thinking of hurting you, this much I've gathered from your stories.  What’s it like being the wolf with Sean? 

Imagine being completely in tune with your surroundings, in a body that instinctively knows what to do, with senses that collect signs, scents, sounds like dropped breadcrumbs that guide you and rarely steer you wrong, in a mass of muscle built to protect its owner. Now tell me: how do you think it feels?

Uh...is that available over-the-counter yet?  Wonder where those breadcrumbs lead. *winks*  Hehehe

Can you give us a brief teaser of what we can expect in Eternal?

Um … apart from the ones already dropped throughout? Think love, think male screw ups in the way only a male can achieve, think hurt and forgiveness, family ties and loyalty, and danger blended with risk, as well as territorial contests (of more than one variety) and the ultimate ending that’s enough to leave a girl sighing … and you pretty much have Eternal all wrapped up in a bow.

Oooh!  I like sighing...lots of sighing.  And while we're on the topic of sighing, it's time for the most important question of the interview:  what is it like living with Ethan Holloway?  *biting lip again*

Seriously? You probably don’t want to know.

No, I really do.  *scoots to the edge of the seat*

He’s like the big brother I never had—which pretty much marks him as the biggest pain in my behind I never had.

He’s loveable, though. I’d be lying if I didn’t toss that in.

Loveable.  *imagines lots of loving*  Ever, like *shrugs shoulders* I dunno, walk in on him say, in the shower?  *grins*

What? No!

Mid-change?

Not if I can help it, thank you very much. His ego’s already big enough without him thinking I have nothing better to do with my time than spy on his nudity. What kind of questions are these?

Wait, there are more important things than spying on his nudity?  *clears throat* Uh, moving on…

Thank goodness. Though, I should probably add that you guys will have to wait until December to see more of his highliness.

*scream rattles in brain*  Shut.  Up.  More of Ethan???  Ho ho...sign me up. 

You have a keen sense of smell, right?  What uh…*dodges eye contact* does Ethan smell like, exactly?  *cough*

Hahahaha. Well, I can tell you exactly what Sean smells like: woody, wolfy and natural all mixed up with his own blend of masculine musk. Now imagine those scents with the masculine musk slightly altered and the pretty much have Ethan—there are actually a lot of similarities between the way the two of them smell.

I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts.  I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts.  I will not ask her to send me one of Ethan's shirts.  So *clears throat* that sounds...delightful.

BONUS QUESTION:  Throughout the centuries, what was your most romantic moment with Sean?

Um … I think the first time we wed. Possibly because the wedding was followed by the binding, and seeing the unwavering resolution in Sean’s eyes as the ritual was performed, with not one hint of doubt present, pretty much imploded my heart with the realization of how deep his love actually went.

*sighs*  That's one I too would hold on to eternally.  So glad you could stop by Jem!

Want to know how to get your hands on a copy of Eternal?  Of course you do!

Amazon

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Need to catch up on the Holloway Pack series? 

Stop by J.A. Belfield's website to check out Darkness & Light, Instinct and Into the Unknown!

 

Interview With Steve McHugh

Today I’m interviewing a wonderful author friend of mine, Steve J. McHugh, whose debut release, Crimes Against Magic, released April 30th.  Before I pull out my list of probing questions, let’s first take a look at the cover and blurb:

It’s been almost ten years since Nathan Garrett woke on a cold warehouse floor with nothing but a gun, a sword, and no idea of who he was or how he got there. His only clue … a piece of paper with his name on it. Since then, he’s discovered he’s a powerful sorcerer and has used his abilities to work as a thief for hire. But he’s never stopped hunting for his true identity, but those who erased his memory have never stopped hunting for him. When the barrier holding his past captive begins to crumble, Nathan swears to protect a young girl who is key to his enemy’s plans. But with his enemies closing in, and everyone he cares about becoming a target for their wrath, Nathan is forced to choose between the life he’s built for himself and the one buried deep inside him.

Crimes Against Magic is an Urban Fantasy set in modern day London with Historical flashbacks to early fifteenth century France. It’s the first in a series of books called the Hellequin Chronicles, which shows the life of sorcerer Nathan (Nate) Garrett.

 

I was lucky enough to beta read the manuscript months ago.  It kept me turning the page.  Loved the MC, his leading lady and the kickass story overall. 

Just some background on you, Steve.  Tell us something about yourself.  Where you live and what you do when not writing?

I’m thirty-two and was born in Mexbrough, South Yorkshire. We moved down to Southampton when I was six, so I lost my Yorkshire accent long ago. I’ve been married for six and a half years and have two beautiful daughters and a third on the way.

What do I do when I’m not writing? Usually I’m with my girls keeping them busy so they don’t destroy my house. Other than that, I’m a big videogame and comic book fan, and love my anime too. Basically, I’m a geek. And I’m okay with that.

Geek pride baby!  You've got some busy days up ahead!  Best wishes to you and your growing family.  This book really delivers on the mythology and history, which is what I enjoyed most about it.  What is it that inspired this story?

I’ve always loved history and mythology and wanted to combine them into something.

So I took the pieces of both that I wanted and ran with it. All of the books about Nate will have flashbacks in them, and all of them will have some mythological characters or creatures from various cultures.

You added some creative pieces along the way.  One of the things I loved was transporting from the fifteenth century to the present.  Did you find this difficult to transition between the two time periods while writing it?

It wasn’t difficult, but the flashbacks took more research to get right. I wanted the language to be as close to right as I could get it (although I do use a few words that they probably didn’t). And I needed to make sure that the geography of the time was right.

Well, I didn't come across mention of a microwave or cellphone in the flashbacks.  You did a nice job of transitioning.  Is your protagonist, Nathan Garrett, based on anyone you know personally?

No. He’s got my smart-assness and my height. That’s about it from me, and the rest just came naturally over the time I wrote about him.

Haha!  He was quite the smartass...You made the decision to self-publish this book.  What have you learned in the early stages of this process that you’d like to pass along to other authors who may be considering this route?

Get a good cover. Seriously, it’s so important that your cover is good. The number of people who have said that the cover was great and they wanted to know more about the book is incredible. Get something that jumps out at people and will attract the eye.

Also, you can never have too many people beta-read your book. They will find problems you never will by yourself.

I couldn't agree more.  The cover is what draws the eyes.  And betas are a writer's little gems.  What has been the biggest challenge in writing and working toward publication?

Sticking to my own timetable was hard work, because it would have been so easy to just give myself an extra few weeks so I didn’t have to work so hard.

Yep.  Once it's in motion, it needs to stay in motion.  What is your writing routine?  Do you listen to music while writing?  If so, what kind of music to do you like?

I can tune out most things once I get started, so don’t usually bother with music too often. But if I do put music on, it’s usually things like: Foo Fighters, Black Stone Cherry, AC/DC, soundgarden, stuff like that.

Is Crimes Against Magic part of a series or a stand-alone novel?

It’s the first in a series called the Hellequin Chronicles, which charts the life of Nathan Garrett. I’ve got about a dozen plotted out and notes for quite a few more, so that should keep me busy.

Hey, busy is good!  Who are your literary influences?

Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Richard Morgan, Lee Child, Kelley Armstrong, Grant Morrison, Scott Snyder, Dan Slott, Peter David and far too many more to list. But they’re a mixture of novel and comic book writers.

Can you give us a little snippet of your favorite scene in Crimes Against Magic?

I couldn’t think of one that wouldn’t spoil anything, so I picked something that occurs quite early in the book:

"If I answer, will you let me go?"

I shook my head. "You will die here, today. The only question is how. Thomas there is a good man. Your death will be quick and painless." The werewolf looked up at the rage-filled Englishman. I motioned for Thomas to walk off as I made my way to the crippled werewolf. "I am not a good man," I whispered into his ear when we were alone. "I will strip the flesh from your bones and scatter your ashes to the wind. I will ensure that for the next thousand years, the merest mention of what I did to you in this city will evoke fear into anyone foolish enough to think they can cross a sorcerer."

Ho ho!  I love that scene...Nathan rocks.  You have some very well-written fight scenes throughout the novel.  What research went into them?  

I did used to take Kung-Fu and Kickboxing, but that was a long time ago. My research was basically watching Asian action movies. They’re superb and picking up ideas for fights. And Anime is excellent for magic. So yeah, my research was watching really violent movies.

BONUS QUESTION:  If you had amnesia for a day and were crazy enough to be just about anyone you wanted, who would you want to be and why?

That’s really hard. I’d be the Hulk. Yeah, I’d get arrested, and yeah I’d be thought of as a crazy person, but damn, there are some people who would get such a smash first.

Hahaha!  Um.  Wait.  Not me, right?  RIGHT?!

OK, so do you wanna know how you can get your hands on a copy of Crimes Against Magic?  Want to know more about Steve J. McHugh?

WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

BUY Crimes Against Magic

Thanks so much Steve.   Good luck with the book!

A Portal Into The Mind of NB Charles

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of my favorite authors, NB Charles.  For those who may not know, NB is not only a writing friend of mine, but he is also the master architect behind the Immortals’ Universe.  His writing is sinfully addictive.  But NB remains an absolute mystery.  And so I decided to grab my trusty ice pick and dig deep inside the mind of this enigmatic personality. So NB, you carry this dark and mysterious presence on social networking sites and your website.  Tell us something about yourself outside of your posted bios.  What do you like to do when not writing?

Well, my brain has an irritating need to keep busy. I’m always doing something, be it learning a new language, studying, dissimilating and challenging historical philosophy or generally jumping head first into anything that catches my fantasy. I won’t even go into my Kinbaku-bi, Sundance film and North Western crocheting phase. When I’m not writing I’m reading or doing some amateur chemistry or physics experiment. Other than that it’s herbology and alternative sciences. I’m more than, a bit of a hippie-geek.

*picks jaw up off the floor* Um.  Wow, I uh, don’t suppose you have days where you just veg out with a bag of Doritos and an afternoon of Lifetime Movie Network then.  *jots note to Google Kinbaku-bi* Ok, next question.  You’ve constructed this alternate realm, teeming with supes: demons, vampires, werewolves, dragons.  Give us a brief tour of the Immortals’ Universe.

Brief tour!!! Okay, right… it’s not like I don’t like a challenge. Basically the thing to keep in mind is that the Immortals Universe is our own except history is told through the eyes of the supernatural creatures that inhabit it. Think about all the myths and fantasy stories you’ve ever read without any shading or dilution from any of the world’s major religions and the overtly skeptical. It’s Grimm’s fairytales absent the child friendly view. But most importantly, it’s about women. Who they were - are… The power they held and still possess today, even though popular thought likes to marginalize it. Imagine the fearsome goddesses who ruled over life and death, commanded creation itself, now, stuck here, in our time, with only a half-hearted oath to keep their majesty in check. Those goddesses, working a nine to five, are putting up with dating in a climate whereby if you’re not Kate Moss, with an I.Q. of 1 you’re ugly. They must resist smiting cheating men, who couldn’t fight a war, hunt wild beast in the woods, build you a temple made of gold and be home in time to make the kind of loving you damn well deserve, on cue.  They balance the lousy paycheck you get at the end of the month whilst smiling at the idiot boss man who knows not nearly enough to qualify him to eat with a spoon. So essentially, supernatural creatures, living under human law and societal restraints, is going to cause very big problems.  This is the Immortals’ Universe.

*daydreams of the faithful, sweaty warrior coming home after a hard day of building my gold temple, carrying a wild beast over his shoulder as he bursts through the door to…* Oh.  Sorry, NB.  I um.  *shifts in chair* So what inspired you to write The Darkest Kiss Series?

Short answer, an overactive imagination. Longer answer, the idea came to me whilst watching the tragic destruction of three couples who couldn’t manage life’s challenges and still keep love alive. They were great people at the mercy of metaphorical vampires, savage beasts and walking serpents, not to mention the demons inside them nipping away. The Darkest Kiss Series is literally a Girl’s Guide to navigating life’s trials, except that it treats the metaphorical as literal.

I believe part of the art in writing is the quiet observation and the ability to turn those brief snapshots of life into an entire story.  What was the most challenging part of writing this series?

The events in the series aren’t consecutive. Some of the different stories take place during the same time in a few of the books, only at different places. The secondary plot however is sequential. Keeping track of everything as it interlaces demands a good memory. I can’t even remember what the first question in this interview was.

Uh *quickly scrolls to top of page to check* yeah, I know what you mean about keeping it all straight, I have trouble with that too.  Carmella, Rowland and Sebastian are the main characters in the first book of the series, titled Tender Kiss.  Who was your favorite to write and why?  Are your characters ever based on someone you know?

Carmella, Rowland and Sebastian are the main characters and each of them has an aspect in their personalities that I love to play with. My favorite, if I had to choose, would have to be Carmella. She’s this almighty vampyre queen who’s about to lose everything because she trusted her heart to the wrong guy. Who hasn’t been there? However, the real problem emerges as destiny seems to be forcing her to trust in another fella. Some scars run too deep and even if they can someday heal, why should this independent, powerful woman rely on another to save her from the proverbial dragon? Unfortunately, whether you’re supernatural or not, life works in such a way that you’ll always need some help at some time. Carmella has to balance what her mind tells her against what her heart needs. Even for a virtual goddess, that isn’t easy. It’s her eventual answer that made me fall in love with her.

All my characters are based on people I know actually, but are a bit more honest about them than they are about themselves.

Oh man.  I’m dying to know who the real Carmella is in your life.  She must be one kick ass woman because this is a character J'adore as well.  You have a knack for creating these delicious male MC’s that women could just devour **cough** Rowland.  What ingredients go in to a sexy alpha?

It’s strange; these guys are basically your everyday average Joe, if he was completely true to who he was, with himself and everyone. It just happens that average isn’t average at all. When your own brand of uniqueness shines at the fore, with the confidence it deserves, I guess it’s just darn sexy.

So my list of ingredients are:

Mix who you are with who you can be. Add an ounce of spirit and a dash of determination, then abaracadabara- sex on a stick. Corny but true.

Damn.  Do you mind if I write this on my bathroom mirror?  Not corny.  You’re absolutely right.  Confidence in who you are and what you can achieve is sexy as hell.  What is your writing routine?  Do you listen to music?  If so, what kind of music?

I have no set in stone routine. I usually just write until exhaustion, and then break off to continue life.  Whilst I wait for the next bolt of inspiration to strike, I think through the story and characters, even take them off script if I have to just to see them squirm. It’s during my thinking time that I’ll listen to music, anything that my iPod lands on, (it’s usually French contemporary). When I’m writing, I prefer silence and solitude. The images and voices in my head are more than enough company.

Hahaha, true, though I think a sultry voice, like Lana del Rey, can sort of anesthetize those voices a little so my fingers can keep up the pace on the keyboard.  I must have music when I write.  Who are your literary influences?

Salman Rushdie, JRR Tolkien, Hemmingway, Jean Rhys, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Roald Dahl, Chinua Achebe, D.H. Lawrence and Bessie Head. There’s a whole lot more but these ten started me on the path to reading.

What is the most valuable advice you’ve been given that you would pass on to other writers?

You write a story but you edit a novel. Truer words were never spoken. Your novel is really what you get after mounds of editing on the story. Attached to that credo I’d add, know your circuit. It’s really important to understand who you’re writing for. Learn everything you can about the demographic and the culture surrounding your genre.

I couldn’t agree more.  What are you currently working on?  Can you give us a little snippet of your favorite scene?

Two works actually, but I hope to have them published under a separate pen name. Working titles are: The Whore Of Camelot and The Death Dealers’ Secret.

Here’s a snippet from The Whore Of Camelot (Still to be edited)

“One thousand.” She’d stop counting. There was no point in continuing. She was sure that they were all dead. All four thousand and sixty four of them - dead.

Uther, as promised, had shown no mercy.

The army of Dunherd had fallen, leaving the women and children no more than open prey. Uther wouldn’t suffer the sons of his enemies another day’s breath. She was sure of it. And as to the daughters, they’d most likely become whores and playthings, at least until they were spent and the edge of a dull blade became their only salvation. If wisdom befell any of the lot, they’d know to take salvation into their own hands.

Salvation and dignity.

But the younglings? Guinevere thought to herself. The ones too little to think beyond their mothers’ breasts. Their fate would be the cruelest. Uther would see them to the mines. To subsist or die as slaves.

Guinevere squeezed the leather cask in her aching hand. She knew what had to be done but the knot, twisting inside her stomach, contested her every step.  The fretful cries of the children hummed along the stone hallway.

Still, Guinevere’s teeth clenched as she fought back the monsoon of despair, desperate to slip out of her lilac irises. A wave of skin cutting cold ravaged her insides.

Still, it had to be done.

WTF?!  NB, somewhere along the line, I suspect you earned a degree in ‘How To Choose The One Scene In A Book That Will Drive Your Readers Crazy With Curiosity’.  This is not the first time you’ve done this to me, and I suspect it will not be the last…*sigh* I asked for it though.  Perhaps I should have specified a chapter-length snippet.  BONUS QUESTION:  Where in the hell does one, who happens to live on an island paradise, go to ‘get away from it all’?

Usually another island, ha, ha, ha…

Want to know more about this brilliant writer?  You can find him here:

VISIT NB Charles WEBSITE

FOLLOW NB Charles on TWITTER

LIKE NB Charles on FACEBOOK

And I recommend you stop by and take a look at his flash and shorts.  You can find them here:  NB Charles Flash & Shorts

Thank you NB for stopping by.  Looking forward to reading more about the Immortals Universe!

Sexiest Couple Award!!

The 2nd Annual Boogity Boo Awards are going on now through the month of April over at I Smell Sheep blog. COLTON AND ALLIE ARE UP FOR SEXIEST COUPLE!!! 

Please stop by and vote!

Phew!  The competition is tough.  I’m truly humbled by the nomination.

The best part…

A sheep will be donated in the winning authors’ names to a third-world family through the organization, World Vision.  How cool is that?!?!

And…. If you leave a comment on the site, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $20 giftcard to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the Book Depository.  More books!

Go go go!!!  CLICK HERE

Unraveling the Mystery - An Interview with Narcisse Navarre

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce Narcisse Navarre, author of steamy erotic novella, The Olive Grove.  First, let's take a good long look at the stunning cover and the blurb: Seeking to escape her unfulfilling life in NYC, Gia impulsively books a vacation to Italy. Wandering lost in an ancient olive grove near the ruins of Hadrian’s Villa she is found by a mysterious stranger. Carried away to a secluded grotto, Gia is spellbound by Oviello, a lover beyond her wildest fantasies. Caught in a world between myth and reality, Gia wonders if her enigmatic captor is the man of her dreams or just a fantasy.

Continue reading to find out how YOU can score a copy of The Olive Grove!!

*stares dreamy eyed*  ahem...sorry, phew!  That cover is...hot.  Now, if I can peel my eyes away from it for a moment, I'll get on with the interview.

First, Narcisse, you have such a mysterious presence on Twitter and Facebook, particularly your enigmatic poetry.  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Thank you for having me on your gorgeous blog Keri!

I was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up on a farm devoid of most major forms of media. I lived a relatively idyllic existence and was safeguarded from the scariest parts of Communism by my loving parents. From a very early age my father instilled in me a love of literature, magic and the fantastic. I didn't grow up with the constant noise of the television or radio or any of the incessant distractions many of the kids have today. I was pretty much a wild child. When I wasn't in school, I was climbing trees, playing make-belief in the woods, riding horses, swimming in the river, reading, and counting stars.

At age four, my mother taught me how to read and write and soon after I developed an interest in poetry. I would spend the days writing silly poems and drawing, tucked deep in the fruit orchards that bordered our stone farm house. My mother tells me I'd stand on the kitchen table and perform a new poem every night. Luckily, my artistic expression in all forms was encouraged and allowed to blossom. I'm fussy and can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to editing and writing prose but poetry just flows. I don't try to bend the words or force it. I don't usually edit poems nor do I delete, erase or rearrange words. I think poetry is part of the most primal me–the wild and carefree soul that grew up in that tiny piece of heaven.

From my father I acquired a love of dreams. He dreamed of one day leaving Cuba and raised me to be self sufficient and critical of my surroundings. Years later, I realized just how hard he had to work to undo the brain washing of the Communist system. It took my father eighteen years to see his wish fulfilled but he did it. In 1984, with the Cuban Army breathing down our backs, we left our country. It was one of the most traumatic periods of my life but also one of the most formative.

Because of my family's courage, I was one of the first people in my family to go to college. Free to pursue my own dreams, I focused on my creativity. I went to school for film and art history, taught myself graphic design and now I'm pursuing a career as a writer and publisher. Needless to say, I have my family to thank for my appreciation of literature, my keen interest in science, travel, art and my indomitable love affair with freedom.

I am one of the most grateful people you will ever meet. If I seem a little strange it's probably because my context is slightly different.

Wow!  Your story is incredibly fascinating.  An example of resilience following a traumatic period, as you mentioned.  And proof that with hard work and focus, dreams can be achieved.  What inspired you to write The Olive Grove? 

As you can surmise by now, my father is a very positive influence in my life. Growing up I was influenced by the fantastic stories he used to tell me about the Greek gods. A lover of mythology himself, my dad took time every night to point out constellations and weave the wondrous tales of the gods. I was spellbound by the struggles and the hubris of these formidable beings. It was in this climate that I developed a fascination with magic and fantasy that continues to this day.

I am not sure when it happened but somewhere along the way I developed a small obsession with Dionysus’s children–satyrs. I have scoured the web for erotic satyr fiction and have often come up empty. The few stories and novels I have downloaded have been interesting but have invariably left me wanting.

I didn’t set out to write The Olive Grove, the story sort of wrote itself. In June 2011, my husband and I went to Europe for two weeks. We started our trip in Rome and visited France, Croatia and Bosnia before heading back to Italy. Since we had already explored Rome, we decided to stay in the outskirts of the city and visit off-the-beaten path sights and small hill towns.

On the third day of our Italian explorations we found ourselves in the dilapidated ruins of Hadrian’s Villa near Tivoli. While the ruined villa was beautiful, what captivated my imagination were the olive groves along its periphery. Everywhere we went were these ancient, gnarled olive trees that stretched in all directions. It was nearly ninety degrees on the day we visited and I had sweat pouring down my back. An hour into the visit I was soaked and perhaps the heat played a trick on me.

I could have sworn that I saw them–satyrs of old darting between trees. I imagined them frolicking, feasting, dancing in some other parallel world kept alive by the ancient magic of the grounds. Certain places have mystical energy that, I believe, transcends time. Hadrian’s Villa with it’s sprawling galleries and baths and three hundred acres worth of Roman greed certainly did. It was almost as if the blood and sacrifice of the slaves and workers that toiled on it had seeped into the earth. The feeling was uncanny.

Almost immediately after our departure I began writing. During the next few nights, as we sat drinking wine in the gorgeous, frescoed galleries of Villa Grazioli (our hotel) the story took shape. By the end of the third day I was possessed with the tale of Gia and her mysterious abductor. About eighty percent of the story was finished by the time we boarded the plane home.

Your father sounds like an amazing individual!  I love Greek mythology and reading about the gods.  And I can attest, the pictures of your travels to Hadrian's Villa, posted on your blog, are gorgeous.  A must see for readers of this interview (see below).  What was the most challenging part of writing this piece?

The Olive Grove just sort of happened. I didn’t have an outline or a structure or even a plan. I was sort of writing by the seat of my pants. As a result, it took me nearly two months after having written the bulk of the story to find an appropriate ending. Wrapping up the tale into a novella-sized piece that wouldn’t disappoint or short-change the characters was the biggest challenge.

I'm the same way when I write.  I pretty much just dive right into the story without much planning.  What have you learned by writing The Olive Grove?

The Olive Grove popped my publishing cherry so to speak. As my first published work it was very daunting to put it out there. I had no idea how it would be received. With the help of my co-author, Marzio Ombra, I had to learn all the steps associated with self-publishing an eBook across various markets.

The novella has been invaluable in terms of getting my ducks in a row for future works. I’ve had a few hiccups with the book in terms of timing, marketing and formatting but I’ve learned from these mistakes. What I would tell self-published authors from my own experience is:

  • Do a soft launch and announce your release date three weeks from the soft launch date. That way if there are issues with the book you will have plenty of time to correct them across any and all platforms before your announced release.
  • If you feel that the cover is not working don’t be afraid to try something new. I did and I’m quite happy with the results. The new cover is turning heads.
  • Stand by your writing and turn a half blind eye to negative reviews. If your writing is good more than likely a bad review just means your book missed the target audience. I recently received a lackluster review from a romance reader. Luckily she was fair enough to say nice things about the writing in spite of the fact she didn’t like the subject matter. Reviewers like this are rare. More than likely when someone doesn’t like the subject matter they slam the whole book. Don’t let great reviews and bad reviews dictate how your day goes. Do your thing and just keep writing.

As it stands I still have much to learn about self-publishing and The Olive Grove is certainly helping me do that. I’m always open to any and all advice other successful authors have regarding self-publishing.

Fantastic advice and I couldn't agree with you more.  It doesn't matter how much you read on the topic, everything seems to fall together and make sense after you've published your first work.  And I think the novella was a great introduction into your publishing career.  Also, good advice about negative reviews.  There isn't a product in existence that hasn't come without a negative review.  Who is (are) your literary influence(s)?  What book could you read over and over?

I have a never-ending curiosity when it comes to all things magical and scientific. Recently I’ve developed a keen interest in theoretical physics so I’ve been devouring books on the holographic nature of the universe, zero point fields and other oddities. I’ve also been reading my share of history books like The Dream and the Tomb, Guns, Germs and Steel, The Assasins and the history of Byzantium. As far as influences I have quite a few. I love the magical realism of Marquez and the heady thickness of Suskind. As you can imagine I’ve read Bram Stoker’s Dracula many times over as well as The Hobbit.

As I said before, a very intriguing mind...  I happen to know that you are a fellow demon aficionado.  What do you think makes these beings so enticing to some women?

Demons….Mmmm….where do I begin? The demons in the books Marzio Ombra and I are writing are more akin to the Greek daimons then they are to their cloven-hooved, satanic counterparts. They are a race of immortal beings of extraordinary beauty, power and grace lacking our Judeo-Christian values. Our demonic societies exist on planes bordering the prime-material world and tend to be extremely draconic. I really despise cookie cutter characters and so we’ve painted our demons in brilliant shades of gray. Dante’s Inferno is so last year! Who needs these unbendable concepts of good and evil? I think what makes our demons sexy, and ultimately irresistible, is the power they wield coupled with their humanity. Pure evil doesn’t turn anyone on. Give a supremely powerful character a dirge of a conscience and watch them draw the crowds!

Gray is a beautiful color!  I love multi-dimensional characters that charm readers into falling in love with them by the end of the story.  What is your writing routine?  I noticed that you have a magnificent writing nook *jealous*  Do you use music when you write?

No one said self-publishing was going to be easy right? Even with my formidable magical skills of accomplishment I have my hands full. The writing routine is something I’m desperately working on improving. I’ve built a nice escritoire that is quiet but the second part of the equation, of course, is time. Like most self-published authors just starting out, I have a career. Four out of seven days a week I get to the gym around seven, work out half hour and get home around eight. Between eight and nine thirty I get to shower, eat dinner and spend time with my husband. It’s only around ten or so that I sit down to write, blog, tweet, work on artwork and run my freelance business. Yes, I know, I’m insane. I usually get to bed around 1AM and try to sneak tweets and blog posts between the 9-5 hours.

Originally I had set a goal of writing 1000 words a day but this soon fell to the wayside. There are days when I can sit down and write 5000 words and some when I can only do 200. The 1000 word-a-day plan wasn’t working for me psychologically. I started giving myself a lot of guilt when I didn’t meet that goal in spite of the fact that I had accomplished a great many things that day (like launching web sites, doing blog posts, working on cover art, etc.).

On occasion I do listen to music but it’s not a constant. Unlike my husband who can’t fall asleep without the TV blaring, I prefer silence. I don’t seem to need background music or noise but if it’s there I can easily tune it out. Music is a source of inspiration but not always while I’m working.

To be perfectly honest, I need to develop a better plan for writing my novels. The Books of Lirios is looking like six books and I need to get cracking. Somehow, I need to find a way to do more. Now where did I put that portable pocket dimension thingamajigger? Hmmm. I sure do hope it turns up soon!

*slowly slips portable pocket dimension thingamajigger into pocket, careful not to rouse attention*  Yikes!  I thought I kept crazy hours.  You're a machine!  What are you currently working on?  Do you intend to self-publish again?

The Khajj project has evolved significantly since its inception two years ago. Marzio and I wanted to present a radically different self-publishing experience. The trilogy will be accompanied by a musical soundtrack (Music of the Dreams) and an erotic coffee-table art book featuring scenes from the novels. We are still debating whether the art book will be interactive (iPad), print, or both. We've had incredible success working with extremely talented artists like Mark Blanton, Gary Martin, Lucas Pandolfelli and others in terms of capturing the essence of our dark fantasy.

You can listen to a short 30 second clip of Music of the Dreams here:

February 2012 will see the release of a vampire novella titled An Endless Hunger. It is not romance or erotica but a very deep and dark work of psychological horror. Following An Endless Hunger, towards the latter part of 2012 we are hoping to publish the first book in the Khajj series titled The Soulbinder’s Covenant. Assuming the world doesn’t end, 2013 will see the release of Z.H.E.N.N. a hard-edged sci-fi thriller and the second book in the Khajj series (as of yet untitled). Future projects in the pipeline include a Steampunk erotica book titled Nahja and more. We’ve been busy!

Amazing things happen when artists collaborate!  I'm so looking forward to reading An Endless Hunger in February.  And you can be sure the Soulbinder's Covenant will be on my TBR list.  Where can readers get their hands on a copy of The Olive Grove?

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

SMASHWORDS

iTUNES

SONY

KOBO

They can find an excerpt at:

http://www.khajj.com/the-olive-grove-exerpt/

Inspiration for The Olive Grove and pictures of Hadrian’s Villa:

http://www.khajj.com/inspiration-strikes-at-hadrians-sprawling-villa/

BONUS QUESTION:  If you could create a portal that would transport you anywhere and to any period of time you wished, where would you go and why?

One of the joys in my life is the ability to travel. Knowing me, I’d like a portal to the portal maker so that I could finagle a few more. Since I have just one, however, it would have to be Veronica Franco’s Venice. I have been to Venice four times and each and every single time I am convinced I belong there. I would jump at the opportunity to see it in its heyday with the courtesans dangling their wares over the Rialto. By the 1500’s Venice was the most powerful and populous Italian city–a veritable stronghold of trade, art and culture. The pageantry and decadence of Venice at this period is something I can only begin to imagine. Experiencing it in person during a time of such prosperity would be the ultimate treat. My little black book would be filled to the brim with appointments. On my notable “to do” list would be posing for Titian, coffee with Giorgione, saucy debates with Franco, masked revelry with Dürer and sensuous feasting with Bellini. Look closely at Bellini’s Feast of the Gods. Just where do you think that satyr is taking that wine anyway?

Feast of the Gods: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/The_Feast_of_the_Gods-1514_1529-Giovanni_Bellini_and_Titian.jpg

Hahaha!  And I should have set some rules...like no creating portals to the portal maker!  I've never been to Venice, but you have effectively made it sound like a place where I'd like to have a secret portal - not merely meant for visiting, but experiencing!

Want to know more about this fascinating author and her writing?

Check out her website at http://www.khajj.com/

Now if you'd like to win a copy of The Olive Grove, Narcisse has generously offered 3 copies to give away!

**WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN?**

1.  Sign up to her blog.  Just click on the link below and enter your email address (easy peasy):

BLOG SIGN UP

AND...

2.  Leave a comment below.  Tell me what sexy supe you'd like to frolic in the olive groves with...vampire, werewolf, satyr, demon?

Be sure to include an email address when posting your comment.

Winner will be drawn at midnight on Monday, February 6th.

We're Talkin' Sexy Alphas - Interview with Angela Addams

I’m delighted to introduce a writer friend of mine, Angela Addams, author of The Temptress, Assassin and Ghost Bride.  She just recently released a new title, Going the Distance.  First, a quick glimpse of the book and its cover:

Here is the blurb for the book:

He’s been in love with her since they were teenagers, Steph Randall, the most wanted woman on the planet. Pierced by Cupid’s arrow as teens, Ronan fell hard for Steph, he had plans for them, even bought a ring, only to discover that her ambition was stronger than their love. Cupid had failed to win her heart and join the couple. Now Cupid needs to fix things, an incredible boon if he can succeed. All he has to do is show Steph what she is missing.

As an award-winning actress, Steph has a mind of her own and is blinded by her ambition. Yet, for all her money and fame, the only time she truly finds peace is when she is in Ronan’s arms. She thinks that all she needs is a friend with benefits, but with a little Cupid intervention, Ronan suddenly finds that he can’t tolerate it any longer and Steph is forced to choose. What will she risk losing for her ambition? And what is Ronan willing to give up to get his girl?

Angela is giving away an ebook copy of this beauty...continue on to find out how YOU can enter to win it!

Now, to get down and dirty with some questions...er, not dirty...just down.  Ok, nevermind.  Here is my interview with the lovely Angela:

First Angela, I follow your blog and came across a recent post where you and author Anne Michaud discuss being goth.  In it, you mentioned the movie, The Crow.  I nearly spewed the sip of water I’d just taken when I read this.  I believe this movie was a turning point for me.  I’d always written dark poems and stories about death and vengeance, but at such an impressionable age, this movie put it out there and made it cool.  Suddenly, I didn’t feel like a freak about my love for the dark and twisted.  What influenced your love for goth or do you feel it’s always been an inherent part of your DNA? 

Thanks for having me on your blog, Keri!

I have always been interested in the paranormal, from the time that I was a little kid until now. I devoured Anne Rice’s Witching Hour series as a teen and immersed myself into vampire lore and literature soon after that. I can’t say I’ve always written paranormal stuff because that didn’t really come until a friend pointed out that that’s what I really should be writing…and then I had this light bulb moment where I was like, “Duh! Of course that’s what I should be writing!”

I was a goth as a teen, still am one at heart ;-) Loved being different in my small town and sending out that creepy vibe to all the normal folk. There was an element of danger, and of course a big eff u to the “cool” (boring), normal looking, popular groups. It was awesome!

Haha!  Flipping the boring cool kids off...Why do you think women are drawn to paranormal romance?  What is it about these books and movies that make being seduced by a vampire, werewolf or demon so much more appealing than the average Joe Schmo? 

I think what draws us to these creatures is partly the element of danger, and partly the fantasy of an exotic, feral, wild alpha male who is usually characterized as being intensely passionate, possessive, and protective. It’s the allure of eternal life and venturing into the unknown. These heroes are the epitome of bad boy and you know how we all love the bad boys ;-)

Oh God…excuse me while I collect myself.  You just used ‘exotic’, ‘feral’ and ‘wild alpha male’ in the same sentence…the power of words.  Must stop fantasizing about running naked through the woods with this sexy beast! *cough*  Ok Angie, I have a feeling I’m going to know the answer to this question before I even…finish…typing it.  Your female characters – tough as nails or sweet and demure?  Why?

I’d have to go with tough as nails…for the most part. In The Temptress, Assassin and Going the Distance, my female leads are strong seductresses who know what they want and go after it. That doesn’t mean that they all carry swords and kick ass, but each has her own way of getting results. In Ghost Bride my female lead is softer, more innocent…although she does kick some pretty serious ass in her own way at a certain point. I respect strong women and I can guarantee that all of my mc’s are going to have, or discover that they have, strength in some way. I was raised to believe that a strong woman is a worthy woman and that girls can do anything. That doesn’t mean that I write my characters as stone cold females, but I do give them an edge so that they don’t take things lying down…or at least they don’t for long.

Girls rule!!  *clears throat*  Sorry for that.  What is your writing routine?  Any odd habits or rituals that you simply must perform in order to kick start your muse or do you just dive right in?

I don’t have a muse. Sorry, it’s just not something I believe in. I control my writing process and refuse to allow the notion of needing some outside influence in order to get to work. I treat writing as I do my day job. I outline, I set my word count target and I write. Period. Not very romantic, I know, but that’s the way I am. I’m very goal oriented and efficient. With an idea of where I’m headed via my outline, I can pump out what I need. I have never missed a quota target that I’ve set for myself.  (Usually 10K a week when I’m working on a project).

Oh man…the second I try to outline, it’s over.  You’re a machine!  Of all your published titles, which character is your favorite and why?

Oh, no, nope, won’t fall for that one! I love them all!!! Equally, just like my kids ;-)

I will say, just between you and I, that I love Ronan and Steph from my newest release, Going the Distance. They aren’t picture perfect, in fact, they both have some hurtles to overcome, but their chemistry is incredible! I love reading their story (and not just because I wrote it ;-)

Imperfection is what makes a great story, IMO.  Who is (are) your biggest literary influence(s)?  What book could you read again and again?

I have to say that without the amazing, Kelley Armstrong, I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have! She not only opened the doors to urban fantasy in Canada, but she is also one of the most helpful, personable and talented writers I’ve had the pleasure to interact with.

I will also say that Anne Rice, Kresley Cole, D.B. Reynolds, Rhyannon Byrd and Karen Marie Moning are all incredibly talented storytellers who inspire me to write sexy erotic romance. Any of their books are ones that I will read repeatedly.

Wonder if chains are on sale at Home Depot this week?  *straightens in seat* Ahem, my apologies, you mentioned Kresley Cole…just having a Rydstrom moment.  Moving on.  Are you a coffee, latte or tea drinker?

I’m a coffee and latte drinker. I love the flavored coffees, Caramel Macchiato, Peppermint Mocha…yum! But on a day-to-day basis I brew my own at home!

Mmmmm…Peppermint Mocha.  My favorite!  Of all the supernatural beings (vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, zombies, shifters, etc), which is your favorite to write about?  Why?

I love to write about witches actually, although I haven’t yet published a novella about witches ;-) I’ve been working on an urban fantasy with my agent that deals with my love of witches quite well though!

For my erotic romances I love vampires, werewolves, ghosts…oh my! Do I really have to pick just one? They’re all so yummy! Strong alpha males with delicious, hot bodies, mmmmm…yeah, do you really have to ask why I’d love to write about them?

Well, I was actually asking why you preferred a certain species over another, but since you love them all, think I can guess why ;)…hahaha!  For me, its those lovable badboy demons.  Oooh.  Incubi.  Or angels with a dark side *winks*  Sexy as hell… What is the release date of Going the Distance and where can readers purchase the book?

Going the Distance was released on Dec. 28 and you can find it at Evernight Publishing

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/angela-addams/

BONUS QUESTION:  Lestat de Lioncourt or Eric Northman?

Ohhhhh, that’s a tough one. I think I’ll have to go with Eric simply because he is so masculine and sooooo sexy! Lestat is great and all, but he’s not savvy with the times like Eric is, and I don’t think he’s quite the alpha that I need ;-)

Eric is pretty yum, though I must admit, I'm 100% Team Alcide.

I HAD to post this because I don’t know that I’ll conduct another interview where I’d get the pleasure of throwing in a Trent Reznor song at the end of it.

Ahhh….one of my favorite NIN songs:

The Fragile

Want to know more about this talented writer and her 'exotic', 'feral' and 'wild alpha males'?  Check out the links below!

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ANGELA ADDAMS

TWITTER

EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING

FACEBOOK

AMAZON AUTHOR CENTRAL

GOODREADS

Thanks for letting me pick your brain, Angela. I wish you success on your newest release, Going the Distance!

WANNA WIN AN EBOOK COPY OF Going the Distance??? 

Simply leave a comment below.  Winner will be randomly drawn next week!! 

Most Interesting Interview in the World...

Today I'm on the very lovely Aimee Laine's blog, discussing some important topics like how I'd like to be prepared by cannibals, why spiders scare the hell out of me and my most embarrassing moment.  This is your opportunity to ask a question!  Leave your question in the comments section :) :) Come check it out!!  Click HERE.

Step Inside My Head - An Author Interview

The very awesome Colin F. Barnes, author of The City of Hell Chronicles, interviewed me on his blog and asked some very interesting questions... Curious to know why I decided to self-publish?  What 5 books I'd like to have if stranded on a desert island?  Where I plan to be in 5 years?

Click HERE to check it out!  I'd love to know your thoughts, so feel free to leave a comment.

Interview and Giveaway!!

 

Please take a moment to stop by the very lovely J.A. Belfield's blog!  I'm giving away a SIGNED print copy of my upcoming release, Somnium, AND a bookmark.  All YOU have to do is leave a comment and you are automatically entered into the drawing!  But you only have until December 11th, so hurry on over!

Stop by and check it out!  Just click  HERE

Also....

The very kind MC has interviewed me on her blog as well!  Leave a comment and you'll be in the running for a FREE ebook (Kindle or epub format)!!!

The deadline for this contest is December 15th, so get your comment posted before then!

You can find MC's blog by clicking  HERE