Interview + Giveaway: Thea Harrison

Next week one of my favourite books of 2011 is being released. Today we have Thea Harison here with us answering a few questions about Dragon Bound.

What can you tell us about Dragon Bound?

Dragon Bound is the story of what happens when you get two people with opposing philosophies together. Pia, the heroine, ascribes to that old adage from Charles Schultz’s Peanut characters: there is no problem so big you can’t run away from it. On the other hand, Dragos believes there is no problem so small, no theft so minor, that he can’t track it down. It’s sort of their version of the unstoppable force meeting the immoveable object. Through the course of the story Dragos discovers he might enjoy being surprised by Pia, and Pia realizes there are some problems she doesn’t actually want to run away from.

The main characters are Wyr (or at least half Wyr). What exactly is a Wyr? Do they all have similar abilities or does it depend on the type of Wyr they are?

Wyr are, in essence, two-natured creatures, or shape shifters. All Wyr have a few abilities that are similar. They have a human form and some kind of animal or “other” form (such as gargoyles or harpies), the ability to shift between the two, enhanced healing capabilities, and they mate for life. Wyr have plenty of differences as well. There are three main different classifications of Wyr. Immortal Wyr came into being at the Earth’s formation. Normal Wyr can be any kind of animal species with a lifespan of around two hundred years old. Unique Wyr have animal forms that do not appear in mundane species, and they may have lifespans that differ from the usual. Individual difference also occur in the Wyr.

Let’s talk about the Elder Races. How long have they existed? What kind of creatures or societies are considered part of the Elder Races?

The Elder Races are essentially any creature or society that existed before the proliferation of humankind civilization. The Elder Races are often long-lived and magical in nature and they tend to cluster in or near to Other lands. There are the Wyrkind and the Elves, the Light and Dark Fae, the Nightkind, and Demonkind. Like the Wyrkind classification, there are many types of creatures labeled Nightkind and Demonkind. Because they have Power and are not mundane, human witches are also considered part of the Elder Races.

In the continental U.S. there are seven Elder Races demesnes. The seat of the Wyrkind demesne is based in New York City. The seat of Elven demesne is based in Charleston, South Carolina. The Dark Fae’s demesne is centered in Chicago, and the Light Fae demesne is based in Los Angeles. The Nightkind, which includes all forms of Vampyres, controls the San Francisco/Bay area and the Pacific Northwest, while the human witches, considered part of the Elder Races due to their command of magical Power, are based in Louisville, Kentucky. Demonkind, like the Wyr and the Vampyres, consist of several different types that included goblins and Djinn, and their seat is based in Houston.

In the world you’ve created the Elder Races and the humans live openly among each other. Was there some sort of revelation in the past or have humans always known about them? Are there any races that remain secret?

Well, secrets and machinations abound in the Elder Races, so you never know! But mostly in this universe humans have always known about the Elder Races. For example, in ancient Egypt and Greece, people of the Elder Races were often considered gods by humans. At some point I think it would be very interesting do more world-building and write about those alternative histories. For now I content myself with telling those histories in bits and pieces as background for the main stories.

The main villains in the story are the Dark Fae. What started the animosity between them and the Wyr? Is there any other type of Fae that is not dark? What are the differences between them if they exist?

There are two types of Fae, the Light Fae and the Dark Fae. Ireland has two demesnes, a Light Fae and a Dark Fae, where the kingdoms are seated in Other lands. In the United States, the Dark Fae are based in Chicago but they have mostly been sequestered in their Other land named Adriyel. The Light Fae are based in Los Angeles.

Aside from geographical and political differences, the Dark Fae and the Light Fae are also different in coloring and in manifestations of Power. The Light Fae is a blond, charismatic race, with either blue or green eyes, and they have an aversion to iron. The Dark Fae are black-haired, with pale skin and gray eyes, and they often have a gift for metallurgy.

What are you working on right now? Do you plan to write a story that doesn’t have any Wyr as main characters? I find Quentin to be a very interesting character ... any hopes on him getting his own story?

Ah, yes, Quentin. His story might well be coming up soon (hint hint). Right now I am working on book four in the series, currently titled Oracle’s Moon. This is my first foray into main characters that are not Wyr. The story is set in the human witches’ demesne of Louisville, Kentucky. Demonkind are also involved. I’m quite excited! There are so many possibilities to explore in the Elder Races universe. In fact, I’m making early plans for a story about Elves soon!

Thanks so much for being here today, Thea!

Thanks so much for having me! It’s been a pleasure to visit with you, and to share some of the Elder Races universe with readers!

You can find out more about Thea and her books on her site.
You can also check out my review of Dragon Bound here.


Giveaway
I have one copy of Dragon Bound to giveaway.
US/Canada only / Ends May 5th.
All you have to do is fill out the form.

Interview: Jon F. Merz

Two weeks ago the last novel of the Lawson the Fixer series by Jon F. Merz was released, Today te author is here answering some questions.

Meet Lawson. A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance between vampires and humans, he is part cop, part spy, and part commando — James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home. In The Kensei, a battle-weary Lawson heads to Japan for a little rest and some advanced ninja training. But he no sooner steps off the plane than lands in the midst of a Yakuza turf war orchestrated by a shadowy figure known as the Kensei. With the help of Talya, a former KGB-assassin, Lawson must put a stop to the Kensei’s organ trafficking networks, prevent the creation of an army of vampire-human hybrids, and save his own skin in the process.


How long did it take you to write the book?

Since this is the 5th Lawson book, it didn't take me as long as the firts book. I know Lawson very well by now and much of what happens in The Kensei (in terms of the martial arts subplot) is what happened to me on a trip to Japan in February 2003. It was great to be able to inject so much of my firsthand experience into the novel and hopefully, that will come through for the readers as well. I think the idea of blurring the line between fantasy and reality is a fun one to play with in fiction.

What kind of research did you do before writing The Kensei?

The Kensei, in some ways, is the culmination of my 20 years of training in Ninjutsu. A lot of what happens to Lawson throughout The Kensei is based on what happened to me during the trip I spoke about earlier. So, in order to reach that point in my training, it was necessary to study this martial arts system for many years. Additionally, some of the plot ideas with regards to the organ trafficking come from in-depth discussions I've had with several associates of mine who are involved in trying to stop the perpetrators of such crimes.

What are you working on right now?
St. Martin's just signed me on to do another Lawson novel, so the next one - THE RIPPER - will be out in Spring 2012. I need to write that and get it handed in by June. Otherwise, I'm polishing up a middle grade/YA boys adventure series right now that I hope to find a great home for. Additionally, my entire backlist (including all of the Lawson Vampire adventures) just went live on Amazon for the Kindle and on Barnes & Noble.com for the Nook. I hope to sell tons of those!

Can you tell us a little about what happened in previous novels of the Lawson series?
Each Lawson novel is a standalone adventure, so there's no need to read them in order. Lawson has dealt with his fair share of very bad people over the course of his career. In the first book - The Fixer, he has to deal with an old enemy coming back to Boston to awaken an ancient vampire god. In The Invoker, Lawson has to protect a young boy with the power to conjure the spirits of dead vampires. In The Destructor, Lawson has to battle SHiva - a half-vampire, half-lycanthrope assassin intent on murdering the head of the vampire governing body, the Council. And in the fourth book, The Syndicate, Lawson heads to New York to find his missing cousin and runs into vampire organized crime who are about to unleash a new synthetic drug upon the masses. Intermingled with these novels are some novellas and stories that pretty much put Lawson into every horrible situation you can imagine.

How would you describe The Kensei?
The Kensei is a rebirth for Lawson. By the end of The Syndicate, Lawson is burned out, battle weary and heads to Japan for some rest and advanced ninja training. But throughout the course of the book, he comes to realize a number of things about himself and his work, and even his relationship with his girlfriend Talya. So as much as The Kensei is one wild and hellish roller coaster ride for Lawson, he also comes to find a rebirth of his spirit and a rejuvenation of his understanding of his life's work.

What sets apart Lawson from other vampires?
Lawson is a Fixer - divinely chosen from birth to protect the Balance: the secret existence of vampires. He's part-spy, part-commando - think James Bond with fangs. He is the pinnacle of the elite and a whispered rumor in the world of vampires. The Fixer Service is a shadowy organization within an already shadowy race. But Lawson is also a conflicted soul: he hates drinking blood and is in love with a human woman - something forbidden in his society. So how does he reconcile the fact that he enforces the laws he himself violates? I think it makes for a very interesting perspective.

What's different about your vampires? What can you tell us about the hidden world the book is set in?
There are no sparkly vampires in my series. Lawson isn't immortal - neither are any other vampires in my books - but a member of a race of living vampires that have coexisted alongside humanity for thousands of years. Over time, their ingestion of blood has enabled them to distill the life force energy out of it, prolonging their lives and making them much stronger than normal. But the vampires are virtually indistinguishable from humanity, making them that much harder to identify, and indeed, helping to blur that line between fantasy and reality.

Thanks for being here today and good luck with The Kensei.
Thank you very much! I encourage readers to sign up for my free newsletter by going to my website: http://www.jonfmerz.net - it's got free fiction and much more every month!

Interview + Giveaway: Faith Hunter

Mercy Blade, the 3rd Jane Yellowrock book by Faith Hunter, is being released today. Faith is here with us answering some questions about the series and her latest book.

Things are heating up in the Big Easy. Weres have announced their existence tot he world, and revived the bitter tensions that run between them and their old enemies: vampires. As a trusted employee of Leo Pellissier, Blood Master of the City, Jane finds herself caught in the cross fire.

When Jane is attacked by a pack of marauding were-wolves, she is thankful for the help of a mysterious stranger named Girrard. He explains that he used to be Leo’s “Mercy Blade,” a sacred position charged with killing vampires who have gone insane. What Jane doesn’t know is why this powerful assassin left New Orleans − or, more troubling, why he’s now returned. It’s definitely not to make Jane’s life easier...

Which of all your books did you have more fun writing?
Hmmm. That’s like asking a mother which baby was easiest to birth. Hard to answer, because it’s all hard work! But, I suppose, Skinwalker was the most pure fun. There is something exhilarating about creating a world, where it’s all new and fresh and full of discovery. Learning the way that Jane and Beast live was like journey into the darks of their minds.

What are you working on right now?
Raven Cursed, book four of the Jane Yellowrock series.
Rogue Mage, the role playing game / world book for the Rogue Mage series. Five short stories, 2 set in Jane’s world, 2 in Thorn St. Croix’s world, and one just for fun! Whew! I’m busy!

What can you tell us about Mercy Blade?
Kirsten Nolan a reviewer for bookseriesreviews.blogspot.com came up with a great blurb for it. Hope you don’t mind me posting it here… It’s way better than any I came up with!

Jane Yellowrock, Rogue Vampire Hunter, is working for the vampires. That means delivering unwelcome messages to snarly supernaturals, and overseeing security for parties and balls, amongst other things. And it means she's got to work closely with Bruiser, which makes Jane uncomfortable and Beast very happy. When the werewolves and werecats come out of the closet on international television Jane begins to learn that there is still a lot of Vampire and Supernatural history she hasn't learned. Unfortunately, not knowing what happened 100 years ago can mean the difference in understanding current events and being totally out of the loop. Jane doesn't deal well with being out of the loop, but between an absent boyfriend and pieces of history she doesn't understand -- she has to survive as best she can.

How much control and/or influence does Beast have over Jane?
A lot more than Jane thinks she does. And Beast is amused that Jane thinks she is alpha and Beast is beta. Not always so. They have a love-hate relationship, made very difficult because their two souls share the same body. And … they keep secrets from one another. Sometimes big secrets!

At this point, how many people know Jane is a skinwalker and how many suspect?
Hmmm. (thinking) Knows: By the end of Mercy Blade, Molly, Big Evan, and Angie Baby. The vamp priestess, Sabina. The Mercy Blade. Those who suspect: Leo. All the vamps have always known she isn’t human, because she smells so different. Bruiser suspects something, but isn’t sure what. The weres suspect. Bethany suspects. Derek Lee and his soldiers. Evangelina knows something, but not what.

One of the things I've been wondering about is: what happened with the sliver of the cross?
The item from vamp history that was featured in BloodCross comes back into play for a brief moment in Mercy Blade. And also maybe in book five (as yet untitled). However, just for you I’ll say, Sabina gets it back.

It seems like right now Leo is in grieving mode. How has he been doing? Is that going to change anytime soon? Does he still blame Jane?
One major plot line in Mercy Blade is all about Leo, and why he is so out of control, and how he might be better. By the end of Mercy Blade, Leo is well on the road to working through his grief. I’m not finished with Raven Cursed yet, but it feels as if he will be over his grief by the book’s end and ready to move forward. In lots of ways! Leo is a survivor. He sees the long-view, meaning that he isn’t bothered by the short term setbacks of life. If he doesn’t get what he wants today, he’ll simply play a waiting game and get it tomorrow. Jane hasn’t figured that out yet!

Can you tell us a bit more about how the witches work? Also, are we ever going to see where Jane lives?
Second question first. Mercy Blade opens in Jane’s apartment in the Appalachian Mountains. Raven Cursed takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. But Jane is growing and changing, and is a woman without a true home, for now. When she finds her home, her true home, then I can share with everyone. Right now, I’m in the dark too!
Witches are going to explained a lot better in Raven Cursed, and we get to see the working of a full coven, which is always at least five witches. There can be fewer witches in a working group, as long the non-witches have some gift, or awareness of power. Such people can be used as power sinks or to funnel power through to but for a big working, you always need five. And for the biggest workings and the best strongest covens, one needs one witch of each major power: water, air, stone (mineral), earth, moon are the most common, but there are also a few fire witches, and a very few rare others.

Bruiser and Rick are both love interests for Jane. Is the choice she made at the end of Blood Cross final? Is there still hope for the other guy?
As Beast says, “Big cats do not mate for life.”
Jane is never going to be an easy woman to love or to live with. I think she will always have rocky relationships. Hope for another guy? Heck yes! And her Beast reeeeeally likes Bruiser and Leo.

Is there yet a release date for the 4th book, Raven Cursed?
Nothing is written in stone yet. I hope for an early release. Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks so much for being here today, Faith.
It was and is my pleasure!

You can learn more about Faith on her site.

Giveaway
I have one copy of Mercy Blade to giveaway.
US only / Ends January 11th.
All you have to do is fill out the form.

Interview + Giveaway: Linda Robertson

Arcane Circle, the 4th Persephone Alcmedi books will be released on the 28th of this months. Today we have the author is here answering some questions.

After facing down the forces of Fairy in mortal combat, Persephone Alcmedi still must deal with the aftermath. Not only does Seph now possess deadly secrets she must hide from the arcane and mundane world alike, but the dozens of magical creatures who’ve taken up residence behind her cornfield need food and shelter, and there’s still her foster daughter Beverly’s tenth birthday party to plan.

And that’s not all. . . . Seph’s boyfriend Johnny has revealed himself as the wærewolf Domn Lup, and the ruler of the wære world is en route from Romania to make sure Johnny really is the “king” he claims to be. But Johnny’s hiding a dangerous secret: his magic is locked in his mysterious tattoos. He and Seph must find a way for him to reclaim it—fast—despite those who have no intention of letting Johnny gain his full powers. Seph knows that, in the arcane world, strength is always a necessity and power must be constantly proven, but how far is she willing to go to succeed . . . and at what cost?

How many hours a day do you dedicate to writing? Do you write in a specific place?
It depends on the day. If its a snow day and the boys are home from school (we just had 2 in a row...sigh) I got zero hours of writing in. When they get to ride the big yellow bus, however, I write at least 3 hours a day but usually more like 6 hours, and then I pick up an hour or two in the evening once dinner and the homework checking is complete.

Do you have any new projects in the works?
I am working on book five of the Persephone Alcmedi series. I reworked an old manuscript in between books four and five, but I'm still not sure its ready for others to see it. :-)

If you could hang out with one of your characters, which one would you pick?

Johnny. Wait, maybe Menessos. I could say Nana, but she's so much like my mom and my aunts that I feel like I hang out with her anyway.

What can you tell us about Arcane Circle?

Sometimes, searching for the past leaves a head-slap on the present.

We know that Persephone is the Lustrata. What exactly does that mean? How long has it been since there was one?

Well, everyone thinks they know. The witches have their idea. The waeres have theirs. Even the vampires have a take on that legend. Persephone's going to find out first hand and, if you keep reading, you will too. In the mythos, the last Lustrata lived a about two thousand and thirty-some years ago.

It seems like little by little Persephone has to deal with more and more problems. Is this going to escalate as more people find out she's the Lustrata? How many people know?
Oh yes. (Mwahahahahaha!) The big-wigs of the witches, waeres and vamps all know, but aren't sure what to do, if anything should be done, etc. That starts unfolding more in book five.

After the events of Fatal Circle, do the witches hold a grudge? Is persephone going to have any allies there?
Some do and some don't. To say more would point to spoilers I have planned for future books.

In Arcane Circle we finally get to meet some powerful werewolves. How do they feel about Johnny being the Domn Lup?
Alpha's don't like to share power. Some out of nowhere wannabe-rockstar suddenly appearing and claiming to be the Domn Lup and take a big piece of their pie? Yeah, they are NOT happy.

After everything we've learn about Menessos, he still feels like a big mystery. Are there going to be any surprises in that front? Can you tell us anything new about him?
Behind the vampires is a mystery that Persephone will have to unravel slowly. As for Menessos...well, he might be dead. Hee hee.

One on the things I liked the most about Fatal Circle was the introduction of the elementals. What is going to happen to them? Can you give us any kind of information about them?

They play a big role in the theme of Arcane Circle. There's a lot of construction, a lot of change going on at the farmhouse in order for Seph to keep them safely. They'll be around a while; they have much to do as her destiny unfolds.

Thanks so much for being here today, Linda.

Aww, my pleasure! Thank you for having me!

You can learn more about the author on her site.

Linda is also giving away a signed copy of Arcane Circle.
International
Ends on December 31st.
All you have to do is fill out the form.

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Interview: Christina Henry

Today Christina Henry is here with us to talk about her debut novel Black Wings, that was released last week.

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

How long did it take you to write the book?

I spent about six months in early 2008 picking at the first 60 pages of Black Wings, writing a little bit at a time when I felt like it. Then I decided to really buckle down and get the manuscript done. Once I decided that it took about 5 ½ weeks to write the rest.

How would you define Black Wings?

I would define it as an urban fantasy with a little bit of humor, a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance and a lot of action. I think (I hope!) it’s different from most UF’s in that it doesn’t prominently feature vampires or werewolves.

Maddy Black is an Agent of death. It’s an inherited job with no pay. She’s broke, she’s stressed and she’s got to rent the apartment in her building if she wants to have some income. She takes on a new tenant who winds up bringing a whole host of new supernatural problems with him. She’s also got a very mouthy gargoyle with a bad popcorn habit who loves to express his opinion on everything.

Maddy is an Agent of death. What exactly does that mean?

Being an Agent of Death means you’re responsible for the transition a soul makes from life to death. It is basically a crummy, unpaid job that you inherit from your parent or your closest blood relative when they die. Maddy’s mom died when she was 14 and she’s been doing this ever since. She escorts souls after they’re dead to a place called the Door, where they get some kind of choice, but don’t ask what the choice is – Maddy’s not allowed to know!

Why did you decided to make the job of Agent of death permanent?

I didn’t want it to be something Maddy could wriggle out of. I don’t think it’s a job that anyone would volunteer for so I wanted her to be locked in to a set of responsibilities. Then when all the monsters start showing up she’s got to do her job and deal with this new set of stressors – just like everyone else who has to juggle their work life and home life and so on. Even though she has a supernatural job I wanted her to be relatable.

The agents get an envelope every week with the souls they have to escort. Has anyone ever tried to save the person's life instead of letting him die? What would be the consequences if something like that did happen?

Agents can’t mess with the order of the universe. If someone is supposed to die an Agent can’t stop it, no matter how tragic or horrible that death might be. Their job is to help the soul pass over from life to death. An Agent can, however, intervene in a death that is NOT meant to be – but there aren’t too many of those, and usually they don’t find out until it’s too late.

Can you explain a little how the Agents hierarchy works?

It’s a lot like a big faceless corporate insurance agency. There are cubicles and paperwork and layers upon layers of supervisors. I thought it would be funny if death were a giant bureaucracy.

Gabriel is a very mysterious character at the beginning. What can you tell us about him?

When he shows up at Maddy’s house he’s definitely got an agenda of his own and that agenda involves Maddy. There’s a lot she doesn’t know about herself and her family history and Gabriel knows more than she does.

Why did you pick a gargoyle as Maddy's best friend?

Since Beezle is a home guardian he’s pretty much always around, unlike a roommate or relative who might possibly have a life of one’s own. Beezle’s life is Maddy’s life – he delights in sticking his beak in her business – and everyone else’s business for that matter. This keeps him readily on hand for whatever I might need – a quick bit of dialogue or a little comic relief.

What kind of creatures can we expect in Black Wings?

Well, I don’t want to give too much away, but there are definitely angels and demons – and no vampires or werewolves to speak of!

What are you working on right now? Have you finished the second book?

I have finished writing the second book of the Madeline Black series, Black Night and am starting work on the third. It’s been so much fun exploring this character further and opening up the world more. I’m pretty excited to see what happens next for Maddy!

Thanks so much for being here today!

Thank you for having me here!

You can check out my review of Black Wings here.
You can also find more info about the author on her site.

Interview: Elle Jasper

The first book of the series "The Dark Ink Chronicles" by Elle Jasper was released last week. Today we have her here to answer some questions about her new book.

The Dupres have been Savannah's guardians, appointed by a band of root doctors and hoodooists, for nearly two hundred years. They've all grown...complacent. Now, the Arcos brothers, who've long been entombed at Bonaventure, have been inadvertently freed by a group of teenagers horsing around in the cemetery. Determined to take revenge on the city who entombed them, the Arcos' gather strength in the city's youth. Within the moon's full cycle, the gang's quickening will be complete--they'll become vampires. Newlings, out of control and craving human blood will ravage the city. The one thing the Arcos' didn't count on was the powerful love of a sister. Riley Poe will stop at nothing to get her brother back. The one thing Riley didn't count on was the powerful love of a vampire. Eli Dupre will do anything to get her. Follow Riley, Eli, and the vampires of the Dupre House into the shadowy, underside of Savannah.

- How much research did you do before starting to write Afterlight?
Thanks for having me here! Research...the story is written in Savannah, Ga, which is my home town. I grew up here and had to do very little research on the city. I did research the Goth/Punk culture, their clothes. I seriously researched the art of tattooing. I visited a tattoo shop, took a mini-course online involving tools and products and such. And I did some research on Romanian vampires!

- How long did it take you to write it?
About three months for the first draft. Then it goes through the editing process, which I look forward to! I try to write about 10 pages a day, and the earier in the morning I start, the better! I'm totally a morning person!

- How many books are there going to be in your series?
As of right now, three. But it will depend on how well Afterlight does. It all goes by sales!

- What are you working on right now?
Right now I'm on deadline for book three, EVENTIDE. The books are a continuous series. In other words, each book starts out where the last one left off. It's really like one long, giant book broken down into three books!

- What can you tell us about Afterlight?
Oh yeah! Set in my city, Afterlight is the first book in The Dark Ink Chronicles. The story revolves around the protaganist, Riley Poe, who was a stinker of a kid. I'm talking troubled teen to the nth degree. Drugs. Sex. Gangs. Fighting. Juvy. Jail. It wasn't until an obsessed boyfriend murdered Riley's mother--whom Riley found, strangled in her bath tub--that kicked Riley into gear. Along with her brother, they were left to be raised by her mother's employers and closest friends: a Gullah root doctor and his wife who owns a potions shop on River Street. (Gullah is a culture of folk descended from the African slaves who escaped to the barrier islands off the coast of southern Georgia and South Carolina) When Riley's kid brother gets involved with a prank at Bonaventure Cemetery, and inadvertently set free an entombed pair of evil strigoi vampiric brothers, the city's youth become the target of a vampire uprising. Unbeknownst to Riley, a family of "guardians" have resided in Savannah for nearly three centuries. The Dupres, vampires theselves, made a pact with the Gullah to keep the city safe in return for "humane nourishment". Now Riley's brother is in the "quickening", soon to become a bloodsucker, and Riley must join forces with the Dupres to save him and the other teens from becoming the living dead! Riley, though, has wicked-drugging blood to a vampire, and her Gullah "grandfather" has been keeping it masked for years to keep her safe. When Riley encounters the Dupres eldest son, Eli? Sparks fly and sizzle! And so begins the first book!

- Are all your books going to have the same narrator or does each of them have their own?
The three contracted (Afterlight, Everdark, Eventide) all have the same protagonist--the heroine, Riley Poe. She is a kick-ass tattoo artist who overcame a terrible childhood (drugs, sex, gangs, fighting, jail, and her mother's murder) to become a successful business woman. She raises her younger brother, Seth, and are content. Until the vamps are set free!

- Who and what exactly are the Dupres?
The Durpres are Savannah's guardians. They are a family of vampires whose father, after being bitten and turned centuries before in France, did not want to live without his beloved family. So, he turned them all. They moved to the US to settle and try to start a new life. They encountered a culture of people (the Gullah) who were African slaves who'd migrated to the barrier islands off the coast of Savannah. Along with their African magic, they taught the Dupres how to humanely survive, and not kill. In return, the Dupres became Savannah's guardians.

- Why were the Arcos brothers entombed? And what are the differences between the Dupres and them?
The Arcos brothers were entombed because they had no intentions on becoming humane. They like the hunt, love the kill. The Gullah entombed them, physically and with magic, to keep the city safe. The Dupres like to be humane. They simply wanted to remain a family.

- What can you tell us about the heroine, Riley Poe?
Riley is amazing. She takes no crap off of anyone, yet is a very loving, caring person. After surviving her mother's murder, and a childhood of rebellion where she quit school, got into drugs and punk gangs, in and out of juvy jail, she finally got her act together with the help of her mother's employers and good friends, a pair of elderly Gullah who owns a potions shop. They helped Riley get on her feet, go to art school, open her business.

- Can you tell us a little about the world Afterlight is set in?
Afterlight is set in a world that I've grown up in. Part of it is picture-book, post-card historical Savannah. One of the original colonies, it has survived fire, wars, and was spared alot of its construction. It retains that old world feel. The other part is a world Riley was once a part of--the underground. Seedy nightclubs where anything goes. Punk. Goth. Alternative. Introduce a bad seed of vamps and it becomes a killing ground encased in Spanish moss and horse-drawn tourist carriages. :)

- What is different about the vampires in your books?
I suppose the Dupres are different in that they are a close-knit, true family. Mother. Father. Three brothers. Younger sister. While they indeed are capable of changing into hideous beasts, they do so only to protect and fight for what is theres, or to keep their loved ones, and Savannah, safe. They don't like to feed. They have morales, and they prefer to be humane. They get their nourishment from the Gullah, who has endless supply of their own Red Cross donators!

- Thanks so mcuh for being here today and good luck with Afterlight.
Thank you so much for having me here, and for your interest in Afterlight!


If you want to know more about the author you can check out her website.

Interview: Allyson James

Today we have with us author Allyson James whose last book, Firewalker, was released this tuesday.

Janet Begay's Crossroads Hotel has attracted the supernatural ever since it opened. But a new, dark power is rising, this time inside Janet herself. Her boyfriend Mick, a sexy dragon shapeshifter the Navajo call a Firewalker, know what terrifying magic is threatening to overwhelm Janet and her Stormwalker powers. He watches over her, ready to fight for her, to do anything to keep her safe.

But then a mysterious corpse is found near the Crossroads Hotel-and Janet becomes the main suspect. Now Janet and Mick must uncover what really happened, and their investigation leads to the most perilous decision of their lives...

Hi Allyson, thanks for being here today.

Thanks so much for asking me!

- How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I spend anywhere from two to eight hours writing. It depends on how energetic I am (or how tired), or how close I am to a deadline! I try to write at least 2000 words a day. Most days I manage 2000-4000.

- Do you listen to music while you write?

Yes. I love guitarists (Marc Antoine, Jeff Golub, to name a few). I have a loop of guitar music on my iPod that drowns out noise and lets me focus on the stories.

- If you could hang out with any of your characters, which one would you pick?

I’ve love to hang out with Janet and Mick (especially the hottie Mick). I also wouldn’t mind being with the Shifters in the Shifters series I write as Jennifer Ashley (Liam and Sean).

- How many books a year do you write on average?

I average 4 to 5 full-length books and a novella or two.

- What do you do when you need to disconnect?

I build dollhouse miniatures. I love getting into the miniature worlds and making everything exactly the way I want it. I love both big, beautiful dollhouses and tiny, whimsical settings. I’ve posted many of my minis here: http://www.jennifersromances.com/Miniatures/miniatures.html

- What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a couple of things: The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Book 3 of the Mackenzie series—historical romance I write as Jennifer Ashley). Also Book 3 of the Shifters series, tentatively titled Wild Cat. After that it’s back to the Stormwalker series—I’ve just turned in Book 3 (Shadowwalker) and need to write Book 4. Many, many things!

- I love your dragon books. Any chances there are going to be more of them? (I really want to read Axel's story, even though I know he's not a dragon).

I love the dragon stories too. Right now, my publisher has me focused on the Stormwalker books, but the future may bring more dragons. (And Axel needs a happy ending, I agree!)

- I just finished reading Stormwalker and I loved it. What can you tell us about the sequel, Firewalker?

In Firewalker Mick must face a trial by a dragon tribunal for helping Janet in Book 1. We’ll meet some new characters: the witch Cassandra, who is Janet’s new hotel manager; a Changer wolf-woman named Pamela; Colby, a well-tattooed dragon shifter; and a couple other dragons, plus we’ll learn more about Mick. Janet’s grandmother, Jamison, Maya and Nash, the mirror, and Coyote will all return with prominent roles.

- Nash Jones is a very conflicted character. Is he going to change his attitude any time soon? How is his "relationship" with Maya going?

Nash is a complicated guy, and I really like him. As the series goes on, he learns to be more accepting of magic and what he is, and he and Janet start working better together. Maya and Nash are explosive!

- I loved Mick. I loved him even more when it was revealed he was a dragon. Are we going to learn more about them?

I reveal more and more about Mick as the series goes on. You learn more about his life in Firewalker, and still more in Book 3, Shadowwalker.

- So, we know that Mick sometimes disappeared. What exactly did he do? (Apart from giving information about Janet to the other dragons).

Spoiler Alert (for those who haven’t read Stormwalker): When Mick disappears, he reports to the dragons, but he also returns and watches over Janet. She doesn’t see him, but he follows her when he can, trying to keep her safe. When he’s not doing that, he’s checking out his own lair to make sure all is well.

- I have a soft spot for Janet's father. Are we going to see more of him in future books? Also, is there a HEA for him?

Pete Begay is such a sweet guy! Yes, we will see more of him, and yep a HEA is coming up for him, but I don’t want to give too much away!

- After the events of Stormwalker, does Janet have more powers than before or are her abilities the same that when she went "visit" her mother?

Janet’s powers continue to develop and grow throughout the series. She learns some serious stuff about herself.

- Are we going to learn how Janet's grandmother shapeshifted into a crow?

Janet’s grandmother will return in Firewalker and Shadowwalker, and you’ll learn much more about her (especially in Book 3, Shadowwalker).

- We know there are many different magical creatures in Janet's world. Are we going to learn more of them in the future?

Yes! There are Changers (shapeshifters), dragons of course, Nightwalkers (vampire-ish creatures), witches, powerful mages, and others. I reveal more about them in each book, and also in the novella “Double Hexed,” which will be in the Hexed anthology next June.

- Thanks again and good luck with your next book.

Thank you so much!!

You can also read my reviews of Stormwalker and Firewalker.
If you want to know more about the author you can check out her website.

Interview: Marcella Burnard

Next week author Marcella Burnard's debut novel goes out on sale. She is here today to talk about her Sci-Fi book, Enemy Within.

After a stint in an alien prison torpedoes her military career, Captain Ari Idylle has to wonder why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a PhD she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

Pirate leader Cullin Seaghdh may not be who he pretends to be but as far as Cullin is concerned, the same goes for Ari. Her past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights and if she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

- How would you define Enemy Within?
As science fiction romance. I really wanted a story where you couldn’t extract the science fiction without breaking the romance and where you couldn’t extract the romance without breaking the science fiction. I don’t know that I accomplished that…it is still my goal.

- How did you end up writing a Sci Fi book?
Just lucky? I’d been reading a lot of SFR and enjoying it. I’d been toying around with science fiction off and on for years. When the initial idea for Enemy Within popped into my head, it came in as space ships, aliens, rival governments, politics and space plagues. Who was I to argue?

- How much research did you do before writing it?
Dedicated research prior to starting the book? Not much. The seed of the story came from information I’d accumulated over the span of a year – little tidbits that cropped up and got lodged in my brain. Eventually, that information coalesced into a story idea. I started the story without further research – sort of a proof of concept. Once I had a few chapters, I had to research Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I also had to do some research on viruses and how viral infections work. Fortunately, the book The Great Influenza came out right about that time. It had exactly what I needed to augment the medical websites I’d been trying to comprehend. From there, I could go finish writing the book.

- Some authors don't read the same genre they write. Do you?
Yes and no. I do read SFR, but I also love to read nonfiction science. I’m also a fan of almost every genre of romance, Urban Fantasy, hard scifi, fantasy – I’ll read just about anything that catches my eye.

- What are the main differences between our world and the world Enemy Within is set in?
Life forms didn’t all evolve in the same place or from the same species base, so there’s a wider range of ‘normal’ physical, mental, and emotional ability. There are races that are identifiably humanoid and there are those that are specifically not humanoid. Space flight and faster than light speeds are a fact of life for these people, but so are things like genetically engineered plagues.

- What can you tell us about the main characters?
I think Ari is the kind of heroine I always wanted to be. She’s smart. She’s tough. She knows the right things to say and she’s not afraid to say them – except that even when she does, nothing turns out the way she wanted. I knew going in that Ari suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of her time in an alien prison. I was both fascinated and horrified by the prospect of this woman attempting to reclaim a sense of safety in a world that had written her off as an alien pawn. Seaghdh (say ‘Shaw’), with his razor sharp intellect and keen insight seemed like the perfect foil for Ari’s vulnerability – she hates exposing her weakness to him, but he won’t let her hide behind false bravado. He makes himself into her refuge – her sole anchor to a sense of safety. Is that because he cares? Or is it an astute form of interrogation?

- Are all the books of your series told from the same point of view, or does it change with each book?
Each book has a different hero and heroine, though usually, those heroes and heroines are characters you’ve seen or heard of at least once in previous books. The series follows the arc of a war. I wanted each book to be able to stand alone so that a reader could pick up any of the books at any point and not be hopelessly lost.

- What other projects are you working on right now?
I’m working on book three in the series and on a proposal for a steampunk romance that chases from London to Egypt.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Enemy Within.
Thank you very much!


If you want to know more about the author you can check out her website.

Interview: Maria Lima

Next week the 4th book of the Blood Line series is going to be released. Today Maria Lima, the author of the series, is here to answer some questions about it.
You can also read my review of the book here.


Texas is heating up. . .

The summer heat wave that’s hit Rio Seco, Texas, has even the vampires complaining, but with Keira—the Kelly heir—home from Vancouver, the weather isn’t the only thing too hot to handle. Keira should be setting up her court and planning the big reception where she and her consort, vampire ruler Adam Nightwalker, will receive the magical leaders from the local area, but pomp and circumstance just aren’t Keira’s thing, especially not with trouble smoldering in her domain. A werewolf couple has mysteriously gone missing from a local pack, and when Keira is asked by their leader to investigate, she finds that some dissatisfied neighbors may have been taking—well—strong action against the wer community … action that could be repeated, and could involve Keira and those she loves. So, with the reception looming and danger fast blazing out of control, the pressure is on Keira to keep Texas safe for supernaturals. Sometimes, it’s just not that great to be Heir…


- How much research do you do before starting to write a book?

Tons! At the beginning, I tend to have a vague idea of the primary plot line and a more concrete idea of what the next phase of Keira's arc will be. So I troll the Internet, doing searches, finding articles, etc. Eventually, I narrow down the theme, then is when I begin to collect images and more information. I read, I watch documentaries, even fictional shows. For BLOOD HEAT, I watched the entire first and second seasons of SONS OF ANARCHY, which is about a biker club and loosely based on Hamlet. It gave me a great sense of the closed society of the club and how the various hierarchies worked.

- Which of all your books did you have more fun writing?

Tough question! I have a blast writing all of them. To date, though, BLOOD KIN holds a special place in my heart because I got to go to Vancouver for a week to research.

- What are you working on right now?

Currently working on BLOOD SACRIFICE, the 5th book in the Blood Lines series. That's due in December.

- What can you tell us about Blood Heat?

BLOOD HEAT's main theme is about hatred and distrust of the "other". Oddly enough, I seem to have been a bit prescient, in that I do have some bullying/hate crimes which is so prevalent in the current U.S. news. I wrote this book more than a year ago. There are several discoveries in BLOOD HEAT about Keira's past, some fun, some less fun.

- The Seelie and Unseelie courts play very important parts in the books, but not a lot is known about them. What are the main differences between them? How big a role are they going to play in future books?

Primarily, they are both tricksy and out for their own good. The primary difference is that the Seelie Court will couch everything in pretty lies. The Unseelie Court is more direct. They are both extremely dangerous. We'll get to see a bit more about the courts in BLOOD SACRIFICE.

- I'm curious about Keira's mother. Are we going to meet her any time soon?

Keira's mother, Branwen, has always been a bit of an issue. Because the books are in Keira's point of view, all we know is what Keira knows or people tell her. Branwen definitely plays a bigger role in BLOOD SACRIFICE. We find out a bit more about why she treated Keira as she did and a few other things about her.

- One of the things I love the most about your books are Keira's brothers, but we haven't met all of them. What can you tell us about the ones we haven't met yet?

Ciprian, the eldest brother is the clan's financier. He's like the chief accounting officer if this were to translate into corporate speak. He's very stick-in-the-mud and a rule follower, mostly because he has to be. He's also a whiz at finance and investments.

Hamish & Duncan are the next down after Tucker. They are not in North America with Gigi. Duncan is a stage actor, mostly West End London and some other EU venues. Hamish lives in Japan studying Japanese history and teaching English to salarymen. They are both unattached for now and haven't had any children for decades.

- It was revealed in Blood Kin that there were two Kelly heirs. Is Gigi happy about how things turned out for her Clan?

As clan chieftan, Gigi's public face is that she's well pleased at how things have turned out...except, maybe not so much. I can't give away a lot, but the main throughline in BLOOD SACRIFICE deals with this very issue.

- We more or less know that Keira started her training with Gigi and others of her family. What I'm wondering is, what happened to Gideon?

Ah, well, you'll find out a LOT more about what Gideon's been up to in BLOOD SACRIFICE. Let's just say he's not been a good little boy.

- Bea and Keira have always had a very close friendship. Are they going to patch things up anytime soon?

Yup. They patch things up in BLOOD HEAT and their friendship is stronger than ever.

- One of the things I've been wondering about is what happens when someone in the Clan has a baby. Is it raised by his mother / father or does the whole Clan raise it? How does that work?

Because this clan is so diverse in ethnicity and types of marriages/relationships, child-rearing decisions are left up to each family group. In Tucker's case, he was happy to let his children be raised by the clan. Each child was fostered to a family. The twins usually spent time helping to rear their own kids. Keira was raised by her two aunts and sort of by Tucker. It's fairly rare that a mother/father pairing raise kids by themselves, as the clan is more apt to share in educating and caring for the children, especially since until Keira and Marty, children tended to be home schooled.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Blood Heat.

You can learn more about the author on her website.

Interview: Kalayna Price

Last week, the first book of Kalayna Price's new series, Grave Witch, was released. Today she's here answering some questions about her new book.

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say . . .

As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around . . .

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life . . . and her soul.

- How long does it usually take you to write a novel?

The act of sitting down and pounding out the words for the first draft doesn't take long, maybe seven or eight weeks when I'm pressed. But before I ever start writing, I spend a lot of time plotting and working on the characters, and I do very heavy revisions after the first draft is finished. All in all, it probably takes me six to seven months before I'm happy with a book. Then I send it to my editor and revise more based on her suggestions.

- Some authors don't read the same genre they write. Do you?

Definitely! I'm a huge fan of the genre. I'm a reader before a writer, and my goal is to write books I'd want to read. Some of my favorite urban fantasy writers include Chloe Neill, Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, and Karen Chance (and that's just the short list, I could go on. There is a ton of talent writing in this genre.)

- Is it difficult to write 2 different series?

I was a little worried when I first decided to write two series in the same genre, but thus far, I haven't had any issues with confusing the worlds or the character's voices. Kita (from the Novels of Haven) and Alex (from the Alex Craft novels) are very different and live in wildly different worlds, so thus far things have worked out. Juggling my time has been my biggest difficulty.

- What are you working on right now?

Presently I'm in different stages with a book in both series. Like I said, it's a juggling act.

- What can you tell us about Alex, the lead character of your book?

Alex is a struggling business owner--her business just happens to be speaking with the dead. She raises shades--the memories of the dead given form by magic--talks to ghosts, and even flirts with Death himself. She's a private investigator who uses her abilities for the benefit of private clients and to help the police with murder cases. She's not out to save the world, she’s just trying to carve out a living so she can pay her rent and feed her dog. Like most people, if she can do some good, she will make the effort, but she's not about to go chasing bad guys unless she's pushed, hard. She's a fun character to write because while she lives in a magical world and experiences extraordinary circumstances, she still has very normal concerns like family and finances.


- What kind of supernatural beings can we expect in Grave Witch?

Witches are a given, I guess, as are ghosts and shades. One of the major characters is a grim reaper, so you'll see some soul collecting. Also, the world is one in which a magical awakening occurred after the fae "came out of the mushroom ring" so you can expect an appearance from several beings from folklore.

- Can you tell us a little about the world in which Grave Witch is set in?

As I mentioned, the fae revealed their existence to the world and a magical awakening occurred prior to the opening of the book. (About 70 years before the opening, to be more exact.) The world Alex lives in is inundated with magic. Cosmetic and convenience charms are extremely common. Hairline retreating? Have a bad case of acne? Want to repel dust bunnies from the corners of your room? There are charms for that. Magic is well acknowledged, but it is not always well accepted.

- I think this is the first time I've heard of Death as a character. What made you write about him?

Death is one of those characters I can’t imagine the series without, and he’s been around since very early on in my planning stage. With Alex having the ability to speak to the dead, it made sense that she'd encounter some sort of grim reaper type character. Once I figured out her and Death's first meeting (which I distilled down into the first line of the book) their relationship just sort of took off. By the time I got to the stage of actually writing the book, Alex and Death had amazing chemistry on the page and I couldn't imagine writing him any other way.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with Grave Witch!

Thanks so much for having me, Arantza!

You can learn more about the author on her website.

Interview: Helen Lowe

Today we have with us author Helen Lowe. The Heir of Night, the first book of her Wall of Night series is being released today.

If Night falls, all fall . . .

In the far north of the world of Haarth lies the bitter mountain range known as the Wall of Night. Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the Wall is the final bastion between the peoples of Haarth and the Swarm of Dark—which the Derai have been fighting across worlds and time.

Malian, Heir to the House of Night, knows the history of her people: the unending war with the Darkswarm; the legendary heroes, blazing with long-lost power; the internal strife that has fractured the Derai's former strength. But now the Darkswarm is rising again, and Malian's destiny as Heir of Night is bound inextricably to both ancient legend and any future the Derai—or Haarth—may have.

- When did you started to write?

I first began writing as a little kid, poems and plays that I and my siblings, together with our friends, used to put on for our parents. I continued writing as a teenager and even had a few stories and poems published and broadcast in the wider world (not just the school magazine), but I didn't starting writing fiction seriously until eleven years ago. Since then I have had many short stories and poems published and anthologized, as well as winning and being placed in competitions, and my first novel, Thornspell (Knopf), was published in 2008.


- How long does it usually take you to write a book?

Well, it took me five years to complete The Heir of Night, because at that stage I was writing part-time and I had a day job where I was frequently working 60 to 70 hours a week. I also used to get sent off "on location" quite often, as well, at which times it was very difficult to write at all. But I wrote Thornspell as a full time project, when I had a year off work, and that only took me 6-7 months from "go" until submission date. Thornspell is half the size of Heir, so that suggests a year, perhaps a little more full time, for the next books—and that is pretty much how The Gathering of the Lost (The Wall of Night Series Part 2), is working out, time-wise. The Wall series novels are big books, both in scope and physical size, and the quality of the story and the characterization is also very important to me--but I am absolutely committed to finishing the series as quickly as I can, which is why I have given up the day job to work on them full time (in my "garret"! [Grins])


- Are you a planner? Do you know how each of your books ends?

I am somewhere in between the planner and the intuitive writer. I always have the story arc in my mind from the beginning and I always know how the story will end--in the case of The Wall of Night series, that includes both each of the individual books and the series as a whole. I also roughly know the major milestones along the way, but a great deal can change in between as events unfold and the characters develop. I may take text out of one part of the manuscript and put it in another, remove some material altogether and add new, but so far I have never strayed far from the original story arc. I have also done reasonably detailed synopses for each of the four books—in fact, that is how I realized the Wall story was four books—but I find that the more detailed the planning the more I subconsciously feel that the story is "already written" and my work as the storyteller is done. So I find that the more organic, evolutionary approach to writing, as opposed to very detailed pre-planning, works best for me.


- Which of all your books did you have more fun writing?

You know, each book is unique and so I enjoy them in different ways. I love the darkness and power and richness of The Heir of Night, but the beauty, mystery and adventurousness of Thornspell was also a lot of fun to write. Thornspell was easier to write, because it is a shorter book with only one major point-of-view character, and that has its charm, but the challenge of writing the bigger book, and now the series, is also deeply engaging.


- How many hours a day do you spend writing? Do you prefer writing at day or at night?

I am definitely a lark by inclination, but I can burn the midnight oil when I have to—and in fact I do have to at the moment with The Heir of Night coming out in the USA today (28 September), and in Australia and New Zealand on October 7. The process is heady and exciting, but also a lot of work, especially since I am trying to keep up the momentum on The Gathering of the Lost at the same time.

My minimum hours per day to "just write" are four, for at least five days a week. By "just write" I mean the books: not the blog or website, or answering book related emails, or doing interviews like this, or anything else related to the business of writing. Whenever I can, I do more than that, but the four hour minimum has to be ring fenced otherwise all the other, more immediate demands would take over. I also have a minimum "new word" limit per day. The target is quite small, deliberately so, because then I don't beat myself up if I'm working on a tricky passage, or I have a lot of revision to do, which results in the number of new words for that day being low. Usually though, I write between 6 to 10 times my minimum "new word" count when I sit down to write.


- Where did you get the idea for the Wall of Night series?

I always find this a difficult question, because The Heir of Night and Wall series are not based on a single idea or a single moment of inspiration, but on the build-up of a series of ideas over time. I had the idea of a twilit world from a very early age, perhaps inspired by the Norse myths which I loved reading, but also shaped by living in Singapore with its swift tropical dusks, and also, I believe, by reading Alan Garner's Elidor around that same time. Elidor is about a world trapped in complete darkness—which of course The Wall of Night isn't—but I suspect the possibility of the idea, combined with the environment I was living in and all the mythic material I was reading, worked together to shape my own, early world-building vision. But the vision of the mountainous and windblasted Wall of Night, with it bitter peaks and treacherous ravines, came to me a lot later. Having said that, the Wall of Night world definitely arrived before any of the characters—and interestingly, given my fascination with history, myths and folklore, many of the mythic and historical characters referenced within The Heir of Night, such as the hero Yorindesarinen and the Hunt Master, Xeria and Tasian and Aikanor, were amongst the first to people the world. The idea of the Derai, as a dour, stoic and beleaguered people under arms, evolved out of exploring different stories around those characters.


- What are you working on right now?

Ah, that's easy! I am working very hard indeed on finishing The Gathering of the Lost, the second book in the WALL series, as quickly as I can while making sure that it is just as good if not better than The Heir of Night.


- What can you tell us about The Heir of Night?

The Heir of Night is physically very much about the Wall of Night, although the second book will open out into the wider Haarth world, which is partly referenced in Heir: the Winter Country and the cities of the River; the golden city of Ij and the distant empire of Ishnapur with the Great Deserts beyond; as well as the green hills of Jaransor that may drive the unwary mad.

Within the Wall of Night world of shadow, conflict and decay, The Heir of Night is primarily the story of Malian, the untried Heir of Night who must leave everything she knows to save herself and her people, and of Kalan, a young man thrust into a hateful life who must fight to break free. But the Wall story is also the story of their race, the Derai, who are locked into an ancient war and are divided internally by prejudice, suspicion and fear. In Heir, Malian and Kalan find themselves caught in the heart of the Derai legacy of darkness, peril and mystery, which they must first unravel and then begin to overcome ...

Although The Heir of Night is dark, epic fantasy, with the traditional elements of the hero's journey, ancient and powerful enemies, and young "protagonists alone" who must follow that hero's quest, it also contains qualities that are subtly different from the tradition, including the depth and reality of the characters, who are not "just archetypes". The fact that the "hero society" is alien to the world of Haarth—invaders themselves in that sense—and have brought their "war-without-end" and their enemy with them, and the associated moral ambiguity of the Derai are also non-traditional elements. The one thing you can be sure of is that this is no "black and white" conflict and no one is entirely as they may seem.


- Can you give us a glimpse at the main characters of the book?

I have already talked about Malian and Kalan, but there are also some very important secondary characters in the book. These include Malian's father, the Earl of Night, and his lover and consort, Rowan Birchmoon, who is also known as the Winter Woman because she is not Derai, but hails from the Winter Country. Other important Derai characters include Nhairin, the lame and scarred steward of the keep; Sister Korriya, who is a priestess and the Earl's kinswoman; and Asantir, the powerful and charismatic Honor Guard captain. Equally important characters who are not Derai comprise the Earls' minstrel Haimyr, and the heralds of the Guild, whom the Derai believe function in some "form of symbiosis." And there are other characters with vital roles in the action of the story who are not human (or Derai)—and others again who are not alive ...


- One of the things I liked the most about the book was all the different points of view there were. What made you write the book that way instead of just in Malian's point of view?

The Earl, Rowan Birchmoon, Nhairin, Asantir and the heralds are all point-of-view characters in The Heir of Night and those who are not, such as Haimyr and Korriya, still have important parts to play. In terms of why I wrote it that way ... I do think point-of-view choice is very much driven by the kind of story being told. So Thornspell, which is a fairytale retelling of the story of the prince in Sleeping Beauty, almost demands the single main character, third person point-of-view: because it is the prince's tale, his experiences and perspective drive its telling.

The Heir of Night has a much larger epic sweep: it is a story, not just of the two central characters and those immediately around them, but also of the Derai race and the world of Haarth. Employing multiple points of view allows that depth and breadth of story to come through—and also provides a wider scope for immediate events within the story to play out, since we are not just reliant on either Malian or Kalan's eyes and experiences to know what is going on. Using multiple points of view also gives us a broader perspective on Malian and Kalan themselves. We get their take on the world and events—but we also get others' take on their circumstances, and on their characters as well.

- How many books are in the Wall of Night series?

Four--it's a quartet. I'm completing the second book at the moment, with the working title The Gathering of the Lost.

- Thanks so much for being here today and good luck with The Heir of Night.

It's a great pleasure to be here! Thank you for the opportunity and the good wishes. :-)


Check back tomorrow to read my review of The Heir of Night!