Friday, May 31, 2013

Camdeboo Nights by Nerine Dorman: Interview

Camdeboo Nights

by Nerine Dorman

Synopsis:
Helen Ashfield’s world is about to be turned upside down. Is she ready?

Helen Ashfield’s life is complicated. Not only must she adjust to her parents’ divorce, but she has to come to grips with her new school in the small South African Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet. She’s sorely mistaken if she thinks she’s going to slot seamlessly into her new life. Her growing magical powers have attracted the unwanted attention of Trystan, a vampire, who may not have her best interests at heart.
Outcast from his kind for drinking another vampire’s blood, Trystan has been on the run for almost a hundred years from Mantis–the closest thing their kind has to an enforcer. All Trystan wants is an existence of quiet anonymity, but Helen turns his world upside-down.

Helen’s powers also mark her as one of Mantis’ targets. If Mantis gets control of Helen, she’ll change the course of history…for the worse.


Excerpt


Armed with her grandmother’s shopping list, Helen ran out to the familiar silver Volvo, looking forward to speaking with Arwen, only to discover Szandor and another woman with a teased-out mop of white-blond hair waited in the car.

The woman turned icy gray eyes on Helen, giving her the impression that she could read each of Helen’s secrets.
She was pale, which wasn’t helped by the funerary aspect of her clothing–a buttoned-up sleeveless shirt with a cameo at her throat. When she moved, an audible swish of many layers of satin and chiffon filled the vehicle.

This must be the aunt. She couldn’t be the mother. The resemblance to Szandor was almost uncanny.

Szandor smiled, but the pleasure did not reach his eyes. “This is Sonja, my sister. Sonja, this is Arwen’s new friend, Helen.”
Sonja gave the briefest of frowns before facing the window.

“Uh, hi,” Helen said, wishing that she could be anywhere else but in this car with these peculiar people. The journey to Graaff-Reinet would be just over half an hour but it would feel like an eternity.

Szandor made a sound that was almost a snigger before turning the key. If only Damon were here, but her brother had gone to visit the Prof the instant his chores were done.

They drove in silence, with only the hiss of the air-conditioner as accompaniment, until they left the valley.
Then Szandor said, “Did you enjoy the films last night, Helen?”

She thought her heart would explode. Should she lie? Should she allow the story to filter through without some of the pertinent details?

“I… Uh. Yes.” She had watched films after Trystan had walked them home. Granted, she hadn’t been able to concentrate on any of the onscreen action.

“Oh,” Szandor said.

She caught a glimpse of his amused expression in the rearview mirror.

Bloody hell, of course he didn’t believe her. What did she expect?

“You haven’t seen or heard anything that you would consider out of the ordinary, have you?” Szandor asked.
“Um, no.”

“You’ll tell us if you do, won’t you?” Szandor asked. It was more a command than a question.

“I guess so.” Helen clutched the seat with white-knuckled hands.

Her grandmother’s amused tones echoed in her memory. The whole lot of them, they’re all witches. The father, too.
How far would Szandor push his craft? What could he do? Was she in any danger? If there was the superstitious fear of witchcraft that was prevalent among the indigenous Africans…

She’d read a little about the subject a few years previously while researching for a painting for her art classes. Witchcraft was a fascinating topic but she had never expected to ever deal with the real thing. Now her present situation seemed very real and very menacing.

“Where’s Arwen?” Helen hoped to steer their conversation to safer territory. She may as well have said “Nice weather, we’re having.”

“Arwen has been grounded,” Szandor said, his pale gaze reading the road ahead.

Oh heck. He knew.

“Oh.” Perhaps it would be better to say nothing at all then she wouldn’t dig herself a deeper hole.

The rest of the ride passed in uncomfortable silence. Helen pressed her face against the glass and hoped nothing more would be said.

She hated deception of any kind. Whenever she lied, she always ended up being caught out. Instead, she watched the passing landscape, where gray-blue spiked agave lined the road in clumps. Every so often jeep tracks led from the road they followed and she wondered where they went.


Interview




For people who haven’t heard of Camdeboo Nights, make a brief description.

Camdeboo Nights is a tale of four unlikely friends who end up on the road trip to end all road trips. Mix vampires, mages, witches and other strange creatures of the night and you’re bound to get something out of the ordinary. At the heart of the matter, this is a novel about friendship, and the lengths people will go to in order to save the ones they love.

When did you decided to become a writer?

I grew up surrounded by books, and thought it was somehow magical to have an idea that could be captured in words, printed and bound. The idea that people would love my words enough to keep them on their bookshelves tickles me pink. I love telling stories, and have been doing so since I can first remember. So, I’ve always *been* a writer. I just had to learn how to hold a pen and string the words together first.

What does your family think of your works?

I think my mom’s proud of me, though she’ll certainly not read any of my books. They’re simply not her genre. And my siblings don’t really read at all, so I don’t have to worry about them having the wherewithal of getting into my stories.

Do you have specific habits when you write?

Of late I’ve taken to writing during my lunch break at work as that’s the only time I have to write unless I’m on leave. I can write anywhere between 1 000 to 2 000 words an hour. Generally I aim for 1 000 because that’s a nice chunk. Also because it’s a specific amount, I pay attention to what I’m crafting, so those words are quality words.

Are you an early bird or night owl?

A bit of both, really. I get on average four to five hours’ sleep each morning between midnight at 5pm. Don’t ask me how I cope. I don’t know either. Coffee is my friend.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Real-life experiences, such as conversations with people or even dreams. I often zone out and go into a weird semi-trance state and then get struck by ideas. It could be a piece of music or an image I see in a magazine. I really can’t predict.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?

For Camdeboo Nights my favourite character is definitely Trystan. The novel started with him (chapter 1 is actually a revised piece of flash fiction which was the second short story I ever sold). He’s completely cut off from contemporary society and lives only for the old Hudson Commodore that he drives when out hunting. To him, everything else is impermanent, so he lavishes all his attention on the car – only to find himself thrust in the middle of a situation where he *has* to reach out to other people.

If you could have coffee with any character of any book, who would it be and why?

I’d have coffee with Lord Morpheus, from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman graphic novels. I mean, really, to hang out with the Lord of Dreams himself? But I’d ask him to bring Bast, since she’s one of my favourite from the Egyptian pantheon, and I’ve always had a special place for her little minions in my house.

If you could meet any person in the world who would it be and why?

I’d love to meet JRR Tolkien. I’d dig to sit and listen to him talk about Middle Earth and the history of the Elves. He was largely responsible for me getting into this entire business of writing.


What are you reading right now?

Too many books! I’m obsessively compulsive about having at least three or four going at the same time. I’ll mention that I’ve just finished reading Horseman by Mike Nicol which definitely falls firmly into the grimdark category. I haven’t read so much death, gratuitous violence and depravity in a very long time. It’s not a story for everyone but I’m glad that I read it as it’s given me much food for thought.

Name your favorite authors.

Neil Gaiman, Storm Constantine, Poppy Z Brite, Jacqueline Carey, Mary Gentle… the list does go on, but I keep returning to this handful.


Tell us about something crazy you’ve done.

I can tell you about the legal instances… LOL. I bought a Hudson Commodore and spent a small fortune fixing it. And it’s still sitting in a friend’s garage going nowhere slowly. It was really crazy and stupid. I don’t really want to talk about it much. But as for crazy… I’ve walked alone at night through abandoned areas. I’ve narrowly missed being squished by a truck (I almost tried to hitch a ride on a truck carrying another truck, and the one rolled off on the spot I’d been thinking about standing). 

Best reward as a writer?

Royalty payments help [snerk] but seriously, when I have complete strangers message me to tell me that my book resonated with them in a big way. That sort of response is priceless. Also, when I see random (and awesome) reviews pop up on Amazon or Goodreads. I dance little jigs and get all happy.

Biggest trouble you faced as a writer?

Feeling like I’m not getting anywhere. Then I take a step back and see where I was at a year before, and the year before that. Then I shut up and carry on writing because I can see that I’m getting better every year and all the cool things are beginning to happen to me now after so much hard work.

How do you react to a bad review?

I make voodoo dolls… LOL, just kidding. Okay, I read the review and I ask myself truthfully whether the reviewer was justified in making those statements. And I take those statements as concrit and apply them to my writing. But mostly some of my bad reviews have been totally a situation where I can see that that particular reader was NOT the target market for my writing. I never respond to bad reviews personally. And after a while I get another batch of awesome reviews which stroke my ego and make me purr.


Thank you Nerine for this amazing interview!


About Nerine Dorman

Picture
An editor and multi-published author, Nerine Dorman currently resides in Cape Town, South Africa, with her visual artist husband. Some of the publishers with whom she works include Dark Continents Publishing and eKhaya (an imprint of Random House Struik). She has been involved in the media industry for more than a decade, with a background in magazine and newspaper publishing, commercial fiction, and print production management within a below-the-line marketing environment. Her book reviews, as well as travel, entertainment and lifestyle editorial regularly appear in national newspapers. A few of her interests include music travel, history (with emphasis on Egypt), psychology, philosophy, magic and the natural world.


Follow the tour:

Tour Schedule

May 27, 2013
MJ Schiller, Romance Author (Guest Post)

May 28, 2013
Coffee & A Book Anytime (Guest Post)

May 29, 2013
Writerly Ramblings (Author Interview)

May 31, 2013
I Know That Book (Author Interview)
Amberkatze's Book Blog (Guest Post)
Melissa Keir- Sexy Between the Covers (Guest Post)

June 1, 2013
Diane Burton ~ out of this world adventures (Guest Post)

June 3, 2013
Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews (Author Interview)

June 4, 2013
Christine's Word (Author Interview)

June 5, 2013
Real World on Writing (Guest Post & Review)


June 6, 2013
Authors' Cafe (Author Interview & Review)

June 7, 2013
Celestial Reviews (Guest Post & Review)

June 8, 2013
Books, Books The Magical Fruit (Guest Post)

June 10, 2013
Brooke Blogs (Guest Post & Review)

Change of Heart by S.E Edwards: Excerpt and Giveaway



Persevere.

That's how I've gotten through nineteen years of life. It's what I do every single day—no matter how badly the odds are stacked against me.

Persevere, and survive.

Those are my two guiding words. I never knew either of my parents. I have no family and no home. The only person I could ever rely on was myself. In this cruel world, that's about as much as I could ask for.

Love? Hah. Don't talk to me about love. I stopped believing in it the day my first boyfriend ripped out my heart three years ago.

That's why love is the last thing on my mind when I leave a packed college bar with a captivating stranger. Yet everything changes when I'm awakened in the middle of the night by a pounding at the door. Suddenly, an arrangement meant for just one night threatens to become something much deeper.

All expectations are thrown to the wind as I'm tangled in a dangerous world unlike anything I can believe. The man I met has secrets swirling around him like a dark cape. I'm about to become his biggest one...







Together, we stumble toward the elevator. Rich breaks away for a second to hit the button. The light doesn’t come on.

“Damn,” he growls, “it’s busted again.”

I’m one step ahead of him. I’d spotted the stairs when we entered. I grab his hand and pull him after me with no hesitation. I start up the cement stairwell, determined to get to his room as fast as possible.

“Penny, wait.”

I look back, confused. “What?”

A devilish smile plays on his lips. “Only this.” Without warning his hands wrap around my waist, and I’m being lifted up as easily as if I were a doll. He turns to the side and presses my body against the wall, suspending me between him and the concrete.

His mouth crashes down on mine again. I curl my legs around his torso, locking my ankles together, and kiss him back with the passion reserved for a lover after ten long years apart. I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m getting even more turned on. Rich’s hands move down to grasp the outside of my thighs, and I moan into his kiss as the muscles of my core clench in sinful fashion. I want him so badly. If we don’t get somewhere private soon, I won’t be wholly opposed to jumping him in public.

I gasp as he steps away, freeing me from the wall. I start to fall, but one of his hands darts down to catch me just beneath the knees. The other one cradles my shoulders. Before I know it, I’m slung across his arms like a bride on her wedding night.

“I’ve always wanted to carry a girl up these stairs,” Rich admits.

I laugh, and wrap my arm around his neck. “Oh, you are just the best type of romantic.”

Four flights of stairs later, Rich pushes open the fire door to a dimly-lit hallway. He carries me down the hall and stops in front of an entrance on the right. He sets me down, then fishes around in his jeans for the key. When the door creaks open, he sweeps a hand out in front of him. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

I walk in, curious about his apartment. I tend to side with the camp of people who believe that a person’s living arrangements can reveal a lot about his personality. But, I don’t find much to work with here.

The apartment is sparse and dark. Pale moonlight filters in through the balcony window, shining down on the only piece of furniture present: a queen size mattress lying on the floor of the living room. The red brick walls are totally empty—no girly posters or other things I might expect in a bachelor’s apartment. There are no lamps, no chairs, no couches.

After a moment, I notice a second piece of furniture: a small, old-school CRT TV camped in one corner of the studio apartment.

Rich switches on the light. “So?” he asks, “what do you think?”

I walk past the entrance. There’s one hall leading away from the room. It is filled with brown cardboard boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. “Did you just move in or something?”

Rich laughs behind me. “Yeah, something like that. You want a drink?”

“A drink?” I say. “No, I—”

The words catch in my throat as he grabs my hips and spins me around. I had no idea he’d come so close. He’d moved from the door to me without making a sound. His fingers lock together against my lower back, and he tugs me into him, pressing my belly to his waist. I feel his growing erection right away, and a diabolical excitement builds inside me.

Nothing happens.

For a long moment, Richard just holds me like that, staring into my eyes as I’m left dangling off his arms. His irises are the color of sea mist. I’m hypnotized by the deep intensity I see brewing just beneath the surface. I have no doubt that that type of intensity is mirrored in my eyes.

Then, moving slowly, as if restraining himself, Richard lowers his mouth to cover mine. This time, his kiss is sweet and gentle. Subtle and caring. He explores my upper lip first, then traces the line going to the corner of my mouth. His lips form a perfect mold over mine.

I was wrong before. This is the kiss reserved for a lover you haven’t seen in ten years.



Purchased your copy today








I'm Scarlett Edwards. I'm a full-time student (2nd year, undergrad) and part-time writer. I hope to switch those around soon!

I'm kind of old fashioned. I write all my stories using paper and ink. At the end of the day, I transcribe them on my laptop. It takes a bit longer, but writing in a notebook really focuses my thoughts.

I love vintage photography. I have an old-school film camera that was my mom's from before I was born. I use it to take pictures almost every day. Yours to Savor is the first full book I worked on. It went through six drafts, and took me ten months to complete. In the two months since getting it done, I finished two drafts of brand new stories. I'm getting faster!

I love hearing from my readers. I love getting feedback about my books. I'm just getting started, and plan on doing this writing gig for a long, long time. I take inspiration from all the indie romance authors. Addison Moore, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Sorensen, and everyone else…. you girls rock!




I love hearing from readers! If you read my book and want to share your thoughts, good or bad, email me! Scarlett@ScarlettEdwards.com. I'll be sure to reply!!





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, May 27, 2013

Multiple cover reveal: The Cindy Chronicles by Rashelle Workman

The Cindy Chronicles by RaShelle Workman


Series: The Cindy Chronicles will be told in 6 volumes 
Genre: YA Paranormal



AUTHOR BIO


RASHELLE WORKMAN lives on a mountain with her husband, three children, and three dogs. From her back porch she can see the city lights and imagine... She's the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series (Sleeping Roses is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series.

Author Links:






And now the beautiful covers!







Synopsis:

Life sucks.
Possessing magic sucks.
What doesn’t suck? Fashion, Cindy's boyfriend Gabe, and her best friend, Snow White.

Cindy (Cinderella…shhh, don’t tell) was born a witch. It’s part of who she is. But there’s more to her than that. She loves deeply. And has a big heart. She’d do anything for those she cares about, including risk her own life to save theirs.

When her fairy godmother demands she leave Salem, Massachusetts and return to the land she was born to rule, she has two options. Tell her fairy godmother no, and seal a death sentence on complete strangers. Or, leave all she’s ever known behind, including the love of her life, for an unknown land she’s fated to save.

So, yeah, life sucks.
But Cindy is determined to change that.




Read my reviews of other of Rashelle Workman's books. 





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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Review: Waking Dreams by Ashley Stoyanoff



Waking Dreams (A Soul's Mark Found Novella)
by Ashley Stoyanoff


Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Released: April 14th, 2013




Book Synopsis:

In The Soul’s Mark, Eric Carter felt a burning spark when he first laid eyes on Amelia Caldwell. There was just something about her—something familiar—that pulled him to her. The problem was acting on the spark was suicide. Amelia was marked for his father.

Eric had been around for a long time, and before Amelia, life happened. One day he was a simple rancher and then the next, he was thrust into a world that he had never known existed, and dreaming of a girl that he knew he couldn’t live without. 

In this novella, Eric Carter’s history is revealed.




GOODREADS / AMAZON / SMASHWORDS





At the moment of writing this post, the book was free on Amazon! Check the link above!



My Thoughts:

5 SUPER STARS!


" Eric could feel the warm blood on his lips, seeping into his mouth, and his stomach rolled. But then tasted it. Tangy and sweet and spicy. It was delicious and disgusting all at once, and Eric could not stop himself"


I adored this novella.

It's no news that I'm Ashley's fan. I really like her writing and specially this book, being a novella is fast paced and utterly entertaining.

Eric is from the beginning my favorite character in this series so I'm thrilled I got to know more about him.
This is the story of his origins... of Megan, of Amelia and also Mitchell.

It was nice to see a different perspective to the story I already know.

I found myself discovering a sane Mitchell (instead of the continued mood changes of him) and being particularly caring. I must admit, now I like him a little more. 

As for Eric, he is still delicious and a little reckless and unable to control his feelings, which only makes him more adorable. 

What else? I LOVE PANCAKES! Yes! That was my absolute favorite scene in book one and I loved it even more in this instalment. Knowing how he felt made it perfect! Flaw - less!

If you don't know what I'm talking about, just read the books!!!

That being said... I still want Eric and Amelia to be together! (yes, I know I'm insane, but I want what I want! lol)




Read the reviews of:

The Soul's Mark: Found (The Soul's Mark #1) and
The Soul's Mark: Hunted (The Soul's Mark #2)



See you soon!

Rhomy.










Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Influential Magic by Deanna Chase, Interview, excerpt and Giveaway


Influential Magic (Crescent City Fae #1)
by Deanna Chase


Genre: Urban Fantasy 

ISBN: 978-0983797876
ASIN: B00BQ3C9PO

Number of pages: 318
Word Count: 95,000 words

Cover Artist: Art by PhatPuppy
BN   Kobo   Smashwords 




Book Description:


It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.



Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust.


Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. 







Excerpt #1

A low chuckle rumbled from the branch.
“Wil, I think our friend finds us amusing.” Phoebe gripped her black agate crystal.
“Just you,” the vamp replied, his voice as deep and gritty as a thirty-year chain-smoker. “She’s interesting, as well as that dog of hers, but I’ve been looking forward to this matchup for some time.”
A grin broke on Phoebe’s profile and her eyes glittered. “Oh, good. A challenge.”
The hooded figure leapt from the branch a second before Phoebe blasted the spot with her sunlight-infused agate. The branch sizzled and, with a deafening crack, landed inches from where Phoebe had been standing.
 “Holy fae,” I breathed and took off after Phoebe, who was now sprinting to catch the vampire. She sped up, periodically flashing her agate, trying to stun him. His reflexes proved to be far superior to the average vampire’s, and I suspected this one had been around much longer than most. He alternated back and forth from the tree limbs to the cemetery wall in smooth, graceful movements, deliberately waiting for Phoebe to make a move before leaping.
He was playing with her.
At the end of the cemetery, the vampire turned and looked Phoebe in the eye. “What else you got, witch?”
 Phoebe stopped yards ahead of me, her tiny, lithe body seeming to grow a few inches. She lifted her left hand straight out, palm up and shouted, “Siste!”
Her long, glossy black hair fell from its bun, whipping straight back in the windless night.
The power behind the spell rooted me to the path, frozen in a running pose. Link was a few yards ahead of her, suspended in midair, his face scrunched up in a snarl. The vampire’s laughter rang clear as he bounded onto a nearby rooftop and disappeared.
“Fuck!” Phoebe shouted as the power dissipated.
With the spell broken, I lost my balance and fell face-first on the hard brick sidewalk.
Link shot ahead, his little legs never breaking the run. His body shimmered gold before his limbs gave way, expanding until he’d grown to ten times his normal size. Once again in wolf form, he shot out of sight, sprinting after the vampire.
I groaned and rolled over, staring into Phoebe’s exhausted face. “You all right?”
She offered me a hand. “Yeah, but shit. I lost him.”
“How’d he do that?” I’d never seen a vampire manipulate her magic before. “It’s like he blocked it.”
“He deflected the spell, and it hit you and Link instead.” She rubbed her temple. “I don’t know how. I’ll need to do some research.”
I nodded. “I can’t sense him anymore, he must be long gone. We better go find Link before animal control gets him again.” The last time they’d picked him up as a wolf, he’d turned back into a Shih Tzu before I could claim him. The paperwork confusion had been a nightmare.
“You go ahead. I’ll grab the car and catch up.”
“Okay. Be safe. I’ll keep an eye out for you.” Smiling, I flew to the nearest rooftop.
I spotted Link within moments. He was racing around the corner at the end of the street, his white coat gleaming in the moonlight. Had he picked up the vamp’s trail or had Phoebe’s magic sent him into a frenzy? I couldn’t feel the vampire, so it must have been the magic.
Or could I? My limbs were weighted as if the air was heavy, and my lungs had to work harder for oxygen. Something was off, though. It didn’t feel the same as the sticky, swimming death I’d experienced earlier. The sensation pressed lightly and then all at once clung to me.
A vampire was close. Really, really close. But why did it feel so different?
My heart picked up as panic set in. Link was blocks away. Phoebe was in the car somewhere, and I was alone on a roof.
Why had I taken off by myself? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I glanced around at the half-deserted neighborhood. A stone settled in my gut as recognition dawned. I was on vampire property. In the years after hurricane Katrina, the city had swelled with vampires. Drawn to the despair and lawlessness, the vampire population had more than tripled.
At first, they helped the struggling economy by buying up blocks of decimated homes. Unfortunately, they only rebuilt the one they lived in and left the others to rot. The perfect way to discourage neighbors. Vamps had been known to do a lot worse for privacy.
I scanned the streets for Phoebe’s car or a glimpse of Link. If I could find either of them I’d be fine. The silence grated. Alone on a roof with no cell phone and a vampire lying in wait. Now what?
I stretched my wings, fluttering a few feet off the rooftop. Flying always gave me a sense of control. I couldn’t cover a lot of ground, but I could move pretty quickly if I needed to. Faster than sprinting, anyway.
The sticky sensation stayed with me, but as I flew, the intensity lessened. Maybe he was in the building.
The thought didn’t put me at ease one little bit. Vamps were impossibly fast. If one had spotted me… Link reappeared at the end of the block.
“Finally.” I flexed my wings and shot toward the edge of the building.
Willow?”
I spun. My wings stilled mid-flutter as pleasure heated my insides. I knew that voice and missed it more than I cared to admit. Managing to land gracefully on shaky legs, I peered through the moonlight. “David?”
He nodded.
Relief washed through my body at the sight of him, uncurling the knot I’d forgotten existed in my stomach. I took a step closer and froze.
Thick honey vampire energy clung to me and it was coming from my ex.




About the Author



Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana.


When she isn't writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two shih tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country.

For more information and updates on newest releases visit her website at www.deannachase.com












INTERVIEW


  1. For people who haven’t heard of Influential Magic, make a brief description.

It's tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires...especially when their very existence drains your life-force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother's mysterious death, Willow's life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner--her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he's turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him... and any other specimen of the undead.


In order to save Willow's life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she's convinced they know something about her brother's death. Unsure where David's loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who'll stop at nothing to control Willow's gifts, she'll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life.



  1. What does your family think of your works?
I’m not exactly sure what they think as I’m not really that comfortable asking people I know. I wouldn’t want anyone to be put on the spot. But my mom does read all my work, and I know my sisters read it when they have time. All three of them are busy working moms, so their time is limited. They are all very proud of me though.


  1. Do you have specific habits when you write?
Yes. It goes something like this. Time to write. Great. Let me go find some Diet Coke. Oh and maybe some berries. Wait, I better have lunch first. And I have to check email. About two hours goes by and then I force myself to sit down and write for thirty minutes. Then another thirty minutes. And then another. But each day, I start out procrastinating. It’s a sickness.


  1. Are you an early bird or night owl?
Night owl for sure. I do most of my writing from 10 pm to 2 am. But I do try to get some writing done during the day. It’s just harder because my husband works from home and I’m always getting interrupted somehow.


  1. Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
           The dogs. In Influential Magic there is Link, my were-wolf shifting Shih Tzu.     He’s based off my dog Duncan Donut. He pretty much embodies Link, except for the actual shifting part. Though he does fancy himself a wolf.

          In my Jade Calhoun series, I have a golden retriever ghost dog. His name is         Duke and is a nod to my special golden that we lost a few years ago. I like to           think she’s still with us, tapping around on our hardwood floors.


  1. What do you do, besides writing?
            I make handmade glass beads. www.cdlampwork.etsy.com. Prior to writing it was my fulltime job for eight years. It’s an awesome creative outlet. I still make them, but not as often as I’d like.


  1. Tell us about something crazy you’ve done.
When I was twenty-nine my husband and I quit out jobs, sold out house, and moved into an RV to travel the country for five years. Everyone we know thought one of two things: we were totally insane or totally cool. We’re sticking with totally cool. It was amazing and we loved every minute of it. Eventually we settled in south east Louisiana, where we still are today.


  1. Best reward as a writer?
The day I got an email from a fan that told me my books got her back into reading after years of not picking up any books at all.


  1. How do you react to a bad review?
I try not to react at all. Everyone gets a bad review every now and then. Everyone. So I read them, decide if the feedback is useful and then go back to writing.

  1. Do you like singing or dancing? Does music inspire you?
I love music. No one wants to hear me sing or watch me dance, though. Trust me. We have a bird and if I sing along with the music, she yells at me. Squawks her head off. It isn’t pretty.


  1. What thing you wish you could stop doing and you can’t?
            Drinking Diet Coke. I’m trying to wean myself, but it’s a struggle.




THANK YOU DEANNA FOR THIS GREAT INTERVIEW!

(note of the blogger: I think traveling around the country it's totally cool! and btw, it might be the age, I'm also 29 and I am dropping dentistry to go work on a cruise XD)





Tour Wide Giveaway.


  • One tote bag with a notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
  • One notebook, keychain and signed copy of Influential Magic
  • 3 keychains and signed copies of Influential Magic
  • 5 signed print copies of Influential Magic
  • 10 ebook copies of Influential Magic
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