Interview - Rachel Caine

Darque Reviews welcomes Rachel Caine!

Hi Ms. Caine, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to learning more about you and your work.

Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing, and how many books you’ve had published?

RC - I started writing when I was 14, but I didn’t sell anything until I was nearly 30 – long learning curve, I suppose! I published my first book, Stormriders, in 1992. Since then, I think the total is about 25 novels to date, with three more still to do this year.

We’d love to hear about your Weather Warden series and your upcoming August 2008 ROC release, Gale Force (Weather Warden, Book 7). Can you tell us about Joanne Baldwin and her role with the Wardens?

RC - Joanne started out in trouble with the Wardens – a magical organization that controls all sorts of magical forces – and while her status has definitely risen, her talent for getting into trouble is also going strong. She’s quick with a quip and has a sharp eye for absurdity, but she definitely takes her role as a Weather Warden seriously – she’s prepared to die for others, and in fact, it wouldn’t be the first time. By Book 7, Joanne’s risen to the top of the organization, but she’s gained a lot of enemies along the way. Her love affair with David, the leader of the New Djinn, is still going strong, but now that he’s asked her for a formal vow, it’s putting them both at risk.

There are Djinn that are as beautiful as they are dangerous. How did they develop, and what is their relationship with the Weather Wardens?

RC - The Djinn come from two sources ... the “True Djinn,” who have been around since the dawn of time and were never human, and the “New Djinn,” humans who have been transformed into Djinn by the circumstances of their deaths. Not surprisingly, there’s a pretty big division between the two, at least in terms of internal politics. None of the Djinn are entirely happy with the Wardens, who more or less perverted the trust that the Djinn gave them way back when, and now Djinn and Wardens exist in an uneasy state of truce – but only because they need each other.

Undone is the first book in a new Weather Warden series titled Outcast Season. Can you tell us about the series and when we might see the first release?

RC - Outcast Season follows a True Djinn named Cassiel who has a serious disagreement with her leader Ashan, and gets exiled into human form. She’ll die without help from the Wardens, but the Wardens want something in return for their generosity ... namely, she has to become part of their organization. But looking human and being human are two very different things, and Cassiel has a lot to learn about herself, and the world around her.

Undone is out in February 2009, and there are four books total in the series.

Another fabulous series is your Morganville Vampires young adult series. Feast of Fools is the 4th book in this series, scheduled for a NAL June 2008 release. Can you tell us about Claire Danvers and her Morganville friends?

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RC - Claire moved to Morganville for college, but she’s getting a lot more of an education than she ever expected. She’s acquired some great friends, (like Michael, Eve, and her now-boyfriend Shane), and some strong allies (like the most powerful vampire in town, Amelie). But now she’s apprenticed to a crazy, brilliant vampire scientist Myrnin, and neck-deep in town politics ... and Amelie’s evil father has rolled into town to take over. What’s a girl to do? Especially with final exams looming!

What are working on now, and what can we expect to see in new releases over the next few years?

RC - I just turned in the fifth Morganville book, Lord of Misrule, and I’ll be starting on the next Weather Warden novel shortly. In addition, there will be three more Outcast Season books coming in the next couple of years. I plan to also do another Stargate SG-1 book this year, and I have some other irons in the fire that aren’t finalized quite yet – but I’m staying busy!

Oh, I’d also like to put in a good word for a marvelous new charity anthology coming out soon called Tears of the Phoenix ... the profits go to the repair and support of the New Orleans Public Library system, which sustained such horrible damage during Hurricane Katrina. It’s being released in two editions, paperback and hardcover, and in the next few weeks you can preorder copies at the website: http://www.tearsofthephoenixanthologies.org/

Is it difficult for you to switch gears from writing an adult series to a young adult series?

RC - Actually, not at all ... I really enjoy the change of pace, and the style and characters are very different. I’m very lucky to have so many varied opportunities.

Who are some of your favorite authors? Have any of them been an influence in your writing?

RC - I have so many favorite authors, I don’t think you have enough space for them here! But I’ll give you the short list: Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, P.N. Elrod, Vicki Pettersson, Stephenie Meyer, Laura Anne Gilman, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, C.J. Cherryh, Roger Zelazny, Tanith Lee, Judith Tarr. I’d probably say that the biggest influence on my writing has been Roger Zelazny, if I had to choose one in particular. I still re-read his Books of Amber just about every year. I also love the classics – the Scarlet Pimpernel series by Baroness Orczy, Men of Iron by Howard Pyle, the Sherlock Holmes stories.

When you’re able to find some free time, what do you enjoy doing?

RC - What is this free time of which you speak? When it rolls around, we have a pretty fierce home theater system and loads of movies and TV shows. Also, I’m trying to get myself back into reasonably good order on playing the clarinet (which I did for a number of years) and learn guitar and harp.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring writers before we go?

RC - I’m a reader first, last, and always – I love writing, but there’s just something so magical about reading a new book for me. So hooray for readers!

And for your aspiring writers ... patience is a virtue. It can seem to take forever to get noticed and published, but honestly, there’s no substitute for hard work, dedication and learning the business. And I look forward to shaking hands with you at a book signing someday!

It’s been a pleasure speaking with you Rachel. Thanks so much for joining us!

RC - Thank you for the opportunity. It’s a pleasure!


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Visit Rachel Caine’s Website here:
http://www.rachelcaine.com/

Visit Rachel Caine’s Blog here:
http://rachelcaine.livejournal.com/

Friend her on Myspace and Facebook!

Interview - Jeri Smith-Ready

Darque Reviews welcomes Jeri Smith-Ready!

Hi Jeri, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know you and your writing a bit better.

Wicked Game is scheduled to release on May 13th, 2008 by Pocket Books. Can you give readers an idea of what they’ll find between the covers of your upcoming release?

JSR: WICKED GAME is a dark, fun, and sexy urban fantasy about a con artist trying to save a vampire radio station from corporate takeover. It’s loaded with music, spiked with horror, and has more than a touch of romance.

Ciara is an ex con trying to live a straight life, the vampires are DJs forever tied to the eras in which they were turned. Which of these ideas came first, and how did the other follow?

JSR: I was driving to work flipping the dial and came to a classic rock station playing “Bad Company” by the band of the same name. I thought, Hmm, “Bad Company” would be a perfect title for a paranormal book with a shady main character.

By the time I got to work, I had a fully formed idea for the vampire DJs stuck in time and a heroine with a criminal past. (The punch line is that even though it all began with “Bad Company,” the publisher ultimately asked me to change the title.)

It was a few more weeks before I figured out Ciara’s criminal background. Con artists tend to be the most charming crooks (who doesn’t love Redford and Newman in The Sting, or Sawyer from Lost?). It also lets Ciara sympathize with the vampires, because she’s a predator, too.

Will this be a stand-alone story, or can readers expect to see more of Ciara Griffin in the future?

JSR: At least one more book (tentatively titled Bad to the Bone) will appear next spring. Like any new series, its continuation largely depends on reader enthusiasm. (hint, hint—if you like the book, tell all your friends!)

Can you tell us about your previous books?

JSR: I also have a romantic fantasy series with Luna Books. The ASPECT OF CROW trilogy (Reviewers Choice Winner and Rita nominee EYES OF CROW, 2006; VOICE OF CROW, 2007; and THE REAWAKENED, November 2008) takes place in a world where everyone has magic bestowed by their Guardian Spirit Animal. The heroine has the Aspect of Crow, which deals with the powers of death. The character’s world is threatened with destruction by an outside force called the “Descendants,” who lack magic but are more technologically advanced—both due to their alienation from nature.

My first urban fantasy was REQUIEM FOR THE DEVIL (2001), which takes place in modern-day Washington, DC. Lucifer is masquerading as a political consultant (not much of a fantasy, I know). He falls in love, and it changes who he is, how he does his job, and even his destiny.

Which of your characters are you most attached to, and why?

JSR: I would have to say Shane, the hero of WICKED GAME. Ciara is probably my favorite, but she’s completely irrepressible. She could survive anything through strength of will alone. But Shane has that darkness lurking inside, waiting to consume him. The music gives him a reason to live, which makes saving the radio station an even more urgent matter for Ciara, as she comes to care about him.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

JSR: Definitely the first draft. It feels like sculpting air. Once I have a rough draft down, no matter how crap-alicious, I can work to make it better. But that initial creation of the story is torment.

What are you working on now? What can readers look forward to next?

JSR: I’m in the middle of the second draft (yay!) of WICKED GAME’s sequel, BAD TO THE BONE (to appear in spring 2009). I’m also putting the final touches on THE REAWAKENED, the third book in the Aspect of Crow trilogy. That will be released this November. Once those two projects are turned in, I’ll finish a proposal for a young adult urban fantasy series.

Which genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

JSR: I tend to read widely rather than deeply. Want a dark confession? I’m not much of a series fan—I tend to read the first in a series, then no more, no matter how much I enjoyed it. I’m whatever the opposite of an addictive personality is. I’m pretty sure I’d be the world’s first casual crack smoker.

The short list of authors I’ve read 2+ books by include Rachel Vincent, PC Cast, Caprice Crane, Madeleine L’Engle, Charles de Lint, John Irving, Neil Gaiman, C.E. Murphy, James Morrow, Catherine Asaro, and Jana Oliver. And of course the Harry Potter books, but I read them all straight through in a month, which was the only way to hold my attention.

Music was a big part of Wicked Game. Do you always listen to it while you write?

JSR: Usually. It helps me focus amid the background noise of my home. It also keeps me awake, which I find to be really useful when writing.

As to how music affects the actual creation process, the rhythm and mood can drive me through the scene, lending it an extra edge. And of course, when writing a scene that contains music, as often happens in WICKED GAME, I need to hear the song to describe it, so that a reader who’s not familiar with the tune can get a feel for it. If Shane is playing a song on the guitar, I try to find a YouTube video of someone performing it so I can describe how it looks as well as how it sounds.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring authors before we say goodbye?

JSR: To readers: support the authors and series you love by buying their books new and spreading the word. These days, it’s the only way to make sure they stick around.

To aspiring authors: If I had treated my writing with the same amount of professionalism *before* I had a contract as I did afterward, I probably would have been published years sooner. So if you’re serious about it, don’t cram it into the corners of time you manage to find each day. Make it a priority and fit the rest of your life around *it*. Yes, even if it means giving up television.

Thanks so much for spending time with us. The best of luck with Wicked Game!

JSR: Thanks for having me, Kimberly. I really enjoy your site!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Jeri Smith-Ready at her website, here:
http://www.jerismithready.com/

You can visit her blog, here:
http://www.jerismithready.com/blog/

You can preorder Wicked Game, here:
Amazon – Wicked Game

Interview - Tera Lynn Childs

Darque Reviews welcomes Tera Lynn Childs…

Hi Tera, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know you and your work better.

Oh. My. Gods. is scheduled to release on May 1, 2008 by Dutton Books (Penguin Group, USA). Can you tell us a bit about Phoebe Castro and her life at the Academy?

TLC: Phoebe is a California girl whose mom marries the headmaster of the Academy, a super-exclusive private school on a tiny Greek island. She just wants to get through her senior year with a B-average and a few cross-country wins because that’s her ticket to a USC scholarship. But when they arrive she learns that the school is populated by the descendants of Greek gods--and she’s the only one who’s not! How can she compete with that? As my cover blurb says, Phoebe’s in for a romantic odyssey of mythic proportion.

Which came first, Phoebe or the Greek gods?

TLC: The gods. Actually, the (original) title came first. My working title was Growing Up Godly--a twist on the Growing Up Gotti reality show--and since I’m not an inspirational author I knew I had to find another meaning for the “Godly” part. I’ve always loved anything ancient, so the Greek gods were a perfect fit.

Will this be a stand-alone story, or can readers expect to see more of Phoebe in the future?

TLC: There will be at least one more--I’m revising the as-yet-untitled sequel right now. I can’t say too much without revealing Oh. My. Gods. spoilers, but the second books takes place the summer after Phoebe’s first year at the Academy. All the familiar characters (Nicole, Troy, Griffin, Adara, and Stella) play major parts in the story.

Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing and what influenced you to choose it as a profession?

TLC: I know the exact moment I started thinking about writing as a legitimate potential career. During my masters thesis defense one of my advisors said, “You are a very effective writer.” Now he was only trying to soften the blow of his next comment, but it got me thinking. Maybe, just maybe, I could.... Two years later, in 2003, I decided to really go after the career.

What was the most difficult part of the writing process for your first book?

TLC: Finishing. The first book I completed was a Regency historical romance the will never see the light of day. Before that I’d started one book after another, but never got more than halfway before giving up. After you reach the end once, then you always know you can do it again, but that first time is scary. You’re plagued by doubts. What if I can’t finish it? What if it’s horrible? What if, what if, what if? You have to push that aside. Just. Keep. Writing.

What are you working on now? What can readers look forward to next?

TLC: Like I said, I’m just finishing up the sequel to Oh. My. Gods. Hopefully there will be more books in the series because I’m not done with Phoebe yet. In the meantime I have a few others in the works. I have BADD (Book Attention Deficit Disorder) so I always have half a dozen ideas at the ready, but until I have a contract I can’t know which ones will make the cut.

Which genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

TLC: Of course I’m reading mostly teen books right now and some of my favorites are Stephanie Hale, Jaclyn Moriarty, E. Lockhart, John Green, and Rachel Cohn. My first love, though, is historical romance and my must-reads are Sophie Jordan, Shana Galen, Suzanne Enoch, and unequivocally Julia Quinn.

What did you do to celebrate the sale of your first book?

TLC: I got a tattoo! I’d been wanting one forever, but was very cautious about the what and the where. Choosing the location was easy--my back hip--but I couldn’t decide on the art. TeenVogue published a picture of a Brazilian girl with a field of stars over her shoulder. That was perfect! I was unpublished at that point and made myself a deal: I could get one star for every book I sold. Which reminds me, I still need to get a star for the sequel...

How do you spend your free time when you find some?

TLC: (I find way more than I should!) I’m a reality TV junkie--gasp, I know. If someone has a chance to win a bunch of money by doing something disgusting, embarrassing, or awe-inspiring, then I’ll tune in. I also like to read, rearrange my furniture, travel, browse bookstores, make lists, and covertly observe teenagers at my local coffee shop while I’m supposed to be working--it’s market research!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring authors before we say goodbye?

TLC: Never give up and never stand still. If writing is your passion and you are committed to never stop learning and changing and growing as author you will eventually succeed. Author friend Lynda Sandoval once gave a very powerful speech in which--and I’m majorly paraphrasing/interpreting here--she said, “Imagine if you gave up the day before. The day before you got the bestselling idea. The day before you sent the query that landed you an agent. The day before all the hard work paid off. How can you ever give up knowing that today could be the day before?”

Thanks so much for spending time with us. The best of luck with your upcoming release, Oh. My. Gods.!

TLC: Thank you for the fun interview and for the luck--all writers need that in heavy doses.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Tera Lynn Childs website, here:
http://teralynnchilds.com/

You can visit her blog, here:
http://www.myspace.com/teralynnchilds

You can order a copy of Oh. My. Gods., here:
Oh. My. Gods. - Amazon

Interview - Laura Anne Gilman

Darque Reviews welcomes Laura Anne Gilman!

Hi Laura Anne, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know you and your work better.

Free Fall is scheduled for release on May 1, 2008 with Luna Books. Can you tell us about Wren Valere’s newest adventure?

LAG: In Free Fall, Wren does something she’s sworn never to do – she takes herself as a client, making a Retrieval that only she can pull off. Except it’s not just her, of course – Sergei and P.B. aren’t going to let her go it alone, no matter what she thinks. A lot of what’s been building in the past few books really comes to a head, here, and the piper is definitely paid. It was a lot of fun – in the cruel author sense of the word – putting them through the grinder. But don’t worry – they have their lighter moments, too. And yes, we do learn a lot more about the fatae, the non-human members of the Cosa Nostradamus.

This is the 5th book in The Retrievers series; can you give readers a little background on the previous books?

LAG: The books follow Wren Valere and her partner Sergei Didier. Wren is a Retriever, which means that she uses magic (‘current,’ in the parlance of the Cosa Nostradamus) to steal items for her clients. Sometimes the jobs are on the up-and-up…and sometimes they’re not. Over the course of the series, Wren and Sergei both develop their rather rocky personal relationship, and become more and more involved in the larger world of the Cosa, especially when Sergei’s former employers get involved….

You’re also beginning a new series this year (2008), the first of which is titled, Illumination. Can you tell us about The P.U.P.I. series and how it relates to The Retrievers series?

LAG: Actually ‘Illumination’ is the title of the short story that will kick things off, in the forthcoming anthology Powers of Detection II. The first book is still searching for a title, as it’s only now being written. PUPI, or “the Pups,” were introduced in the Retrievers books – Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigation. In the convoluted, often volatile Cosa, where human Talent are split into freewheeling ‘lonejacks’ or the more formal Council, and the non-human fatae have grudges that go back generations, two men have decided there is a need for an impartial, fact-driven investigative team that took no sides except that of the (magical) evidence, to deal with the inevitable situations where normal police and courts can’t be brought in.

The first book in that series won’t be out for a while (we still have the sixth Retrievers novel, BLOOD FROM STONE), but I’m already really excited about it!

Have any of your characters become a favorite for you?

LAG: Hrm. P.B., certainly – the demon was only supposed to be a walk-on character in STAYING DEAD, and he sort of moved in and took over, to become Sidekick #1. And Bonnie endeared herself to me enough to demand her own series! But actually, my surprise favorite character is Duncan. Such a cold, ruthless, and yet [in his own bigoted way] honest character, I was fond of him even as I despised him. He was certainly a challenge to write!

If you could be one of your characters for a day, who would you choose and why?

LAG: Rorani, the dryad. The thought of being part of such an old tree, with such a sense of history…being that grounded and a part of your surroundings is very appealing, especially considering the pretty constant chaos of my life.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

LAG: Starting the revision process. Telling the story the first time is fun. Layering it, so that all the details in my head make it onto the page, is the crafty, brain-tickling part I enjoy maybe the most. Fixing problems that crept in during the telling and layering… I stall out like a cranky car going uphill. I rely on my editor not only to be fresh eyes and brain to find the problems I’ve overlooked or pretended weren’t there, but to tell me about them in a way that jumpstarts the car and gets me moving again. Thankfully, she’s very good at that – I read her notes and start thinking “oh, yeah, okay, I can approach it that way….”

What are you working on now? What can readers look forward to next?

LAG: In addition to working on Bonnie #1, I’ve sent off the revised manuscript for BLOOD FROM STONE, the sixth Retrievers novel that will be out in May 2009. But before then there will be an unrelated e-novella (“Dreamcatcher” out in August 2008), and two paranormal romances under the name Anne Leonard – THE NIGHT SERPENT and DAUGHTER OF THE SEA. They’re more in the traditional romance-with-paranormal vein, rather than being fantasy, so we’re putting them out under a different name.

For short fiction, my stories “Illumination” (Powers of Detection II), “Wolfling” (from Abyss & Apex), and “apple, not a fairy tale” (Aeon Speculative Fiction) should be available before the end of the year (publication updates are posted on my website and in my Livejournal).

Plus, there’s an entirely unrelated project that my agent has out with potential publishers now. It’s huge fun, a second-world fantasy rather than the mostly-familiar setting of the Cosa Nostradamus.

I like to keep busy, yeah.

What inspired you to become an author?

LAG: I’m not sure I was inspired so much as hard-wired. There was never much doubt in my mind that, whatever else I did with my life, writing would be part of it. The ‘author’ thing still catches me by surprise – when people ask me what I do I saw “writer” because hey, I write. Active tense.

I suppose the inspiration I got was being raised in a household that was not only filled with books, but where “I’m gonna write books” was greeted not with “suuuure you are” or “good lord, why?” but “all right, that’s a tough career, but if that’s your dream, go for it!” My mother is a short story writer, and my uncle was in publishing, so I learned early on what I was in for. That didn’t stop me either from writing, or having a 15 year career as a book editor myself. Like I said – hard-wired for this career. It was either that or go for my PhD in history, and I just couldn’t bear the thought of any more 8am classes…

Is there a hobby you enjoy when you have some free-time?

LAG: Cooking. I love good food well-prepared, and the alchemy of taking seemingly unrelated ingredients and transforming them into satisfaction. My friends say I should have my own cooking show – “The Improvisational Chef.”

I’d never do it professionally, though – a good hobby should be something you pick up only when you’re in the mood, not because you have to. Otherwise, it becomes a source of stress, not pleasure. We have enough stress in our lives, there’s no need to add any more!

I think that’s a large part of why I write, actually. To help take some of the stress out of other peoples’ lives…

Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your time and answers. The best of luck with Free Fall!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Ms. Gilman’s website, here:
http://www.sff.net/people/LauraAnne.Gilman/

You can visit her blog, here:
http://cosanostradamus.blogspot.com/

You can preorder Free Fall, here:
Amazon – Free Fall

Interview - Linda Wisdom

Darque Reviews welcomes Linda Wisdom!

Hi Linda, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know you and your work better.

Your new paranormal romance, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, just released from Source Books on March 1, 2008. Can you tell us about it?

LW: Jazz Tremaine is a 700 year young witch who works as a curse eliminator during the day and a driver for All Creatures Car Service at night. She’s snarky, sexy and funny. And not too many witches have a ghost haunting their car. The only curse she wasn’t able to eliminate. Except now, her life is turning upside down when Nick Gregory her vampire ex lover shows up. He needs her help in taking down a killer of vampires. The only thing is, Jazz doesn’t want to spend too much time with Nick because she’ll just fall into bed with him again and that never goes well.

Jasmine Tremaine is a witch, Nikolai Gregorivich is a vampire. What made you choose to put them together in their on and off relationship?

LW: When I thought of the man who would take on Jazz, I soon realized a vampire, someone who’d been around for centuries, could be the only one who could handle her. Even if it means dodging fireballs she can throw all too easily.

Fluff and Puff…of course we have to hear about those naughty little slippers. How did they come about?

LW: We all have our form of comfort items. Teddy bears are great, but I’ve always had a thing about bunny slippers. I have quite a few stuffed animals wearing bunny slippers including a wolf. Fluff and Puff just sort of popped up, said they were magickal, that they were protected from punishment and they pretty much ate anything. There are times I’m convinced my own bunny slippers are out partying at night.

There are a variety of supernatural beings in Jazz’s world. Which was your favorite to write about, and why?

LW: Wow, that’s tricky. Irma, the cranky ghost was a blast to write, but I’d have to say Dweezil, Jazz’s boss at the car service. He could be the only one of his kind, has his collection of erotica, is so cheap he makes Scrooge look like a philanthropist, and believes the world is out to get him.

Will we see more of Jazz Tremaine in the future?

LW: In the fall!! I don’t have the exact month yet. Hex Appeal begins several months after 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover ends.

Can you tell us what you’re working on now, and what readers have to look forward to next?

LW: I’m waiting word on the next few witch books and I’m also trying a Young Adult urban fantasy.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you, and why?

LW: Writing a synopsis! I hate them. To me, it’s easier to write the whole book than write a synopsis.

What genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

LW: I enjoy most genres, paranormal, contemporary romance, mystery, romantic suspense, sci fi/fantasy. And so many great authors out there. Yasmine Galenorn, Annette Blair, Candace Havens, Jim Butcher, Laura Anne Gilman, Linda Fairstein, Charlaine Harris, Maryjanice Davidson, Carrie Vaughn. As I said, a lot!

Do you have a hobby, or something you enjoy doing when you find some free time?

LW: Reading, of course. I also have a spoiled rotten Yorkie/Chihuahua I love to play with. Bogie’s 16 and still loves his walks. And a great way to get out and figure out what’s next.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring writers before we say goodbye?

LW: For aspiring writers, just keep on as long as you have absolute faith in your work. For readers, if you buy Jazz I hope you enjoy it as much as I loved writing.

Thanks so much for spending this time with Darque Reviews, Linda. We wish you the best with 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Linda Wisdom here:
Witchy Chicks

Or at MySpace, here:
http://www.myspace.com/lindawisdombooks

You can purchase 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, here:
http://www.sourcebooks.com/cart/shopexd.asp?id=1520

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Interview - Karen MacInerney

Darque Reviews welcomes Karen MacInerney!

Hi Karen, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews. We’re looking forward to getting to know you and your work better.

Your upcoming book, Howling at the Moon: Tales of an Urban Werewolf, is being published by Ballantine Books on February 26, 2008. Can you tell us a bit about it?

KM: Howling at the Moon is the story of reluctant werewolf -- and auditor -- Sophie Garou, who's got a great job, a great loft, a great boyfriend... and a big fat hairy secret. Because I LOVE the teaser Ballantine came up with, I'll share it here for your readers:

Sophie Garou seems to have it all: a great job at a prestigious accounting firm, a closet that rivals a Nordstrom showroom, and a terrific boyfriend who isn’t afraid to use the “M” word. There’s just one little itty-bitty problem: Sophie is a werewolf–and her time of month has a whole new meaning.

Needless to say, life among yummy flesh-and-blood humans is no piece of steak . . . er, cake!, but regular doses of wolfsbane tea and a mother who runs a magic shop have helped Sophie keep her paranormal pedigree under wraps. Still, when a sexy, golden-eyed werewolf prowls into town, Sophie finds herself struggling to keep her animal impulses in check–not to mention trying to keep things on track with her super hot (and super human) lawyer boyfriend. What’s more, someone is threatening to expose Sophie for what she really is. And when her mother is accused of selling a poison-laced potion, Sophie must sniff out a culprit before the fur hits the fan.

Howling at the Moon is the first book in your new Tales of an Urban Werewolf trilogy. Will the trilogy center around one character, or will it change with each book?

KM: Sophie is definitely the star of the trilogy, so all three books will be from her point of view, although the cast of characters will grow and evolve as the books -- and Sophie's world -- grow.

Prior to Howling at the Moon, you wrote cozy mysteries. Have you found that you enjoy writing in one genre more than the other?

KM: I really enjoy writing cozy mysteries, in part because it's wonderful creating the kind of warm, welcoming world that I love to fall into when I read. I also enjoy watching the small-town dynamics unfold -- and perfecting (and sampling) the recipes, of course!

But writing in the paranormal realm has been a ton of fun -- in part because the world-building is in an exciting challenge, and in part because there are fewer rules, which means you can let your imagination run free. When you're working in a world where werewolves are de rigueur, your options for what can happen expand exponentially, and it allows me to create all kinds of absurd, hilarious situations. It's still creating a world, though -- only one where magic, rather than muffins, is the star of the show.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

KM: When I'm in writing mode, the words often come tumbling out -- I just wrote 2,000 words in two hours this morning, so I've had a great day. But I've learned that sometimes my creative brain needs a rest to recharge. So for me, I think the challenge has been understanding that while I have periods of great productivity, they are balanced by 'fallow' periods. I've had to accept that the breathers are what enable me to work so enthusiastically -- and productively -- the rest of the time.

Can you tell us what you’re working on now, and what fans can look forward to?

KM: I am currently finishing up the third Tales of an Urban Werewolf book and the third Gray Whale Inn mystery (Murder Most Maine); I plan to have both finished in May. But I've got several exciting ideas for new paranormal projects -- projects that will delve into all kinds of interesting and untapped areas -- bouncing around in my head, and I can't wait to get them on paper. I'll keep you posted!

Do you work on more than one project at a time?

KM: I have tried to -- many times -- but I seem to be a one-book-girl. My friend Susan Wittig Albert once said that books are greedy, and demand all of your attention; she's right. If I work on more than one book at a time, I tend to lose my focus. I will occasionally switch from one to another for a period of months, depending on deadlines and other factors, but when I'm in one book, I don't move to another unless I'm completely switching gears.

I do allow myself to daydream about future projects, though -- which for me, is half the fun of writing. The payoff for finishing one book is letting myself start fleshing out some of my (many, many, many) other ideas!

What genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

KM: I read in many, many genres, and I must admit my list is rather eclectic. In mystery and romance, I love Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Wittig Albert, Diane Mott Davidson, and my fellow Cozy Chicks authors, of course. But I also adore Diana Gabaldon, Vladimir Nabokov, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bernd Heinrich, Philippa Gregory, Robin Hobb (she's a fabulous fantasy author I discovered just a year or two ago), Claire Berlinski, James Herriot, Bill Bryson (who can make me snort orange juice) and Michael Pollan. And cookbooks -- I'm on a Barefoot Contessa kick right now.

Do you have a particular time of day that you set aside specifically to write?

KM: Primarily in the mornings after I exercise -- and almost always when my kids are at school or at their grandma's house. Otherwise, just when I get to the steamy bits, e.g., "He put his warm hand on my thigh, sending a current of lust through me..." a child always barges in and announces that someone just spilled four gallons of milk on the kitchen floor. And that most of it is now under the refrigerator.

So I write while the kids are gone... unless I realize that I misread a deadline, in which case I can write 40 pages in 8 hours with three kids jumping all over me. (I wish I could say this was theoretical, but it's not.) I usually write at a coffee house or at the library, but it varies; lately I've been working on the living room couch. I have no idea why.

Do you have any hobbies? How do you spend your free time when you find some?

KM: I like to read -- surprise! -- and I like to exercise, so you'll often find me on walking or biking the Hike and Bike trail or at an exercise class. Also, I'm a big fan of plants and growing things in general -- in a previous life, I was working toward a PhD in plant population biology -- so I love nature hikes and gardening. I enjoy cooking, and I love, love, love to travel. I'm planning to learn Italian soon so I can convince myself that spending a summer in Tuscany would be educational. (And deductible, for research purposes, of course. Italian werewolves, anyone?) And there's nothing better than settling into a hot bath with a candle and a great book.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring authors before we say goodbye?

KM: I think for readers, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for going to your bookstores and libraries keeping the art of the written word alive. I love books passionately, and I'm so glad there are so many people still devoted to the magic of books!

And for writers? I think I would say that above all, the best way to learn to write is to read. Read obsessively, read curiously, read to find out what kind of book you want to write. And when you sit down to work, be as clear as you can about the book you want to write. You wouldn't sit down at a blank canvas without knowing if you were planning to paint a still life or a modern piece; in the same way, it's best to have at least some vision of what you want to do before you pull out your laptop (or notebook, or whatever you choose to use).

And when you do start submitting your work, keep your chin up -- and start on the next piece as soon as you've sent that query letter out. (Preferably not the sequel to the unsold first book -- get excited about something new!)


Thanks so much for spending some time with us. The best of luck on Howling at the Moon!

KM: Thank you, Kimberly... and thank you so much for the interview. Great questions!


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Karen MacInerney’s website here:
http://www.karenmacinerney.com/

You can visit her blog here:
http://karenmacinerney.blogspot.com/

You can purchase a copy of Howling at the Moon, here:
Amazon – Howling at the Moon

Interview - Mark Henry

Darque Reviews welcomes Mark Henry, author of the upcoming Kensington Books release, “Happy Hour of the Damned”.

Hi Mark, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know a bit about you and your writing.

You must be very excited about your first novel, Happy Hour of the Damned. Can you tell us a bit about it?

MH - Well, first off, thanks for having me. The thought of this book hitting the shelves is driving me insane with anxiety and excitement and all those other emotions that cause bowel issues. So…yeah. I am totally excited.

And, here's that bit you asked for…

Amanda's an ad-exec turned flesh-eating ghoul searching for a missing friend, the perfect martini, and a way to stop the coming zombie apocalypse—'cause really, more zombies equals less food. It's the first in a contracted trilogy and I hope to cover every horrible, funny, and awkward thing you can imagine about joining the undead while retaining the use of your brain. I want people to have a really good time with it.


Where did the idea come from? How did it develop into a story?

MH - I've always loved zombies, in movies, fiction, whatever. Back in the 80s, Douglas E. Winter wrote a pair of stories for anthologies from the perspective of the sentient undead rather than the mindless shambling variety, Less than Zombie and Bright Lights Big Zombie, based, obviously, on two of the biggest novels of that decade, Bret Easton Ellis's Less than Zero and Jay McInerny's Bright Lights Big City. I always wanted more but further stories never materialized. When I decided to write my first novel, it was a natural fit. I asked myself what if the Sex and the City girls ended up rising from the dead with a craving for flesh? What would that be like? I wrote a short story called An Acquired Taste—the first appearance of Amanda and Wendy—that was published in a small press anthology and really started the ball rolling.


Can you tell us what you’re working on now and what we might see from you in the next few years?

MH - I'm in the middle of three projects, right now. I've just finished book 2 in the Amanda Feral series, Road Trip of the Living Dead, and preparing another comic urban fantasy called The Dark Rites of Joe Barkley, which if you can believe it is even darker than Happy Hour and teeming with all sorts of ludicrous sexual situations. Book 3 is outlined and partially complete, as well. So lots of irons in the fire.


Do you have a favorite author you read? Are they an influence on your writing?

MH - I love Christopher Moore and have been making my way through his books for the past couple of years. His humor is this absolutely brilliant, no-holds barred stuff and I can only hope mine bears a resemblance. In Joe, I'm attempting the kind of multiple narrative structure that Moore employs so comfortably. I also love Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next and Liz Williams Detective Inspector Chen, both series that just blew me away in world building and humor.


If you could choose anyone to co-author a book with, who would it be? Why?

MH - I can say, with all confidence, no other author would put up with my non-linear flights of extrapolation, lazy writing habits and/or filthy pottymouth. Except maybe my wife but she's not a writer, although she's my first reader and one hell of a blue pencil editor. Scary!


Is all of your writing filled with humor? Is that something that carries over from your personality?

MH - Not all of my work is humorous, but probably the stuff that gets published will be. It's the one thing that sets my work apart from other urban fantasies. That's going to sound snotty. Let's put it this way, people who haven't read the book will make an assumption based on the cover, but Amanda is not simply snarky ala Anita Blake, the book is built on a comedy framework.

It definitely carries over from my personality, and the group of friends I associate with are quite sarcastic, acerbic, and, dare I say, biting. Nyuk nyuk.


Do you have any bad writing habits?

MH - Oh God, tons of 'em. I'm lazy as hell, and as any writer can tell you, too much time between writing sessions is like starting over. I start over, a lot. I'm an incessant e-mail checker and internet procrastinator. Blogging is both fun and terrible for my work. I can easily spend five hours prepping and posting a blog and then have so much less time Plus, I have a tendency to interject my filthy vocabulary into my narrative. Maybe you've noticed?


Is there a favorite quote or saying you use often?

MH - Don't ask me that. I have tons of movie lines that seem to slip out at inappropriate times. Mostly really offensive quotes from John Waters' films. He's another huge influence on my work. Oops…here comes one now, don't say I didn't warn you.

"Lulu? Tell me you don't dance lewdly for the boys at school."
"For a quarter I will."


How do you spend your time when you’re not busy writing?

MH - I love to read, play with my dogs, go to movies, travel. After people read the book, they'll be expecting the answer to be: torturing innocents in my dungeon lair, but really just normal stuff. Oh…and I love to cook, body parts, of course.


Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers before we say goodbye?

MH - You keep laughing and I'll keep writing. Does that sound corny? I think it sounds corny.


Everyone can use that wonderful bit of humor in their lives, so I think we’ll all be happy to hold you to it. :)

Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your time. Congratulations on Happy Hour of the Damned!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews


You can visit Mark’s website here:
http://markhenry.us/

Visit Mark’s blog here:
http://burlesqueofthedamned.blogspot.com/

Visit Mark at League of Reluctant Adults here:
http://www.leagueofreluctantadults.com/

Interview - Justin Gustainis

Darque Reviews welcomes Justin Gustainis!

Hi Justin, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews. We’re looking forward to learning more about you and your new series.

Black Magic Woman, published by Solaris Books, is the first book in your Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigation series, can you give readers an idea of what to expect?

JG: The book has two distinct plotlines. In one, occult investigator and his partner, “white” witch Libby Chastain, are hired to save a family from a deadly curse that dates back to the Salem witch trials. Their quarry, a “black” witch of immense power, learns of their interest and decides to destroy them before they can get to her.

In the other plotline, a member of South Africa’s Occult Crimes Unit (which really exists) is brought to the US to help the FBI search for a ritualistic killer who has been abducting children and killing them for their organs. The South African and his assigned partner, an African-American FBI agent, try to sublimate their mutual antagonism in order to solve the case, which turns out to be far more sinister then even they suspect.

These two separate plotlines eventually come together – with a bang loud enough to wake the dead. And who knows, maybe they will….

Can you tell us how Quincey Morris developed into one of your characters? Was there a lot of research involved?

JG: I’ve always been interested in Quincey P. Morris, who is one of the supporting characters in the original novel Dracula. The American dies at the end of Stoker’s novel, but in my book we learn that he has a son from an earlier marriage, who is back in Texas. My hero is the original Quincey’s great-great grandson.

There wasn’t a great deal of research involved, other than re-reading Dracula, which is always a pleasure. I also researched Texas slang.

What are you working on now? What releases can your readers look forward to seeing from you in the upcoming year or so?

JG: I’ve contracted with my publisher, Solaris Books, to write a sequel to Black Magic Woman. It’s called Evil Ways and is due for publication in January, 2009. In it, Quincey and Libby aren’t really expected to do a great deal – except maybe save the world.

Solaris has also taken an option on two more titles in the “Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations” series. So I expect to be busy for quite some time.

Do you have an idea of the number of books the series will include? Have you outlined the series to the end?

JG: No, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’ll keep writing Quincey Morris novels as long as people want to read them (unless I run out of ideas first, which is too horrible to contemplate).

When did you start writing? Do you remember what your first story was about?

JG: I started writing to amuse my friends back in high school. I used to write these spy “novels” in which they all had prominent roles. I used to tell them that if they weren’t nice to me, I’d kill off their character.

Do you write full-time? What inspired you to pursue writing as a career?

JG: No, I don’t write full-time. A handful of people (like Stephen King, Danielle Steele, John Grisham) get rich writing fiction. A few handsful more (wasn’t that a Spaghetti Western?) manage to make a decent living at it. But most people, I think, who write (and publish) fiction have either a day job or a spouse with a day job.

I’ve got a day job. I’m a college professor at a university in New York.

How has being published changed your life?

JG: Not a great deal. I sometimes have to go to book signings on weekends. I also have to impose more discipline on my spare time. It used to be, “Well, I can write, or watch TV.” Now it’s more like “I’ve got a book manuscript with a deadline. I’d better write.”

Do you have any favorite authors? Have they been an influence in your writing?

JG: I suppose anybody who writes my kind of fiction has been influenced by Stephen King to some degree. But most of my other influences are mystery writers, both living (Thomas Perry, Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais) and dead (Ross Thomas and John D. MacDonald).

What do you enjoy doing with your time when your not busy writing? Do you have any hobbies?

JG: My hobby used to be writing. Now it’s become a second job (that I happen to love – most days). I’ve always loved to read fiction for relaxation. I’m just not able to read as much of it these days.

Before we say goodbye, is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring authors?

JG: Somebody once said that the difference between a published writer and an unpublished writer is persistence. That is absolutely true. If you want to be a writer, keep writing, and keep submitting, and never, ever give up.

Thanks so much for joining us Justin, and the best of luck with your new series!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews


You can visit the website of Justin Gustainis here:
http://www.justingustainis.com/

Interview - Adrian Phoenix

Darque Reviews welcomes Adrian Phoenix…..

Hi Adrian, thanks so much for sharing your time with Darque Reviews, and for giving the readers a chance to get to know you and your work.

AP: Hi Kimberly, thanks for giving me the opportunity to chat with your readers.

A Rush of Wings is your debut novel set to release with Pocket Books on January 8, 2008. Can you tell us a little about it?

AP: You bet! A Rush of Wings is a story of betrayal, shattered beliefs, and blackest secrets as Special Agent Heather Wallace trails a serial-killing sexual sadist to New Orleans. An unexpected twist leads her to Dante, gorgeous, talented – vampire, and the killer's next target. She tumbles into a deadly moonlit world of vampires, fallen angels and hidden experiments in sociopathology.

Caught in a web of deception stretching to the Bureau and beyond, Heather runs a desperate race – against time, against other agents, even against her own deepening feelings – to keep Dante alive, but she can't save him from his own stolen past. Or his destiny.

How did F.B.I. Special Agent Heather Wallace develop into a character for you? How about Dante?

AP: I created both Dante and Heather while gaming (fantasy RPGs), and I became very familiar with them as I played them, and shaped their histories, their families, and their darkest secrets.

Is A Rush of Wings the first book in a series, or is it a single title?

AP: It’s the first in a four-book story arc. Possibly more!

Can you tell us what you’re working on now, and what readers can hope to see in the next year or so?

AP: I’ve finished and turned in the second book, IN THE BLOOD, to my editor at Pocket. It has a release date of January 2009. I’m currently planning/preparing to write books three and four. I’m also working on a four-book dark fantasy story revolving around the poet John Keats and the lamia who saves him from death in Rome at the age of twenty-five. But my main focus at the moment is on Dante and Heather.

Where do you get the inspiration for a story?

AP: Music is a HUGE inspiration – from the music itself, to the lyrics, to individual stanzas, to the sound of the singer’s voice. Nine Inch Nails is my primary source for an emotional soundscape while I write. Others are Muse, Saul Williams, AFI, and movie soundtracks such as The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest, in particular – among others.

What is your favorite part of writing? How about the part you dislike most?

AP: My favorite part is when I’m so into the story and the characters that the world around me fades and the words pour from my fingertips and onto the monitor in a white-hot rush and time no longer exists. My least favorite part is probably editing because it takes me out of creative mode, but editing is good. That’s when I get to whittle away the excess and reveal the story’s true shape.

What genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

AP: I love reading so many genres! Fantasy, S/F, paranormal, horror, mystery, historical, you name it, I’ll read it. It’s the characters and the story that matters, not the genre. Some of my favorite authors are Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Caleb Carr, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Barb and JC Hendee, Kris Nelscott, James Ellroy...so many!!

How do you spend your free time?

AP: Hah! Free time! If I’m not writing/revising/editing, then I’m reading or going to movies. I also exercise – hiking, weights, yoga, belly dancing. I started belly dancing classes five years ago and really enjoy it.

What’s the best piece of advice that you can give to the aspiring writers out there?

AP: Write. Write every single day. Persistence and consistency pay off, so carve writing time into your day. I write in the evenings after work and on the weekends. And read like mad. You learn about story, craft, plotting, and characterization with each book you read – you learn what works and what doesn’t. Write. Write. Write. Network with other writers.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers before we go?

AP: Follow your dreams. Never give up no matter what anyone tells you. Want it enough to work for it and reach! You’ll make your dreams come true.

Thank you for joining us Adrian. Congratulations and the best of luck with A Rush of Wings! Hope to see more from you soon.

AP: Thanks for having me, Kimberly, and thanks to your readers, too!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

You can visit Ms. Phoenix at her website, here:
http://adrianphoenix.com/

Her MySpace Blog here:
http://www.myspace.com/adriannikolasphoenix

Interview - Lynsay Sands

Darque Reviews welcomes Lynsay Sands:

Hi Ms. Sands, thanks so much for sharing this time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know both you and your work a bit better.

Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing, and how many books you’ve had published?

LS: I could tell you but it makes me feel so oldddd. Oh all right. Actually, I’ve been writing my whole life. However, my first book was published in April 1997. As for how many books, that would be 25 full novels (14 historicals, 10 Argeneaus and 1 contemp) 3 half books and 7 anthologies.

You have three upcoming releases with Avon Books (Harper Collins). The Accidental Vampire, Vampires are Forever and Vampire Interrupted. Can you tell us a little about your Argeneau vampire family and how many books readers can expect to find in the series?

LS: When I started the Argeneaus, I needed to find a way for them to be vampires but not dead and soulless, because I couldn’t see how someone soulless could love anyone. However, I also wanted them to be like the traditional vampires in some ways. Stronger, faster, with special mental abilities, etc. I also wanted them old, because there’s just something sexy about someone so powerful and whose seen and done a lot and been around ages and ages but chooses you for a mate. I mean, they’ve met a lot of women/men and yet the hero/heroine is the chosen one. It makes it more special. Those were my requirements when I started the series and my Argeneaus were the answer I came up with. They’re old, but their vampirism is based on science rather than some curse.

The Argeneaus, themselves, are really your typical family other than being vampires. They love each other, sometimes interfere, sometimes are thoughtless, sometimes take advantage, but are always there to back each other up when the . . . er . . . stuff hits the fan.

As for how many books, even I don’t know that. I keep coming up with new situations to explore, and issues to address and so long as those keep coming, the stories will too. They will not always be Argeneaus, however. In fact, the book I just mailed in was about Mortimer, one of the enforcers.

You recently had your story Run, Run, Rudolph published in the Avon Books anthology Holidays are Hell. Can you tell us a little about that story and where you got the idea for it?

LS: Run Run Rudolph is basically a continuation of my story in Dates From Hell. Here, Jill--the sister from the first story—has become the target of her brother’s ex co-worker; an evil scientist who turns her into a shapeshifter with the intention of performing some rather horrible tests on her. She manages to escape and make it to the parade where she’s supposed to be Mrs. Claus, but her nemisis follows and she finds herself on the run with a sexy Mr. Claus, using her new abilities to try to save them both.

Can you tell us what you’re working on now, and what fans can look forward to?

LS: I literally just finished corrections on my first Historical for Avon as well as writing the next Argeneau to be released sometime next year after the three coming out in early 2008. I mailed them out yesterday, and this morning started the next historical for Avon. It’s a Scottish Medieval.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

LS: The beginning. Starting the story is always hardest. I usually haven’t got a handle on the characters yet and tend to fuss over and write and rewrite the first three or four chapters until I know who they are and what they’re like and how they’ll react to situations. After that they tend to take over and kind of tell me what to write. I know that sounds silly, but it’s just how it works for me.

You’ve written in several genres. Is one more enjoyable for you to work in?

LS: Not really, each has something to recommend it. My interest lies more with the situations and the characters than with the time period.

What genre do you enjoy reading? Who are some of your favorite authors?

LS: I love romance, but oddly enough, the first book I look for after finishing writing one of my stories (I never read while writing a book) is a horror. And my favorite author is Dean Koontz.

Have any authors been an influence to your writing?

LS: That’s a hard question. I don’t really know if I’ve ever been influenced by a writer, or just books in general. At least, I can’t pinpoint a certain book or writer who influenced me. I was writing in grade school, before I had actually decided what I liked to read, maybe even before I became a voracious reader. I sometimes think I was just born a writer, and rather than being influenced by another writer, it was probably a grade school English teacher, Mr. Brady, who influenced me the most. He used to assign us a story every Friday. It was “Write a one page story about such-and-such.” That story was to be collected the next Friday. However, the first time this happened, I went to him the following week and explained my story was fourteen pages long, but just wasn’t done yet.” I can still remember his expression as he dropped his pencil on the desk. After a hesitation, he said, “Well, then your assignment is to continue on with it and hand it in next week.” But it was thirty pages long and not done the next week, and so on. Most of my stories ended up being action adventures about 60 to 90 pages long that year and taking four or five weeks to write and he allowed it.

On parent teacher night, he pulled my mother aside and told her, “If you encourage this girl the least little bit, she’ll be published one day.” I really think his encouraging my creativity as well as giving me the freedom to not follow either the one page guideline or even his suggestions for what to write about is the reason I’m a writer today. That and the fact that my mother listened to him and did encourage me.

Did you have an interest in vampires before beginning your Argeneau series?

LS: Not at all, LOL. In fact, this series is all the fault of a writer friend of mine. I never even considered doing vamps until she suggested we do a vampire anthology together with another friend. I laughed and said, “Oh no! If I did a vamp they’d have to faint at the sight of blood or something silly like that.” The ideas I tossed out that night stuck with me and just wouldn’t go away until I sat down and started writing them. The Argeneaus are the result.

What do you do to unwind in your free time?

LS: I love to read which shouldn’t be surprising. I also love movies, painting and renovating our old house and long bubble baths, especially with a book and a glass of wine.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring writers before we go?

LS: Just to thank them. They are the reason I get to do what I do.

Thank you so much for spending some time with Darque Reviews and for giving us a peek into your writing world. It’s been a pleasure having you!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Please visit Lynsay Sands website here:
http://www.lynsaysands.net/

Avon – Harper Collins can be found here:
http://www.harpercollins.com/

Interview - Marta Acosta

Darque Reviews welcomes Marta Acosta!

Hi Ms. Acosta, thanks so much for sharing this time with Darque Reviews! We’re excited to learn more about you and your work.

To begin, can you tell us how you found yourself on the path to becoming an author? Was writing a profession that you chose, or did it choose you?

MA: I've always written, and I think writers don't really have a choice. It's what we do. We scribble in class, we send notes to friends, we write letters, and we dream up stories. Now the tough part was finding a way to get paid for writing. It's not as if you leave college with a degree in creative writing and walk right into a well-paid job as a novelist. My jobs usually had a writing component. While writing a press release isn't the same as writing fiction, business writing is still writing. I also wrote for fun, silly things to amuse myself and my friends, and I write freelance columns and articles.

My first attempt at a novel was a dark thriller. Editors liked it but said that it was too dark and "unmarketable." A few years later, I came up with the idea for a comic novel with vampires. I'd always written humor, so I don't know why I didn't think of writing a funny novel earlier. I probably didn't think it counted as "serious" writing.

You have a great series being published by Pocket Books. Can you tell us a bit about Happy Hour at Casa Dracula and Midnight Brunch?

MA: I say that these books are basically: vampires, margaritas, mayhem. Milagro de Los Santos is a young woman who lacks a decent income, real direction in life, and a worthwhile relationship, but she's funny, sexy, good-natured, and she's got a degree from a Fancy University (F.U.). After an encounter with an attractive man named Oswald, she becomes very ill and begins craving raw meat. She's kidnapped by an extremist group and then rescued by Oswald's family. The family has a genetic autosomal condition that makes them susceptible to sunlight. Oh, they also drink animal blood, and many people would call them vampires. The books cover Milagro's adventures with these people, their allies, and their enemies. Milagro is a "freak magnet," so she's always attracting eccentric new acquaintances.

What are you working on now? What can readers look forward to this coming year?

MA: I've just handed in the manuscript for the third book in the series, The Bride of Casa Dracula, which will be released in September 2008. Happy Hour at Casa Dracula comes out in mass market paperback in 2008. Right now I'm working on a gothic novel for young adults. It's dark (yeah, I've gone back to that), and the heroine is an orphan who is accepted into an elite, but mysterious all-girls prep school. I like stories about outsiders who must figure out how to live in society without compromising too much of their own identity.

Milagro de Los Santos has such a unique name, one with great meaning. Can you tell us how you came up with it, and how her story developed?

MA: I was trying to think of a silly name that had some significance, and "miracle of the saints" fit those requirements. Milagro manages to survive every situation and people are always telling her, "I thought you'd be dead!" She must also endure endless jokes about her name.

How many novels do you have planned for the Casa Dracula series?

MA: Oh, I'm totally flexible on this. I wrote the first novel as a single-title, and my editor liked the characters so much, she asked for two more. I'd be happy writing them as long as readers are happy reading them. I'm so fond of many of the characters that I have a problem limiting them so they don't clutter up the plot.

It was such a pleasant surprise to find that there is so much humor in your writing. Had you set out to write that way, or did your characters lead you in that direction?

MA: The comic situation came before the characters: what if you threw a poor, but smart and sexy young Latina in with a bunch of snobby, rich vampires? I wanted to spoof angsty vampires who spend 200 years longing for one woman. Please. Like a guy would wait that long. As some great philosopher once wrote, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."

The snarky grandmother, Edna, came to me fully-formed. I always know just what Edna will say. Milagro is a different story. I'm cynical, but she's not. Many times, I return to a scene and re-write Milagro's reaction so that it is something unexpected, yet true to her character. Her optimism sometimes comes out as cluelessness, but young people (and not so young people) are often clueless. I didn't want a heroine who was always right, yawn, and always good. I wanted someone who made mistakes, acted impusively, and had a prediliction to have fun.

Do you set aside a specific time for your writing each day?

MA: I keep to a fairly dull and regular schedule, sitting down at my computer in the morning and working until late afternoon. If I've got a deadline, I'll work around the clock. Unlike a regular job, you never really leave your writing. It's always there.

What genre do you enjoy reading when time allows? Do you have any favorite authors?

MA: I'll read anything, and I let my mood determine my reading. Sometimes I want a really twisted British mystery and sometimes I want an urbane comedy of manners. I may pick up a sci-fi novel, or a big, ole historical novel. I frequently turn to humor. A visit to the bookstore takes me forever because I'll wander into a dozen sections.

My favorite writers are all dead: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Henry James, Evelyn Waugh, Mark Twain, and P.G. Wodehouse.

I have to mention your Vampire Wire blog! You keep us updated on the hottest books, movies and T.V. in the paranormal genre. Can you tell us how that began?

MA: I have a great time on Vampire Wire, and thanks for mentioning it! Although I've always been a fan of paranormal entertainment, I never considered myself a "vampire novelist" -- but that's the label I get. So in order to reach out to other paranormal entertainment fans, I came up with the idea of a "one-stop shop" for links to reviews, interviews, and news about paranormal fiction, movies, and television shows. One of my favorite things about the site is that I get to promote other writers and bloggers.

When you find yourself with some free time, what do enjoy doing?

MA: I spend time with my family and friends, read, go to movies, and I'm a zealous gardener. I often write gardening articles, and I'm always at the speciality nurseries, talking with professionals, and spending too much money on plants. My dog passed away last week, but my mornings were always spent at the local dog park, walking by the bay while he dashed through the fields. I'll get another dog soon.

Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to share with readers or aspiring writers?

MA: To my readers, I'd like to say thanks for all the support! It's so encouraging to receive an email from someone who's enjoyed my books. To writers, my advice is not to get discouraged or impatient.

It’s always a pleasure Marta, thanks so much for joining us and sharing your time!

MA: Thanks, Kimberly, for having me! Darque Reviews is one of my favorite blogs and I'm amazed at all your reviews.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Please visit Marta Acosta’s web residence here:
http://www.martaacosta.com/

You can stop by her blog here:
http://martaacosta.blogspot.com/

Don’t forget to check out Vampire Wire here:
http://vampirewire.blogspot.com/

Interview - Jeanne C. Stein

Darque Reviews welcomes paranormal romance writer, Jeanne C. Stein.

Hi Ms. Stein, thanks so much for sharing this time with Darque Reviews! We’re looking forward to getting to know a bit more about you and The Anna Strong Chronicles.

JS: Thank you. It’s an honor to be asked. Your support to the writing community is a wonderful thing.

Can you tell us what drew you to writing, and was being an author the path you thought you’d choose for your future?

JS: I always loved to write—but I didn’t pursue it seriously until I moved to Colorado from San Diego ten years ago. That’s when I quit a full time day job to give the writing life a serious try. In Denver, I was lucky enough to connect with the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers organization. I joined a critique group and learned while I could always tell a story, I had a lot to learn about writing one. I’m still in a critique group and still learning.

The Anna Strong Chronicles is certainly a favorite series among paranormal romance readers. Can you tell us a little about The Becoming and Blood Drive? Where did the idea for the series come from?

JS: The series began as a straight mystery about a bounty hunting duo with the title Fair Game. It wasn’t until I met an editor of a small Colorado press who mentioned she was looking for vampire stories, that the idea to turn it into something else took hold. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself years before! I’ve always loved the genre. Once I started the series, I found they were the easiest books to write and by far, the most fun. The Becoming and Blood Drive were published first by ImaJinn Books, then picked up by Ace.

You must be as excited as the rest of us that The Watcher, the third book in the series, is getting ready to release from Ace Books in November. Can you tell us how many more books you have planned for Anna Strong?

JS: I hope to be able to write many, many more. Anna has a lot of stories to tell. I have signed a contract for the fourth and fifth books. In fact, book four, The Legacy, is completed and scheduled for publication next year.

What are you working on now? Do you have other projects in mind for the future?

JS: I’m about to start the fifth book. I do have other projects in mind (one involving a character in the story The Witch and The Wicked, which I see you have a question about so I’ll wait to answer.)

Do you work on more than one project, or do you prefer to focus on one at a time?

JS: I prefer to focus on one at a time. I’m learning, however, that it’s not always possible. I’d like to do at least one more book a year as well as one or two short stories. I so admire writers who can do two or three or four books a year. I’m not sure I’m that clever, but I do want to try my hand at new things.

You have a great short story titled The Witch and the Wicked in the recently released Many Bloody Returns anthology. Sophie is quite different than Anna, was it difficult to switch gears and develop Sophie’s character?

JS: Sophie was so much fun! The theme of the book, vampires and birthdays,