Interview with Kristen Painter

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Kristen Painter. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called Blood Rights. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

Blood Rights is a gothic urban fantasy filled with vampires, shapeshifters, fae and a new breed of creatures of my own making, the comarré.

Blood Rights is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

The comarré’s blood rights are a big catalyst for what happens, so it seemed to fit.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I didn’t actually decide to write in this genre, I just wrote Blood Rights and that’s where it fit. Blood Rights was really only written to entertain myself.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I’ve had the idea for Chrysabelle since college, this mysterious woman in white with the gold tattoo. The rest of the story just developed from there.

What are your favorite paranormal research books or sites, and why?

I can’t say as I have any. I rely heavily on my imagination. Although I do find some inspiration in movies and graphic novels.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

That’s like asking me which of my four cats I love the most. I really enjoy writing all my characters. Some are tougher than others, but there’s something about all of them that gets the words flowing.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing?

I write and my characters come from the story. I don’t do any kind of character exercises. I’ve tried that in the past and none of it ever got used so I figured what was the point? I don’t work that way. For me, the writing is the discovery.

How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

I do a whole workshop on worldbuilding, so trying to explain it in a few sentences isn’t going to happen. Basically, I create the world I see in my head, following a few constructs to keep things balanced and believable. I do have a bible of sorts that I use to keep track of characters, places, relationships, things like that, but otherwise, the generalities are kept in my head.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Any author who writes a great book inspires me because great writing pushes me to rise to the level.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

I’d have to say besides social media, getting out to cons to meet people who are truly interested in books.

What do we have to look forward next?

The next two books in the series release pretty quickly with FLESH AND BLOOD November 1st and BAD BLOOD December 1st. Two more books follow in 2012 to close out the series.

Thanks, Kristen

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio:
When the characters in Kristen Painter’s head started to take over, she decided to exorcise them onto paper and share them with the world. Blood Rights, the first book in her gothic fantasy vampire series, House of Comarré, launched this October from Orbit Books. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter at Kristen_Painter talking about her feline assistants, the last pair of shoes she bought or bemoaning the lack of chocolate delivery in her neighborhood.

Check out author’s website at www.kristenpainter.com and www.houseofcomarre.com

Buy:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Rights-Comarr%C3%A9-Kristen-Painter/dp/0316084778/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317148081&sr=8-1
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-rights-kristen-painter/1100083751?ean=9780316084772&itm=1&usri=blood%2brights

Interview with Nancy Gideon

I’d like to welcome our guest again today, Nancy Gideon. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called BOUND BY MOONLIGHT. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

A: BOUND BY MOONLIGHT is the fourth installment in my dark paranormal BY MOONLIGHT series with Pocket Books. It concludes the romance arc for NOPD detective Charlotte Caissie and her shape-shifter lover Max Savoie who is pulled between his obligation to the criminal empire he inherited from his mentor and the Shifter clan who believe he’s their prophesied leader. When Cee Cee discovers her new serial killer case might involve the missing daughter of one of her colleagues, she enlists Max’s preternatural skills and his former illegal connections to try and find her before time runs out. As he struggles to keep his secret from spreading, Max must also find a way to protect his family and his clan from the danger that stalks him. There’s plenty of action, steamy romance and surprises as Max and Cee Cee reach for their happily-ever-after. You can read it without having first read the other books.

BOUND BY MOONLIGHT is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

A: No, it has nothing to do with whips or chains. It refers to the bond between the main characters; both the emotional connection of love and trust, and the paranormal link they’ve established through their unprecedented mating, but don’t quite understand.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

A: I’ve always loved paranormal stories ever since cutting my teeth, so to speak, on Dark Shadows when in middle school and becoming fascinated by the Dracula legend. I like to be led along by a scary, suspenseful tale, but I’m a sissy, so I also enjoy the happily-ever-after safety net. Writing paranormals gives an author an extra dimension to play in, that of making anything possible as long as you make it believable.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

A: I started the BY MOONLIGHT series with the idea of having the same continuing hero and heroine throughout, but when Pocket asked that I branch out to feature different characters in that main role, as well, I wanted BOUND BY MOONLIGHT to wrap up Max and Cee Cee’s emotional involvement without necessarily tying up all the series’ loose ends. So, as you’re reading, see if you can spot the cameos for the next pair of lovers.

What are your favorite paranormal research books or sites, and why?

A: I love to cull inspiration from old myths and legends. I couldn’t get enough of them when growing up, and went through all the volumes in my area libraries: Norse gods and godessses, American Indian lore, Celtic folktales, right down to campfire urban legends. If someone thought it up, maybe there’s a grain of truth there somewhere...

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

A: I love making each secondary character strong enough to carry his or her own book. They are the most fun to develop because even if they start out as villains, they can be redeemed. I got a kick out of Jacques LaRoche and Giles St. Clair and their relationships with Max and Cee Cee. And recently Philo Tibideaux has gotten pretty interesting…

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and/or world affect your character development?

A: Plot and characters have to support each other so they grow together rather organically. I do very brief character sketches, mainly so I don’t have eye color changing half way through the book and to lay out the main conflicts, both internal and external. Once I get the ‘look’ of my character in my mind’s eye, finding the right name is the next important step. A name says a lot about personality and setting. How characters react to their surroundings and each other depends upon background and environment so that’s where the research comes in. The world that surrounds them sets up their reactions and circumstances. I think of plotting and character like knitting or weaving, everything going in and out and around to form one solid whole.

How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

A: If it’s a real setting, I like to visit to get a tactile feel for the place through the five senses and a look at the culture. I use street maps, Chamber of Commerce, weather sites, etc. so I know what my characters are exposed to. A character’s personal involvements re: job, family, recreation, interests are another layer. Then there’s the social hierarchy in which the characters function. In a paranormal, you have the luxury of building supernatural social structures as well. My By Moonlight world has been unfolding book by book as Max learns about his heritage so I’ve had time to think out a firm foundation. That’s about to explode into all new directions with the next two books. I visualize it like a big family tree, how one branch interacts or interlaces with the next. I’m OCD. I love a complex network!

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

A: I adore Dean Koontz. I admire the way he pulls you in with his very real characters to ground you, then hits you between the eyes with the unexpected and unnatural. I also recently met Sherrilyn Kenyon in New York and was just awed by her personal story of overcoming adversity. And then there’s my critique group: Seven wonderful and very diverse ladies who’ve kept me focused and looking at the big picture instead of momentary setbacks and annoyances. They are my idols!

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

A: I guess we’ll soon see. I did no social media before the first book in the series except for a rarely updated website. Now, I’m on FB, Twitter, Pocket After Dark and Goodreads, blogging, posting photo diaries, making book trailers, romance trading cards, doing giveaways, and, while in New York, my first video interview. I’m proudest of my own blog which just debuted with an awesome contest giving away a Kindle. Check it out and try your luck at http://nancygideon.blogspot.com.

What do we have to look forward to next?

A: HUNTER OF SHADOWS, the next book in the BY MOONLIGHT series will be out on November 29, 2011. I had such fun writing it, expanding the Moonlight mythology and creating two of my favorite characters, a dedicated Shifter cop with his own agenda and a fearless assassin determined to interfere with it, both professionally and intimately. The sixth book will be released in July, 2012, but I don’t have the title yet. I’m also planning some interesting things for my historical backlist. I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks, Nancy!

To celebrate her book release on July 26, 2011, Nancy is offering a free copy of BOUND BY MOONLIGHT along with a set of her Romance Trading Cards to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio.

With over 50 books sold, Portage MI author Nancy Gideon’s writing encompasses romance genres from historicals and regencies to contemporary suspense and the paranormal.

Her 25-year career journey has traveled from writing her manuscripts by hand then typing them up on her Smith Corolla to learning social media skills (but she still doesn’t text!). Two grown kids and a full time job as a legal assistant later, she is still going strong with her six book BY MOONLIGHT dark paranormal series from Pocket Books.

A prolific writer, Nancy attributes her creative output, which once peaked at seven novels in one year, to stubbornness, a gift for storytelling, the discipline learned through a background in journalism, and OCD. She’s a member of GDRWA, MMRWA, PASIC, FF&P and Novelists Inc.

Check out author’s website at http://nancygideon.com/

Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Moonlight-Nancy-Gideon/dp/1439199485

Interview with Jocelyn Modo

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Jocelyn Modo. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

Chocolate therapy makes me think of that infamous picture of delectable male model Matthias Streitwieser eating chocolate liquor off his fingers. Mmm mmm mmm. Talk about inspiration for an erotic romance!

I understand you have a new release out called First Heat. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

When shifter lioness Kissa Alassane goes into heat for the first time and she is forced to choose her mate, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his golden eyes, mesmerizing French accent, and gloriously hard body, Venor Brun is both irresistible and unreliable. Kissa had thought he was the one until he disappeared for weeks without a word and rumors began to circulate about his infidelity.

Despite her doubts, Kissa is unable to resist Venor’s erotic pull, but the longer she stays in his arms, the more doubt creeps into her mind. Unable to fully commit herself to him, she runs. Away from Venor. Away from her pride. And into a nightmare beyond her imagination.

First Heat is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

Oh Boy! You have no idea how long I tortured myself over the title. You’d think it would be easy because the story is about a shifter lioness going into heat for the first time, but I am absolutely horrible at choosing titles. When I decided on First Heat, I was thrilled with the title, and then my publisher came back and said they had a “Heat” series and so my title was under review. Thankfully, they agreed that First Heat was the perfect title for my book and let me keep it!

What made you decide to write in this genre?

It was less a decision and more an obsession. I love fantasy. I love romance. Writing a fantasy romance is as natural as falling in love.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I love shifters. And lions are my cat’s meow. *groan* (Why did I make that lame joke?) The character of Kissa came to me first, telling me about her childhood, talking about her impending heat and the mating ceremony that accompanied her official transition into adulthood. Then Venor began stalking me, crouching low in the shadows of mind, watching, waiting.

For lack of a better description, the lions cornered me and threatened to eat me alive. I had no choice but to tell their story.

What are your favorite paranormal research books or sites, and why?

For all paranormal in general I always start with myths, history, religion. For First Heat specifically I researched Egyptian myths, history, religion. The Cat in Ancient Egypt by Jaromir Malek and Divine Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt by Salima Ikram are two of my research books that were highlighted, dog-eared, and right beside me while I was in the planning stage for First Heat.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I loved writing about Kissa because I understood her and related to her. Even though she makes dangerous, life-threatening decisions, she has good reason. Kissa has a courageous heart, an intelligent, thoughtful outlook, and a vulnerability that made me need for her to have a happily ever after ending.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and/or world affect your character development?

I start off with character sheets but quickly move into interviews and free writing to develop my characters. The more I listen to them, the more smoothly the process flows.

How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

Yes. Yes. And yes. I’m a visual person so I create maps, charts, and drawings from everything from the characters to the pride’s property, to their clothing…

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Oh, wow! What a long list that is! I’ll name three to keep things from getting out of hand. Sherrilyn Kenyon. J.R. Ward. And Robin D. Owens. Amazing, talented, successful authors all!

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

Networking with other authors.

What do we have to look forward next?

My Christmas Quickie, On Vixen, was out December 10, 2010. The story takes place in the same world as First Heat but with a different pride in Fort Collins, Colorado. I had so much fun writing this story because the characters continued to surprise up until the very end of the story.

Thanks, Jocelyn!

To celebrate her book release, Jocelyn Modo is offering a free book of First Heat to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Bio.
Jocelyn Modo may be crazy but writing keeps her from going insane. She grew up reading science fiction and fantasy and fell in love with romance when those girlie hormones kicked in. Nothing makes her day like working on her current manuscript…and nothing makes her crazy like working on her current manuscript. But all’s fair in love and war, and Jocelyn likes to put a whole lot of both in everything she writes.

Check out Jocelyn’s website at www.jocelynmodo.com.

Buy First Heat at http://www.amazon.com/First-Heat-ebook/dp/B0046H8ZTG.

Interview with Nancy Gideon

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Nancy Gideon. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called MASKED BY MOONLIGHT. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

A: MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is the first book in a six book (so far!) dark paranormal shape-shifter series for Pocket Books. It’s unique in that the first four books follow the romance and adventures of Max Savoie, the deliciously dangerous shape-shifting right hand man of the crime boss our heroine Detective Charlotte Caissie is determined to convict for the murder of her father. Things get complicated when Cee Cee’s plan to use Max to get close to her enemy are tangled up by their inexplicable attraction to one another, and by a shadowy clan of shape-shifters who believe Max is their prophesied leader.
Publishers Weekly gave MASKED BY MOONLIGHT a starred review, saying, “Intriguing characters and zippy action. Gideon deftly avoids writing herself into corners and masters the tension required to keep her complex and engaging story moving."

To summarize the series: Romeo & Juliet meets Beauty and the Beast in the Big Easy. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

A: Pocket wanted linked titles for the series and I thought BY MOONLIGHT would allude nicely to shape-shifter mythos. MASKED for the first book refers to the guise of humanity the Max wears. CHASED and CAPTURED follow on books two and three. I haven’t decided on four through six yet.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

A: I love the paranormal genre! I enjoy making the impossible believable and writing without boundaries to the limit of the imagination. The heroes are larger-than-life, the heroines tough yet vulnerable, with romance, action, adventure, fantasy and even hints of horror and suspense thrown in. I was hooked with the first book of my MIDNIGHT vampire romance series back in the 90s. What’s not to like?

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

A: I’d wanted to write a werewolf book even before I started with my vampire series. In fact, the prologue for MASKED BY MOONLIGHT dates back to that first attempt that shall remain unpublished. When Silhouette created their Nocturne line, my editor for their romantic suspense line encouraged me to try my hand at a paranormal, so I dug up that old werewolf tale and updated it into the new millennium. My editor LOVED every word of the prologue but wanted an entirely new story: new plot, new characters, everything! So I started Chapter One with my kick butt police detective Charlotte Caissie at the crime scene and started writing and writing and writing. In five days, I had over seven chapters and had to rein myself back to get the synopsis written to submit with the first three chapters. By the time Silhouette called to offer to buy it, I’d written THREE whole books! Once the story started rolling, it unfolded like a movie and before long, I realized I had much much more going on than could be told in just one book. Unlike anything else I’ve ever written, I never worked off an outline, never had a plan. It was all imagination to keyboard. I wish they all wrote themselves so easily. Long story short, the final product was waaaay too mainstream for Silhouette and I couldn’t compromise to make the changes they wanted, but it was juuuuust right for Pocket.

What are your favorite paranormal research books or sites, and why?

A: For this series, I was hands on. I’d been to New Orleans several times but always for conferences, so research time was limited. This year, two writer pals and I got a condo in the Quarter for a week and explored everything from Tarot readings on the Square to airboat swamp rides and haunted cemetery tours. We walked, talked, ate, drink and breathed the Big Easy for details you just can’t find research books. Like the smells (both good and bad) and the feel of the air on your skin or the sounds along Decatur Street. It was a fabulous experience in my favorite city.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

A: Max Savoie! I can’t resist a dark, dangerous, sexy, tormented hero with baggage, and he’s all of those things in spades. He was fun to write because his character would do such unexpected things: be suddenly vulnerable, ferociously loyal or be heartbreakingly humbled by his love for the heroine. I could write dozens of books about Max, but will settle for four…for the time being.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and/or world affect your character development?

A: The characters have to be products of their real and fantasy worlds. I’m a stickler for making things believable and consistent. I wanted them hugely heroic but also fragile and flawed, brave yet with weaknesses that can cripple them, and they have to have secrets, the darker the better. Usually I develop character sheets to show Goal, Motivation and Conflict, but Max and Charlotte burst onto the scene already so complex and rich with backgrounds and emotions, I just let them run with it. Kinda nice to let them do all the work for a change. Visiting New Orleans enabled me to steep them in the culture and setting and give them depth.

How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

A: The Shifter world was unique in that it developed as Max discovers who and what he is. Found in the swamps as a child by his mob boss mentor, he’s unaware that there are more of his kind, and doesn’t realize the extent of his own abilities. Of course, now that I’m in Book Four, I have a hierarchy, a mythology and all sorts of rules and regs to go by. I’m looking forward to getting those extras posted on my website. Believable and consistent—then you can do anything!
Do you have any authors that inspired you?

A: So many! I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from Heinlein’s Sci-fi, John Jakes’s sagas, Woodiweis’s ground breaking historicals, to even my dad’s manly man westerns. J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts), Dean Koontz, Kresley Cole and Lisa Gardner are my “always waiting for their next release” authors.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

A: I conquered my fear of technology (well, I’m inching toward it!) by designing an ubber website with critiquer/cover artist/friend Patricia Lazarus (www.nancygideon.com) and waded into social media waters with Facebook and blogging. The website took a bite out of my credit card but the online promo is as limitless as your time allows. I’ve had an unexpectedly fun time exploring all the new avenues.

Check out my book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyawnTxvAuo&feature=player_embedded

What do we have to look forward next?

A: My publisher blessed me with back-to-back-to-back releases (and fabulous covers!). MASKED BY MOONLIGHT came out May 25, 2010. CHASED BY MOONLIGHT follows on June 29, 2010 and CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT on July 27, 2010. It’ll be a bit longer wait for the next three books. They’ll be out in 2011/2012. Book Four concludes Max and Charlotte’s romance story arc but they’ll continue as strong secondary characters in the next books which will feature new heroes and heroines: some introduced in earlier books and some surprises!

Thanks, Nancy!

To celebrate her book release, Nancy is offering a free book of CHASED BY MOONLIGHT, the second book in her MOONLIGHT series to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

A writer whose over 50 sales since 1987 cover the romance spectrum, Nancy Gideon thrives on variety. Under her own name and several pseudonyms including Dana Ransom and Rosalyn West, she’s written award-winning category romances, historical and paranormal bestsellers, earned a “Career Achievement for Historical Adventure” and a HOLT Medallion, and has had two original horror screenplays optioned for film. A Michigan native, she works full time as a legal administrative assistant. Her edgy shapeshifter series for Pocket debuts back-to-back-to-back beginning with MASKED BY MOONLIGHT on May 25, 2010.

Check out author’s website at www.nancygideon.com