December 13, 2014 by Tina Williams

BOOK BLITZ for Shannon (Angelis Vampire Series #1), by Shane North (includes Author Interview)

Introducing an Exciting New Paranormal Romance Series!

Today we are honoured to welcome author Shane North to our blog. Shane has recently released his first novel, Shannon, book 1 in the Angelis Vampire Series, a paranormal romance. Scroll down to read the book blurb and an extract for what promises to be a magical and fast paced read with a heroine who finds romance in pursuit of her destiny.

Shane has also very kindly taken some time out from his busy schedule to tell us a little about himself and his work and share some of his experiences of being a writer. The transcript from this interview follows the book blurb and extract. I hope that you enjoy reading Shane’s thoughts as much as I did. Tina 🙂

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Amazon US Amazon UK

Book Blurb

Shannon’s life is happy except for her nightmares, but when she watches her mom and dad being murdered by the monsters in her dreams, her life falls apart. Her best friend turns out to be a werewolf, the man she thinks of as her other father is the alpha male, and her long lost uncle is a vampire lord from Angelis. Angelis is in another time dimension, a world ruled by Royals, a pureblooded line of vampires with powers never seen in this time dimension. Angelis is a medieval world of castles, and ancient magic that her mother and uncle were forced to leave to save their lives. Shannon’s journey leads her to follow her destiny and meet the love of her life. Destiny and her uncle lead her to find out what she really is, where she came from, and to become the strongest immortal to live. Shannon learns to kill quickly, and to love like there’s no tomorrow when she meets her mate from her dreams. Simon, an eight-hundred year old Viking has searched the world for his true love when he meets Shannon. What will Shannon’s uncle, Simon’s maker, have to say about this? A young woman from South beach, destined to overthrow the vampire council and rule the immortal race with the help of the ancient Shaman Neeb.

Extract

The best part of my life was when I dreamed of my Simon. Simon was a figment of my imagination. He was my sidekick, my lover, and fought beside me to help me defeat my demons. In my dream tonight, I saw his handsome face and my eyes opened wide. I loved Simon, I’m not sure how or why. He was my life in this strange world of immortals I dreamed about almost every night. I was wearing a white flowing gown. Simon, in his black leathers, looked sexy. “Simon, there you are, finally.” He pulled me close… his scent was fresh as an ocean breeze… his kiss melting my pain away. My red lips were moist from his kiss. I licked them slowly, to taste his essence “Shannon, you are so beautiful. I want you!” Simon slid his hand inside my gown; a small moan slipped from my lips.

Author Interview

1. Hi Shane. Thank you for being with us today. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Thanks Tina.

I have always wanted to write. I waited until I was retired to start my first book. I’ve been with my life mate and my best friend for over thirty years. We met in college and became best friends. We have four children and eight grandchildren. The grandkids are amazing and they go home when we are done spoiling them. I love the night and paranormal has always been one of my passions. I love to hear that bump in the night.

2. Please tell us about Shannon, your new release and what inspired you to write it?

Shannon is about a young South Beach girl who has a very happy life, except for her nightmares. She dreams of a violent war with vampires and werewolves. In her dreams she is leading the attack! Her constant companion in these dreams is a handsome man who she falls in love with. Her happy life ends when her step parents are brutally murdered and she finds out what she truly is. Her best friend Caitlyn and her father Keegan are werewolves. Her uncle, Damon, which she had never met is the vampire lord of Europe. And as for the man in her dreams, his name is Simon, Damon’s second in command. Her saving grace in the this immortal world is that during the time she worked for Navy Intel, she became very good at killing. My inspiration for Shannon was my oldest granddaughter and our talks while she grew up. The highs and lows of becoming eighteen, her feelings of confusion, and her determination to get it right.

3. Why do you think that you chose the paranormal romance genre in which to make your writing debut?

My love of paranormal and I love a good love story made the choice easy. I love happy endings and the fight to have them. The beauty of the paranormal world was perfect and the possibilities are endless.

4. How much research did you have to carry out for this book? What sort of research did you carry out prior to and during the writing?

I did very little research for this book. My locations, addresses, and such needed to be correct. As for the writing, I closed my eyes and became my story. I hope I did it well. This first part of Shannon’s journey was important. She had to grow as her story unfolds.

5. What is your writing process like? To what extent do you plan and how much do you just let the words flow?

Interesting question Tina. My process is mass chaos. I have so many thoughts racing through my head at one time. I have two more of Shannon’s books that I’m writing at the same time. My actual writing process is listening to music, eyes closed, and I try to visualize the scene and feel those involved. I hope it comes out with feelings and not just words.

6. What about the personalities of your characters – are they always fixed in your head before you start writing or do they develop a will of their own?

I like my characters to grow and develop with the story. I try to imagine my characters before I introduce them, but for me, they like to surprise me as the story unfolds.

7. What is the best thing about being an author? What do you find the most challenging?

The best thing is being able to write from any location. Home is great, but drifting along on Lake Erie on a sunny day isn’t bad either. For me, the most challenging part of this whole process was trying to learn everything that was needed to make this happen. My friend, Ally Thomas, worked very hard to make the process as easy as possible.

8. What type of books do you like to read? Have you any favorite authors?

My favorite books are paranormal romance. No one loves the way an immortal does. That being said, I read everything. I love the imagination that happens to someone when they write. I never give bad reviews to anyone, I don’t believe in it. That’s something that is too subjective to be honest about. Why destroy someones book because you had a bad day?

9. Can you tell us about what you are working on at the moment?

I’m working on Shannon’s next two books. Shannon has some growing up to do and she needs to get her revenge. I hear that Damon thinks she’ll be queen of the immortal race?

10. Have you any advice to give to aspiring authors?

Don’t wait as long as I did. If you feel it, close your eyes and write it down. Fulfill your dream and write. There are any places to get help.

11. And finally, have you a message for readers?

My message would be to love harder, find peace in your life, and never give up on your dreams because anything is possible if you believe.

Shane, many thanks for answering these questions for us. We wish you best of luck with Shannon, which I am looking forward to reading and reviewing very soon. Tina 🙂

Connect with Shane

Goodreads Amazon Author Page

November 7, 2014 by Caroline Barker

BLOG TOUR with author interview Blood Master (Book 1 of the G.O.D.s series) by Kirsten Campbell

Blood Master

Book 1 of The G.O.D.s Series

By Kirsten Campbell

Genre: Urban Paranormal Fantasy

Blood Master Link on Amazon UK

Blood Master Link on Amazon US

Synopsis

2052: Two-thirds of the human population has been killed by the Great War, the Clover Virus and the Death Plague. Only one man survived the Death Plague, an albino man named Griffin Storm. He’s the only albino in existence. No one knows what happened to the other albinos, but most believe the rumors that they were eliminated by the Guild Faction’s deadly experiments.

Griffin is hiding out in Underground Atlanta. He has special abilities. He can manipulate crystal and glass. He uses these abilities for good, raiding warehouses and old buildings for food and medical supplies to give to the abandoned children that live in the Underground. During a raid, he meets Tassta Vinetti. She’s a resident of the legendary Brotherhood Fortress. Griffin is taken to the Brotherhood and chaos ensues as Tassta, her twin brother Penn and her Uncle Lerin Sanctobous keep their new visitor and his untold powers secret. They can not disclose that the only albino in existence is now at their fortress or they could all be in great danger.

Fact is, the Guild is hunting Griffin. He is the only survivor of their deadly experiments and his survival will have dynamic consequences. The Guild believes Griffin will transform into a G.O.D., a Genetically-enhanced Omni Dimensional being. If he transforms, he will have inter-dimensional doors within his body, doors that lead to heaven and hell. Griffin will become a Blood Master and he’ll be able to control the demons from the Dimension of Blood.

Will Griffin save the children of the Underground from their tragic life? Will he transform into a G.O.D. and become the Blood Master? Only time will tell…

INTERVIEW with Kirsten Campbell

Hi Kirsten,

Welcome to A Reader’s Review Blog! We would like to thank you for participating in an author interview for Blood Master.

I love the synopsis for Blood Master. What were your main influences for the story/character?

My influence for the storyline was in fact, my life. (I was abandoned at six years old, left with a terribly abusive grandmother.) For a long time I felt that I was robbed of my childhood. I somehow got past all the hurt feelings from the neglect and abuse and became what I truly wanted to be, a good parent and a fantastic grandmother. I envisioned a person like me (Griffin) when I wrote the G.O.D.s Series, a person that was robbed of their childhood, a person that somehow gets past that and manages to find love and show love and show deep emotional commitment.

After reading your bio I realize that you have had some dark moments. Have you used any of these experiences to help with your writing?

Yes, I have. Particularly when dealing with writing about the hungry, sick children of the Underground. When I was a child, starving and sick all the time, I wished for someone that cared enough to feed me, to clothe me and sometimes take me to the doctor. I used the pain of those moments to fuel the background of the story for the poor children of the Underground because though sick and hungry, the children still find ways to smile and be happy for a few moments, as I did.

Who is your favourite character in Blood Master, and why?

Why Griffin, of course. I truly love his innocence, his undying love and his ability to think before reacting.

Were there any particular scenes that you found either more difficult or easier to write?

Yes. The most difficult scene to write was (spoiler) the transformation, putting my sweet Griffin through so much pain. Unfortunately, for him to become a G.O.D. and for the Master Scroll books to be correct with their prophecy, Griffin had to change inwardly and outwardly.

What inspired you to write Blood Master?

Years ago, I got tired of all the vampires, werewolves and zombies. I was like, “God, can anyone come up with something different?” And—I did… LOL

Do you have a favourite author/book? If so, who/what and why?

I absolutely love Frank Herbert’s Dune Chronicles; beautiful writing, lovely world building and unforgettable characters. Yes, the books are long but there’s no way to get around that when there’s so much story to digest. I’m also a fan of Ron Silverberg, Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game) and Stephanie Meyer (Twilight Series). Hey, I just love to read.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I sculpt miniature dolls, make gemstone jewelry and paint landscapes. I go out with my grandkids, have dance contests with them at home and bake with them. (They love apple turnovers!) I also like long rides to unknown destinations and then I like to walk and walk, take in the scenery.

How would you describe your writing style?

My writing style is easygoing and real with mild swearing, just enough to give the writing a little flavor. LOL

What’s next for Kirsten Campbell?

I’m currently working on the second book of The G.O.D.s Series, Blood Storm. Griffin has to come to grips with his new abilities and decide whether his abilities are an attribute or a hindrance to the Brotherhood fortress.

Thank you for your time! We will look forward to hosting you as part of the blog tour! All the best for Blood Master and in the future!

Caroline, A Reader’s Review Blog

Author Info

Kirsten Campbell is the author of several short stories and poems that have been published in Bewildering Stories, Ascent Magazine, Beauty Talk, The Fairfield Review, Poets-Artists & Madmen, Interracial Voice, Sagazine Online, The Write Gallery, The Pittsburgh Quarterly Online, COBRA, The CoffeehousePress Journal and several other magazines.

Kirsten was abandoned by both mother and father at six-years-old and she somehow survived a very devastating childhood. She found strength and courage through reading and writing and she graduated from school, got married and raised four wonderful children. She also cared for several children that were abandoned by their parents and by society, (a few were literally left on her doorstep.) She fed and clothed them and sent them to school and taught them to be upstanding, decent members of society.

Kirsten wrote Blood Master several years ago and it developed into The G.O.D.s Series, a series of books that deal with Griffin Storm, a hero with feet of clay, a hero that saves the lives of several people, but most importantly, he saves hundreds of children from abandonment and neglect; takes them to a better life, (something of which Kirsten always wished for when she was a child.)

Her short story, “Dark Matters”, was published in Bewildering Stories and a character from the G.O.D.s Series made a special appearance in the story. Said character appears in the second book of the G.O.D.s Series, “Blood Storm”.

As a side note, Ladybug Press published her chapbook, “Poetry from the Covert Bourgeoisie,” in 2006 and her chapbook, “The Abandoning Kind,” was published by Pudding House Publications in 2009. She lives in Brewster, NY. , with her daughters and her five unbelievably beautiful grandchildren!

Links:

Website: http://www.kcampbell-gods.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GODsSeries

October 23, 2014 by Caroline Barker

INTERVIEW Howard Kaplan, author of The Damascus Cover – Bestselling Espionage Thriller

With espionage thriller tv series HOMELAND back on our screens for a fourth season here in the UK, we are certainly excited about today’s post. Today we are privileged in hosting an interview with author Howard Kaplan with regard to his Los Angeles Times bestselling espionage thriller, THE DAMASCUS COVER. The book is currently being made into a feature film starring Jonathan Reis Meyers (Match Point, The Tudors). Howard Kaplan is a Middle East expert and has had his own spy experience smuggling microfilm out of the Ukraine!

THE DAMASCUS COVER was originally published by Dutton (an imprint of Penguin), and has been translated into seven languages. It’s received rave reviews from Kirkus, the Los Angeles Times, BBC News, the Hartford Courant, the Chicago Daily News, the American Library Association, and more (you can see quotes from these reviews below). Clive Cussler, author of the Dirk Pitt Adventure series, says Kaplan is “up there with the best.”

The movie is being produced by H Films and also stars Jürgen Prochnow (Das Boot, The Da Vinci Code), Navid Negahban (Homeland, character Abu Nazir), and Igal Naor (The Honourable Woman). For more on the film visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3457508/

Synopsis:

In a last ditch effort to revive his career, washed up agent Ari Ben-Sion accepts an undercover mission he never would have 30 years ago: to smuggle a group of Jewish children out of the Damascus ghetto. Or so he thinks. Once in Damascus, he meets a beautiful American photographer, Kim, who seems to be falling in love with him—but she’s also asking too many questions. Then his communication equipment disappears. His contact never shows up. Just hours before the operation, everything has gone awry.

Desperate to succeed, Ari must navigate the precarious terrain of love and survival in Syria, risking everything…even his life.

About the Author:

Howard Kaplan, a native of Los Angeles, has lived in Israel and traveled extensively through Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. At the age of 21, he had his own spy experience while attending school in Jerusalem, when he was sent on two missions into the Soviet Union to smuggle out a dissident’s manuscript on microfilm. His first trip was a success. On his second trip, however, he was arrested in Khartiv and interrogated for two days in the Ukraine and two days in Moscow, before being released. He holds a BA in Middle East History from UC Berkeley, an MA in the Philosophy of Education from UCLA, and is the author of four novels. Follow him on Twitter at @kaplanhow.

INTERVIEW with HOWARD KAPLAN, The Damascus Cover

Hi Howard,

Welcome to A Reader’s Review Blog! We would like to thank you for participating in an author interview for The Damascus Cover.

1. Did you have any idea how successful The Damascus Cover was going to be?

I was happy to just be published at all with a first novel. When Dutton sent the book out to the then 10 paperback houses, all ten were interested in reprint rights and Fawcett immediately bid $75,000 for the rights. I was 27 and pleasantly stunned, shocked, thrilled. Soon foreign translation rights started being sold. Portuguese rights in Brazil were sold without the publisher even reading the book on my agent’s recommendation, which really surprised me. Then a publisher in Yugoslavia bought the book but the Central Committee of the Communist Party prevented them from publishing it and banned the book in Communist Eastern Europe. All this was beyond any expectations of interest I had. But I always find what happens in life suprising.

2. Being a Middle East expert, I suspect that some characters/scenes are based on experiences you may have had or witnessed. How much of the book would you say is fact over fiction?

See answer to #4 When I was 21 I took a shared taxi from Beirut to Damascus with a close friend. We visited the famous Omayyad Mosque and then went to visit the Jewish quarter of Damascus. Soon, we saw a man we had spotted in the Omayyad following us; this was far across the city. Mike Wallace did two programs on 60 Minutes about the Jewish community of Damascus in the 1970s then about 5,000 strong. When we were followed in the Jewish quarter we immediately returned to Beirut. But I later did very detailed research on the city of Damascus. God bless the Brits, who have gone everywhere and written memoirs about it.

3. I believe that you had a spy experience of your own in the Soviet Union. Could you please tell us a little about that?

I made two trips into the Soviet Union and travelled from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) to Tashkent and Samarkand in Soviet Central Asia. Under the Soviets any manuscript not yet published was considered property of the state and anybody who emigrated had to leave what they’d written behind where it was then never published. The first time I went into the Soviet Union, I brought out a dissident’s manuscript on microfilm to London. On my second trip, I transferred a manuscript from a writer to the Dutch Ambassador inside their embassy; he sent it to the West by diplomatic pouch. He was a sympathetic friend to the dissidents. Soviet citizens were prevented from entering foreign embassies, but with an American passport I told the KGB guards outside that I had a close friend who was a friend of the Ambassador’s wife and they let me in. The Ambassador and I made small talk inside while we passed each other notes. In the last one he said, “Be careful, this is not James Bond.” Then he burned all the notes.

4. What was your inspiration to write The Damascus Cover?

When I was in Damascus, I visited Marjeh Square. In the 1960’s the Israelis had a high placed agent in Damascus, Eli Cohen, who became the chief advisor to the head of the Syrian Minister of Defence. He was uncovered and hung in Marjeh Square in 1965 though the intelligence he provided enabled Israel to easily take the Golan Heights in the 1967 6 Day War. It was my inspiration for a novel of an Israeli intelligence agent who penetrates the upper echelons of Syrian Intelligence.

5. Were there any scenes that you found particularly difficult to write?

I wrote the first draft of the book in 9 frenetic months, and enjoyed what I was doing. I had a detailed map of Damascus taped to my wall. I had real passion for the injustice in the world: the folly of the Vietnam War, the murders of the Kennedys so in my mid 20’s I had a lot of anger. A lot of that was released in some torture scenes in the novel. They were not hard for me to write then; they are hard for me to read now.

6. Having travelled in many countries, which is your favourite and why?

I have great passion for lots of places: London, the south of France, anywhere in Italy, and Jerusalem, which I know best of all these places. I’ve had great travel experiences almost everywhere. Once in the Greek section of Cyprus, which appears in The Damascus Cover, we could not understand the menu so the waiter took us into the kitchen and lifted the covers on the pots. I went on photographic safari in Kenya and Tanzania for 10 days when I was 23. Most of the other members were Pan Am stewardesses in their late 20s. I thought I had found Nirvana, but alas they treated me as younger brother but it was great fun nonetheless.

7. What was your reaction to the great reviews you have received and finding out that a movie was to be made?

The reviews came out in 1977 and the movie came together in 2014. I remember reading once about how hard The Beatles worked, that though the sound seemed effortless, the production of it was not. I worked very hard on The Damascus Cover, but the calibre of the reviews still surprised and delighted me. The movie is simply a miracle and a hoot, 37 years after the book was published but it’s testament to how a good story endures the passage of time.

8. How much involvement have you had with the movie production, and will the movie remain true to the story?

I made a few suggestions to the movie script, all of which were greeted by the director with excitement. So we have a very good relationship but this is his script and film and I’m thrilled with it. He has Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Abigail Spencer, Jurgen Prochnow and the actor who played Abu Nazir in Homeland. It’s almost as good as falling in love.

9. Are you an avid reader? Do you have a favourite author/book?

I am a great fan and admirer of John le Carre both for the story telling ability, wrestling with moral issues and the calibre of his prose. I read my regularly for inspiration.

10. What is next for Howard Kaplan?

I have been getting another of my novels, BULLETS OF PALESTINE, ready for release as an Ebook and paperback in November 2014. It’s as novel of Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation. It too seems even more timely than when I originally wrote it. The first week of November 2014 I’ll be in Casablanca on The Damascus Cover film set. I’m doing a walk on.

Thank you for your time! We will look forward to hosting The Damascus Cover. All the best for The Damascus Cover and future works!

Caroline Barker, A Reader’s Review Blog

The Damascus Cover can be purchased at:

Amazon US paperback

Amazon US Kindle version ebook

Amazon UK paperback

Amazon UK Kindle version ebook

And we are excited to be reviewing Howard Kaplan’s bestseller some time in the near future!

Praise for THE DAMASCUS COVER:

“In the best tradition of the new espionage novel. Kaplan’s grasp of history and scene creates a genuine reality. He seems to know every back alley of Damascus and Cyprus.”—Los Angeles Times

“A mission inside Syria, a last love affair, and the unfolding of the plot within a plot are handled by the author with skill and a sure sense of the dramatic.”—The American Library Association (starred review)

“A fine, taut, tense spy story full of furious action.”—The Hartford Courant

“It’s suspense all the way through.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Exceedingly rich in color about the Syrian capital.”—Chicago Daily News

“The plotting is beautiful.”—BBC News

“… a smartly paced criss-cross laced with enough Mid-East semicruises to snare the MacInness armchair tourists.”—Kirkus

June 30, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Exclusive interview with Justin Richards, author of The Wolfstone Curse

You may remember that we reviewed author, and Creative Consultant for BBC Books on the Dr Who titles, Justin Richards’ The Wolfstone Curse recently. We posted the review along with an author biog of Justin too.

Well, now The Wolfstone Curse has been released and Justin has kindly taken some time out to give us an interview! A Reader’s Review Blog would like to say a great big THANK YOU to Justin and Templar Publishing for their support leading up to The Wolfstone Curse’s release.

We hope that you enjoy reading the following questions and answers and would love to hear your thoughts. Now we will pass you over to Justin:-

1. After reading The Wolfstone Curse I was left wondering, ‘Wow, where does Richards get his inspiration from?’ Could you give us an insight to this, Justin?

A lot of it is actually perspiration, and a lot of it is desperation! I tend to ‘collect’ ideas and things that interest me. Then I wonder what would happen if you put them together, how they might relate. So for The Wolfstone Curse, I combined werewolves and stone circles. That gives me a starting point – and quite often my starting point then disappears as the story takes shape and it turns into something else.

2. Was there anything in particular that gave you the idea to write about werewolves?

I’ve always been fascinated by werewolves – they are monsters but ones with a tragic personal story. It was a challenge to put a new spin on a traditional monster as well. I did the same with vampires in The Parliament of Blood a few years ago, so I guess I just thought it was time to have a go at werewolves! Actually, the first idea I had for Wolfstone Curse was a spooky house, and down in the cellars is a secret area. That stayed in, of course. But originally I thought that the basement would be a werewolf museum – a huge private exhibition where the werewolf family had preserved artefacts from their history and proudly put it all on display… That would still have worked, but it distracted from what became the main narrative. So the museum was reduced to a tomb and the paintings… Maybe it’ll turn up in another book.

3. Do you use any visual objects to help in describing any of the events/characters? If so, what do you use?

Sometimes for places and settings, either I visit them, or feel inspired by a place… Or I work from photographs. For Wolfstone, I had a real stone circle in my mind, for example. I used to try to find pictures of people who looked as I imagined a particular character did. But the pictures of them in my imagination were always better, so I don’t bother now!

4. Who is your favourite character in The Wolfstone Curse, and why?

I think it’s probably Carys. She’s had, as we discover, a strange and difficult time of things stuck at home in the middle of nowhere and meeting Peter gives her a chance to move on from that. Outwardly she’s so confident and aloof – especially when they first meet – yet inside she’s really far more diffident and emotional…

5. When reading The Wolfstone Curse it certainly came across that a great deal of historical research had been done. Was this the case and did you enjoy researching for The Wolfstone Curse?

I did do quite a lot of research, although much of that then got changed into other things. Yes, all the werewolf legends and facts and figures are from historical and mythological research. But of course the history of the Wolfstone Circle is made up – although some is based on legends and stories about other circles. The Crystal Room is based – very loosely – on the Amber Room that disappeared from a palace near St Petersburg towards the end of the second World War when it was looted by the retreating Germans…

6. Who are your favourite authors and/or books?

I read a lot – adult and children’s fiction as well as non-fiction for research and for fun. It’s difficult to choose favourites. Maybe I’m easily pleased! One of my favourite (adult fiction) books is ‘The Eight’ by Katherine Neville which is part historical, part set in the 1970s and all about Charlamagne’s chess set.

7. In between the researching and writing, what are your favourite pastimes?

Between reading, writing and my family I don’t have a lot of spare time! I enjoy cooking, though I don’t pretend to be very good or adventurous at it. Watching television and films and going to the theatre – all of which I kid myself is research, of course.

8. Last but not least, I absolutely loved the characters Peter and Carys. They are great heroes for the reader of either gender. Are we likely to meet up with them again in another adventure?

I hope so. I have all sorts of ideas about what they might get up to next – about the adventures waiting for them. I think there’s lots of potential in the characters that I’d like to explore. But it all depends how well The Wolfstone Curse does whether more Peter and Carys adventures are viable. I hope so. I can’t wait to get writing them!

The Wolfstone Curse can be found on Amazon UK!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ‘The Skeleton Clock’ by Justin Richards – get the Kindle edition from Amazon Also in the Apple iBooks Store Sample or purchase The Skeleton Clock in other eBook formats http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56152 And read about ‘The World of The Skeleton Clock’ – free from www.JustinRichardsWriter.com

Follow me on Twitter – @JJCRichards

April 10, 2013 by Tina Williams

Author Interview: Samantha Holt, Medieval Romance Author

Today we welcome Romance author Samantha Holt to A Reader’s Review. I first read one of Samantha’s novels, The Crimson Castle, not long before we began this blog and have recently read The Angel’s Assassin, which I reviewed last month. If you like your historical romances full of tortured alpha males and strong heroines deserving of their love, I strongly recommend them to you!

Samantha’s latest novel, Borderland Bride has recently been published and she has kindly agreed to tell us about it and also share with us her experiences of being the writer of such romantic tales. For my review of Borderland Bride please scroll down after reading the interview. Tina 🙂

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Hi Samantha. Can you tell us about yourself? Thanks for having me and for taking the time to read my books! It’s really appreciated. I am a full-time writer and author of medieval romances. I have gorgeous twin girls who turned seven recently and occasionally a husband, who works abroad nine months out of the year. His long absences definitely inspire me to write romance!

Please tell us about Borderland Bride, your new release. Borderland Bride takes place in Northumbria in the 14th Century, not long after the plague. The hero, Jake, comes across Isabel on his brother’s lands and takes her back to Thornewall Keep. It turns out Isabel has lost the use of her voice and hearing in a vicious attack. A romance builds between the pair but Isabel has a secret and Jake is wary of women after being hurt in the past. His flirtatious brother doesn’t help much either so all is not plain sailing!

What inspired you to write it?I wanted to create a love story with a language barrier. I don’t know enough of other languages to create a story around two different cultures so I decided my poor heroine should lose her voice and hearing! I was also fascinated with the history of the borderlands so I wanted Jake and Isabel’s story to be set there.

How much research did you have to carry out for this book? My knowledge of the medieval era is fairly extensive, although there’s always more to learn, but I’d never written anything set in the 14th Century before and because the era spans hundreds of years, naturally things change so I can’t rely just on my basic knowledge. Clothing, castles, weaponry etc. all changes and takes researching. I also had to dig up as much information as I could on border reivers, the criminals that ransacked the borderlands on both sides for hundreds of years.

How does your writing process work? Do you plan the plot in advance for example, or does it evolve? I’m not much of a planner – which is surprising to those how know me because my daily life is very organised – most of the plot goes on in my head. Usually it stems from one idea and then evolves. Sometimes I’ll have a beginning and an end and will start writing before I’ve figured out what happens in between!

What about the personalities of your characters – are they always fixed in your head before you start writing or do they develop a will of their own? Again, I have a vague idea and usually have certain traits figured out but often certain things come out that I never expected. Jake from Borderland Bride was always going to be brooding but he ended up with more of a chip on his shoulder than I’d anticipated as his back story developed. Occasionally traits crop out of nowhere. I remember writing a love scene in one of my first stories – it was the first scene I wrote for that book – and the hero was going to be calmly confident, but he turned out to be very passionate and quite commanding when he and my heroine came together, which I never expected! So, yes, very often they do their own thing!

I noticed that you are working on a fantasy novella. Can you tell us anything about this? I am close to finished (I hope!) so I can tell you a fair bit. It takes place in a medievally world, with castles and dramatic landscapes, but it is very much fantasy. In my fictional world, the God’s frequently visit humans in answer to their prayers. My heroine, Eden, receives a visit from the Fire God, Tyondric, who is curious about the beautiful woman. Eden turns out to be essential to the salvation of the world and Tyondric takes it upon himself to protect her and help her fulfil her role. It’s been nice not to have to worry about research and just make stuff up!

I have a thing about book covers – the ones on your books I find particularly attractive and it’s fairly obvious why, with all of those stunning examples of the male physique! How involved are you when it comes to commissioning the design of your covers? For Borderland Bride, I didn’t connect directly with the cover designer, Valerie Tibbs, but filled out a cover art form which is usually pretty specific, asking for themes and examples as well as what you DON’T want on a cover. I just said ‘nothing pink and too girly!’ And it was perfect! My other ones, I liaised directly with the cover artist although I gave very vague instructions and she just interpreted it for me, usually coming back with something I loved.

What do you love the most about being a writer? Is there anything that you do not enjoy? I love being able to escape into a fantasy world. And knowing I can drag someone else into it for a while brings me a lot of pleasure. I don’t expect to set the world on fire with my writing but romance is such a rewarding genre to read and I love it when I’m smiling after a happy ending. I like the thought of doing that for someone else.

I don’t consider myself a particularly emotional person – I tend to be quite happy – but since writing for a living, I’ve noticed I get slumps more often, because my happiness tends to be directly linked to how I’m doing writing-wise. So if I’m struggling to write, I’m very frustrated. The emotional highs and lows can be exhausting.

What type of books do you like to read? Have you any favourite authors? Romance, romance and more romance. I love medieval romance (obviously) and I also enjoy modern romantic suspense. I used to read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy but I’m quite busy so I find it much easier to sit down with a romance novel. Having said that, Sue Grafton, who writes the Kinsey Millhone mysteries, is one of my favourites and I will always take time out to read her books.

Have you any advice to give to aspiring authors? Heed advice but don’t let it bog you down. Don’t take yourself too seriously either. Write what you love, not what others think you should write. Don’t get disheartened by criticism either as it usually only helps you hone your writing. But mostly keep writing! The more you do it, the better you’ll get.

And finally, have you a message for readers? I have so many things that I’d love to say but really just thank you for taking the time to read! I have some amazingly supportive fans and it still blows me away that people buy and read my books.

Thank you for giving your time to answer these questions for us. We wish you best of luck with Borderland Bride and your future work. Please scroll down or click here for Tina’s review of Borderland Bride.

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More information on Samantha and her books can be found on her website http://www.samanthaholt.org.uk/

Alternatively you can connect with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/romanticfiction

You can purchase Borderland Bride at http://jupitergardenspress.com/shop/borderlands-bride-the-borderland-legacy-book-1/