Special Interview! ME!

Hello ladies and gents! Jenny here! A little while back I had you compile your questions for our fabulous author to answer. Well this week's interview is from you the readers! Make sure you see what she said to all your questions!

Question 1 (from CJ Edhouse)

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

To be honest, I’m very happy with where I live right now. I love my beautiful country and I feel that my current location is a little slice of paradise. I have a beautiful view and peaceful environment, what more could a writer ask for? *smiles* failing this, I would choose another secluded spot. A cottage on a private beach or a secluded cabin in the woods, perhaps a cabin by a lake. I find nature a wonderful motivator.

Question 2 (from CJ Edhouse)

If you could become any animal, which would you choose?

*Laughs* I’m afraid this won’t come as much of a surprise. My two favorite animals are leopards and tigers. I love all feline animals but those two are right at the top of the list. I have a soft spot for the snow leopard in particular. Such a beautiful and alluring animal.

It is also the only one of the big cats that is missing the hyoid bone in its throat. (Which makes it closely related to a domestic housecat) it means it can produce a true purr by rolling air across its vocal chords and it cannot roar. Other leopards can make a purring sort of sound when relaxed, a sort of snore. However it is different from the snow leopard. I love that this particular leopard is unique.

Question 3 (from Andrea Boyde)

What is the earliest story you remember writing?

When I was in primary/elementary school I got an achievement certificate for a story I wrote. It was about an alien that landed on earth by mistake. He was frightened by the humans and couldn’t seem to communicate with them. So he made a tunnel underground until he had gone far from the cities and towns, and built himself a safe place to live there.

My first attempt at writing a “chapter book”, as we referred to them in our childhood, was when I was about eleven. It was a mystery thriller about a girl who avoided being abducted on her way home from school by outwitting her possible kidnapper.

Question 4 (from Lori Toshek)

How true to life are the character traits you’ve used, to you, your friends and your family?

Like any author, I find character inspiration in almost anyone I meet. Never a complete ensemble of course. I borrow this person’s tinkling laugh and add it to that person’s kind nature and someone else’s need for order/organization. I also find that I’m inspired by singular moments. A single smile by a stranger in the street can bring something to life in my mind. I always add my own spin though, no one character can ever be attributed to just one person in my life. It is a complicated web. A cocktail of personality traits, looks, interests, mannerisms and Johanna Rae magic.

Question 5 (from Lori Toshek)

Which city would you choose to do your first book tour?

Wow now there’s a nice thought! If I was ever lucky enough to have a book tour, I would probably start with the USA as while my readers are global, that is my biggest concentration of interest. Since that is on the other side of the world I would try to make the most of the trip by choosing cities that offer events such as Comicon, Dragoncon, and Romance Novel Conventions. I would love to start in either New York or Atlanta.

Question 6 (from anonymous)

You always talk about Muse when you post about your writing. How important is that and is it always that same band?

Muse is my favourite band but it also happens to be the driving force behind the leading male in my Therian Secrets series, Danny Archer. He has two songs in particular, Hysteria and Endlessly. Whenever I hear those two songs, no matter where I am, his character jumps to the front of my mind ready to be written. I have an entire playlist comprised only of Muse songs and it is what I play most often when writing about the Therians.

However, that being said… certain characters do not gel with Muse. I find that Luke Fletcher likes Seether, Blackberry Wednesday, Switchfoot and Imagine Dragons. Leon Ross likes rap and hiphop, while Eddie Pirini likes easy listening and pop. All my characters have their own style, therefore requiring their own music to get kick-started.

In another story I’m working on (Stronger than Blood) I have a character, an angel, who really challenged my boundaries. He requires all sorts of bands I would never have listened to prior to awakening him. (Aerosmith, Nirvana, Breaking Benjamin, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam). There is no telling what the characters in my brain may demand next. *grins*

Question 7 (from Amber Liddell)

What inspires/drives you to write about certain characters? (Or to write in general).

Much of my inspiration comes from music. Sometimes it only takes one line in a song for me to come up with an entire scene, perhaps a whole novel. My brain expands on the emotion created from those notes and lyrics, putting together pieces of plot like a jigsaw puzzle. This is probably my primary source of inspiration. As I said in question 6, different bands and music genre call to different characters.

I am also inspired by locations. The entire initial concept for the Therian Secrets series was sparked by a visit to my hometown. (Much of the fictional town of Redcliffe is based on my home town, though I have used a great deal of creative licence to perfect it to my needs and keep it unique).

Inspiration really does hit you when you least expect it. I was at the base of the cliffs at the Whakatane Heads, and gazed up thoughtfully. Having explored the top of those cliffs I knew that many years ago before the settlers came to NZ, there was a Maori Pa up there. (A village). I thought about how there could be an entire community up there and you would never know from down at the beach where I was sitting. It made me think of all sorts of secrets and forbidden things that could lurk there… and I began to infuse that notion with my love for the paranormal. The more the idea grew in my mind the more I knew writing about it was a must, no longer a want. Characters began to emerge and the rest is history.

Question 8 (from Amber Liddell)

Do you plan your writing beforehand?

I never outline at all. I don't spend hours writing down character details and plot ideas the way that some authors do, I find that it stifles my creativity. I think this is because I’m a very character driven author. Once the characters have residence in my brain, they start to think they have full control in the driver’s seat. *laughs* I have a basic idea in my mind… usually a starting and finishing point. Sometimes I have a few key events in between. It is the characters that decide how and when they will arrive at those points, and no coaxing on my part will push them in a direction they don’t want to go.

Often I have no idea what the small details will be until they are immortalized on the page in front of me. Sometimes I end up with such a different result than I expected, that I sit there in amazement, thinking: “Wow, I wrote this?” I like to think that this is both an advantage and a gift. I love that I don’t know every moment in advance, it’s like an adventure! I also don’t tend to write in chronological order. I have to write the scenes that scream the loudest, first. Sometimes I start in the middle and write a few sections, then I have to link it up and go back to write the beginning/end.

Question 8 (from Nikki Cameron).

Your writing has always covered many genres, what inspired you to lean towards shape-shifting and do you see yourself ever foraging into a general (everyday/romance) type of book to get published?

I have enjoyed a number of paranormal books over the years. Many were about vampires or shape-shifters. There seemed to be a pattern. Either there were all manners of creatures, including vampires and shape-shifters, or you got a singular group. (Vampires OR shape-shifters). I noticed a lot of the books focused on one animal. A high percentage were wolves, and there were a few about leopards. None seemed to be anything like what I wanted.

The only books that had multiple animal types had other sorts of supernatural creatures too. I also felt that it would be interesting if there was more than just were-wolves, were-tigers, were-leopards etc. I wanted a different sort of shifter. So when I became inspired as in question seven, all of these ‘wants’ came into play and I began to create it.

Question 9 (from Nicola Montford)

Do you ever forget the characters you’ve made, or are they always a part of you?

Yes, they will always remain a part of me. Whether or not the story makes it to print, whether it’s a singular book or a series, all the characters stay inside me. I guess it’s because every single one has a piece of my heart, part of myself in them. Some more than others, but all special to me. When others are able to share my stories and enjoy those characters too, it brings them to life even more for me.

Question 9 (from Janice Thomas) 

Was the Therians your first attempt at writing a book or did you write something else first?

I have four other books hidden away. Three of them will probably never see the light of day, but it is nice to look back at them and see how far I’ve come. I still think fondly of those characters, no matter how many flaws there were in the writing. I do have one which I think could be rewritten and published one day, but it is in a series of handwritten notebooks. It will be a big project and I’ll need to have a free schedule to achieve it.

Question 10 (from Robyn Mitchell)

Where do you get the inspirations for the different Therians animals and their personalities?

In the beginning I tried hard to balance the animal types to give the story a well-rounded feel. Matching the character’s personalities and animals wasn’t difficult, when inspiration hit with this series, it really hit hard. *laughs* the basic formation of the characters just sort of happened, but I was careful with the tweaking and minor details to flesh out the world of Redcliffe. Some of the newer characters arrived in a much less hurried fashion and slowly materialized, taking shape in a whole new way.

I have in the past asked friends and readers what sort of animals they’d like to see and why. Hearing the responses is almost a form of inspiration in itself. It doesn’t take much of an idea to build on when you have the world and story base behind you already. I think I had the most fun with Eddie. His animal is a fictional one. I invented a species of giant water lizard that modern scientists had not discovered yet. I likened him to the Komodo dragon and the tuatara.

Question 11 (from anonymous)

Do you ever have trouble with time management? How hard is it to find time to write?

Given that I’m a busy wife and mother of three young children, yes! My family and motherhood commitments always come first and I love that. I’m very lucky to have a fully supportive husband, and children who are so excited about what I do, even though they are too young to read it. I try to make time for editing and self-promotion during the daytime while the kids are at school, then I do my fresh writing at night when my husband is watching TV or after he’s gone to bed. Sometimes that needs to be juggled around a bit though to make sure I give everyone enough of my time.

Question 12 (from Maxine Patterson)

When are you coming to visit and can you bring some yummy donuts?

Maxine, it’s been too long. *laughs again* I will try to make a trip to Tauranga soon and I promise to stop at the bakery on the way to your place.

If you have not read Johanna’s shapeshifter series (Therian Secrets) and would like to know more, please check out the book trailers below for The Mercenary and The Fury.

                       The Mercenary Trailer                                        The Fury Trailer

Also you can find Johanna here:

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Author Interview - Wendy Schuffert

Please welcome Author Wendy Schuffert to the interview seat!

1. Have you always had a passion for writing? 

Yes, I have. It all started when I started reading R.L. Stine when I was younger & I realized that is what I wanted to do.

2. Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books? 

Yes. I read a lot of male/male manga, novellas & young adult books. And it got me wanting to write that myself, but I’ve always wanted to write young adult. Some of my favourite authors include R.L. Stine, Lynn Flewelling, L.J. Smith. Yamila Abraham as for books…I have so many favourite books by R.L. Stine, it’s not even funny, Nightrunner Series by: Lynn Flewelling (her series got me wanting to publish male/male books), Forbidden Games by: L.J. Smith & The Vampire Diaries by: L.J. Smith. I even love Japanese manga where my favourite manga-ka Makoto Tateno got me wanting to publish male/male stuff as well.

3. What are your biggest inspirations? 

My biggest inspirations have to be Japanese rock singer Kyo of the band Dir en Grey, actor Rob Lowe & the Original Incredible Hulk himself Lou Ferrigno. Why? Because I am half deaf (with other medical problems & disabilities). I’m completely deaf in my left ear & have possibly about 75% of hearing in my right ear and those 3 men have shown me that even though I’m hearing impaired I can still do what I want to do. Because those 3 men are hard of hearing as well & I owe them a BIG thank you.

4. Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings? 

Actually I don’t most of the time. Sometimes the characters just come to me & sometimes they come from being modelled after people and for the locations. For the longest time I never set my stuff in a certain spot. I’m from California in the States and I now use that for my characters or I’ll use my own world I created for my demons.

5. Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces? 

Sometimes I listen to music and it’s usually Japanese rock/Visual Kei bands, but I mostly watch TV as I write.

6. What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block? 

I read, watch true crime shows. I get ideas from just about anything.

7. How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?) 

As of this moment my novella is in the middle of getting published. It is in line to be edited, but I am part of a charity anthology called Shades of Pink that will feature a short story I did for it called Pink Rose. I’m not really sure what to expect yet.

8. What are your biggest challenges as an author? 

Trying to work on other stuff. My first novella is part of a series & I’m really trying to get the second novella finished right now.

9. Do you have any pets? 

Yes. I have 4 cats. Oldest girl is Lizzie, second oldest is a boy Snoop Katt, third is a boy Neko Mana & fourth is a girl named Princess Icy Miku & 2 dogs both girls named Maggie Mae & Lacee No Name
10. What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing? 

My other hobbies include, reading, poetry, watching anime, reading manga, cross stitching.

11. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world? 

Hmmm…No place yet

12. Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work… 

I write under the name Perci T. Brooks and currently I am working on my Beloved Series and I am part of the Shades of Pink charity anthology that is a $5 donation for Breast Cancer. I am very glad to be part of that. 

Of course everyone can go to my author page for more info at https://www.facebook.com/PerciTBrooks

Author Interview - John Monk

Please welcome Author John Monk to the interview seat today!

Have you always had a passion for writing?

When I was in first grade, I got a poem published in the school newspaper.  I remember how it ended: “...with a beautiful spark of love.”  Even back then I thought it was sappy.  But I got so much positive attention from it that I kept writing cheesy poems and they kept publishing them.

Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books?

By around fifth grade, I started writing short stories where I grossly plagiarized Ursula Le Guin and Terry Brooks. I came up with the plots—I just stole all the names.  “Shady Vale” and “Garret Jax” and “Ged” and “the island of Roke.”  My love of these names were the beginning of my love affair with language.  In high school, when I discovered Edgar Allen Poe, I started writing long, complicated writing that would have fit better in the 19^th century. These days, I like to think my writing is my own—but of course I’d be lying. All writers are a product of their literary environment. You’ll find a little Terry Brooks and Robert B. Parker peppered throughout my writing, as well as some Elmore Leonard, Neil Gaiman and Dean Koontz. And I’d be lying if I said Poe’s “...eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming” didn’t give me chills to this very day.

What are your biggest inspirations?

In a general sense, I’m inspired by beauty. Whether it’s a gorgeous woman or a great song or a really good movie, I get my inspiration from unique things. Often it’s something intangible, like a charitable deed or act of bravery—something that lifts a person, however briefly, from the plane we all exist on to regions indescribable.

When I’m sitting in traffic, I often wonder what makes something “great.”  Why does the Beach Boys song “God only knows” seize me the way it does when I hear it playing? I’m truly mystified.  And the funny thing is: this confusion gives me real hope. Do we really want a scientific answer for why things inspire us, like beauty? Or, for that matter, terrible ugliness?  When something horrific comes on the news, isn’t it better to feel the awfulness at a visceral level rather have it reduced to “a byproduct of our survival instinct which triggers an empathetic response”?

Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?

Like a lot of writers, I try to write what I know.  So Centreville Virginia shows up in my published book, Kick, as well as the one I’m editing now.  I also like to write about places I’ve vacationed.  Likewise, I write about people I’ve met, though I modify them quite a bit.  Often I take several people and mash them together into a frankenperson, of sorts, picking and pairing the best parts for the needs of the story.  My buddy Rob isn’t a murderer, but the way he gets angry when he’s cut off in traffic might be just the thing for the murderer in my book. And I think my readers respond to it—they know when something seems real. An artist does his or her best work when the subject is painted from something in real life.

Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?

I don’t always listen to music, but sometimes I do.  My musical tastes range into every single category dated before 1990 (with the occasional one-off like that funny C Lo Green song).  Rap, rock, punk, disco, jazz, bluegrass, country, big band, folk, jubilee gospel, mariachi—this is the music I listen to.  It really gets my brain working to hear something out of pace from my daily, natural rhythms.  Recently I’ve gotten into Spanish guitar—wonderful stuff. There’s a scene in Kick where one of the sympathetic characters plays some Spanish Guitar. Blame the Gypsy Kings.

What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?

When I’m having writer’s block, I read some Elmore Leonard or watch Justified on TV or anything with good writing in it.  Just like when I was a kid, nothing gets me going better than experiencing something marvelous.  It motivates me to make something marvelous too—to add something of my own to the world.  And it sure beats sitting there staring at an empty screen in frustration.

How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?)

Heh, now that’s a good question. Publishing my writing without the endorsement of Big Publishing and then having to market it myself to a world of readers who don’t know I exist has been a tremendously humbling experience. Getting that official nod from a major publishing house...look, we writers like to pretend that recognition isn’t important or that we’re sitting here all self-possessed and confident in our work and all that, but at the end of the day we just want to be told how brilliant we are.  Especially from some official body of professionals, ie., “the establishment.” 

There’s a part of me that wonders if Amazon and other eBook outlets aren’t a new kind of American Idol and whether I’m not the self-publishing version of William Hung. It sure would be nice to wake up every morning to another hundred downloads of Kick.  Until then, I’ll continue to assist my ego out of bed every morning, downstairs to breakfast and then off to work. And I probably won’t stop checking my sales rank several times a day to see if something’s changed. My ego and I will get through this together.  I don’t mind—my ego carried me for the last 42 years without complaint!

What are your biggest challenges as an author?

Time.  I need time to create, time to edit, time to market, time to do interviews like this, time to go to work and do a good job.  Time to be a husband.  My wife and I want to adopt—that’s going to take time.  When we adopt, our child will need so much of my time I’m afraid I’ll have to stop writing.  So I need to get even more done now—because I won’t have any time later.

Do you have any pets?

Dorothy and I have a cat, an Old English Sheep Dog, and a white Schnauzer (a rare color, we’re told).  The Schnauzer’s name is Shadowfax—which, to any fans of Tolkien out there, has revealed to you one of my other great inspirations: the Lord of the Rings. 

What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?

I like to go sailing with a friend of mine, in his boat, out on the Chesapeake.  I like to go hiking once or twice a year.  I used to play an unhealthy amount of World of Warcraft—when I quit about 3 years ago, I used the time to write my first novel.  Now, looking back, I wish I could reach out and slap that WOW-playing John L. Monk.  Writing is so much more rewarding. 

Hmm, thinking of other hobbies...do potential hobbies count?  I’d really love to take up woodworking.  I think it’d be the coolest thing in the world to make a table or a chair.  One day when I’m rich and famous, maybe I’ll take a year off from writing to do that?

Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?

When I was in college, getting my degree in anthropology, I visited the island of Malta for a study-abroad program.  Simply put, Malta’s a giant rock in the middle of the Mediterranean.  It’s cities are fortress cities.  It’s poorest people live in subdivided palaces for the Knights of Saint John. The water was an almost magical blue, and yet their beaches were littered.  A lady proprietor of a bar was worried when we were playing dominos at one of the tables and almost had a heart attack when we suggested switching to cards.  Bands walked the streets at night in a parade playing as loud as they could so a rival village could hear them coming.  Some of the band members smoked between parts or stepped in and out of bars, rejoining when it was time for them to play again. Perhaps the most shocking thing that happened was when I went looking for a boat maker so I could interview him. The boat maker and his sons almost threw me into the Mediterranean.  I didn’t speak Malti, but through hand gestures and smiles I managed to convince them I wasn’t trying to steal the secrets of their designs to sell to a competitor in the Regatta. It was a fascinating, memorable trip. 

Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…

Kick is my most recent published work.  It’s a story about a college student, Dan, who commits suicide when the girl he loves dumps him. Afterward, Dan finds himself in a strange limbo where he can remember his life so perfectly that, if he chose to, he could tell you the exact number of breaths he took in his life until the very last second of it.  Such is the perfect memory of the dead.  He’s also able to come back into the world of the living by possessing the bodies of predatory criminals:  rapists, killers, pedophiles—the worst of humanity. Whenever he does, he has complete control and his motivations for living are entirely his own.  Mostly he just lives his life again—eating out, watching movies, reading books, and going to ball games.  He also spends a lot of time trying to remain celibate. Just because a women he runs into thinks she knows him, it doesn’t give him the right to know her back (so to speak).  This sets Dan up for sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious encounters.

Before Dan is kicked out, usually in about 3 weeks, he’ll find a way to take his killer down with him, either through a police confession with an evidence dump or a self-administered bullet to the head.  One reviewer said it was kind of a cross between the TV show Quantum Leap and the show Dexter on Showtime.  I always felt the same way about it, but it’s better when a fan says so.

The working title of my latest book, still unpublished, is Thief’s Odyssey.  Unlike Kick there’s nothing supernatural in it. It’s a story about a cat burglar and his adventures: from DC to the Bahamas to Florida and then back again.  I’m reluctant to give too much away right now, but suffice to say that unlike many of the caper movies made over the years, Thief’s Odyssey was heavily researched.  The methods used to crack safes, pick locks, and disable alarms actually work.

The one thing that ties Kick to Thief’s Odyssey is they’re both told in first person narrative, and that lets my John L. Monkiness shine through.  I like stories about outcasts from society—whether through a suicide, like in Kick, or that of a criminal like the main character in Thief’s Odyssey.  I’ve thought about my fascination with outcasts, and the best I can come up with is it’s an echo of my writer’s perspective on life. On some level, I’ve written my observer-self into my stories.

You can find Kick on Amazon!

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Author Interview - C J Corbin!

Please welcome Author C J Corbin to the interview seat this week!

Have you always had a passion for writing?

Fortunately yes. I wrote several books in high school. I had an agreement with my favorite English teacher who was crazy about journaling. I would write my stories instead of writing a journal. Several years ago during my long distance work commute (3 hours a day), I began to formulate Eagle's Destiny.

Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books?

Absolutely! I believe in order to be a good writer, reading is essential. My favorite genre is paranormal romance (vampires). I write contemporary romance. I love J. R. Ward and the Black Dagger Brotherhood ... I'm so obsessed that I have each book as a paperback, on my e-reader, and as an audio book. Am I crazy? I have started collecting personally autographed copies of her BDB books as they are published. Yes. I think I am crazy.

What are your biggest inspirations?

Other authors and my readers inspire me. There is nothing like meeting with another author to get my creative juices flowing. After a day with a writer, all I want to do is to run home and write.

One of my biggest thrills is to receive fan letters and social media like Facebook, makes it easy for me to keep in touch. My readers are anxiously waiting for the follow-up to Eagle's Destiny and thinking about that motivates me to go into my writing cave.

Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?

I write intuitively, which means no layout. I know what is going to happen and I let the characters take over from there. Believe me, there are times the characters have surprised me with unexpected shenanigans. In addition, I write visually. I envision the scene first and then commit it to paper. Once I have decided on a location, character, etal, my research is extensive.

Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?

Yes! I have a great love of music and listen to mainly new alternative rock (Snow Patrol, Airborne Toxic Event, and Tired Pony are among my current favorites). However, there are special circumstances when I will choose music to fit the scene I am working. I listened to a lot of Zydeco and Cajun music while writing the New Orleans' chapters. My go-to for the love scenes? Barry White. Something about the voice.

What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?

Hitting my head on the desk seems to work well for me. Sorry. This is what my characters think I do. I talk to one of my muses. I'm lucky to have several close friends who will listen to me while I endless drone on about characters and plot points. I don't write seven days a week either. Usually, I'll take the weekend off and do fun stuff.

How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?)

Being an indie is no longer a bad word. E-books and independent authors are the wave of the future. Traditional publishing has to take a good, hard look at itself. The industry is changing with lightening quick speed. Having a published book is my greatest accomplishment (so far). Were there mistakes I made? Yes. Should I have done a few things differently? Yes. However, I've learned from those mistakes and consider them lessons. I will never forget the day my book arrived in the mail and I held it in my hands. I will never forget my first sale, the first good review, and my first lukewarm review, or the first gracious fan letter. These are all things no one can take away from me.

What are your biggest challenges as an author?

Tamping down all the ideas that I have for other books, and sticking to the task at hand.

Do you have any pets?

I've had cocker spaniels for years. Currently, I have Cooper, who is a rescue I adopted three years ago. This past summer, I lost my beloved Samantha (who appeared in Eagle's Destiny). I will adopt another rescue soon because the Coop needs some company.

What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?

Wildlife photography (some of my photos can be seen on my website), and I'm a huge advocate of animal conservancy. Aside from music (I have 65 GB on my iPod), I love watching ice hockey and baseball. And, dragons. The fire-breathing kind. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?

I've been able to travel all over the world including Europe, Turkey, India, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. My favorite place, and I would go back in a heartbeat is Alaska. It was in Alaska that my wildlife conservation passion was born. Who knows? Perhaps Eagle's Destiny was born there too!

Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…

Currently, I'm working on the follow-up novel to Eagle's Destiny, cleverly titled Eagle's Destiny 2 (working title). What happens after "happily ever after"? It should be out by the beginning of 2014. All the characters you love (and love to hate) will be there.

Eagle's Destiny is a quirky contemporary romance novel. The main characters are not in their early twenties! "Oh my goodness! Tell us it isn't so!" As one of my younger reviewers said, "...this is a mature romance..." I still giggle when I read the review (which was a good one). I wrote the characters a bit older because I couldn't find a romance book with a heroine in her mid-thirties. My tag line is: Sizzling romance, dreams coming true, and erotic moments. So yeah, my dad isn't allowed to read it.



my places: Website: http://www.cjcorbin.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cjcorbin00
Personal Facebook: www.facebook.com/christiane.corbin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJCorbin00
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/christiane00/
Email: cjcorbin00@hotmail.com
Amazon author's page: amazon.com/author/cjcorbin ?

Souls Around The World Blog Hop!

Since the theme for this blog hop was "Things that go bump in the night" I decided to share an excerpt from one of my works in progress. This is from one of the stories in a collection I am releasing in 2014. The collection will be called "The Darkscape".

          A pair of eyes gleamed somewhere in the corner. Helene gasped and pivoted her body to face the unseen threat. Fingers gripping the bone handle of the old blade, she tensed, preparing to strike if the need arose. For hours she’d sat in the darkness, waiting, praying to the Gods. Her heart sounded like a kettle drum, knowing those filthy beings lay just beyond her vision.

The sounds came closer and Helene began to panic. She saw the light from her lantern begin to wane, the fuel almost exhausted. Once it died, she’d be in trouble. What had happened to Ortagus? Why had he not come? Tears stung Helene’s eyes but she would not cry, could not give these beasts the satisfaction of seeing her at her worst.

She cringed as something dripped into her long dark hair. One of the creatures must be on the ceiling! “Spirits be merciful…” She whispered, crouching lower, blade still at the ready.

Ortagus promised to be swift. They would never leave the Dark Lord’s estate without the Ngarara. So much was at stake, they’d come too far to give up now. Helene’s heart wrenched within her chest as she thought of him, the man who risked everything to keep her safe, to preserve the greater good. Born one of the forsaken princesses, Helene never expected to find romance. Her life centered on hiding, and fighting for the cause. There should not have been time to fall in love or dream of forever. Fate had other plans. However cruel it was to offer something so unattainable, what had been done could not be reversed.

The light began to flicker and the breath caught in Helene’s throat. “No, not yet, I need more time!”

Snarls and growls filtered out of the nothingness beyond the lantern. Helene’s lower lip quivered but she held her stance, and her fingers continued to grip the blade tight. As the last of the light faded, she waited for the evil to close in, unsure which direction she should face first.

The sensation of claws scraping over her flesh brought forth an involuntary scream. Ignoring the pain in her thigh, Helene whirled around and thrust with her knife in one long arc. Hot liquid splattered her face and she knew she’d killed one of the creatures. The stench of foul breath wafted over from the right, marking the start of a second attack. Though she couldn’t stop them from coming, Helene would fight until the bitter end.

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