Michelle

Adam is on Facebook, you could try contacting him to ask?

This is just a one-off interview vf. I know she's really busy at the moment, but I might be able to get her to pop in at some point. I'll let you know.

They're basically an erotic series, including BDSM. There are some interesting articles around about them.

A quick search found: Interview: http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/10106-author-interview-adam-nevill/page__hl__nevill__fromsearch__1 review of Apartment 16: http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/6047-apartment-16-by-adam-nevill/page__hl__nevill__fromsearch__1 Review of Banquet For The Damned: http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/2492-banquet-for-the-damned-by-adam-lg-nevill/page__hl__nevill__fromsearch__1

Kimberley Derting is best known for her Body Finder series, which in my opinion reached a brilliant new level in book 3, The Last Echo. She's also started a new series, which starts with The Pledge. Q. To start us off, please tell us a little about your books. A. The Body Finder is a series about a teen named Violet, who has the ability to sense the bodies of those who have been murdered. She can also tell who has killed each victim because both the victim and the killer share the same unique echo / imprint. There’s also a boy named Jay...and there may be some kissing. I like kissing. The Pledge is about seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie), who lives in the violent country of Ludania, where the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before and her secret is almost exposed. And there may be kissing...you know, because I like kissing. Q. Tell us a little more about The Body Finder – where did the idea come from? A. The initial idea first came from my husband when he asked me: “What if there was a kid who could find dead bodies?” In his head “the kid” was a middle-grade boy, but it was actually a great idea, so I changed his kid to a sixteen-year-old girl, and came up with the idea for the echoes. And then there was Jay, of course! Q. In The Last Echo you introduce some more characters, with different abilities – how long are you hoping to write about them for? A. As of now, there are four books scheduled for the Body Finder series, but who knows what the future holds. I love spending time with Violet and Jay, but I’ve also got some other ideas that I’m very excited to explore. Only time will tell! Q. The Pledge is a different type of book completely – would you class them as dystopian or fantasy... is it meant to be a future world, or a completely different one? A. This is a great question because most people who read it seem to assume that it’s set in our future. I’ve only ever clarified it when asked because I don’t think it really matters one way or the other. To me, though, the world is an alternate version of ours—the way ours might have developed had there been magic in our royal bloodlines. As far as classification, because of the magic, I consider it fantasy set in a dystopic society. (Try finding that genre in a bookstore!) Q. You end The Pledge on a darker note – does this mean there’s more to come? A. Yes, there are two more books in the trilogy...and a lot of darker notes to come! Q. Have you always been a writer, and how did it feel to have your first book published? A. I started writing when I was a teenager and actually had my first agent in my early 20s. When my first manuscript didn’t get picked up, I did everything from going to school with the hopes of becoming a doctor one day to being a stay-at-home mom for several years. As for my first book getting published, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Q. Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on at the moment...are you continuing the two series already started, or do you have something new? A. The fourth book in the Body Finder series and the second book in The Pledge trilogy are finished. I’m currently working on some edits for both of those, and also writing the final Pledge novel. After that, I have some plans in the works, but hey, a girl has to have her secrets, doesn’t she??? Q. You’re currently in the middle of a busy schedule, doing talks and signings, and you’re active on twitter. Do you enjoy being in contact with your readers? A. I love it! For me, it’s one of the most rewarding things about being an author. I’ve always been very social, so having the chance to connect (online or in person) with some of my brilliant readers has been amazing! I know some authors who just want to write in a cabin in the woods somewhere and never come out of their homes. I’m the exact opposite. I will not only come out of my house, I might just show up at your house one day for tea. Q. A little about yourself...what do you like to read, and what’s on your bedside table right now? A. I recently finished CARNIVAL OF SOULS by Melissa Marr, which was an absolute thrill-ride of a read by a brilliant author! I’m just finishing up BLACK HEART (the final book in the CURSE WORKERS trilogy) by Holly Black, and because of this series, Holly is my reigning author crush! Also, I’ve just started VELVETEEN by Daniel Marks, and so far it has everything I could want: a sadistic serial killer, a badass ghost bent on revenge, and a super snarky tone! LOVING. IT. Q. And when you’re not writing, reading, or tweeting...what else keeps you busy? A. Shockingly, I’ve become someone who goes camping a lot. I say shockingly because those who know me wouldn’t consider me the outdoorsy type. But my husband figured out a way to make camping fun for me. By buying an RV, he’s made sure that I have access to hot tea, hot showers, and my flat iron, so it’s all good! You can find Kimerley at http://kimberlyderting.com/

Today is launch day for Tanya Byrne's début book, Heart-Shaped Bruise, and reviews so far are pointing to it being an excellent book. Mine can be found here. Q. Let’s start at the beginning – tell us in your own words about Heart-Shaped Bruise, and about Emily A. Heart-Shaped Bruise is the story of Emily Koll, the most infamous inmate at Archway Young Offenders’ Institution. The daughter of North London gangster Harry Koll, everybody knows who she is and what she did to get sent to Archway, but after months of being written about in the newspapers and gossiped about at bus stops, she wants to tell her side of the story. So she begins writing it down in a notebook that she keeps hidden on top of the wardrobe in her cell. In the journal she explains why she did what she did and why she isn’t sorry at all. Q. Where did your ideas for the novel come from? A. Everywhere. Songs. Conversations I’ve overheard. The idea for Emily’s journal came from an article about Hurricane Katrina I read in a newspaper. There was a photograph of a battered wooden house with ‘Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes’ spray-painted onto the side of it. That’s what I made Emily do. Q. Was it tempting to stick to the ‘normal’ YA subjects, or did you always want to write something different and darker? A. I’m not sure there is a ‘normal’ YA subject, that’s the joy of YA. I’ve read books about everything from angels to anorexia. But I did set out to write something English. As much as I love authors like Laurie Halse Anderson and Sara Zarr and wish I’d had their books when I was a teenager, every time I finished one of their books I’d think, ‘Imagine if this was set in London!’ Then I read a quote from Toni Morrison that said: If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. So that’s what I did, I wrote a book about what it’s like to be a teenager in London, about having to get the bus and going to parties because clubs are so expensive and wandering around parks on a Wednesday afternoon because there’s nothing else to do. And that’s what Heart-Shaped Bruise is: it’s like every other YA book in that it’s about needing to be grown up when you don’t know how to be yet, but with more chips and onion vinegar. Q. You chose a difficult subject to write about – what sort of research did you need to carry out? A. I had to do a lot of research, not just into what life in a young offenders’ institution would be like, but also into Emily’s mental illness. As the story unravels it’s easy to forget that she’s in a psychiatric unit, but she’s there because it’s thought that she has borderline personality disorder. She’s yet to be diagnosed; BPD is usually only diagnosed in adults, not in children or adolescents because the symptoms – mood swings, intense fear of abandonment, unstable sense of identity – may go away with maturity. So instead of saying that Emily has BPD, I had to show you. All the symptoms are there – her paranoia, her confusion about who she is, the bookish, cello-playing school girl or the gangster’s daughter, feeling like she doesn't belong, whether it’s at the gig with Sid and Juliet or at her old boarding school, doing things without thinking about the consequences, like what she did to get sent to Archway. Emily puts this down to being evil, something she refers to herself as constantly in Heart-Shaped Bruise, and while the reader may not know that she has BPD, by the end of the book it should become clear that it’s so much more than Emily being evil. As always, the truth is rarely pure and never simple. Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer, or was it something you came to recently? A. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I didn’t think I could, that girls like me, girls from East London who didn’t go to UEA could write book. I mean, I liked words and I knew what to do with them sometimes, in what order to put them in, but I didn’t think I could write a book, and even then, I didn’t think anyone would publish it. Turns out, all I had to do was try. There’s a lot to be said for being practical – sensible – but you’ll never know if something is within your grasp if you don’t try and reach for it. Q. What comes next for you, can you tell us anything about your next project? A. I’m currently working on my second book, which is another psychological thriller, this time about a teenage girl who goes missing. It’s more of mystery, but it has a twist at the end, like Heart-Shaped Bruise. Q. You’re active on twitter – do you think an internet presence is important for an author – and do you try to have both personal and an author account, or do you combine? A. This is an odd one. I’ve been on twitter for years, before I even started writing Heart-Shaped Bruise. I only finished the book last October, so it feels like I’m still making the transition from someone who reads YA books to someone who writes them. I don’t feel like I’m making an effort to do anything different; I was friends with book bloggers before. Yeah, I tweet about my book, but I don’t have a private account, so 95% of what I say is what I tweeted about before, usually who I fancy or what I’m watching on the telly. How important that is, I don’t know, I just know that I enjoy the banter on twitter, especially now I’m working on home. And if people see me as being approachable because I’m on there, that can’t be a bad thing. Q. You’re attending an author event at Foyles in May – do you enjoy the contact with your readers? A. It’s my first event, so ask me afterwards! Seriously though, I’m very much looking forward to it. I’m not sure how many people are going for me, but I hope they say hello if they do. Q. Do you like reading yourself? Who are your favourite authors, and what’s on your bedside table right now? A. I love reading. I read everything – Kurt Vonnegut, Virginia Woolf, John Green, Hilary Mantel, Sarah Dessen, Zadie Smith. I’ve just read Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez and on my bedside table I currently have Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and James Dawson’s Hollow Pike. Q. And what else do you like to do in your spare time, when you’re not writing, reading or tweeting? A. I work from home now so I need to see people, whether it’s friends for dinner or the theatre or the woman at the café at the top of my road who lets me talk her ear off whenever I go in!

It's probably worth pointing out that the Fifty Shades books are very adult!

There are 4 recent blog posts on www.mjmoore.co.uk, including a rant, and my book buying exploits!

I've had a busy few days on twitter, 'meeting' various publishers and authors. My wishlist has grown, especially in the YA category, and amazon took some money off me at the weekend! Some have been bought specifically to take with me on Saturday, to get signed for give aways - so stay tuned! ('ll be blogging about it in a bit, so will return with the link)

You'll find usernames in this section. http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/54-our-extended-community/

I've finished Hollow Pike - great YA book, review to follow. I'm also enjoying Insurgent, but I don't think it's as good as Divergent. I often find middle books are a little slower, and this is still a great series, so I still recommend, and with the standard of writing, I think the third should be great.

Keep going with it, it does change.

I'm sorry, but it's going to be a while yet - it's HUGE!

I've just bought Insurgent in audio - I may have to put my current listen on hold to start listening tonight.

Ahh.. that's one of the things I really liked.. a nice lack of teen angst!

Yep - I loved the whole trilogy, although some say they're not so keen on the third.

I have to agree with you - I've read some brilliant YA books, but this remains my absolute favourite, and a very rare re-read. There are mixed responses to the film.. the general impression I get is that it remains pretty much true to the book, but with a few things missing or changed with niggle. It does, however, feel a little rushed, showing how much depth the book has.

Paul and Chris are the people who have brought us The Edge Chronicles, and the final book, The Immortals is published today, Feb 5th. I feel honoured to have been able to review this book very recently, and I’m now working my way through the earlier books. Over to Chris and Paul.. Q. Who came up with the initial idea for the series, and where did it come from? For those who are new to the series, how would you briefly describe it? A. The Edge Chronicles themselves started in one of these sketch books. Back in 1994, Chris drew a map of the Edge, with its familiar jutting rock, floating city and endless forests. He gave it to Paul, saying ‘Here’s the world. Let’s find out what happens in it.’ The Edge Chronicles are a series of books based in the Edge lands where all sorts of adventures happen. There are battles, funny moments, characters you empathise with, sky pirate ships, strange creatures, lots of illustrations and a cracking good story. The books are not traditional fantasies. They are influenced by the tales of the Brothers Grimm and Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast. In much traditional fantasy, a world of good versus evil is depicted. The Edge does not deal with black and white in this way, but rather in shades of grey, which is far more like our own world. There is also no magic. We thought it would be too convenient if a cloak of invisibility or magic spell was used to solve a problem. Instead, the world has its own physical properties, from floating rocks to solidified lightning. The Immortals is the tenth and final instalment and it publishes this month. It’s set 500 years after the end of the previous book, in the Third Age of Flight. This third age has been made possible by the unlocking and harnessing of stormphrax’s immense power: the power of lightning. Q. How did it progress from the initial idea.. does Chris add the illustrations after the stories are told, or do you gain inspiration from each other? A. Our working method varies. Sometimes passages influence the drawings, sometimes the drawings influence the text as we are working. Most important, however, is talking. The Edge Chronicles are a collaboration. We plot and plan together, talking over every aspect of the storyline and the Edgeworld itself. Out of these long conversations, the books slowly emerge, first as text, and then final illustrations are added. Q. What was your initial vision, did you intend to write just one book, one trilogy, or the whole series. A. When we first started the series, we thought it might turn out to be a trilogy – if we were lucky. By the time we’d finished the three books about Twig, Beyond the Deepwoods, Stormchaser and Midnight over Sanctaphrax, we had so many ideas remaining that we decided to produce two more books – the first, Curse of the Gloamglozer, a prequel, to tell the tale of his father, Quint; the second, the Last of the Sky Pirates, a sequel, to reveal what had happened to Twig. This book introduced a third main character, Rook Barkwater, Twig’s grandson. His adventures also turned into a trilogy, with Vox and Freeglader. So both Twig and Rook had three books each about them, but Quint only had one – though not for long. The Winter Knights and Clash of the Sky Galleons followed his boyhood through the Knights Academy of Sanctaphrax and off in the Galerider in search of his family’s murderer. The Lost Barkscrolls is four stories in one book, taken from episodes that occurred in the first and second Age of Flight. Once we had got so far, the Immortals – the tenth and final book – had to be written to bring all the threads of the stories together and, as American therapists put it, to achieve closure. Q. Do you have to keep lots of notes, to remind you who lives where, the developing time lines etc, or is it all stored in your mind? A. Yes, it’s a complex world! The thing is we’re so absorbed in it, it’s as if the characters are our best friends, and you don’t forget your best friend’s birthday or what happened to their parents, or when they were injured in a battle! We have lots of notes, but mostly we talk, talk, talk – plus our editor at the publisher is very good at spotting when we make mistakes or there are inconsistencies. Q. Do you feel that all the books in the Chronicles are aimed at the same age group, or has the writing changed as your initial audience grow up? A. We write the Edge Chronicles for ourselves, or rather the twelve-year old boys we once were. Both of us loved adventure books when we were that age, from Henry Treece to Willard Price. We’d have loved the Edge if it had existed then! Throughout the writing of the Edge series, both of us have had long, detailed conversations with our sons about the world, and their reactions have helped us steer a course through the books. Our readership is very varied, from enthusiastic boys and girls and their parents, to a post-graduate student in Los Angeles who was writing his thesis on the Edge. And Chris’s mum, a vicar’s wife in her seventies, also loves them. Q. Do you have a favourite book or trilogy? How about the characters, do any stand out for you as your favourites? A. Paul’s favourite character is Xanth Filatine. He is a complex figure, with divided loyalties, sometimes doing good things for bad reasons, sometimes doing bad things for good reasons. Chris’s favourite character is Zelphyius Dax, a librarian knight of the Third Age of Flight, who voyages through the Deepwoods aboard his skycraft, the Varis Lodd. He remembers and reveres the past, and is an opponent of new phraxships and the ecological damage inflicted by progress. Q. The Immortals wraps up old stories, and is said to be the final instalment in The Edge Chronicles – did you always plan to write that final book, rather then letting the series continue on indefinitely? A. We had to stop somewhere! We’ve been in absorbed in this world for over 10 years, we live, eat and breath the Edge – it can be all–consuming. We always intended the Edge Chronicles to be a self-contained series of books, and the Immortals completes the story arc. Various threads were left untied in the previous books. What happened to Cloud Wolf in the white storm? Was Twig alive or dead when the caterbird takes him to Riverrise? What happened to old Sanctaphrax when the anchor-chain was cut and it floated off at the end of Midnight over Sanctaphrax? Where did stone sickness come from? And what became of the gloamglozer? All these questions, and more, are answered in The Immortals. Q. So now The Edge Chronicles has come to an end, where do you both go now? Will you continue to work together, or working on separate projects? A. We don’t think we’ll ever stop working together! And yes, we have a very exciting idea we are working on at the moment but we’re not allowed to say any more about it. Ssssshhh! Q. What else have you both written or illustrated? A. Paul has a number of picture books and novels out like Dogbird and The Weather Witch, and Chris writes and illustrates the Ottoline books; Ottoline and the Yellow Cat and Ottoline Goes to School. Chris also does some picture books for Walker. Q. Finally, what did you enjoy reading when you were younger? A. Paul loved Rupert annuals, the Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, the ‘Alice’ books, all the novels of Alan Garner, especially Elidor. He also read huge amounts of science fiction. Chris, as a boy, loved Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, old Dandy and Beano annuals, Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter, and the Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner. Interview by Michelle Feb 2009

Someone Else's Son was also a brilliant book, I would recommend her books to anyone. http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/7412-someone-elses-son-by-sam-hayes/

Sam Hayes has just seen the release of her third book, Tell Tale. I’ve been fortunate enough to review all three , and they have all been highlights of my reading year. Sam was kind enough to spend a little time to tell us more about Tell Tale. Q. To start off, could you tell us a little bit about Tell Tale, and where the inspiration came from? A. Tell Tale opens with a desperate woman jumping from a bridge. We don’t know who she is or why she is committing suicide. The rest of the book is told from three points of view. Nina, a wife and mother, is hardworking and dedicated to her family, but when she believes she is being watched and her daughter and husband are under threat, she is pushed to the limits of sanity. Frankie, a single woman, has taken a job at a girls’ school, but she is scared, mistrusting, and running from something. Ava, an eight year old, is waiting for her daddy at the children’s home. Deep down, she knows he will never come for her. The home is a place of whispers and shadows and the children know better than to tell the truth. The three narratives are quite separate and span three decades. As the story goes on, they intertwine and build up to what is a shocking ending. It moved me no end writing it because I’m a mother and would have exactly the same emotions as Nina if I was in her position. Ultimately, that’s how I want my readers to feel – to really put themselves in the position of my characters. Tell Tale is about telling the truth – or not – and the snowball of consequences that brings about. I was also very moved by the alleged abuse that went on at the Haut de la Garenne children’s home in Jersey. It was as if the building itself had been harbouring secrets. Many of the victims had never spoken of their ordeal until the story was in the news. In Tell Tale, I created a similar institution, Roecliffe Hall, which was originally a private home but subsequently bought by the council and run as a children’s home. I wanted to explore what might happen if someone did tell – hence the title – but also entwine that narrative with a modern family and how secrets from the past can affect their lives. Q. What are some of the themes you explore in the book? A. The main theme in the book is when is it right to tell? When should you speak out and get help? And what if that help doesn’t come…what if you can’t even trust those around you? I wanted to explore what might happen if someone did tell, if they broke the rules and set off a chain reaction of events so horrific, they wished they never had. I also wanted to entwine that narrative with a modern family and how secrets from the past can affect their lives. It’s obviously a dark theme, but the Kennedy family are faced with many modern issues that most families can relate to – such as teenagers and safe internet use. Q. Some of those themes must have been hard to write about – did you need to research similar cases, and how did you cope with that? A. I did a huge amount of reading online and especially about the alleged abuse at the Haut de la Garenne children’s home. It was so desperately sad to learn about the children’s horror but told from an adult’s point of view, as the survivors now are. As a writer, you have to insert yourself into other people’s reality as fully as possible and it’s very hard. I think my husband knows now when I’ve had a day of writing a disturbing scene or researching a murder because I might be a bit intense for a while. Being a mother of three myself, it’s especially hard writing about the plights of children and teens. But that also has its positives as when it comes to writing about kids, I feel I’m pretty well qualified and know most of the day to day ups and downs families go through. However, Tell Tale is ultimately an uplifting book with a positive ending. I like to show that whatever my characters have been through, there’s always hope and a way forward. Q. This is your third book so far – do you feel you fall into any specific genre, or do you have your own style? A. I write psychological and emotional thrillers, which, I guess, fall under the umbrella of crime. But my book covers also suggest more ‘general fiction’ and are very appealing to women (although I do have lots of male readers too!) Genres are important when it comes to selling books as readers want to know what they are getting when they buy a book. That’s why branding an author is important and also where the book is positioned in a shop. If it’s on the front table in WH Smith, then the cover will be the signal to potential readers. If it’s in the shop in the crime section, again that’s a good clue what it’s about! But every writer has their own style within these genres. I like to think that I write real life fiction – stories that are easy to relate to with families and children and work and relationships. But then I like to turn all that on its head with secrets and suspicion, murder and mistrust. Q. Have you been compared to any other writers? Do you think this is a good or a bad thing – does it help readers with their reading choices, or do you think everyone should be judged on their own merits? A. I’m fine with being compared to other writers (as long as I approve!) because I understand what it’s like to choose a book. We need clues! I am a reader as well as a writer – and most of us are pushed for time and want to make the right choice. I certainly think that writers should be judged on their own merits ultimately, but initially it’s good to have a guide. I’ve recently been compared to Nicci French and Sophie Hannah, which I’m very happy about. We all write about women and families in peril, set in the UK, and there are usually a few bodies and much danger! But I’ve also been likened to Jodi Picoult, which again is a huge compliment. Obviously her books are set in the States, but emotions are international and, as well as the physical dangers, I like to explore the psychological ones too. Q. Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on next? A. I’m nearly finished writing my next novel – another topical subject that, as a mother, has my heart racing almost every week. It tells the story of Max, a fifteen year old boy who is brutally and fatally stabbed at school. I don’t have a confirmed title as yet, but it’s a fast-paced read showing the months leading up to the tragedy as well as the week immediately after. It follows a mother’s grief and guilt, although she is no ordinary mother. Carrie Kent is a famous television presenter, divorced from her son’s father, a university professor. Between them, they pick through the last weeks of their son’s life and learn that they didn’t really know him at all. I wanted to explore the ghastly knife culture that plagues our cities as well as the idea that no one is immune from these crimes. Rich or poor, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, lives can be blown apart in seconds. It’s a sad, emotional read, and the relationship between Max and his girlfriend was particularly moving to write. As ever, I’ve put in plenty of twists and turns, and will hopefully leave my readers shocked, yet feeling positive with the ending. Q. Can you ever see yourself moving into a completely different genre, or do you believe that you’ve found the best genre/style for you? A. For now at least I’m very happy writing what I write. There will never be a shortage of ideas, and I think it’s a good genre in which to grow and develop as a writer. I think all authors, though, occasionally have ideas for books that wouldn’t sit well in their backlist. Maybe one day I’ll write something different, but that’s what pseudonyms are for! Q. Part of your book is about internet usage, especially social networking. How important do you think this is for authors – do you need to be ‘out there’ promoting yourself? A. The internet is an amazing tool for authors. I don’t quite know what I’d do without it, on a research level at least. Socially and promotion wise, I’m really not as good as pushing myself out there as some authors I know. It takes a huge amount of time to build up an online following, although ultimately I’m sure it’s time well spent. I have a Facebook page although I mostly keep up with family and friends who I don’t see very often. Readers are most welcome to add me as a friend, and occasionally I’ll plug my books there. I also have a Myspace account and a blog on my website, which attracts quite a few readers from all over the world. I’ve recently had my website updated too, which I’m really pleased with. Ultimately, my publicist works very hard to get me ‘out there’ and has been lining me up some lovely features and articles in newspapers and magazines. Q. When not promoting, do you still find you can use the internet to relax and be ‘yourself’? A. My main non-work internet usage is either grocery shopping online at Sainsbury’s or trying to fight an ebay addiction! I’m not great at battling through the high street shops, so browsing at leisure online is far preferable. I also like to catch up with other authors on their blogs or read industry news sites such as the Bookseller. Other than that, it’s quite nice to walk away from the computer at the end of the day! Q. Finally, which book is on your bed side table right now? A. It’s actually an audiobook on my ipod. I’m currently coming to the end of Nicci French’s ‘What To Do When Someone Dies’. Interview by Michelle Dec 2009

Michelle Rowen is another author who’s gone on my ‘must get’ list, as well as a few others on the forum! Her first book is about a fledgling vampire, and her latest is about a fallen angel. What more could you want? Q. I have to admit that ‘paranormal romance’ is a new genre for me.. when you decided to write about the paranormal, why did you decide on a romantic angle, rather than a horror one? A. I’ve always been drawn to urban fantasy – which is simply a fantasy story set in a modern city. And I love romantic stories with happy endings. I like the idea that the world we live in could contain the possibility of magic. All of these elements factor into my favorites for books, movies, and television. I was a huge fan of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which definitely had paranormal romance elements in it, didn’t it?). I guess I like my entertainment to have a little bit of everything: comedy, drama, adventure, fantasy, danger, romance, mystery… so that’s the kind of book I want to write. I look at my stories as stemming from an Everygal being thrust into an unusual world and how she goes about dealing with the chaos that ensues. For BITTEN & SMITTEN, I describe it as Bridget Jones meets Interview with the Vampire – not a typical “romance” novel – more quirky, with a bunch of different genres mixed in. Q. There appears to be alot of vampire books around at the moment, covering a few genres. Why so you think they’re so popular? A. Vampires have always been popular, I think. But lately, they have expanded in so many different subgenres – from dark to light, scary to funny — that I guess there’s “something for everyone.” Vampires have that “immortal” thing going for them. They are characters who can have tortured pasts. Big-time angst. They can be mysterious and sexy and enigmatic. They can be the hero but can also be the villain – depending in the choices they make. And lately, vampires can even be funny. There’s just so much you can do with a vampire (so to speak). Q. Did you worry that there may already be too many vampire books around? (Obviously there weren’t, as yours has done so well. ) A. I wrote my book going on three years ago, so vampire books weren’t really as prevalent as they are today. At that time, I was simply writing for my own entertainment, not necessarily to be published, so I picked a subject that I enjoyed reading. Frankly, I do think there currently are too many vampire books being published to cash in on the trend. I am hopeful that the genre will continue to be popular since I do enjoy reading and writing in it. Q. Your second book moves on to an angel kicked out from heaven.. what’s next for you? A. My next book will be the sequel to my vampire novel BITTEN & SMITTEN. It’s called FANGED & FABULOUS and will follow my main character as she continues to adjust to being a fledgling vampire. The book after that is a spin-of of the vampire books with a different character as the lead. I’m very lucky to have characters that are popular enough to warrant a “series” of books in the same world. And it’s more proof on how popular vampires continue to be in the publishing world! Q. Do you think you’ll stay with paranormal romance, or are there other genres you want to write? A. I love the genre I’m in right now, but I’m also pursuing young adult fantasy as well as darker urban fantasy. Basically I just love fantasy! Q. What did you used to read before you started writing.. are you a personal fan of the paranormal? A. I’ve read anything and everything. However, I must admit that I am partial to the paranormal. They say write what you love and I definitely subscribe to that notion. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series is a definite inspiration. Other authors I adore are Tanya Huff, Lilith Saintcrow, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher and Rachel Caine. Q. Have your reading tastes changed since you started writing yourself? Do you look for something completely different for a break? A. When I’m in the middle of writing a novel, I try to steer clear from other similar books – ie: MaryJanice Davidson. I don’t want to be influenced, so I will either read nothing at all, or something completely different, like a John Grisham. Q. Do you have an all-time favourite book, and what are you reading now? A. One of my all-time favourite books is A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR by Jude Deveraux. That was probably one of the first paranormal romances I read (it had time travel in it). I also have a strong fondness for NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman. As far as what I’m reading now… on my nightstand are “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer (teenaged vampires!) and “20 Master Plots – And How to Build Them (you can never stop learning! LOL) Q. You have an attractive web site and blog, and I particularly like the booknotes. Do you think it’s important for writers and authors to grab the interest of internet users? A. I feel that it is very important these days to have a well-designed, easy-to-navigate web presence. I base what I have on my website on what I’ve seen and liked on other authors’ websites. I’m on the internet all the time so I really appreciate updated content and interesting things to read, background on the writing, fun facts, etc. Also, I’m a firm believer in “try before you buy” so I provide three full chapters of each of my books, and have plans to do the same for those to come. A website becomes an interactive brochure of your work, and I think that is an asset for every author publishing today. Q. In your booknotes, you provide a ‘soundtrack’ for each book. The lists sound great.. do they reflect your general taste in music? A. Absolutely… I have to choose songs for my ‘soundtracks’ that I won’t mind listening to over and over and over again over the six months it’ll take me to write a book. So, if the songs aren’t my favorites, they will quickly be replaced by ones that are. I have nearly 2000 songs in my iTunes that I can choose from, so I just scroll through and pick the ones that remind me of what I want the book or characters to be like. Q. A completely random question.. who’s your favourite muppet?! A. That one’s easy: Miss Piggy. She’s my idol! She has one of my favorite quotes: “It is not easy to become beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.” Too true! Interview by Michelle Feb 2008