YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Dana Davis!!!

Author Sandra Cox brought Dana to my attention and I am so glad that she did because her books are very intriguing and I was excited to have her here!

I recently got new glasses (progressive bifocals - eek!) and I have been getting used to them ever since I got them.

Why am I telling you this?

Because, the adjustment period is sort of messing with my reading because I'm still trying to figure out which parts of the lenses I'm looking through the most.

Why does that matter?

Because I wanted to have Dana's book read by today. Unfortunately, that's not happening! (While I did get this posted today, my eyes need rest, so I will finish the formatting later, after some sleep. Am I too honest? Is that really more than you wanted to know?) My eyes are rested now (11:33pm Tuesday night) and I am now going to properly format this feature! Thanks for being such a trooper Dana!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

DANA: I celebrate both, since they’re connected to my family lineage. I come from Irish, Scottish and British stock and my husband has a line that goes back to Celtic times in Wales. As a young child, I remember hunting leprechauns at my great-grandmother’s house one spring. She told me she saw one in the bushes in her yard, and I spent hours crawling around her hedges in an attempt to lure him out. Now, I hunt ghosts with a paranormal investigative team.

ME: Because of its Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

DANA: It’s a pretty big deal here too, since there’s a large population of Irish-American descendants living in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, AZ). Our local Irish Cultural Center has a festival and parade every year for St. Paddy’s Day. Hubby and I have attended them in the past and they’re a lot of fun. Many other festivals go on around the valley too.

We also have several Irish pubs that offer Irish song and dance entertainment on St. Paddy’s Day and throughout the year. And you can find green sweets in grocery stores and bakeries. I just love a chocolate cupcake with green butter cream frosting. Yummy!

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

DANA: Well, we don’t decorate too much, but the past couple of years I’ve been looking for some shamrock LED lights to hang on our saguaro cactus in the front yard. I finally found some in a local store. And I sometimes buy cut spring flowers to put out on our table. We recently had fresh cut tulips in the house. That’s about it for decorations.

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

DANA: Oh, yes. One of my favorites is the legend of Boudica, the warrior queen who led her army and fought the Romans when they invaded Briton and slaughtered many Celtic Natives. The Romans actually wrote about her battles. Otherwise, we might not have even known she existed, since the Celts didn’t have a written language. Boudicca at unrv.com

Also, I love the faery lore and tales that come from Ireland. Who couldn’t resist a half-human, half-faery helper like the grogoch? I sure could use one of him around my place. Grogoch at Irelandseye.com

ME: Spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

DANA: We don’t have seasons like those who live in cold-weather places, but we do plant heat-hardy shrubs and flowers and prune others in March and April to prepare for our long, hot summers. Arizonans love the outdoors, so hubby and I take nature hikes and do what we can to help the environment. Cleaning out closets to donate stuff we no longer use is sometimes part of my springtime ritual.

ME: Magic is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

DANA: If you look at many Native cultures around the world, magic is an integral part of their legends. A way to explain things they didn’t understand or had no control over. Irish Celts were no different. The creation of the world, diseases, births, deaths, natural disasters, celestial bodies, and other mysteries were woven into magical tales to make them understandable to humans.

At various times throughout history, invaders tried to annihilate Celtic cultures. Ireland had its share of invaders. It must have been terrifying to think that your people’s entire history could be wiped out and lost forever. I think that’s why today’s decedents continue to foster those original beliefs. At least in part.

ME: If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

DANA: Actually, I would have loved to see Boudica kicking the Romans’ butts! And I think it would be fun to be a Moruadh (an Irish sea faery) for a while and explore the oceans up close and personal.  merrows at Irelandseye.com

ME: Please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

DANA: For fiction reading I loved the Boudica series by Manda Scott and the Cloudmages series by A. L. Farrell. A non-fiction book that I use for my own research is Women in Celtic Myth by Moyra Caldecott. And a really fun, illustrated book that includes Celtic faeries is The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries: Secrets Revealed by Pierre Dubois - illustrated by Claudine and Roland Sabatier.

ME: Oooh, some great reading there! However, it's time to switch gears and now and focus on your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

DANA: Speculative fiction is my genre. That’s a term that covers science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, horror, and other similar genres. I grew up hearing stories about my great-great-aunt who worked as a medium back in the early 1900s, along with other paranormal family legends. And my grandfather worked for NASA, so science was part of my childhood as well. I was drawn to sci-fi and fantasy TV shows and movies even as a small child. And I fell in love with books in these genres in elementary school when I read The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

DANA: Escapism! I write fiction to entertain because I read fiction to be entertained. I want readers to forget their problems for a while and just enjoy the ride.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

DANA: I wanted to be Tabitha from Bewitched when I was little. Does that count? As for my books, it depends on what I’m writing at the time. When I have magic in a book, the characters use a mix of magic and human ingenuity in various levels, depending on the situation. Those who use magic without thinking to much usually end up in a heap of trouble. But then, that can be lots of fun too.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

DANA: Haha, good one! I have several muses actually. Characters stomp around in my head, giving me direction on where they would like the story to go. If anyone ever got inside my head, they’d probably come out screaming. Sometimes I have an internal struggle with a character when I want something different to happen, but I listen to my subconscious, because it’s usually right. So, I’d have to say my muses lead me where they want me to go.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

DANA: I have a great time with all my characters. They’re like family to me. But if I had to pick just one from my young adult books, I would have to go with Master Prag in Breach of Worlds. He’s a blustery old man with endearing qualities, who enjoys teasing the main character Nara. The Master bullied his way into my thoughts one day, and I had great fun watching him take shape as I was writing.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

DANA: Ooh, this is a tough one because I’m not sure I would want to meet any of them. I do an awful lot of nasty things to my characters during the course of a book, and they’d probably be very upset with me. But if I were to meet a character, I would choose Janai from my teen sci-fi Quest for Freedom. She tends to have compassion for those who “done her wrong” and I might actually survive an encounter with her.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

DANA: Haha, see previous answer. There are so many. Okay, I’m going to go with the Morgee from Quest for Freedom here. These aliens have no compassion for anybody, are relentless in their pursuit of slave labor, and can’t be reasoned with. I wouldn’t last very long in their hands.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

DANA: I have fun with them all. Otherwise, I would never write them. I have to say The Mask of Tamirella has a special place in my heart, though. This post-apocalyptic teen novel wasn’t the first book I had ever written, but it was the first one published. The main character, Caitlanna Mullen, came to me during a writing exercise and just wouldn’t let go. She hounded me for days before I finally gave in and wrote her story.

Writing that book was an adventure for me, as well, and I had great fun discovering Cait’s world with her, danger and all. And the book has won three awards since publication.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your books, the ones we’re promoting here today?

DANA: Yes, I do get inspiration from everywhere. There is always that active little part in the back of my mind that latches onto things and causes me to think, Hey, I better write that down. It might make a good story.

Quest for Freedom got its start from a disturbing dream I had years ago and couldn’t get out of my head. As I stated previously, The Mask of Tamirella got its spark from a writing exercise. And I got the idea for Breach of Worlds from a painting I came across one day. The girl in that painting haunted my thoughts and I had to write her story.

BLURB: Quest for Freedom

Kidnapped. Enslaved. Trapped on an unforgiving world far from home.

Fifteen-year-old Janai, a healer's apprentice from a planet called Kritine, volunteers to lead others to freedom. Along the journey, she finds she’s attracted to a boy from her homeworld, but now is not the time to choose a life-mate. She must remain strong as she fights to overcome old and new enemies that don’t want her to find freedom.

Will she succeed? Or is the free-zone merely a fanciful story spread by desperate children? Janai risks her life to find out.

Breach of Worlds

How can a destitute orphan get an ordinary life? Seek out the valley sorceress, of course, a woman rumored to ride dragons and eat young men.

Armed with only her wits and a stolen map, Nara goes in search of the famed sorceress. At age fourteen, when her own powers begin to manifest, she becomes a target for evil. This adolescent girl must help defeat the shadow ones before they destroy everything she has come to love. Orphanage life was difficult, but her future terrifies her as she embarks on a harrowing journey fraught with magic and peril.

Nara's life will be anything but ordinary.

The Mask of Tamirella

Sixteen-year-old Caitlanna Mullen lives in a harsh world where technology no longer exists. In her post-apocalyptic society, she salvages priceless artifacts for trade. One artifact is especially desired. The Mask of Tamirella. Cait steals the Mask from another sanction, putting her own at risk. As punishment, the Elders send her to a hazardous dig. She must travel through a mutant forest without becoming a sacrifice and into Rotted City, where toxic ruins hoard an ancient disease. To complicate matters, the man she loves accompanies her group. Because of their age differences, an intimate relationship with him is strictly forbidden and would bring severe punishment, perhaps even exile. Cait’s life takes an unexpected turn when she uncovers secrets she never imagined.

Will this sixteen-year-old survive in a place where death and injury are daily concerns? Can she quell her feelings for a man forbidden to touch her until she’s older? Or will her confrontations with mutants and toxic ruins cause her demise? One thing is certain - the secrets Caitlanna uncovers will change her world forever.

EXCERPT: Breach of Worlds

It would take several days to reach the valley where the sorceress lived, less if she could catch a ride on some wagon or other. Many people were afraid of the valley woman, afraid to venture there. Not Nara. She’d had her share of beatings. She was anxious to meet this mysterious woman who struck fear in the biggest of men, and wondered what it was like to have such power. 

Suddenly, the hairs on her neck stood on end. Someone watched her. She tugged her hat down and peered around. At first, she didn’t see anyone. Finally, she noticed a girl standing near a dress shop across the street. The girl wore a long, blue dress with a high bodice. Jewels sparkled around her neck and lace decorated her cuffs and collar. Her dark hair hung in deliberate curls around her shoulders, creating quite a contrast to her pale skin. She smiled in Nara’s direction.

Nara slipped into the adjacent alley and flattened herself against the wall. She swallowed hard and cursed. This girl would surely tell someone about her. High ladies were like that, always putting their noses in a stranger’s business.

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Glen Quarry!!!

I'd like to welcome a new author this week - Glen Quarry! He is so new he doesn't even have a photo yet! Anyway, he's here promoting his debut release, Thyme in a Flask. I just love that name, don't you? It's a nice play on words...

The Prologue of this book is enough to hook me in and get me to want to read more. However, because of my current demands of manuscript editing and contest entry judging, I wasn't able to read it all by today, so I opted to set it aside until after my other responsibilities were met because I can tell that once I sit down with this one, I won't want to put it down. After all, I love adventure books!

Are you frustrated because I haven't told you what is meant by play on words? Well, I give you this little tidbit...no, I won't because I don't want to give anything crucial away!

Oh, okay, I'll tell you!

The story begins with the Prologue, which, as most adventure seekers know, provides some important clue into what will happen to the heroes and heroines of the story, what we don't always know is how this clue comes into play or when! That's the fun of the adventure though, isn't it? Anyway, Joanna enters the scene and goes looking for her father, a king. She eventually finds him in his library, but he looks strange to her. Then, in the blink of an eye, he's back to his normal self.

What's so important about this? Well, if we read on to the end of the prologue, we find that, while Joanna doesn't understand this, she found her father just as he returned from...

drum roll please...

"the land of no time"

This has all sorts of fun connotations to it, don't you think? Does it mean that time doesn't exist where he is? Or does it mean that when he goes there, none of the people have "time" to do anything and are always in a hurry? Or do they have "thyme" as the title suggests?

That brings to mind the song by Jim Croce, Time in a Bottle. In looking for a version on youtube, I stumbled upon this very cool version that I do recall seeing when I was very young...lol:

Notice the flask is his hand...hmmm...I wonder...oh, sorry, my mind wandered as I wondered, wasn't that a Barbara Streisand song? Oh wait, that was, I Wonder as I Wander.

Enough play, let's get to why you're here, the interview. You almost forgot about that, didn't you? Hehe, good thing I didn't! again. Oh wait, did I just write that? I did didn't I. Well, the cat's out of the bag, or should I say thyme is out of the flask! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I almost forgot to post this today! it's a good thing Glen kept me on my toes today!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

GLEN: First of all, I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be on your blog, Carrie. It’s been fun to do this!

Since I come from an area where winters can be quite harsh, I always look forward to the first day of spring, although it isn’t always spring-like. I enjoy the greening of the grass and trees, and some of the spring wildflowers that pop up are sensational. My youngest daughter and I often take wildflower walks in the spring and see if we can put names to the early blooms.

ME: Because of its Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

GLEN: St. Patrick’s Day is a nice time to get together with family and friends.

A local Irish restaurant offers corned beef, cabbage and green beer all day on St. Patrick’s day, but I’ve never been there on the holiday.

I was born and raised a Mennonite and drinking and smoking was not looked on kindly. I remember a certain traveling salesman when I was a youngster, and he talked a lot and left several cigarette butts on the ground. Well, my brothers and I thought we’d found a bonanza, and we gathered some of them and found a supposedly secluded place where we could light them and see what they tasted like. Somehow we were found out, and our father was quite put out!

Values you learn in childhood usually stay with you, and for me at least, they did.

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

GLEN: I usually clean the garage in the spring, but that doesn’t quite qualify as decorating. I always hope to bring some spring atmosphere into the house, and I hope that this year brings a little luck o’ the Irish to our home.

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

GLEN: There is an old Irish proverb that goes like this: you can put a silk dress on a goat but he is still a goat. I’ve heard a couple of variations of it. This could apply to people too, that no matter how fancy a person dresses his personality is still the same as if he was wearing rags. I try to incorporate these ideas into my writing as well; that our true colors will always win out.

ME: Spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

GLEN: We usually plant flowers in front of our house in the spring, and then we’ll head for the local nursery to find pretty potted plants to hang under the deck in the back yard.

One of my favorite spring activities is watching the back yard bird feeders to see when the “summer season” birds show up. The orioles are a particular favorite, and they often nest in one of our trees. The humming birds and blue birds are also exciting. I built a blue bird house for the front yard that has raised one or more nests every spring since I put it there, which is at least eight years. Indeed, some of my best writing occurred as I watched the feathered critters feed.

ME: Magic is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

GLEN: Before I began writing, I knew little about Celtic legends or mythical creatures. However, the genre I write in demanded that I acquire at least a cursory knowledge of such things, and as I began to read about them, I became more and more interested.

Celtic legends actually stem from the polytheistic religion of the early Celts (people of Iron Age Europe that spoke the Celtic language). Their Gods, in effect, became these legendary mythical creatures. Irish mythology is among the earliest known of these religions, and as these pagan beliefs were replaced by Christianity, they faded into the realm of mythology.

My own personal belief is that J. R. R. Tolkien preserved much of what we call mythology when he wrote his book of lost tales, a collection of early myths that made up much of the Silmarillion, and eventually became an integral part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

ME: If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

GLEN: I have always been interested in the mythical folk called fairies, and I would like to be one for a day. Fairies in Irish folklore are often called Daoine maite, or the “good people”. These fairies will usually treat people well unless they are mistreated themselves. Fairies have supernatural abilities and will use them on occasion.

Mythic Celtic Creatures - Wiki listing

In Thyme in a Flask, Soliah was a sprite, which is a type of fairy, and one of her strengths was her ability to find her way through a tangled woods. She was a tiny creature with wings on her back, and she lived in a “tree hole.”

ME: Please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

GLEN: The Hobbit and ensuing Lord of the Rings Trilogy are some of my favorite reads of all time. These are filled with legendary creatures. Tolkien hoped to fabricate a mythology for England, and he succeeded in inspiring the world.

ME: Now, let’s switch the focus to your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

GLEN: I write in the fantasy genre because it is where my interest lies. When I go to the book store I’ll head for the fantasy section first. I like the idea that the author can build his own world and create his own rules.

When a person reads fantasy stories, the background has already been created by the author. Writing it, however, can require a very active imagination. I found that the act of creating these worlds was even more enjoyable than reading about them.

Fantasy is the chance to escape for a little while from the harsh realities of the world into a more “magical” place. I find this to be a refreshing challenge as an author, to create characters that people can relate to and want to share their time with.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

GLEN: I believe my readers can find both humor and mystery in my writing. Lighthearted apprehension might be a good description of it.

I find as a reader that I respond well to humor in stories. It is an important aspect of writing, but very difficult to pull off well in a drama. Since my story is basically an adventure at heart, I actively look for ways to lighten the mood with a well-placed bit of humor.

When a reader has finished my story, I want him or her to feel like they’ve been a part of something exciting, and have been entertained.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

GLEN: I prefer human ingenuity as a way to solve problems. In my writing, most of the problems solved with magic are confrontations between wizards and others that are blessed with the gift of force-fire. I think that we non-magic folks will respond better to some good, old-fashioned human ingenuity to solve problems in the stories. Magic is the icing on the cake; the cake itself is just the story of how average people overcome great odds.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

GLEN: When I began writing, I largely let my muse take an idea and run, but I found I got into trouble that way. I usually had to back up and start over with a better thought out plan. I put down a sequence of events dictating the direction of the story that I wanted, and my muse fleshed out the story within those parameters. It’s a friendly partnership between me and my muse.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

GLEN: I enjoyed creating Samuel, a gentle giant. His character is both fainthearted and courageous; it’s hard to explain how this could be but I think I made it work. It was fun to give him a voice, with deliberately misspelled words to show how he pronounced things in an uncommon manner. In fantasy, it can be a challenge to take a character that is inherently different from humans today and make him relevant to us. Seeing a giant who fears the world but overcomes his fear shows traits that all of us can relate to. We all have to face our fears in life, just like Samuel.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

GLEN: The obvious choice here would be Jon, the main character, but he is patterned after me in my younger days, and there is little mystery to me there.

I would really like to meet Joanna. Her story begins when she is very young, and she would be a remarkable and interesting woman to meet. She is a mysterious character, and it plays that way in the story.

I think the challenge for an author is to create characters a reader wants to get to know. Joanna is one of those types because it is hard to initially understand what really makes her tick. You want to meet and appreciate her.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

GLEN: I would not want to meet the Searcher at all. At one time, he was a good man, but tragic circumstances changed him utterly. He is a demon with tremendous power, and he is also heartless and without fear. I prefer to view him from behind the book.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

GLEN: I think my favorite story line would be the confrontation between Jon and the Searcher in the way of the gates. Without giving too much away, let’s just say there were several problems I had to solve here, and I believe it turned out well.

I also enjoyed writing the part where Samuel meets the sprite. Samuel is an eight foot tall giant, and Soliah is tiny as a butterfly. Their time together turns out to be a crucial part of the story. That is one part where my muse definitely took over, and I wrote that whole chapter in a couple of hours. That is fast for me, believe it or not. I like the idea of totally different characters interacting and cooperating for the good of the story.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, the one we’re promoting here today?

GLEN: I am a dreamer of sorts, and the plot for Thyme in a Flask came in part from ideas that came up while I was doing mundane things, like mowing the grass. There were many changes to the original story as I came to grips with how each scene must interact with the others in timing and influence.

Some writers that I pattern myself after are Tolkien, David Eddings, Terry Brooks and Robert Jordan, and they greatly influenced the way my story progressed.

ME: Now that you know Glen's influences, are you excited to read an excerpt? Well, he's given us a special excerpt! The section with the gentle giant, Samuel!

BLURB:

There is a parallel universe that exists in the dramatic tale “Thyme in a Flask. The story is of Jon Chandler, a reserved young man, who suddenly finds himself enmeshed in a role which he doesn't understand. It tells of his personal journey to discover a magical flask and destroy it, and the quest takes him far away from home, all the way into this strange, parallel world.

EXCERPT:

“You’re huge,” said the tiny girl. “How did you ever grow so big?”

“An’ yore leeutle,” said Samuel. “Why’se you so itty bitty?”

“I’m a sprite,” said the girl. “All sprites are little.”

“And I’se Pagranese,” Samuel replied. “We’se all big lak me.”

“Why are you in these woods?” asked the sprite.

“I’se lookin’ fer a mare that was stold.” He brightened. “Hay, d’ju

know whar the lake is?”

She nodded. “I don’t go there because it’s a bad lake.”

“I know it’s bayud,” said Samuel, “but I gotta go thar. That’s whar

the mare is.”

She was puzzled. “What’s a mare?”

“You know, a lookin’ glayuss.”

“Oh, a mirror,” she said. “You talk funny.”

“I done heard that befower.”

Click here to learn more about Glen Quarry or his book, Thyme in a Flask

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Sandra Cox!!!
Hi everyone! Sorry this post is a bit late in the day, but I honestly hadn't been feeling well earlier today and I had a massive headache, so I spent most of the day in bed. My head hurts no more, so I am able to bring to you our featured guest this week - Sandra Cox! Yeah, we've had her here before promoting Vampire Island, but that's not what brings her back here. She's here today to kick off her latest release, Grounded!

This is a very unique and interesting premise. Gillian Stone, is a well-off girl with not much holding her back, except for one flaw in her genetics - she's a marble statue from dawn to dusk! Yeah, she's not too happy about it either, and she's off to find someway to end this stony existence of hers. [Don't you just love the play on words here? Gillian Stone. -> Jill E. in Stone! HAHAHAHAHA!]

I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but it sure sounds pretty good, and I'm darned excited about it, so let's get to the interview!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

SANDRA: St. Patrick's is fun, but Spring is magic. It’s like coming out of hibernation after sleeping through the winter.

ME: I agree with you, but because of it’s Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl buses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

SANDRA: We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day but not with as much enthusiasm as there is up north. Nothing can top WI for celebrating St. Pattie’s unless it’s Chicago, with its parades and green river. Though, we do wear green. And the stores and bakery sell green sweets and treats.

ME: You know, green food sounds neat, but I just can't seem to bring myself to eat any, not even any noodles and don't get me started on green eggs (it may go with the ham Sam I am, but I would not eat it anywhere - we still miss you Dr. Seuss). Decorations, on the other hand, I like them green, especially because the Milwaukee Bucks are red and green and we have a few decorations up. What about you, do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

SANDRA: I don't decorate for St Pat's, but when spring hits, I haul out the Easter Decorations, get ready for the Easter Bunny and seriously hope he brings me Fannie Mae chocolates. You know people in the South aren't familiar with Fannie Mae Chocolate? (Shaking head) I have the Fannie Mae catalog displayed in a prominent position to make sure the Easter Bunny doesn’t miss it. (g)

ME: We used to have a Fanny Mae shop (Chicago-based company) in West Allis, but it's since closed it's doors, but I don't think we noticed it too much because we still had The Chocolate House at the time, but whose product has disappeared from store shelves (very sad but I have called the number and it seems they are still in business, so I'll have to check that out!). As much I could sit here all day and talk about chocolate, I'd like to ask you about Ireland. Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

SANDRA: To me the best legend, especially around St. Patrick’s Day is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Didn’t you just love that legend as a child and desperately want to find that pot of gold? It would still come in mighty handy (g).

Leprechauns - real or blarney? Click here for the answer!

ME: I never found gold, but gold coated chocolate coins, yes. Ah, to be a kid again! Speaking of renewal...spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

SANDRA: I’m a flower girl. When spring comes, I have to be in the garden and I can’t pass a nursery without buying a new variety of daffodil or Iris to put in it.

I must admit, I also get this insane desire to clean, something that I manage to ignore the rest of the year. I wait patiently for the cleaning fairies that never show up.

ME: I know, I wish I had some cleaning fairies too! Speaking of magic, it is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

SANDRA: That is a tough question. But you are right. When mysticism and magic is mentioned, the first place most of us think of is Ireland. Maybe, it’s because the land seems so ancient and mystical or maybe because its people keep the legend alive, maybe both.

ME: I like that answer! People need to keep the magic alive, and if not Ireland, where? If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

SANDRA: I’ve always had a yen to be a fairy. To have wings and magic would be outstanding.

ME: Ooh, I like fairies, but they're always so small. I think I'd rather be a dragon. However, I don't see how it would be possible to be a dragon and still read. One good hiccup and poof, there goes your best book up in flames...hehehe. Speaking of books, please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

SANDRA: One of my favorites is THE CIRCLE Trilogy by Norma Roberts, one of her paranormal romances.

ME: Those are on my TBR list! Before we get to part two of today's interview, let's take a break and watch the trailer for Grounded. Be sure to come back as there are more questions and an excerpt to follow:

ME: Cool cover, isn't? Now, let’s get back to the interview. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: Paranormal and fantasy.

I love fantasy. The idea that fairy tales can come true, that anything we believe is possible is a wonderful high. I think we all find the idea appealing of stepping out of our day to day, sometimes mundane, existence into a world of magic, adventure and happy ever after.

ME: "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you. If you're young at heart." Oh, sorry, got a little carried away there. Always seems to happen with a Bing Crosby song. All it takes is a little phrase and I'm singing away... Speaking of phrases, if you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

SANDRA: That the improbable is possible.

ME: That's a great message, that no problem is unsolvable. This leads me to my next question, do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

SANDRA: I don’t think you can have one without the other. It takes human ingenuity to decide how best to use the magic. My heroines don’t randomly toss their magic around but use it judicially when they really need it to save themselves or someone else. Though, there is one exception to my rule, Bella Tremaine of Rose Quartz is always giving herself or someone close to her a beauty glam.

ME: Ooh, she sounds like quite the trouble maker and must have been very fun to write! With Rose Quartz as well your others, who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

SANDRA: Definitely, my muse. I try to outline, but the obstinate creature usually heads in a different direction entirely. I shrug my shoulders and follow her lead.

ME: Outlines, never work for me either because thins constantly change and you find yourself redoing everything you just did, lol! To coin an old phrase, "inquiring minds want to know," what was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

SANDRA: A lot of my characters have been fun to create, especially the aforementioned Bella Tremaine. But as far as creature/character, I’ve had a lot of fun with Merrick, Gillian Stone’s cat (Grounded). The first daughter of each generation has a wish-cat, a cat that is born when she is and will die when she does. Merrick is that cat, tough and surly, but would lay down his life for his mistress.

ME: That would be cool, but not if you were allergic to it! But I digress yet again. As readers, many of the characters can feel real to us. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

SANDRA: That changes for me from book to book (grin). But at this moment, I’d like to meet Merrick. He fascinates me. He’s a testy creature and smarter than a lot of people I know.

ME: A good way not to offend any previous characters! Tell us, which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

SANDRA: I’m conflicted over this question. I wouldn’t want to meet the Prices (father and daughter) from The Amulet series. These two are insanely evil. Just the thought of meeting up with them sends chills down my spine.

Conversely, I wouldn’t want to meet the villain from Grounded but I don’t want to say too much and give the plot away. Let me just say, this person is someone to avoid at all costs.

ME: Oooh, you've got me intrigued! Where's my copy? Oops, did I just write that? Sorry, let's continue with the interview. Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

SANDRA: That’s another tough one. You have a gift for asking the tough questions! I usually enjoy whatever story I’m working on. Grounded was fun, because the storyline challenged me. Would it be possible to break Gillian free of her wish-spell? If so, how?

ME: That does sound like a challenge! As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, Grounded the one we’re promoting here today?

SANDRA: Funny you should ask. I usually find that a hard question to answer but for this story I know exactly what nudged the muse. I was out walking and spied a gazing ball with a ceramic fairy on top. I stopped and stared at it thinking wouldn't it be amazing if a person was trapped in that ceramic figure and could only come out at night. And from that seed Grounded germinated!

ME: Oh that sounds very cool and I can't wait to read it because I want to know how this is possible! I hope we find this out in the book! Intrigued yet? I know I am! Let's go to the excerpt now and see what you think:

BLURB:

On the surface, Gillian Stone has it all: wealth, beauty, and the freedom to come and go as she pleases…at least from sunset to dawn. Unfortunately, from dawn to dusk, she’s grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. And if that’s not bad enough, her life expectancy is preordained to be short…unless, she can find a certain genie and reverse the wish-spell.

EXCERPT:

Be careful what you wish for.

While I’m dropping pearls of wisdom let me add, read the fine print.

Why am I wasting my time offering warnings that no one is going to listen to?

Because as humans we have this unconquerable urge to try to help others learn from our mistakes. Or in this case my great, great, great, great grandmother’s mistakes.

She came from a very poor background and consequently wanted it all, riches beyond measure, beauty. Need I say more?

Great-great-plus Grams stumbled onto a genie’s lamp and made her wish.

You don’t believe in genies?

Trust me. They’re real all right. Unfortunately, when my ancient relative made her wish she didn’t bother to listen to the genie’s warning of strings attached. This lack of foresight has a direct bearing on the first born daughter of each generation, i.e. me.

To put it mildly, my life is complicated. I am literally grounded forever.

I live on a lavish estate in the mountains of North Carolina. Between sunset and dawn, my life is my own. But during the day I’m grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. If you happen to wander by the Stone estate and peep through the fence, you’ll hear the rippling sounds of water from a lovely manmade pool surrounded by lush fragrant flowers. Beside it stands a life size statue of a young woman, with long flowing hair and classic bone structure, draped in a Greek toga, a cat at her feet.

The cat is Merrick.

The young woman is me.

ME: Oh, that does sound intriguing, and I got my question answered! This sounds really cool to me, so I hope you'll check it out!

For more info on Sandra and her books, visit her website: sandracox1.com. Don't forget to leave a comment or ask our author questions! We'd love to hear from you!

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Sara Zarr!!!

We are proud to bring back Sara Zarr, author of Sweethearts and Story of a Girl to promote her latest release, Once Was Lost! Some of you may remember Sara from her first visit, but if not, you can find it by clicking here.

While I haven't had a chance to read Once Was Lost yet, I am looking forward to it as I can tell it will be a good story because I found both of her other books well-written, entertaining and rewarding. Whether a novel or short story, Sara creates deep, complex characters with credible dynamics and reactions. She puts you in the lives of her characters so that you feel what they feel when they feel it. Even if the ends aren't always considered "happily ever after," there are very emotionally rewarding. Her books are a real treat!

Enough of my prattling, let's get on to the interview!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

SARA: I have to say that I've never been a big fan of St. Patrick's Day, as I hate getting mocked or pinched if I forget to wear green. Spring is probably my favorite season, especially now that I live in a state with a real (and long) winter, so I'd have to go with that.

ME: Because of it’s Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

SARA: Well, I live in Salt Lake City, which is not the biggest drinking town, but people here do love to decorate. If there is any occasion that involves special decoration, Utahns are all over it. So I expect to see lots of clover-themed decorations and plenty of green. We also have a St. Pat's parade, and the Saturday before the 17th there's a big bagpipe band concert put on by the Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band. (Which isn't exactly Irish, I guess, but close enough?)

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

SARA: I am very, very, very uncrafty and have no eye for decoration, so my house is pretty much undecorated year-round except for a Christmas tree at the appropriate time (but not every year).

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

SARA: As I am woefully unschooled on myth, legends, and lore, can food traditions count? I just love the names of traditional Irish dishes. I mean, with names like Potato Champ, Dublin Coddle, and Skink, how can you not? Whether or not any of that stuff tastes good is another story, I guess...

ME: Spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

SARA: I do love spring cleaning, and celebrate warmer weather by clearing out junk and keeping the windows open as much as possible. I also like to walk through the neighborhood and see the bulbs that have come up.

ME: Let’s switch our focus to your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

SARA: I write young adult fiction, which simply means that the characters are teenagers and seeing the world and their experiences from a teenage perspective. It's not a genre I consciously chose---it's just that every story idea I ever had when I first started writing involved characters in high school, and high school experiences. The genre chose me.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

SARA: I'm going to cheat, with the chorus from Leonard Cohen's "Anthem":

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

SARA: Human, and that definitely shows in my writing as none of my books have any magical or paranormal element to them. The closest I've come to the supernatural is having a character pray, and then get back a sense of peace.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

SARA: Me. I've never gotten much into the idea of a muse. The muse---from what I've heard of her---is notoriously fickle. If I rely on inspiration from some outside (or apparent outside) source, what happens when this source doesn't come through? Sometimes I think it would be nice to rationalize missing a deadline by saying, "The Muse ate my homework," but that's not going to fly with my editor.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

SARA: I think the character of Tommy in my first book, STORY OF A GIRL, was the most fun to create. He's a guy who's done some bad things but is not a bad guy, and has a real knack for saying the wrong thing without realizing it's the wrong thing. Clueless characters like that can be fun because they say the kind of things someone like me never would (even if I think them).

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

SARA: I would say Cameron Quick from SWEETHEARTS, because so many of my readers love him, but I already know the real Cameron so that's a bit of a cheat (and I've already cheated here!). Right now I still have a bit of a crush on Nick Shaw from ONCE WAS LOST---the older brother of a missing girl. He's exactly the kind of boy I would have fallen hard for at 15: cute, sincerely nice, but with a streak of danger and mystery.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

SARA: Cameron Quick's father because he finds it entertaining to terrorize children.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

SARA: Honestly, it's hard for me to associate the word "fun" with wrestling a plot to the ground. That said, the book I'm working on now (which I can't say too much about) has been as close to fun as it's gotten so far.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, the one we’re promoting here today?

SARA: ONCE WAS LOST was very specifically inspired by the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart back in 2002. I lived here in Salt Lake City when it happened, and the case affected me deeply. I think anyone who lived in Utah during the nine months she was missing felt like it was something that happened to them. I thought, "What would it be like to be a teen in this community where another teen has gone missing? How would the ensuing media obsession affect me? What if I were already sort of depressed and in the midst of a family crisis?" The story went from there.

Oooh, are you intrigued yet? Let's take a peek inside the book:

BLURB: Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles.

She used to believe in a lot of things.

But where there was once faith...

there are now only questions.

EXCERPT Once Was Lost

I walk through the yard, making a mental checklist of what needs fixing. The two butterfly bushes have grown into each other and taken over the spot where my mom once had an herb garden, back when she still cared about things like cooking. The Mexican sage has completely run amok. The hollyhock plant that looked okay a few weeks ago has fallen over from its own weight, and lies across the flagstone path like a corpse. I step over it, sweat trickling down the inside of my tank top and to the waistband of my pajama shorts. I try to get the hollyhock to stand up and stay up, but it flops back down over my bare feet.

I'm glad my mother isn't around to see this.

Instead, she's got the residents' garden of New Beginnings Recovery Center, neatly xeriscaped with drought-resistant plants that never ask for more than you can give them. Her room is neat. The cafeteria is neat. The visiting area is neat. She's been lifted, as if by the hand of God but in truth by the long arm of the law, out if this messy life.

I could make this yard look like the one at New Beginnings. All it would take are some supplies and time and maybe a book from the library telling me how to do it. Then, when she comes home, she won't have to see the same dead and dying things that were here when she left.

To learn more about Sara, you can find her at her website, www.sarazarr.com and at Teen Fiction Cafe

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

Rachel Vincent!!!
I am pleased to bring you Rachel Vincent, author of the Soul Screamers (for YA readers) and Shifters (for adults) series. I had heard her name mentioned in other circles and became curious about her. Then, I discovered that I could get her eBook novella, My Soul to Lose, for free from the Sony Digital Editions library, so I signed up to get the free software, just so I could get something of hers to read. I read enough of this story to know that I liked the writing style and that I wanted to read more of her work and I knew that our readers would love her stories (as many of us do love the paranormal here), so I decided to shine our spotlight on Rachel this week.

Kaylee Cavanaugh is a normal girl with normal wants and needs. And like many of the other young female heroines (Zoe Tempest of Vampire Island, Janie Hannagan of the Dream Catcher series, Ever of the Immortals series, Cass McKenna of Give Up the Ghost) mentioned here is this room, she's completely normal except for one thing. In Kaylee's case, that one thing is knowing when someone's about to die.

Yeah, sure, it might seem like it would be good to be able to know when someone's about to die, but it's hard to do something about it when you're screaming bloody murder. That's what happens when Kaylee is near someone who is just about to die, she screams and she doesn't always know who it will be if there are too many people about her. She's so embarassed about her condition, that at the beginning of My Soul to Lose, she hadn't told her best friend Emma yet. Emma seems to think they're just panick attacks. If you've read Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe, you can understand why Kaylee would be more than just a tad hesitant to tell her friend what's going on. Cass' best friend freaked and practically turned the entire school against her.

How would Emma react if she found out the truth about Kaylee's panick attacks? Does she find out or is Kaylee sly enough to continue hiding the truth? You'll have to read My Soul to Lose if you want to find out the answers! What would be the fun in me telling you before you've had a chance to read the book?

Now, on to what you've all be waiting for, my interview with Rachel Vincent! Be sure to stay tuned because after the interview, we have an excerpt of My Soul to Save!

ME: Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions like watching a Lifetime Channel movie marathon, spending the day with your significant other, writing, etc.? Do you have a favorite movie that you love to watch or a book you like to read on Valentine’s Day? Is there any movie or book that you’ve saved for this time of year? If so, what’s the title?

RACHEL: No, we don’t have any specific traditions for Valentines Day. This year, my husband and I went to our favorite pizza place (they have these awesome weird pizzas, like chicken and pine nuts, and Mediterranean with lamb, feta, and olives, and stuff like that). It was really cold, so we were the only ones in the outside seating, with a heater under a big tent, and it was just generally awesome! Then we came home and watched Zombieland on BluRay. It was a great night. My favorite Valentine’s Day ever, which is saying something, considering that we’ve been together for 13 years!

ME: Many of us feel that Valentine’s Day is just one more day that has been overly commercialized and isn’t something that should only be celebrated once a year, but at least once a day. What was the most romantic gift you’ve ever received, when did you receive it and who was it from?

RACHEL: Um… I’m not an overtly romantic gift giver or receiver. I don’t wear jewelry, other than my wedding ring, and I’d much rather have plants I can put in the ground than cut flowers. But my husband is a very thoughtful man. He often comes home with things I’ve mentioned liking or wanting, but would never have thought to actually buy for myself, because they don’t seem practical. Like, a couple of years ago, I saw these tiny clear glass mugs with short wine glass stems. They were intended for hot chocolate, and I love hot chocolate. I just stopped and looked at them at the store. He must have noticed, because he came home with them a couple of days later, when I was having a bad day. So we had hot chocolate in these tiny glass mugs. Stuff like that, that he does just to make me smile. I think those are the most romantic, heart-felt things ever. [Awww! Rachel's got herself a keeper, that's for sure!]

ME: Since this is the time of year when many people (teens included) feel the need to find a significant other, what suggestion(s) do you have for our readers as to what trait(s) should be added to their list?

RACHEL: You know, rather than looking for specific traits, I’d probably make a list of traits to avoid. You’re never going to find the “perfect” guy or girl, and you can drive yourself (and everyone else) nuts trying. So make a list of traits you don’t want. Like cruelty, aggression, derision, etc… That way you leave yourself open to liking people you might never have considered, if you automatically discount everyone who doesn’t open doors (or whatever is on your list).

ME: There are many relationship superstitions out there such as, “rain on your wedding day is bad luck,” are you superstitious when it comes to love or relationships? Why or why not? If so, what superstitions do you believe have merit?

RACHEL: No, I’m not superstitious at all, actually. It did rain on my wedding day, and I did see my husband before the service. And we’ve been married for almost thirteen years now. And no, I don’t think our thirteenth year will be bad luck. ;-)

ME: Do you believe in ghosts? Do you believe in the power of love? If so, do you think that love can exist beyond this life and carry over into the next or has the power to keep a soul attached to the mortal coil never to cross over? Do you believe that ghosts have the ability to effect humans in a sexual manner?

RACHEL: I don’t believe in ghosts. I do believe in love, but I don’t believe in “meant to be” or “love at first sight.” Love is hard work. It’s never perfect, because people are never perfect. But for the sake of fiction and movies, I love ghost stories and stories about love so powerful it can affect the afterlife. I love writing (and reading) about things that should be impossible (or nearly impossible) in the real world. That’s the whole point of fantasy and romance, right? ;-)

ME: Please tell us, if you have any, 3 funny, strange or silly things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Valentine’s Days. Any rendezvous fiascos that you now find humorous to tell? Have they ever been inspiration for some hi-jinks in your stories? Which ones? (Sharing may help others not feel so bad if it happened to them, as the saying goes, “misery loves company”)

RACHEL: Um… I only have one. When I was a young, intemperate, impulsive high school senior, Valentine’s Day happened to fall on national safe sex day (not sure if that’s always the case or not). So my best friend and I hatched a plan. She went to a public clinic and got a bunch of condoms, and we glued them to pink hearts, and glued the hearts to safety pins. Then handed them out at school.

Needless to say, we were told, in no uncertain terms, to cease and desist. ;-)

[Lol! I love this story! Such great hi-jinks!]

ME: Now, let’s switch gears and focus on your writing: What genre is your work considered to be (besides YA Fiction)? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

RACHEL: I write urban fantasy, for both adults and young adults. I love urban fantasy because it combines a real-world setting with elements of the fantastic. Monsters, mythology, folklore, etc… Writing fantasy lets me explore real-world issues dressed up as fantasy. So I can write about sexism and discrimination as it applies to stray and Pride-born werecats (in my adult Shifters series), without sounding preachy or being labeled an “issues” book. And I can write about mental illness, addiction, and “selling out” in terms of bean sidhes, grim reapers, and hellions, in my Soul Screamers series. That way, if you’re interested in social satire and “statements,” you can find them. And if you’re not, you can read just for adventure and entertainment, which is the whole point of a good book anyway.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

RACHEL: Fantasy, action, and romance, centering around strong female protagonists. I like to put my characters in situations that provide no easy way out, no good choices. That’s the true test of character. What does a truly good person do, when all of the options will hurt someone else?

ME: Do you prefer romantic gifts (flowers, chocolate, jewelry, etc.) or romantic acts (massages, dinners, fun night out, etc.)? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: While I do love chocolate, I typically buy it for myself, and I don’t wear jewelry. So I’d say I’m more of a dinner out, movie in (or out) kind of girl. I want people I love to spend time with me, not money on me. And yeah, I think that comes through in my writing. My protagonists (Faythe, from the adult Shifters series, and Kaylee from the Soul Screamers books) both have strong feminine sides, but they would never be described as “girlie.”

ME: What school of thought are you when it comes to romance, love at first sight or that love takes time? Does this show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: Love takes time. The initial attraction is almost always physical, but things are never perfect after that. Love is hard work, and that’s definitely reflected in my writing. Though Kaylee and Nash do have a decent “honeymoon” period in the first couple of Soul Screamers novels.

ME: When reading stories, many of us find secondary characters to be as interesting as or more interesting than the main characters. Are there any secondary characters that you plan on giving their own story? Or any that readers have requested have their own story? Are any of them your favorites? Why?

RACHEL: Yeah, everyone wants to see more of Tod and Emma. Possibly together. We’ll have to see about that. I’d love to write a story about Tod. Probably not a novel, though, because the thing about secondary characters is that they’re fun because we see what they do and hear what they say, but we’re not inside their heads. That funny magic would be very hard to sustain if we actually felt Tod’s trauma.

ME: Of all of your heroes, who would you say is the most romantic and why?

RACHEL: Um… In the Soul Screamers series, I’d say it’s Tod. But in an offbeat kind of way. What he’s willing to do for love in My Soul To Save (Book 2 of the series) and My Soul To Keep (Book 3) is…well, staggering, in my own opinion. Even if it causes serious fallout.

ME: Of all of your heroes, who would you say is the least romantic and why?

RACHEL: I don’t think I have any unromantic heroes, but if you’re judging them based on outward appearances, I’d have to say Marc. He doesn’t do roses and candy (Not that she’s ever asked for them), and he’s very possessive and temperamental. But he loves Faythe with every single cell in his body, and he’d do anything for her. Which is probably why he’s a big reader-favorite from my books. ;-)

EXCERPT My Soul to Save, now available everywhere.

When the door closed behind us, I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other on the slick, marbled floor. Step-ow! Step-ow! Over and over again, breathing through the pain and doggedly avoiding eye contact with any of the creatures in the room. At least, any of them who actually had eyes.

Regan’s breathing sped up until she was practically panting, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw her hand shaking. I wrapped my hand around hers and squeezed to tell her she was fine. Everything was okay. Then I made myself look up, though not at anything in particular, when I realized that walking with my eyes down practically advertized my status as prey.

And I would not be prey.

Near the fountain in the center of the room, two headless human-ish forms stood with their backs to us. One was male and one female, and she was bent to let her hand dangle in the flow of water that looked thick and smelled foul. When and if they turned, we’d find their facial features imbedded in their chests, as if they’d swallowed their own heads, and the lost parts were trying to break free from the inside. I knew that because I’d glimpsed this species briefly the day Emma died.

But what I hadn’t known—since peeking renders everything in shades of gray—was that their skin tone would be a smooth, delicate pink, as if they’d never lost the soft flush of the birthing process. If creatures like that were even birthed in the first place.

“Just keep walking,” Nash whispered, and I glanced quickly at his profile to find his jaw tense, his hands in his pockets. “Tod’s waiting for us by the elevators. We’re almost there.”

I followed his line of sight. Tod was indeed waiting for us by a bank of very normal-looking elevators, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was strong, closed-off, and arrogant, as if to say he might not belong there, but neither was he afraid.

But we were not almost there. We’d gone less than a quarter of the way—just far enough to attract attention.

As we crossed the room, oddly lilted, strangely pitched snippets of conversation began to fade into silence as one creature after another noticed our presence. Then, as we passed an arrangement of formal, burgundy-colored couches, that conversation started back up, as if I’d just yawned to pop my ears and could suddenly hear again. This time I caught actual words here and there.

“Overworlders…”

“…taste their fear…”

“…used-up husks…”

“…plump, soft flesh…”

“…beacons of energy…”

“…swimming in pain…”

“…strong, young hearts…”

Chills traveled up my arms and down my spine. I became aware of a steady movement toward us, as the creatures slowly converged, slinking, slithering, lurching, and gliding in our direction from every corner of the room. I caught glimpses of extra arms, coiling tails, and flashing eyes in all manner of wrong colors. Whispered hisses followed us. Outstretched appendages welcomed us.

Something brushed a strand of hair from my shoulder, then trailed lightly down my back. I swallowed a shudder of revulsion and forced myself to face forward. To keep walking.

“This one smells like warm rot….” a female voice whispered into my ear, though as near as I could tell, the speaker was all the way across the lobby, beside the reception desk. Skeletal hands peeked from beneath long, wide sleeves, but she stood on nothing that I could see. No feet. No paws. No flippers. She simply hung on the air, sunken eyes glowing a dark, eerie blue.

As we moved forward, the crowd parted reluctantly, some beings moving so slowly we had to wait for them to vacate our path. Oddly textured hems brushed my jeans. Scalding fingers tugged on mine. And something cold and airy, like a breeze somehow made solid, wound around my ankles, forming an almost physical resistance to my forward motion and introducing a new, prickly cold pain to the agony still throbbing in my leg.

When we finally reached Tod and the bank of elevators—I’d come to view them as salvation itself—my sigh of relief was audible. Without a word, he pressed a button on the wall, and a set of doors slid open. We stepped inside, and Addy jabbed the “close door” button repeatedly with one trembling finger.

When the door closed, she turned on us, tears welling in her oddly blank eyes. “What the hell was that?”

“Hell’s about right,” I mumbled, and she whirled on me, fierce anger overwhelming her fear for the first time.

I was glad to see it. Leaking fear in the Netherworld was like leaking blood in a shark tank.

“You could have warned us!”

“What did you think you were getting into when you sold your soul?” Nash demanded, and I glanced at him in surprise. Contempt shone in his eyes. “These creatures live off the human life-force that bleeds through from our world to theirs. Some of them eat souls. Some of them eat flesh. Some of them just like new toys. Either way, walking through that lobby was like dangling a bloody stake in front of a tiger, and Kaylee and I did that for you two, even though she’s in horrible pain and huge trouble with her father. And neither of us have a thing to gain from this. So if you have any further complaints, you can lodge them right up your own ass, pop star, because nobody here gives a damn who you are or how much you’re worth. Without us, you’re meat, pure and simple. Got it?”

Addison blinked her big, empty eyes. Then she nodded, still trembling, and I couldn’t resist a smile.

***

Are you interested in the Soul Screamers but want to start from the beginning? You can still get My Soul to Lose for free from Rachel's website. Click here to get your own free copy of My Soul to Lose. Just click on the book. It's the one with the green cover.