BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Showing posts with label discussion boards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discussion boards. Show all posts

Monday, February 23, 2015

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: The Lost Island by Sadie Anjum

EXCERPT

Today I'm delighted to have another author from the now defunct Kelley Armstrong message board. Sadie Anjum lives in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire in England, with her children. She loves the world of supernatural, horror, fantasy and paranormal.  If she isn't writing, she will be found with her nose in a book, and a cup of coffee in her hand.


Find Sadie Online:

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Blog Tour: Giveaway & Review of Girls & Monsters by Anne Michaud

Publisher: DarkFuse
Format Read: eARC
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Buying Links:  Not available for pre-order; publisher's site; goodreads

Blurb from goodreads:
This dark but uplifting collection of five Young Adult novellas includes:

Death Song: Liz is in love with Joe, but the monster of the lake has other plans for them.

Black Dog: Scarlet is engaged in a struggle for her sanity, but according to the voice in her head, she may be too late.

A Blue Story: When Katherine's beloved dog goes missing, she fears her strange new neighbor might be involved.

Dust Bunnies: Christiane faces her childhood arachnophobia and ends up confronting even greater fears in this test of sisterhood.

We Left at Night: Brooke and her family must abandon their home and their lives to make it out of a disease-plagued town overrun by zombies.

Girls & Monsters is for everyone who has ever been brave enough to confront their childhood fears...and lived to tell about it.

Bea's Thoughts:

 I still love this cover so much. Back in February, I did a cover reveal and excerpt for "Girls & Monsters" and today I have a review. 

The stories have some commonalities: teenage girl leads, animals or pets (except for "Death Song"), dysfunctional families or families in crisis, and leaving home. Some of the stories end on a hopeful note while others, not so much. There were run-on sentences and misplaced punctuation, which always irritates me. Michaud's descriptive ability waxed and waned; at times it was choppy and at times, just a few words could call up an image. The story quality is mixed but overall it's an enjoyable read.


My favorite of the collection was "A Blue Story". It's an original update on the Captain Bluebeard story with a twist. Katherine loves animals, plans on being a veterinarian, and is happy to get a job at a pet supply store for the summer. Neighborhood animals are going missing at an alarmingly high rate and when Katherine's dog goes missing, she'll do anything to get her back. The story is spooky and nicely evocative.

"We Left At Night" was my least favorite of the collection. There's a plague, humans are mutating into zombie-type beings, but it hasn't affected all of the US. Martial law has been declared and Brooke and her family are trying to get away. I never connected with Brooke or feel the urgency of the situation. A little more background, a stronger look at the outside world would have given more depth. I also couldn't relate to Brooke or her family.

"Death Song" had potential, it had a few good twists and turns, but it was rough. The world building was minimal, descriptions were choppy, and, stupid as this sounds, I kept expecting Jo, a boy, to be a girl, because of the spelling. I also had trouble taking Limnade seriously because the name sounds like a drink. :D I did like that Michaud used a lesser known being from Greek mythology, despite its name. The basic idea was good but could have been better developed and both Jo and Liz could have been fleshed out more. Despite that, I enjoyed it.

 If you're scared of spiders (I'm looking at you Kate!), don't read "Dust Bunnies". Feuding sisters, bereavement, a science experiment that took a turn, first love and a genuine monster under the bed all are mixed together to create a sometimes sad, sometimes hopeful, quirky story. It was confusing at times as to why Chris's older sister didn't trust her but Michaud beautifully shows us the fractures in their relationship. The monster under the bed starts out terrifying then changes during the story. I didn't completely buy into the change but the ending is cute.

"Black Dog" was disturbing to read. Scarlet is troubled and self-destructive; Michaud conveys her pain, her erratic thinking and the voices in her head clearly and sympathetically. I thought I knew where she was going with the black dog in the story but I was only partially right. The story has several twists and at one point, it seems as if Scarlet might find her way out of the darkness. This was the most emotional, and disturbing, story.

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There's a tour wide giveaway for a softcover copy of the book and The Monster Collection Skellies, 5 pieces handcrafted by the author: GIRLS & MONSTERS Giveaway. The winner will be announced during a LIVE CHAT on release day, April 30th at 9PM EST http://www.darkfuse.com/events.html

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Excerpt & Cover Reveal: Girls & Monsters by Anne Michaud

Author Anne Michaud has a new book coming out in April, a YA dark fantasy/horror anthology. Anne is another author from Kelley Armstrong's message board; that board sure does produce a lot of authors!

While Anne has had stories in other anthologies, this is the first one that is exclusively her own stories.
Anne is an author of many talents, especially getting distracted by depressing music and dark things. She likes to write and read everyday, and speak of herself in the third person.

Since her Master’s degree in Screenwriting from the University of London, England, Anne has written, directed and produced three short films, now distributed by Ouat! Media in Toronto, Canada. The lyric documentary Worth a Thousand Words (2006) can be seen here.

And then, after hundreds of hours spent on studying and making films, she changed her mind and started writing short stories, novelettes and novels. Some have been published, others will be soon enough.

Keep your eyes open, she’s behind you.

Find Anne online:


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Book Blurb (from goodreads)
This dark but uplifting collection of five Young Adult novellas includes:

Death Song: Liz is in love with Joe, but the monster of the lake has other plans for them.

Black Dog: Scarlet is engaged in a struggle for her sanity, but according to the voice in her head, she may be too late.

A Blue Story: When Katherine's beloved dog goes missing, she fears her strange new neighbor might be involved.

Dust Bunnies: Christiane faces her childhood arachnophobia and ends up confronting even greater fears in this test of sisterhood.

We Left at Night: Brooke and her family must abandon their home and their lives to make it out of a disease-plagued town overrun by zombies.

Girls & Monsters is for everyone who has ever been brave enough to confront their childhood fears...and lived to tell about it.

Publisher: DarkFuse
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 30, 2013

I love the colors! So pretty and eye catching. Also, the top half of the book with the girls and the peppy pink color looks bright and cheery, then you move down the cover and the color becomes darker and gloomy with monsters and only one girl. It's a fantastic contrast, well done. What do you think?

And now, an  excerpt!

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Death Song Excerpt

Something catches in the back of my throat. I
hide my face in my hands to quiet the sobs. But then,
something ain’t right. Air moves around me and I
stop. I look between my fingers, but the blur of my
tears thickens everything: the bathtub, the towels,
and someone on the floor.

A woman’s in here with me, door still closed and
locked. An exhale, like after a deep swim, and a smell,
like the swamp close to my empty home. A chill runs
down my back, I wipe my eyes, rub and scratch them
to see more clearly. And I do.

Two gray hands scratch the floor tiles, nails green
with algae, putrid flesh sagging on her legs, arms
and torso, hair so long and wet and heavy, it drags
her down. Diluted, impossible to focus on, like little
waves rippling over her body from head to foot, seaweed
in the water. Scales and fins, mermaidlike, little
knives, those are. And they scrape the floor, like a
fork on a plate. It’s her—Limnade.

She opens her mouth of scissor-teeth and the rotten
smell of fish wraps around my throat like two
hands trying to choke me.

“You can’t be…” I don’t finish my breathless
thought and jump backward, knocking over the dish
of decorative soaps. Blurry waves, vision impaired,
out of focus, unreal. She crawls toward me, eyes unblinking,
lethal, hands inches from me: my legs refuse
to move, as my body feels like stone. Frozen,
hypnotized, a statue. Then I hear something coming
from within her…

A melody, reminding me of something lost, tickles
my ears. It drags on until the sweetness turns sickly,
vibrating into a full-on super-scream, hyenalike,
enough to pop my ears and make them bleed. Her
large mouth deforms her face into one gap of black,
the cry so high and strident, I scream from the pain.
Limnade stares at me, everything but her fades
away—Jo’s nice bathroom, Jo’s new life, Jo himself—
none of it matters anymore. Her fingers brush my
forehead, they’re cold and sticky like clams. And I let
the darkness take me away.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Giveaway & Excerpt: The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto

Today I have author Michelle Muto visiting. Michelle is another author from the Kelley Armstrong message board and as you know, I love to feature people from there. Michelle has always loved storytelling. When she was a child, her favorite stories were of monsters and things that lurked in the dark. Telling stories often frightened her classmates and got her into a lot of trouble with her teachers. They had no sense of humor. (If I recall correctly, Kelley tells a similar story. No wonder Michelle found herself on Kelley's board.  ~ Bea)

As an adult, Michelle traded her love of writing for the corporate life where she was an IT professional. Today, she’s doing what she loves best – writing and storytelling.

Michelle grew up in Chicago, but currently lives in NE Georgia with her husband and their two dogs, one of which is a Beezlepup. She loves scary books, funny movies, sports cars, dogs, chocolate, old cemeteries, and changes of season. Michelle even loves photography. One day, maybe she’ll upload a better photo – one that wasn’t taken in late afternoon with Photobooth. Or, maybe not.

Michelle writes on a Mac and is a true geek at heart. She agrees with her dogs who think cheese and bacon should be in their own food group. But most of all, she believes everyone should trust their imagination, have a kind heart, and should definitely have a sense of humor.

Michelle's newest book is "The Haunting Season", a New Adult Horror book aimed at readers 17+.  Read on for an excerpt and at the end of the post, you can enter to win your own copy.

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Excerpt, from Jess's Point of View:

Why did it feel as though something was about to go wrong? Terribly, horribly wrong? And how had Allison suddenly become the calm one? 
Jess closed the door to the bathroom as she dried her hair, leaving it slightly damp to save time. She unplugged the dryer and walked back into the bedroom. Allison was sitting on the edge of her bed facing the doorway. 
“Sshhh!” she said turning her head back to Jess.
Jess crept over to Allison. Outside the door, someone paced the hallway. 
“It’s like the other night,” Allison whispered. She scooted back on the bed and wrapped her arms around herself.
The pacing continued and Allison’s fear was escalating. She buried her head in her palms and began to whimper. Which was why Jess had to go and open the door. By now, she believed there were things that wanted to hurt them in Siler House. But, realistically, it could also be Gage or Bryan, or Dr. Brandt. 
Or someone else entirely.
Each creak of the boards set Jess’s nerves on edge. 
She went across the room. They couldn’t jump at every shadow. They’d be a wreck by the time they had to do the sĂ©ance. 
“Don’t!” Allison pled. “It’ll know which room we’re in.”
More footfalls sounded outside the door. 
“Whatever it is, it already knows which room we’re in.”
The doorknob turned back and forth, but no one entered. Jess held her breath, but Allison…Allison was curled up on the bed whimpering. 
Enough of this! It’s scaring the shit out of her.
 And me!
But it’s going to make Allison crack completely.
The pacing resumed. Jess took a final step forward and the pacing stopped. 
Open it. It’s right on the other side of the door. Just open it!
As Gage had put it, if they weren’t calm, they weren’t thinking. Right now, Allison wasn’t thinking. They’d need her for later. They couldn’t afford for her to make any mistakes in telling them how to guide Riley over into their realm. 
What if it’s Riley?
It’s not.
If he were free of the mirrors, he wouldn’t be walking the hallway waiting for an invitation. Her hand hesitated only once. Gathering up every ounce of courage she had, Jess grabbed the knob and flung the door open. 


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Author: Michelle Muto
Publisher: Dreamscapes, Ink
Genre: Horror, New Adult, Young Adult
Format: ebook, paperback
Length: 81,169 words
Release Date: December 24, 2012
Buying Links:  Smashwords   Amazon US   Amazon UK   Barnes & Noble
Book Blurb :
  (Contains sexual content, language, and some graphic violence. Discretion advised for readers under 17 ).
 
Be careful what you let in…
Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart ratewhen he’s not resurrecting the dead.
The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all.


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Michelle is giving away one ebook copy of "The Haunting Season", open internationally. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Please read my Giveaway Policy.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Interview with RT Award winning author DB Reynolds & A Giveaway


Today I'm delighted to have D. B. Reynolds here with me. I first met D.B. at the Kelley Armstrong board; yes, she's another published writer who started out in the OWG there. I first encountered her in the debate area. Let me tell you, the woman can debate. Though we tend to agree on subjects, even when I disagree with her, she can make me see her perspective. There's no question that she can effectively use words to make her point. It's no wonder she took up writing.

D.B. has 5 books published so far, a stand alone called "Heart of the Wolf", and 4 books in her "Vampires in America" series.



 


D.B. has a website with a blog, and can be found on facebook, and she just recently joined twitter. Look her up and say hi, then curl up with one of her books. But leave a light on.

BEA: Donna, thank you for taking the time to come by and talk with me. And congratulations on your novel “Jabril” winning the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. That is wonderful news! You must have been so excited. Did you have any idea prior to nomination that it might happen? 

D.B.:  I didn’t. In fact, I didn’t even know I was nominated until a fellow writer posted about it on one of my writing loops. I was so excited. And then I couldn’t believe it when I actually won. I just sort of floated down the hall to let my husband know that he was now married to an award-winning author!

 
BEA:  “Jabril” was the second book in your “Vampires in America” series, you just released “Sophia” the fourth book and are working on the fifth book, “Duncan”. How many more will there be? Is there a definite end?

D.B.: My current contract is for eight books, which is what I originally designed the series to be. Eight books for the eight Vampire Lords of North America. But if my readers, and my publisher, want it go on, I could easily see the series expanding.
 
BEA: Do you have any say in the cover models or designs of your books? They have been pretty wonderful. 

D.B.: I’ve been so fortunate in my covers on two fronts. First, my publisher gives me quite a bit of input into my covers, which is something very few publishers give their authors. I abuse it terribly and sometimes drive both my publisher and the artist crazy. But secondly, I’ve been lucky to work with a wonderful and talented artist, Patricia Lazarus. She patiently puts up with my PITB e-mails and always comes up with something beautiful.

BEA: Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?


D.B.: Me? Well ... I’m a writer. I started out in academia, but soon fled the backstabbing and politics of the university for the sound stages of Hollywood where at least you get paid very well for putting up with the backstabbing and politics! I was a sound editor for several years, and received two Emmy nominations, before my wonderful husband made it possible for me to quit the daytime job altogether and try to write full time. Or close enough anyway. He wanted some of my newly free time for himself, too.


BEA: What’s a typical day of writing for you? Are you a planner or do you wing it?

D.B.:  I’m a planner all the way. I do detailed outlines with character sketches, all the major plot points and first drafts of many major scenes before I actually start writing the book.  I also maintain an overall calendar for the series, as well as a day by day calendar for each book as I write it, so I can be sure my characters are moving in sync.  And a series bible, too.  Like I said, planner all the way!

BEA: What prompted you to start writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

D.B.: I’ve always loved books. When I was a child, my mom or dad would take me to the library every week and I’d check out as many books as the library would let me, which was like nine or ten books. By the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to write, because I wanted to create worlds and characters like those I’d been reading forever. And I was pretty sure I could do it, too.  I’d probably write even if I wasn’t published, but my goal would always be to GET published. Because I want to share my stories. 

BEA: What is your favorite part of writing? What is your least favorite part?

D.B.: My favorite part of writing is the writing itself. I’m not one of those tortured writers who has to force herself to sit down and squeeze out a book. Nor do I mind that it’s a solitary endeavour. I’m a very solitary person and I love writing, so it’s the best of all worlds for me.  My least favorite part is having to delete scenes I’ve worked so hard on. Sometimes my editor just doesn’t like the scene, or thinks it slows the narrative. Or sometimes the book comes in too long. It breaks my heart to chop up what I’ve written!

BEA: Do you think that the paranormal is waning in publishing, changing, or holding strong?

D.B.: I think there will always be a market for good paranormal stories. Paranormal, Sci Fi and Fantasy are the ultimate escapist literature and most people read for just that reason, because it takes them away from their lives and into a whole new world.

BEA: Currently your stories are paranormal romance, do you see yourself writing straight up paranormal stories? Do you think you might try a different genre sometime?

 
D.B.: My books straddle the line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy.  I like having a strong relationship angle in my stories, even when the relationship is not the central part of the plot. I could see myself writing stories with less of a relationship angle, but I don’t think I’d want to leave it out entirely. It makes the story more personal. As for a different genre, I’d love to try romantic suspense/thriller, or even a straight up suspense/thriller with just a touch of romance.

BEA: Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite writers?

D.B.:  I don’t know that I have influences other than the wonderful writers I’ve read all my life. Every time I read a book I learn something about writing. My favorite writers would be a very long list, but just a few of them are Adrian Phoenix, Kelley Armstrong, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Gwen Hunter, Rob Thurman, Ilona Andrews, John Sandford, Scott Turow, Dan Abnett ...  I could go on and it’s an ever evolving and growing list.

 
BEA: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?

D.B.: Amy Stout, who had been an editor at all the major Sci Fi publishing houses for years before she and her family moved to California, gave my writing a major boost at a very critical point in my career. She was the first true professional who told me I actually could write and that my stories had merit. I also have to credit Kelley Armstrong, because she created the Online Writers Group, which is still my main writing group. I met both of my critique partners, Michelle Muto and Steve McHugh, in the OWG, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.
 
BEA: You have been active in the Online Writers Group on Kelley Armstrong’s discussion board. Do you think that helped your writing? Did it help you make contacts in the publishing world?

 
D.B.: The OWG definitely helped my writing. There are a lot of talented and skillful writers there, not to mention various experts whom I’ve tapped for help over the years. And as I mentioned above, I met both of my critique partners through the OWG. 


BEA: You have an account on facebook and a very active blog. Do you think that social media is important for an author to be involved in? Do you see yourself getting more involved? Do you think you might start your own message board someday? 

D.B.: Social media is critical for an author these days. It’s a way to get word out about new books, signings, reviews, and interviews like this one! It lets me connect with my readers in a way I never could have before. Right now, I have a blog and Facebook, but within the next month I’ll be going live on Twitter, too. (she is there now - @DBReynoldsWrite ) It’s one more way to connect with my existing readers and maybe make some new ones. I don’t have any plans for a message board, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the future.
 
BEA: Do you prefer to read paper books or ebooks? Why?

D.B.: I bought myself a Kindle for the holidays. I give the best gifts!! And I love it. I resisted e-books until my own books went Kindle, but now I’m completely hooked. I love the ease of reading it, I love the ease of buying new books—which is great for Amazon, but not so great for my book budget. Yikes! But if given a choice between a print or e-book, I’ll choose the e-book.  And that’s something I never thought I’d say.

BEA: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)

D.B.: Hmmmm. I want to be the lucky, beautiful woman who gets the gorgeous, hunky, immortal warrior/vampire/werewolf as her devoted lover.  I love the idea of having someone that powerful as my protector. Why do you think I write the stories I do?

BEA: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?

D.B.: I always thank my readers from the bottom of my heart. I get so many e-mails and blog and Facebook posts telling me how much they love my stories and my characters. And it means so much to me to hear that.



  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
D.B. has generously offered a signed copy of either Sophia or Rajmund, and it's open internationally.    

Just leave a comment here on either the interview or my review of Sophia and a way to contact you. (see the giveaway policy here)


Giveaway runs through midnight EST of Monday May 23, 2011


Saturday, April 30, 2011

Interview with Paranormal Romance author Angela Addams

Today I'm pleased to welcome Angela Addams to the blog. Although she's a busy lady, with not only a new release, "Ghost Bride", but also a new baby, she took some time to sit down and answer some questions for me.

Angela, if you aren't familiar with her books, writes paranormal romance/erotica. Her other stories, "Assassin" and "The Temptress", are about vampires while her new is a ghostly love story. On her website you can find her blog, her book list and links to her recommended sites; she's also on twitter as @AngelaAddams. She lives in Ontario Canada with her husband and children, has been fascinated with the[paranormal since she was little, and believes that the written word is an amazing tool for crafting the most erotic of scenarios. She is also another wonderful author to come out of the Online Writers Group at the Kelley Armstrong Board.

Bea: First, thanks for taking the time to do this. Not only are you busy writing but you just had a baby about a month ago. Congratulations on your son.                             

Angela: Thanks for hosting me on your blog Bea!

Bea: Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?

Angela: I write under the pen name Angela Addams and currently have three short pieces published at Cobblestone Press and am agented by Sarah Heller of the Helen Heller Agency. I’m the mother of two, a girl and boy, as well as the proud owner of four very naughty cats.  I love chocolate and steak, but not chocolate covered steak and can’t live without my iPhone. I have an unhealthy obsession with paranormal romance and love watching the Dog Whisperer. 

Bea: What’s a typical day of writing for you? Are you a planner or do you wing it?

Angela: A typical day of writing? Well, that’s a tough one to answer these days because the baby takes up a lot of my time and isn’t really on a set schedule. I try to get some writing done in the morning when he’s sleeping but I also manage to steal an hour or two at various points in the day when I can convince my daughter to keep him occupied. I tend to do a little bit of both planning and winging it. I always start with a general outline and fill in the holes, or finer details, as I go along.

Bea: Is “Ghost Bride” part of a series or a stand alone? What is next on your schedule?

Angela: I do have plans to build a series out of Ghost Bride but right now I’m totally fixated on working on rewrites for my agent which I find all consuming at the moment.

Bea: Did you draw on any particular mythology for “Ghost Bride” or is it all original?   

Angela: I actually got the idea for Ghost Bride on my way to work one morning when the radio station personality I was listening to started talking about the mythology behind ghost brides. I found the story intriguing, did a little research and discovered that there was a belief in Chinese culture that centered around being wedded after death in order to avoid generations of bad luck. I took the idea and put my own spin on it, created a ceremony and story, and Ghost Bride was born. 

Bea: What prompted you to start writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

Angela: I’ve been writing since I was a little kid (I still have my first “novel” that I wrote when I was six called The Fuzzy Wuzzels – it has pictures and everything!) So being published or not would not stop me from writing – it’s been a compulsion from childhood. However, it is nice to be encouraged by both my publisher and my agent – writing is such a solitary pursuit and it’s hard to know if what you’re producing is any good without some kind of external validation.

Bea: What is your favorite part of writing? What is your least favorite part?

Angela: My favorite part is when I first get an idea and start brainstorming plot points – it’s always a rush and so exciting. When I’m in that zone I even get ideas while I’m sleeping and have to jot down notes when I wake up so that I don’t forget them.

My least favorite part is editing – it gets very tedious and I lose patience quickly so sometimes I rush through it when it’s really a stage in writing that needs the most time.

Bea: According to your site, you’ve been fascinated by the paranormal from a young age. What is the attraction for you?

Angela: I just love all things black and orange – you know, Halloween stuff. I get so excited when I see anything to do with paranormal anything – my kitchen is permanently decorated with jack-o-lanterns and I have Wicked Witch of the West collector dolls adorning my china cabinet in my dining room! I just love everything from the blood suckers to the spell casters and all the creatures in between.


Bea: Do you think that the paranormal is waning in publishing, changing, or holding strong?

Angela: I think that the genre is probably glutted right now with so many paranormal writers out there. At the moment, according to my agent, the focus is on cross-genre stories but I don’t think that paranormal will ever be totally out. I’m not the only one out there who loves supernatural creatures – we just need an infusion of different worlds, characters and mythologies to keep it fresh and interesting.


Bea: Currently your stories are paranormal romance, do you see yourself writing straight up paranormal stories? Do you think you might try a different genre sometime? 
 
Angela: The manuscript I’m working on with my agent is actually more straight up paranormal with a very limited romance thread. I like writing about paranormal stuff but I have also written historical fiction.



Bea: Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite writers?

Angela: Oh gosh, there are many, many writers who inspire me. Some of my favorites are Kelley Armstrong, D.B. Reynolds, Kresley Cole, Veronica Wolff, Rhyannon Byrd and Jennifer Armintrout.

Bea: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?

Angela: This is going to sound strange I’m sure but one of the most inspirational people in my life was a high school English teacher I had who really believed in my writing ability and encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. (Bea here - as the daughter of an English teacher, I think this is AWESOME!) His unwavering cheerleading came at a time when I needed support and an ego boost the most so I count his influence as being particularly important in driving me toward my writing goals.  Another person who I consider a mentor of sorts is Kelley Armstrong. She has given me some great advice and I will forever be grateful for her support.



Bea: What genres do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favorite authors?

Angela: I am addicted to paranormal romance. The authors I listed above are ones that I am devoted to reading. I am also an avid Victorian literature fan – one of my favorite authors in that genre is Wilkie Collins.

Bea: You have an account Twitter and a blog. Do you think that social media is important for an author to be involved in? Do you see yourself getting more involved?

Angela: I enjoy using my blog and Twitter to connect with other writers and readers. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t use it. I think that your heart and interest has to be in it for it to work for you. At the moment I’m using it to get my thoughts out there and to promote my books but it does stretch me to the limit where time is concerned. If I do find myself in the position of leaving my day job and becoming a full time writer I will probably expand my social networking to include other mediums.

Bea: Does your family read your books? What do they think?

Angela: I don’t allow my family (as in my mom and dad) to read my work– it’s too graphic for them but I do have a close cousin and quite a few friends who read my stuff both pre and post published. My parents know about my work of course and are very supportive, I just don’t want them to read the sex scenes – I think it would be very awkward! My husband has read some of my work – he’s not a big reader but is always very encouraging and supports the time I need to get work done.

Bea: Currently, your books are only available as e-books ( or that’s all I could find). Will they be available in print? Do you want a book in print someday or do you prefer digital?

Angela: The three shorts I have published through Cobblestone Press are all e-books only – no plans for print versions. I do aspire to be “in print” someday and am working on that aspect of my writing career with my agent.


Bea: Do you prefer to read paper books or ebooks? Why

Angela: I like both actually.  I have an e-reader and love the convenience and portability of e-books but I also collect leather bound books and hard covers for some of my favorite authors.  



Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)

Angela: Great question but also a tough one! I think I would be the kick-a## heroine who knows how to get the job done and save the world!



Bea: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?

Angela: Come and visit me at my website www.angelaaddams.com and comment on my blog or follow me on Twitter @angelaaddams 

Angela, thanks so much for stopping by today. :)