Category Archives: Interviews/Guests

I Get Evanescent and Knighted With Karen Duvall

Posted on by
3

On her profile it says Karen Duvall likes Dan Fogelberg and Evanescence. Dude, right there, I gotta talk to her. And she is a Native Californian who lived for a while in Colorado and now lives in Bend, Oregon. Dude, I’m a Native Coloradoan who lived for a while in California and I’ve been in Bend, Oregon. Coincidence? I think not. She has children, I have children. She has grandchildren, I might get dogs. She is a graphic artist. I like pretty things. See? See? Weird.

Anyway, for Karen’s complete profile, click here.

 

Her new book, Darkest Knight, just came out from Harlequin Luna. It is the sequel to Knight’s Curse. Here is the scoop on the sequel:

Now free of the curse that enslaved her, Chalice pledges to join her sister knights in The Order of the Hatchet. But someone—or something—is murdering her sisters in their sleep, provoking fear and suspicion among the order. Meanwhile, Aydin, unable to stay away, starts haunting Chalice’s dreams, urging her onward. Ultimately, Chalice will be faced with an agonizing choice— one that will tear away at her newfound identity and force her to choose between duty and desire…

I chatted with Karen Duvall at the airport. It was very dramatic. I mean, I was at the Denver airport and she was at home in Oregon. The coincidences just don’t stop. Here is the interview. Beware, your spine will tingle.

Aaron: Let’s start out slow. Evanescence. Did you like their albums post Fallen? Fallen was brilliant, but what about The Open Door? Or their new one from 2011?

Karen: Amy is fabulous! There’s not a single song of hers that I don’t like. Her voice, her style, her lyrics, it’s all amazing. As a matter of fact, Evanescence’s music personifies Chalice, the main character in my Knight’s Curse books. I can’t listen to music while I’m writing, but I’m inspired by music when I prewrite, and I listened to Evanescence as I developed Chalice’s character. That album was Fallen. I think I may have memorized every song. Based on the looks I got from people while I sang along in my car, I think I got it down pretty darn good.

Aaron: Okay, got that out of the way. You’ve been doing cover art for writers and I find this fascinating. A novelist who does covers for other novelists. It’s so meta. How does being a writer help you with doing covers for other writers? Do you ever let your own ideas of the book effect what you do with the cover?

Karen: I’ve been a graphic designer for over 30 years, so I understand my clients and the commercial viability of pleasing aesthetics. 🙂 I understand what authors want because I am one. I KNOW how important a cover is, and I know authors have a specific image in mind of how they want their cover to look. I can help them get as close as possible to achieving that image. I’m a card-carrying member of Photoshop Professionals, so I have the expertise.

As for letting my own ideas of the book affect what I do with the cover, I’d have to say no. Most of the time I’ve never read the book and rely on the author to feed me information. I read the blurb, I have them fill out a questionnaire, I ask them what covers they’ve seen that use a style they like. Then I work toward creating a book cover they can be proud of.

Aaron: Okay, time machine question. Are you ready? A time machine takes you back to 1977. George Lucas asks you to do the movie poster for Star Wars. What would you do?

Karen: Considering I stood in a line that wound around two blocks when the movie first came out, I know exactly what I’d have done with the poster. I was in art school at the time and the poster was an excellent example of the collage/montage trend for movie posters. So back in 1977, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. But today is a totally different matter. Busy posters are out, a more editorial approach is in. So if you’d asked how I’d design that poster today, I’d probably single out an image indicative of the movie’s theme. You’re not going to make me watch that movie again, are you? It’s not that I don’t love Star Wars, I have the boxed set on VHS, but… 🙂

Aaron: You have had the writer’s journey of heartbreak, hope, and hernias. You said something interesting. You said with every rejection, you felt a little relieved. Why is that? In what ways is rejection good?

Karen: Ah, yes. A lot of relief comes with rejection, and I’ll explain why. Let’s say you have your heart set on someone you have decided is your “dream agent.” You’ve done your due diligence, established that he or she represents authors with books similar to yours in genre or theme, learned that this agent has made some big publishing deals, and you just know the two of you are a match made in heaven. Then the crushing rejection arrives. You have every right to feel disappointed, but please realize the match you imagined is one-sided. Do you really want an agent representing you who isn’t behind you or your book? What if that agent had said yes, I’ll sign you right now, and it turns out they just aren’t into you? They’re not enthusiastic about your book, which translates as lukewarm interest to the editors they approach on your behalf. You don’t want that agent. You want an agent who wants YOU. One who will champion your book and your career. So take heart when that rejection arrives because that’s when you know you’ve dodged a dangerous bullet. Your dream agent is still out there. You just haven’t found him yet. Keep looking.

Aaron: Which is more overwhelming? Writing books or trying to market and sell books? Why is that? Extra points for explaining your answer fully. And in verse. Kidding. Unless you are feeling poetic.

Karen: Writing books is fun. Marketing them is a pain in the ass because it takes time away from writing them, which is what you’d rather be doing. So the whole marketing/promo thing is a double-edged sword: You need to sell the books you write. Unless you’re just writing for yourself, but that’s another issue altogether. I’m talking about writing as a viable, income-generating career.

Now we have more options for how we choose to publish, which is great, but there’s a lot of self-promotion work to be done no matter what option you choose. Being published with one of the Big 6 by no means guarantees great sales right off the bat. That’s up to you, unless you’re a NYT bestseller, then they’ll make the effort to get your name out there. Until then, you’re on your own, and it’s a time-consuming venture.

Aaron: You are published through Harlequin Luna. Romance-y? Urban Fantasy? Not your mother’s harlequin—killer clowns, yeah? Talk a little bit about your publisher.

Karen: Romantic killer clowns disguised as Cupid. Hahaha, kidding. Well, Luna is Harlequin’s fantasy imprint, which means the books have strong romantic elements and are set in a fantasy world, but they’re by no means romance. The books all have a strong female heroine who dominates the story, and she has a love interest that helps and hinders her efforts at reaching her goal. Gotta have that conflict!

Harlequin is a global publisher that’s been a leader of publishing books for women since 1949. I love the company’s team approach to working with authors. You don’t just get an editor, you also get a copy editor, assistant, marketing department, and regularly scheduled workshops on social networking that are presented via webinar every month. Harlequin is a very focused company that knows the business of books.

Aaron: Knight’s Curse came out in 2011. Book two of the series, Darkest Knight, is just out. Your brand new baby. What central idea or strong vision did you have for Darkest Knight? Kinda’ like your pitch, but the central idea doesn’t have to be so market-y. What was the burning image that led you through the book?

Karen: In the last book, I’d left Chalice happy to have her curse broken, but the consequences of her good fortune turned the man she loves into a monster. She needs to fix it, which is what she attempts to do in the second book. But that’s not her only problem. Chalice’s internal drive is to belong, and to join her sister knights so she can finally be part of a real family. Just when she’s in a position to connect with her fellow Hatchet Knights, she learns that almost all of them are dead. And she’s indirectly responsible for their murder. Not only must she find a way to change the man she loves back into a man, she must also find who murdered her sisters.

Aaron: If you had to choose, which character in your book would make the best wedding planner? Your heroine, your hero, or your villain? Why?

Karen: Oh, hands down it has to be my villainess. Yep, she became quite the expert when she planned the wedding for Chalice and her guardian angel, who is not the man she’s in love with. My villainess has her own special brand of wedding protocol, and it ain’t pretty.

Aaron: When we talked, you said that writing helps you work out your personal issues and exercise some of your demons. What demons did you soothe with Knight’s Curse? Did you work out different issues with the sequel, Darkest Knight? You can answer in a general way unless the skeletons in the closet are battering down the door. Then free the skeletons and give us every little detail.

Karen: I have no problem talking about my personal demons. If you read my blog, you’ll see I regularly post rather quirky yet personal stories that reveal more about me than my books do. As for Knight’s Curse, Chalice is adopted, and so am I. So I pulled some of those emotions from my own experience and my need to belong. I had trouble connecting emotionally as a child and it was something I’ve had to work hard to overcome. Allowing myself to write out the issues I’m not always capable of acting out has been cathartic for me over the years. Fiction is a great way to exorcise demons from the psyche. Though “exercising” may be more appropriate since my demons, as well as myself, could use more treadmill action. Too much BICHOK (Butt In Chair Hands On Keyboard).

Thanks Karen!

 

Knight’s Curse website
Karen’s blog
Amazon author page
Karen on Facebook
Follow her on twitter

Mondays Are Hell – A Taste of Danger

Posted on by
6

Hello Demon Lovers!  Er, prolly shouldn’t start with that.  Maybe, demon appreciators?  That doesn’t sound so swell.  Anyway, fellow Crescent Moon Press author, Louann Carroll, tempted me by saying that she loved dark, dangerous demons, and the demon from her novel was especially dark and dangerous.  Well, I had to know more and begged her to guest blog.  She agreed.  And in a cool way.  Here you have it, a first on my blog, an interview with a demon.

* * *

Since it is Mondays are Hell on Aaron’s awesome blog, I thought I would introduce you to Belial, a rather nasty demon. A friend of mine had the good fortune to interview him. With a little background, we will start.

We first learn of the Light in Gemini Rising, Book One. The Light is the creator of souls—Belial, one of Its most beautiful. Belial loves the Light so much; he cannot bear to share the Light’s love with such low-class, bestial, mud-creatures as human beings.

In Gemini Rising, Book Two, (not yet available) Kate and Noah vanish from Earth, only to find themselves in the Olam Yetziral, or the home of the angels. While Belial, a major demon in terms of hierarchy, cannot enter that plane of existence, his minions can.

 

Journalist, 116101, from the planet Sosach, located in the outer belt of Sangori, interviewed Belial for Universal Times magazine. While it is highly unusual for a major demon to allow such close access, for the betterment of cultural relations, he acquiesced.

Begin Interview: Journalist, 116101

Question: Tell me, Belial, what is it like to hate humankind?

(Belial is beautiful. His dark eyes pull you into their depths. His stature is huge; at least seven and one-half-feet tall. Black hair streams down his back, flowing over ripples of muscle, working smoothly beneath his skin. Even a man feels the attraction.

Note to Universal Times: I expect a bonus for this interview.

Belial laughs, and I wonder if he can read my mind. He glowers, before speaking.)

Answer: My hatred is an all-consuming fire that eats at my soul—day and night. There is no rest, no peace, and no succor to sustain me. I find little pleasure in this world, and have considered thinking myself out of existence.

Q: You have thought of annihilation?

(Amazed he has shared such intimate information, I am astounded I have asked such a question!

Belial sits back in his chair. He is dressed in a red velvet robe that ties at the neck, laying bare his naked chest. Dark, wing-like eyebrows pull into a frown. He considers my question, and I wonder: Will he destroy me for asking?)

A: Only once—after Sherena.

Q: And she is?

(Fire flashes in Belial’s eyes, the shadow of wings flirt with his shoulders, revealing a thick muscled neck, and a raptors’ back. My body quakes, as he changes from demonic back to angelic. There are rumors of his wife joining with the Light, but the elders say this is impossible.)

A: Sherena is my wife. Or, was my wife, before returning to the Light.

Q: How is that possible?

(The words are out of my mouth before I give thought to them. It is my understanding that once one leaves the shelter of the Light, and joins the rebels, returning is not an option.
Belial’s arms are tight against his body, his massive legs crossed. He glares at me, hideous red coals replace the endless night of his eyes. I want to run from the room, never to look back.)

A: Anything is possible.

Q: Can you tell me why you kidnapped Kate Kelly, bond mate to Noah from Naresh?

(Belial smiles, revealing razor-thin teeth. This being, whom I had thought beautiful, is not. The bestial image appears again, flickering away as fast as it comes. I cannot help but wonder: Does he hate mankind because he is one of them? No other creatures are as capricious as angels and human beings.)

A: I can give you limited information. Since the matter is not yet resolved, complete disclosure is not appropriate.

Q: I understand.

(Belial leans forward in his chair, placing his chin upon his two fists. His direct gaze disturbs me, and for the first time, I feel terror. This being has not one soul, but two.
His words are slow, rich with hidden undercurrents, past hatreds, and future destruction. Legend says Belial sets the planets in motion. Already, he has destroyed Earth, and Naresh. Who will be next?)

A: Noah, (this is said with a hiss) is my son. Conceived by surrogate, he is an accident of nature. It is inconceivable that a child of mine would mate with the earthling, Kathryn Kelly. To bring into existence an issue is nothing short of sacrilege. The Light will have Its say, as will I.

Q: Issue?

(Unfamiliar with the term, I have to ask. Cold erupts from Belial, not the frigid air of winter, but an inner freeze that showers me with dread. If I were Noah, Kate, or this issue, I would stay far away, but it is too late for that.

The elders say, Belial can destroy the body, as well as the soul. He has the power to sway emotion, and the ability to charm those who deny his existence.)

A: An issue is a child. Lucia is her name. I will now end this interview.

Q: One last question: How does banishment from the Light feel?

(Trembling, I await his answer. Belial morphs between his two forms. He becomes full demon. Despair, hatred, and darkness leak from him. Slippery shadows hug the walls, and creep beneath my feet. His countenance changes, red, and black carve sharper bones.

Belial turns, and looks over his shoulder. Reptilian eyes glare at me. His knotted back—covered in scales—burns with blue fire. Growing in length and breadth, he towers above me. He takes a breath, and the universe shudders.)

A: The answer you seek is death… Of the soul, the mind, and the body.

(End interview)

My dear friend, Journalist, 116101, is still recovering from his encounter with Belial. His hair has turned white as snow, and his eyes reflect the misery of Hades. He has paid a hefty price to be the first to interview a demon.

To learn more about the Gemini series, click here. To visit my Amazon Author page, click here. Join me at Facebook or Twitter! I enjoy hearing from fans.
Louann Carroll

Thank you, Aaron. I had so much fun writing this.

I Get Imaginative and Explosive With Author Ciara Knight

Posted on by
26

I’m fairly certain that Ciara Knight and I are the same person. Well, we have different chromosomes, she’s female, I try to be male, she has three sons, I have two daughters (but it feels like three sons). She lives in the American South, I live in the American West. Okay, we might not be physically the same person, though I do have bouts of amnesia and wake up with Star Wars figures in my pocket and fried okra in my hair. But regardless, Ciara and I both are reformed pantsers, we both have huge imaginations that drive us crazy, and we both have books published by Crescent Moon Press. And we both love to write.

Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft. Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.
For more on Ciara, check out her awesome website.

And her book? The Curse of Gremdon? Holy cow. Be careful. It will draw you in. Ciara Knight is the real deal.

She agreed to chat with me and we chatted and it made my Thursday night spectacular. Because Ciara is a spectacularly positive person. I try to be. Lord, do I try.
So, the interview. Hit me.

Aaron: We talked and you said you started writing after your kids were born and you left the corporate world. What prompted you to take up the pen and heartbreak of the writer’s life?

Ciara: The day I told my middle son he could do anything and my husband turned to me and said, “You’re a hypocrite.” Ah, my husband is so sweet and honest. 🙂 He knew I had a dream to write but was too scared to go for it. My husband knows me best and when the glove was thrown down in challenge, I had to accept.

Aaron: Like I said in the intro, we both have felt cursed by huge imaginations. With me, I still need to sleep with the lights on at times. And I get teased for being afraid of ghosts. For you, what are the drawbacks of having a relentless imagination? What are the benefits?

Ciara: Focus. I NEED to focus! My friends sometime wave their hands in front of my face and say, “You’re in Ciaraland again, aren’t you?” There are way too many characters battling for their spot on paper and it gets a little crowded in my little brain sometimes. What is great about it? I’m never bored. I can be sitting anywhere and be completely entertained.

Aaron: You gotta answer this next question because on the phone, what you said blew me away. I asked if you wrote at night or in the morning. You answered. My mind exploded, man. Totally. When and where do you write?

Ciara: I write at TKD practice, the football field, during violin lessons, and/or in carpool line. I’m a fifteen-minute writer. Give me fifteen minutes and I can give you several pages. 🙂

Aaron:As a reformed pantser, what made you change to flirt with plotting? As for me, I’ve relapsed. I just wrote a 140K rough draft for a novel I have to go back and plot. I go to meetings. It helps. Tell us about your writing style. Pantser, Plotter, or a killer mutant hybrid?

Artwork by Sarah Hartwell

Ciara: I’m definitely a killer mutant hybrid. 🙂 I start off with a detailed outline that includes POV, goals, motivation, conflict, and disaster. Then, I throw it all out the window and write the book. Yep, sometimes the characters take over and tell me I got the outline wrong. What spurred the outline in the first place? A complete rewrite in one of my books. NOT doing that again. LOL

Aaron: The Curse of Gremdon started out as a short story. How did you turn it into a novel? Was it hard? Did you plot that baby out?

Ciara: It did start off as a short story and I received a nice rejection telling me to convert it to a novel, so I did. I tackled it during Nano with no outline. [NaNoWriMo, national novel-writing month.] The book practically wrote itself. If anyone has met Tardon, the hero in The Curse of Gremdon, you know how pushy he is.

 

Aaron: The Curse of Gremdon has a distinctive world with rigid rules that have ignited an emotional fire-storm in some people. Which emotional reactions surprised you the most?

Ciara: I was shocked when I received messages about the fact Arianna wasn’t treated fairly. They didn’t like the male-dominated world. I found Arianna to be so brave for facing that world. Some disagreed and thought that women should be equal. I never expected readers to feel that passionate about the world I had created.

Aaron: How much of The Curse of Gremdon is romance? How much is high fantasy? If it were a mocha latte, how much is chocolate, how much is coffee? I don’t know what the milk could be. So we’ll ignore the milk part.

Ciara: I think it is half romance and half high fantasy. There is a big story full of twists and turns, but Tardon and Arianna’s relationship is a huge part of that. The story wouldn’t work without their love and they wouldn’t have that kind of epic love without the challenges they had to face.

Aaron: Reviews can be tough on writers, but how have you dealt with the drama? For me, I plan on never reading my reviews and making them all up in my head. Something like, “The voice of a new generation, Aaron Michael Ritchey writes with a fury that will leave readers breathless.” Yeah, my own happy little world. But how do you deal with reviews?

Ciara: I analyze them. Someone thought I was insane when I told them that, but it’s true. I feel like I will never stop learning my craft and the only way I’m going to give my readers what they want is to listen to what they have to say. I do encourage readers to write a review even if they hated the book. I can learn from that.

Aaron: What trap have you seen new writers fall into? What message of hope can you leave us with? Because we need hope. Writers need hope like addicts need dope. Even more so.

Ciara: Don’t take everything so seriously or you will go crazy. It’s a tough business full of up’s and down’s. Surround yourself with fellow writers that understand what you are going through. Let yourself cry over a bad review or call on your friends, but you are only allowed twenty minutes. After that, time’s up and you need to move on. If you dwell too long you could miss a fantastic opportunity.

Aaron: Thanks so much, Ciara. I found our conversation so empowering and I even became an optimist for about twenty minutes. A new record. Then I fell back into doubt, despair, and general angst. But only for twenty minutes, like you said. Onward! Onward! To battle!

Ciara’s blog
Her facebook page
Facebook fan page
Follow her on twitter