Shireen Nemnich -Interview with the Author

Shireen Nemnich -The Interview

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome author Shireen Nemnich. Shireen has recently released a new paranormal fantasy series SHADOWS OF MYST, with her first novel-THE ROYAL ASSASSIN

The Reading Cafe has reviewed THE ROYAL ASSASSIN and I (Sandy) believe it is one of the best NEW series I have read. You can find Sandy’s review dated February 19,2012.   Welcome-Shireen Nemnich.

TRC:  Hi Shireen.  We would like to start with some basic background information:

Name: Shireen Nemnich
Year of Birth: 1964
Birthplace: Kansas
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Resides: Williamsburg, Virginia
Number of Children: 3
Grandchildren: 2
Career: Licensed Practical Nurse
Favorite Authors of Fiction: Christine Feehan & Lisa Kleypas
Writing Genre: Romance

TRC: Would you tell us a little something about yourself.

SN: I’m full of energy and love living life. My daughter Sarah has a 5 word-cloud describing me: Energy, Sweet, Funny, Smart, Nurturing. It really does describe me pretty well. But I think I really should tack on Spiritual, which is not the same as religious.

I love reading an writing and spend most of my time doing that. Also love to play computer games and xbox. I used to play on a text based mud, Genesis the Original LP mud, http://www.genesismud.org. Then I became a wizard (Programmer) on the game. My wizard char is Damaris, my mortal chars are secret. :). I still log in occasionally to catch up with everyone. I must confess that Genesis and the people who play the game have been a very large influence in my fantasy writing along with LOTR and Dragonlance. Now I’ve not actually read the Dragonlance books, only a stray one here and there, but in the game I played a knight. It’s great role-playing because it inspired me to do quite a bit of fantasizing and writing.

TRC: When and how did you first become interested in writing? Have you always liked to write?

SN: I first began to love writing while in High School, after I wrote a short story for English. I got an A. 🙂
A few years ago I bought a book by Jack Canfield, Keys to living the law of attraction. In this book there are several questions you have to ask yourself and you write it all up. The amazing part was. Two major things came up. Writing and speaking/teaching. So that’s when I really made a personal commitment to do what I love to do. So I decided to stop just “dreaming” of being a writer and just be one.

TRC: What is the first piece of work that you have ever published?

SN: Poetry from the Darkside.

TRC: You have said, that you once published some poetry on lulu.com. Have you considered re-releasing a book of poems?

SN: I do plan to put a more cohesive book together that expands my previous book. I really haven’t written a poem for awhile. However it really doesn’t take much for me to be inspired to write one if I choose to. But I am a rhyming poet, which seems out of fashion.

TRC: Will you offer up some poetry for our interview? 🙂

SN: Of course! Be forewarned Dark or Erotic or Dark and Erotic is my thing.

Battered

Battered, beaten, shamed and torn
This is the life for which she was born
In the dark of night, what he made her do
No longer a child but nobody knew

Her eyes aglow so warm and kind
Began to darken with the measure of time
Her soul was payment of which she paid
A lovely spirit, which began to fade

No longer seeing, no longer does she care
This is a cross that she alone must bare
Love and happiness is only a dream
Which comes in the silence after her scream

Branded
I lay thee out upon the ground
Thou looks at me without a sound
I spread thy thighs in a sweeping motion
Thou breathes in deeply with such emotion

I find the brand that holds my mark
While the coals and fire begin to spark
I look back at thee lying so still
All because this is my will

Thy heart is pounding in thy chest
Thou knows that this is no test
I’ll brand thy flesh in good time
I’ll make thee scream that thou art mine

TRC: The Royal Assassin is a wonderful, short story about the people in the fictional land of Myst. Would you tell us a little about the premise of the story?

SN: TRA – Is really a love story between Reis and Shadowen that is seen through the eyes and heart of Reis, the Royal Assassin.

TRC: The premise is different than many fantasy/paranormal novels. The idea of using shadows to communicate and travel is very novel. How did you come up with the idea?

SN: I mentioned before playing Genesis, in this game there is a Guild, The Shadow Union. I always thought it sounded a bit… mysterious, sexy even. So the name Shadowen came to my mind as a main char in a story. Then halfway down the page she suddenly had a twin brother Shade. By page two they were mystics. Then several drafts later, It only seemed natural that Shadowen would travel through shadows, and Shade would too, so of course all Mystics would use shadows. Then Shadowen would be special in being able to communicate with shadows. Then to communicate with them, they needed to be some form of a spirit. It just seemed to make sense. However it’s really an inspiration thought I saw unfold in my mind as I wrote.

TRC: The first novel in any series, can be filled with so much background information about the different characters, as well as the unfolding future storylines, that the main plot is overwhelmed with too much information. But The Royal Assassin blends very smoothly. Did you have a difficult time deciding how to envelope the premise and the all the characters into a novella-style book?

SN: I love it when a book simply pulls me in right from the start. I will be honest, I can become bored if I have to read more than a page of setup in the beginning. I tried to make this grab you, pull you in right from the start, allowing Reis to explain to you while he takes you on a journey of his life. I want him to explain as you go along. Why do you need to know about moving through shadows until you watch him do it? Why do you need to know anything until it’s time to reveal it? Or at least that was my thought. Grab you, suck you in and explain on the way. Especially with a series, because it will get old fast if you have to repeat it all to a point it’s like reading a glossary. I’d rather it be like a mystery revealing itself.

TRC: Reis and Shadowen are the central characters in The Royal Assassin, but the young couple, suffer some terrible losses. Will we see more of Reis and Shadowen in the future novels?

SN: Reis and Shadowen are pivotal characters through the series. The Royal Chalice is written in both their POV. The Forgotten Assassin is Shadowen’s POV, and it takes place a 1,000 years after The Royal Assassin.

TRC: Do you have plans for Shadowen’s twin brother Shade? An upcoming novel?

SN: Shade is a very troubled, dark character and yet I find him quite beautiful and tortured. His story will be told in The Royal Conjurer. It’s perhaps going to be the darkest of the series, not only because it involves Shade but it takes place during the height of the Troll War.

TRC: You have listed 3 additional novels that you are writing for The Shadows of the Myst series: The Royal Seer, The Royal Conjurer and The Forgotten Assassin. Will you tell us a little bit about each book eg. Characters or plotlines.

SN: The books so far in the series, in Mystic timeline are:

– The Royal Seer – POV is Scious and Vestrial – Parents of Reis, their love story and the obstacles they must over come. This book touches more on the relationship between Mystic and Nightelf. The society, religion, politics, prejudices and revelations of the past and the future of Myst.

– The Royal Assassin – POV is Reis. Their love story as mentioned before.

– The Royal Warrior – POV is Darken. This actually begins during a tragic time for Shadowen and Reis in TRA – Then picks up from there to see Myst through Darken’s eyes and heart and his quest to find Mysteria’s Temple and reclaim his sword, becoming The Royal Warrior. This is when the Troll War begins.

– The Royal Conjurer – POV is Shade. I really don’t want to give anything away on this, just yet, but there is much Shade will have to go through in this story. It’s also during the height of the Troll War and he faces much loss.

– The Royal Chalice – POV is Reis and Shadowen – This is where the Troll War ends. It will start out with Reis POV and will switch to Shadowen’s POV It has a lot of of conflict, twists and turns with devastation being high on the list.

– The Forgotten Assassin – POV is Shadowen – This takes place 1,000 years or so after TRA. Shadowen has a new consort and takes on another. 🙂 Go Shadowen! However this book will bring true insight into her and her relationships. It pulls in all the characters you love and hate back together leading to a final climax that will probably cause you to read all the other books all over again. Plus it introduces two new chars, Abril and Crow. These are Shadowen’s consorts and Crow has his own story/book in another series and Abril does as well.

TRC: Do you have any releases dates for you next novel?

SN: I don’t have a date, but I am really shooting for The Royal Seer to be released in April.
I am also working on releasing another short story E-book in either February or March. Depends solely on how much time it takes to complete the editing. However I promise you will be the first to know the title and synopsis, once it’s finalized.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the Shadows of the Myst series?

SN: There are six in total. – but on that note… Spector has made a few comments in my head about him telling his side of things… Which would mean a whole new series about Mystics and Nightelves, It would take place around the war that brings the nightelves under the surface.

TRC: You have just released an ebook for Kindle entitled: Witch Mistake and you plan to offer it free on Kindle February 13 and 14th in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Why did you decide to offer the novel FREE for Valentine’s Days?

SN: It just seems to make sense to offer a sweet love story on Valentines Day. My Valentine gift to everyone!

TRC: Will you tell us a little about Witch Mistake?

SN: Anjelis is a cute little witch who has spent her entire life believing she’s a mistake and told she must stay away from Lucien. Lucien is a vampire who hates witches. Vampires and witches are forbidden to have any form of a relationship. Mix in a bit of Fate and tada a love story!

TRC: What are you working on at the moment?

SN: The Royal Seer, The Royal Warrior and The First Ones.

TRC: Do any of your children write? Are they involved in your writing?

SN: My teenage daughter, Sarah. She actually inspired and influenced me to publish on lulu my book of poetry. She published a short story but later decided to remove it and revisit it into more a novel. I actually find myself smiling and laughing out loud when reading some of her dialogue. She has a quick whit and it shows. However she killed her main character off and my friends and her’s who read her book, were screaming over it. But that’s what I loved, she’s unconventional and I think she is really going to do well.

Sarah proofs all my work with me and she does my editing as well. She’s not big with fantasy but my more modern and especially my YA work, she is a big fan and she screens everything.

TRC: What do you have planned for future books or novels (not including The Shadows of the Myst series?) Are you working on any different series?

SN: In the realm of Valantis, where Shadows of Myst takes place, there are a few more series. The Knights of Provencia to put a name to one out of the five so far.

Another series is my Vampire series, the first book in the series is The First Ones.

TRC: Who is your muse?

SN: I have way too many muses running around my head.

LIGHTING ROUND

Favorite Song:
Too many! – It really depends on my mood. But Shadowen’s song is Falling Again – by Lacuna Coil. That’s the only song I listen to while writing TFA. I slip it on repeat and listen to it for hours. Obsessive I know. 🙂

Favorite Music Group:
Again, too many! But I do love Disturbed (David Draiman – Mr.. hotty), Apocalyptica and Creed. But it truly varies.

Dark or Milk Chocolate:
Seriously? Dark of course!

Favorite Food:
Swedish pancakes. (Swey cakes) 😉

Favorite Dessert:
Custard – flan

Last Vacation Destination:
Virginia

Favorite TV Show:
Star Trek – All time.

Last Movie you saw at the theatre:
Underworld Awakenings

Favorite Movie:
All Star Trek’s

Favorite Actor/Actress:
Johnny Depp / Angelina Jolie — (So you know I was stoked when they did The Tourist together!

Favorite Flower:
Freesia

Favorite Fictional Book Character: (other than one of your own)
This question really made me think and after careful, but a quick observation I have to say, Dracula. He’s been a fictional character in more than a single book and no matter what his background is, good, bad or whatever, or his incarnation. I love reading about him. Way to go Bram Stoker.

TRC: Shireen, WE would like to thank you very much for taking the time to complete the interview questions. We wish you the best of luck with your upcoming books and novels. Your storylines are a breath of fresh air-something new in the realm of paranormal fantasy.

Shireen’s Website: Shireen Nemnich

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞GIVEAWAY∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Shireen if offering 2 signed copies of her book THE ROYAL ASSASSIN

1.  You must be a registered member of THE READING CAFE.  If you are not, go ahead and register.  We welcome everyone!!

That is all you have to do.  Register today!!

Giveaway Dates:  February 20 to February 24, 2012

OPEN:  To US and CANADA only