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GABRIELLE BISSET-Interview with the Author

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GABRIELLE BISSET-Interview with the Author

September 17, 2012 marks the release date for Gabrielle Bisset’s BLOOD SPIRIT-Book 3 in the Sons of Navarus series.  The Reading Cafe would like to welcome the author.

TRC:  Hi Gabrielle and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the success of your Sons of Navarus series.

 

Gabrielle:  Thank you! It’s been received so well by readers. I’m thrilled!

 

TRC:  We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

 

Gabrielle:  I’m the mother of two children, one of whom I home school; a college history professor; and a romance author. My first book, Stolen Destiny, was published by Siren Publishing last June, and since then I’ve released the three novellas of the Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy—Vampire Dreams, Love’s Master, and Masquerade—a follow up to Stolen Destiny, entitled Destiny Redeemed, and the Sons of Navarus books, Blood Avenged, Blood Betrayed, and coming September 17, the third book in the series, Blood Spirit.

 

TRC:  Many authors develop their love of writing at an early age. What was the catalyst that sparked your interest in writing?

 

Gabrielle:  I loved to read from the minute I learned how, so I guess it was natural that I wanted to write stories like the ones I’d read. My friends and I used to write screenplays in middle school. We might have been weird. But I had to put my fiction writing aside until I’d gotten married, had children, and finished my education.

 

TRC:  What difficulties and challenges have you faced as a writer?

 

Gabrielle:  Finding the time is a difficulty. I know that might sound like an excuse, and I silently say to myself sometimes, “If you want to make the time, you will.” However, homeschooling and teaching a full course load at my university means I have to carefully carve out time to write. Needless to say, I have little social life.

 

TRC:  Would you please tell us about the SONS OF NAVARUS SERIES?

 

Gabrielle:  The Sons of Navarus series is a paranormal romance series about eight vampire warriors chosen by the elders of the vampire world, the Order of Macaria, to stop the takeover of their world by the Archons, the law and order vampires. This takeover was foretold in the Prophecy of Idolas, which came from the youngest son of the first vampires, Navarus and Macaria, in ancient Greece. Macaria was the daughter of Hades, the god of the Underworld, and Navarus was the human she fell in love with. Together they had eight sons—the original sons of Navarus. Since those earliest days, the vampire world has had eight vampire warriors ready to defeat the Archons when they finally began their takeover. That time has come, and the eight vampire males who currently make up the Sons of Navarus must find a way to decipher the Prophecy of Idolas and stop the Archons or give their lives trying.

 

TRC:  Where did the idea to tie in an ancient prophecy originate?

 

Gabrielle:  I’m a history prof, with a keen interest in ancient history, so it was almost inevitable that I’d bring in that time period. I also have a background in mythology, and that fit perfectly with my vampire series.

 

TRC:  To help our members who do not know about your novels, would you please tell us something about the premise of:

 

BLOOD AVENGED  : Blood Avenged begins the Sons of Navarus series, and I intentionally took it very slow in this book. This book is about Vasilije, a vampire and one of the Sons, and Sasa, a human he meets when he travels to New Orleans to hunt down the killer of one of his vampires. I don’t introduce readers to the rest of the Sons until the very end of the book. I’m not a fan of introducing readers to a huge story without easing into it, so by the time readers meet the rest of the Sons, they have a very clear sense of the vampire world I’ve taken them into and the kinds of vampires they’ll meet.

 

Blood Avenged is very much like the main character of the story, Vasilije—sensual, earthy, hedonistic. In fact, each of the books are a very clear reflection of the hero, from the setting, to the tone, to the plot.

LINKS TO ORDER
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook
KOBO

 

BLOOD BETRAYED (May 2012): Blood Betrayed is the second book in the Sons series and it’s the story of Saint and Solenne. Saint’s real name is Declan, but he’s called the derogatory nickname of Saint because he refuses to sleep with vampires. Solenne is a vampire also, and someone from his past. This story is very much in the thick of things concerning the prophecy and non-romantic storyline while showcasing the love story between Saint and Solenne, one of second chances.

 

Blood Betrayed has a far different tone and feel than Blood Avenged. Saint is haunted by the past, so that comes through in his story. And the civil war between the Archons and the Sons is in full swing now. Readers meet the Archon who will be one of the main villains in the series, Marc Verrater, when Solenne agrees to spy on him to help the Sons and keep Saint safe.

LINKS TO ORDER
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Books
B&N Nook
KOBO

 

TRC:  Declan and Teagan’s relationship is very similar to many siblings. What was your inspiration for the competition between the brothers?

 

Gabrielle:  I grew up with only one brother, so my knowledge of sibling rivalry is entirely secondhand. However, virtually every male I’ve ever known has at least one brother, so that animosity and love mixture that exists between brothers has been easily seen on many occasions.

 

TRC:  BLOOD SPIRIT is your new September 2012 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

 

Gabrielle:  Blood Spirit is the story of Terek and Ilona. Terek is a much older vampire than Vasilije, who was turned in the early 1600s, and Saint, who was turned at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 during the First World War. Terek was turned in the mid-1300s when he was a Spanish monk, so his story has a very different flavor than the first two. He’s also blessed with the gift of telepathy, which he’s used to sire thousands of vampires (mostly females) since becoming a vampire. Terek is almost a god to many in the vampire world, but all that changes when he rescues Ilona one night. Suddenly, this male who’s had women at his beck and call for centuries can’t even convince his newest vampire to accept her new life, much less fall for him. And worst of all? He can’t hear her thoughts, so he’s forced to listen to his heart for the first time since becoming a vampire.

 

Also, the civil war has intensified, with the Archons not only attempting to find the Sons of Navarus to eliminate them but also killing all the vampires they believe are associated with them.

 

TRC:  How many books do you have planned for the series? Will all 8 members of the SONS OF NAVARUS have their story told?

 

Gabrielle:  All eight want to have their stories told, so I’ll be busy for a while, I guess. 🙂

 

TRC:  What difficulties have you faced getting this particular series to publication?

 

Gabrielle:  As an author who works full time at a day job, the main difficulty is being able to write the books. After that, it’s smooth sailing.

 

TRC:  If you could virtually cast the Sons of Navarus using actors and models, whom would you cast in the leading roles and why?

 

Gabrielle:  This was really tough, so I asked my street team, Gabrielle’s Goddesses, to help me. They are a great group of women who are so supportive, so I knew they’d have great ideas about what those gorgeous vampires look like. We brainstormed a bunch of possibilities and came up with these:

 

Vasilije—Michael Fassbender (I can’t think of another actor who could do Vasilije the way I envision him.)

Saint—Alexander Skarsgaard (The Goddesses came up with him. I can’t say I would disagree.)

Terek—Tyler Hoechlin (He’s a model with beautiful eyes. The Goddesses loved him.)

Ramiel—Sergey Krapiva (A gorgeous Russian model. Perfect for Ramiel.)

Thane—Henry Cavill (This one my editor actually suggested. I think he’d be perfect because he has such sweetness, very much like the character.)

Sion—Cam Gigandet (A model the Goddesses came up with. He’s got the cold look Sion often has in the books.)

Dante—Kellan Letz (Another Goddess choice, and a great one for the youngest Son.)

Nico—Michael Anderson (A stunning model and actually the inspiration for Nico as I write him.)

 

TRC:  Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the stress and anxiety of writer’s block?

 

Gabrielle:  For me, writer’s block is a clear sign I’m not in the right place to write at that moment. Or I’m not in the right place to write what I wanted to at that moment. I just step away and do something else. The mood always goes away, and then I return to the story feeling much better about it. Fighting it is the surest way to get mired down.

 

TRC:  Many authors listen to music when they write. Do you have any particular music genre that inspires your writing?

 

Gabrielle:  I listen to music when I’m writing, but it’s mainly background noise. I do have to admit that more than one I was listening to Led Zeppelin when I was writing Blood Spirit. The song Kashmir just reminds me of Terek and that story.

 

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

 

Gabrielle:  I’ve begun the fourth book in the Sons of Navarus series, Blood Prophecy, which is Ramiel’s story. This is going to be a very big point in the series, so I’m taking my time with it. I’m also in the middle of writing some free shorts for my website that revolve around the Sons. The first is a very adult take on Hades, the god of the Underworld, and a secret romance he’s begun. I have short stories with Vasilije and his sire, Nina; Saint and Solenne when they first met; and one about Thane planned. My street team is so great and has given me lots of suggestions, so I’m on it.

 

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

 

Gabrielle: The Sons have their own Facebook page where I do interviews with the characters and giveaways, in addition to updating fans on the series. Visit my facebook page HERE  to give them a [like]. And I hope readers will come over to my blog to enter the Paranormal Fall Fling giveaway that’s going on from September 24 through October 31 to celebrate the release of Blood Spirit. There will be weekly prizes and grand prizes at the end of the fling with gift cards, ebooks, and cool Sons of Navarus swag.

Click HERE to find out all the details!

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food—pizza 

Favorite Dessert—anything with caramel

Favorite TV Show—Spartacus

Favorite Movie—There are so many! I’ll go with X-Men First Class.

Last movie you saw—Sherlock Holmes 2

Dark or Milk Chocolate—Milk Chocolate

Do you have any pets? A herd of cats who rule my house like dictators.

 

TRC: Thank you Gabrielle for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best with the new release of BLOOD SPIRIT.

 

Gabrielle:  Thanks so much for having me! It’s been a pleasure.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLOOD SPIRIT-COMING SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

I am everything you seek. I am vampire.

Blessed with the gift of telepathy, Terek always knows what a woman wants. His gift has afforded him nightly sensual pleasures and exotic treats for centuries, but beneath the surface he yearns for much more.

Ilona can give him what his soul craves, but only if he trusts his heart. One fateful choice made out of desire puts all he cares for in danger. With a civil war and the threat of Archon hunters at every turn, this Son may lose everything if he can’t find the balance between heart and mind.

Click HERE for an excerpt

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Marta Acosta-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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MARTA ACOSTA-Interview with the Author

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome author Marta Acosta.

WEBSITE LINK: Marta Acosta

TRC: Hi Marta and welcome to The Reading Café. We would like to start with some background information-please tell us about yourself.

Marta: I’m the author of the Casa Dracula series and Nancy’s Theory of Style. I’m a northern Californian, born and raised, and the beautiful landscape and moderate weather here inspire me. I was the only daughter in a pack of boys, and I think one of the reasons I loved reading was to enjoy female companionship, even if it was fictional!

TRC: What is the title of the first novel you ever wrote and what was your inspiration behind the storyline?

Marta: The first novel I ever wrote was called Mystery Dance. It was a noir thriller and was never published because editors said it was “unmarketable.” It was inspired by people I saw every day in my neighborhood, yet never met. I wondered about their lives – and their secrets.

TRC: Do you have a specific style of writing?

Marta: I think my writing tends to be clean and succinct. It’s usually marked by humor.

TRC: You also write humorous novels under the author-name Grace Coopersmith. What was your decision behind the dual-personality model?

Marta: My agent and editor suggested another name since I was switching genres. Some authors use different names for every genre. It’s too much work for me to keep up with two identities, though, and my fans couldn’t find me.

TRC: At The Reading Café, we believe that Young Adult novels are no longer just for teens. Many authors write YA storylines knowing that grown-ups will be reading their books. What would you say to our many readers about Dark Companion and its attraction for the adult reader?

Marta: I wrote Dark Companion as a novel featuring a teenage character, not as a teenage novel. I spend a lot of time with teens and know exactly how very bright and complicated they are: I don’t talk down to them, and I didn’t “write down” for them. The story and characters are as complex as anything I write for an adult audience. Actually, many teen readers like my Casa Dracula series and I hope they’ll enjoy my YA!

TRC: Dark Companion is your new Young Adult release for July 2012. Would you please tell us something about the premise behind the storyline?

Marta: When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She’s even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper’s cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something’s not quite right about the school — she thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She’s also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, but the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

TRC: Where did you come up with the idea for Dark Companion? In which genre would you place Dark Companion?

Marta: Jane was selected to attend the school also because she’s impoverished, emotionally damaged, and will be easy to exploit by The Family. I often deal with the idea of the haves and have-nots in life.

I call Dark Companion a contemporary Gothic YA, and I use many of the tropes of classic gothics: a single girl in an isolated setting, mysteries, a supernatural element, a large and ominous building…

TRC: There were parts in the story that I let a tear or two fall-quite heartbreaking in some scenes. Did I over react, or was it your intent to pull at the heart-strings of unrequited love?

Marta: You didn’t overreact! The story is an homage to Jane Eyre and one of the most heartbreaking moments in Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel is when Jane’s heart is breaking and she’s declaring her own humanity. I always cry at that scene.

TRC: Jane Williams, the heroine, has suffered greatly throughout her young life especially within the Child Protective Services. Did you have to do any research for the novel with regards to foster care or are some of Jane’s experiences based in reality?

Marta: A good friend, who is a social worker, has told me about the conditions for foster kids and for gang youth. I’ve followed news about the foster care system, met foster parents, seen documentaries, and known high-achieving foster kids who have heart-rending personal histories.

Readers ask “Why does such a smart girl do what Jane does?” but kids who’ve suffered abuse and have no guidance or love often make terrible mistakes. I wanted Jane to learn from her errors and then make better choices – and she does when she befriends Mary Violet and begins to know her stable, loving family.

TRC: There are some other potential storylines in Dark Companion. Do you have any plans for future novels involving Jane, Jack and Lucian? A trilogy or perhaps a continuing series?

Marta: I’m working on Mary Violet mysteries. A character like MV is very close to my heart because I have a penchant for silly girls who are more than merely silly. MV’s very smart and loving and I can see her getting into all sorts of shenanigans.

TRC: If so, would you please tell us about your next novel?

Marta: Besides the MV mystery, which I’m calling Mary Violet and the Mystery of the Silent Songbird, I’m working on a gothic ghost story about two young women who haunt each other across time. It’s set in modern Northern California and the Gold Rush Barbary Coast.

TRC: Was there anything you found particularly challenging about writing Dark Companion?

Marta: Can I say tech issues? Gadgets and online culture (MySpace who?) change so rapidly that they’re outdated by the time a book is actually released. Cell phones alone ruin great plot devices. As an author, sometimes I want a phone to get crushed so a character must struggle to survive.

TRC: Many authors bounce information and ideas between each other or their spouses and family members. With whom do you share ideas and information, and why?

Marta: I share my ideas with my agent because she’s the one who will have to sell a book. My husband and family try to be patient with me nattering on about stories, but they never offer any feedback except my mother, who thinks I should write a book about my father’s life.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Marta: Only that I’m always happy to hear from readers!

LIGHTNING ROUND

FAVORITE FOOD: homemade tortillas with slices of avocado

FAVORITE DESSERT: chocolate cake

MILK OR DARK CHOCOLATE: semi-sweet!

FAVORITE TV SHOW: I just went through an insane ten-season marathon of MI-5, a British intelligence agency series. The amazing cast included Richard Armitage, who also starred in one of my favorite miniseries, North and South. I like competitive talent shows, but I record them and then fast-forward through the filler.

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: I tried to watch Hall Pass and it filled me with the desire to fly to LA and slap the scriptwriter and director for wasting the casts’ talent.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Only one? Oh, no! Possibly The Philadelphia Story with Kate Hepburn.

LAST BOOK THAT YOU READ: It’s a gardening book, The Rose by David Austin, because everything is blooming right now!

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? I have two insane rescued pointers, Betty von Snoggles and Bosco de Gama, who will leap over things rather than run around them.

FAVORITE FLOWER: I couldn’t chose one, but I’m very fond of antique varieties of rose, the simplicity of pansies, nicotiana scenting the air at night, and the cheerfulness of native dahlias.

LAST VACATION DESTINATION: My last big vacation was London, my favorite city, a few years back. More often I visit the wine country ranch that inspired the setting for my Casa Dracula novels.

TRC: Marta, we would like to thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. It is always a pleasure to meet the real person behind the author. Dark Companion is a wonderful and novel idea and we wish you all the best.

Marta: Sandy, thanks so much for having me here at The Reading Café and for taking the time to read my book and ask such thoughtful questions!

************GIVEAWAY************

Marta is offering one eligible member of The Reading Cafe a paper copy of her latest release DARK COMPANION

1.  You must be a registered member of The Reading Cafe.  If you are not a member, please register using the LOG-IN at the top of the page or using one of the social log-ins.

2.  If you are using one of the social log-ins, you must include your email address with a comment, so that we may contact you if you are a giveaway recipient.

3.  Open to continental USA and Canada only.

4. Contest runs June 23-27, 2012

 

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