1. What is your favorite genre to read?
Definitely either paranormal/urban fantasy or historical romance. I do like a healthy
smattering of thriller/suspense (a la Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child) and regular fantasy
(Terry Brooks) though.
2. What is your favorite genre to write?
Urban fantasy. It lets me keep modern technology and the real world, which saves me on
major world-building. Paranormal romance is a close second, but comes in second because
of the requirements for writing romance (love scenes, which I’m not a big fan of writing).
I love writing fantasy, but I haven’t done that since I was doing role-playing games (i.e.,
Dungeons & Dragons) and I’m really rusty on world-building to that level.
3. Do you have a favorite author?
Many. Christine Feehan, Christina Dodd, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nora Roberts/JD Robb,
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, and the list could go on and on. Heh.
4. How long have you been writing?
Seriously with an eye toward publication – since 2010, I believe. Maybe 2009.
5. What fuels or inspires your writing? Movies, news, music, life?
The character voices in my head. Movies might give me an idea, but it’s usually because
it prompts me past some sort of block (the most notable example was when I watched the
latest offering in Underworld the day before Blood Rage came out and it hit me why I was
having a problem with my WIP which ultimately became my most recent completed one,
Prophecy of Blood – I was dragging the timeline out too much).
I need music or some sort of noise in the background when I write most of the time. It
doesn’t inspire me, I just don’t like the quiet.
6. What has been your biggest challenge as a writer?
Making myself write and finding the time to write. I have 3 kids (2 19 mo/o girls and a 6 y/
o boy), a full-time job and a husband, all of which require a lot of time from me. I also tend
to futz around for a long time between WIPs, though I’m trying to stop that as I move from
Prophecy on to the 4th book in the Dream-Walker War (I finished and submitted Prophecy
on 10/8, and it’s 10/10 as I write this, and I’m already starting to make notes on story ideas
and world-building for Book 4).
7. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Don’t give up, either on the industry or yourself. You might have to put your first book under
the bed never to be seen again. You might be stubborn like me and rewrite that first WIP 3
times so it became publishable (Blood Rage).
Don’t forget to have fun. It may be a job (and a very hard one at that), but if you don’t enjoy
it, don’t do it.
Listen to your gut. If you think there’s a problem with your WIP, there probably is. Talk to
your beta readers/critique partners (they’re INVALUABLE! – hats off to mine for Prophecy
– CW & WP, I love you). Listen when they tell you if they find something’s off, especially
if you had a gut feeling about that particular issue yourself. Don’t just try to forge ahead
if everything in you says no, even if your outline says you’re supposed to (and I don’t do
outlines). 😛
Blood Rage
The Dream-Walker War, Book 1
Evernight Publishing
Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
2/8/12
Blurb:
For eighty years since the Great Awakening, humans and non-humans have lived in
relative peace together. The peace is threatened when three bodies turn up less than
a mile from the Bureau of Non-Human Affairs in Tampa, all bearing the signature of
vampires who once terrorized Europe.
The Bureau’s chief liaison to the vampires, Dara MacKechnie, learns that the Tampa
victims are not alone when her ex-lover, and head of the vampire’s Great Council,
Anthony Caldwell comes calling.
The pair discovers the lie that separated them two centuries ago only banked their
passion, not extinguished it. Dara must decide whether she can trust Anthony with her
heart a second time as they try to head off the war that threatens all they hold dear.
Excerpt:
Instinct helped her draw back before she took more than she should. Dara
sucked in air, trying to wipe away the addictive taste of him even while she absorbed
the new details about his true nature.
“Good lord,” she said against his throat. “Wow doesn’t seem quite adequate.”
The exchange was bliss itself, but ultimately left her unfulfilled. Her body throbbed with
it, and she felt the same need in him, rock-hard desire pressing up against her core
through their clothes. Dara shifted, trying to alleviate the pressure trapped between her
thighs.
Anthony’s arm around her waist tightened, holding her still. He groaned, teeth
grinding together. “I suggest, my pet, you stop moving if you wish me to remain a
gentleman. There’s a reason exchanges take place during sex.”
Her mouth fell open. Chris had mentioned something of that nature on more
than one occasion. In for a penny, in for a pound, Dara reasoned. It would be better than
walking away right then, knowing they wanted the same thing. Maybe a second night
would quench the lust, and she could let go of the need, the hunger for him he created
just by breathing.
She shifted, straddling his lap to settle more firmly against the erection that
bulged in his jeans and wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt reckless right then.
A second night wouldn’t hurt anyone or anything. Dara found the notion liberating. “Do
you really want me to stay still, Tony?”
His dark eyes glittered with familiar intensity as he clutched her hips. His mouth
curled up at one corner. “Don’t call me that.”
“What?” She leaned forward and nuzzled the side of his neck, just above the
tiny marks from where she had bitten him, and reached for the button on his jeans. “I
don’t know. I rather like it. Sarah might be onto something with that. Tony Caldwell, man
about town. Maybe I can convince you to like it.”
*******From here it gets steamy. If you would like the rest of the excerpt send me a message.
Author Links
Tory Michaels Website / Blog / Facebook/ The Dream-Walker War Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Blood Rage (Evernight Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes & Noble)
Blood-Mage Rising (Evernight Amazon Amazon UK Barnes & Noble)
Author Elissa Daye 