Forever Tonight by Tarra Newlands

Who causes friction is the story?

Theodore who is a bad ass alien with attitude.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

I like write bad guys and girls at times. I think its a release for the shadow self we all sometimes have.

How do you use your bad guys?

In my books, I use bad guys different ways. In my first book the Dream King, Jonathan whose the bad guy is also a man flawed and looking for redemption. In Forever Tonight, I painted Theodore as a soul less creature who would kill you as soon look at you.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

I find it hard at times, but then my shadow self pitches in. Its the old saying 'meet a jerk get to work'.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

I think writing bad guys is a release from acceptable behaviour.

Who is your favourite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

I like Jonathan in The Dream King. He's bad, but with a reason and searching for a way to redeem himself.

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Bad guys can be sexy, but dangerous. Look, but don't touch. LOL

Please provide your website link.

http://www.authorsden.com/taranewlands or http://www.myspace.com/taranewlands

What is the link to buy your book?

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?cPath=23_73&products_id=187http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook70906.htm?cache

Tears and Tales: Stories of Human and Animal Rescue

1. What is the name of the book where we would meet the animal? What genre is it?

A. The name of the book is Tears and Tales: Stories of Human and Animal Rescue. The genre is pets, non-fiction and it consists of the various animals the author has met during his lifetime. Some of those rescued animals are still with him and some have even saved him from himself when spirits were low and he was contemplating suicide.

2. Who wrote the book?

A. Russell A Vassallo wrote Tears and Tales and has had the distinguished honor of receiving three awards for his work. One reviewer felt the book rated more than five stars.

3. What would the animal think of the author?

A. Since there are several animals mentioned in the book, it would be difficult to answer this question briefly. Sweet Pea would be flattered. After all, she was a waif without a home who found permanent residence with the author and his wife. Spunky, on the other hand, would slobber you with affection and ask for a treat. The mere wrinkle of plastic sets him drooling. Several of the animals have gone to their great beyond which gives the author rise to lament their passing and inspire others to appreciate their pets with deeper love.

If I had to single out the most eligible to speak , it would be Sweet Pea and she probably wonder how he found out all those things about her and then recall that she told him a good deal about her past life. And she’d be grateful for being rescued by him and probably say that he is a kind and loving man who sometimes suffers from depression and is not always happy. She loves when he plays with her and especially when he rubs her belly. She would probably say that it took a lot of time for him to accept her and for her to win him over, but that now, they have a bond between them and she is happy being loved.


4. Tell us about the animal. How would you describe their appearance?


A. Sweet Pea is exactly like her name, kind, loving, fond of children. She has deep, expressive eyes and she skitters away from farm machinery because her left rear leg was broken when she was hit by one. Pea is a small, white dog with light brown patches, head like a border collie and a habit of raising her front leg when she is on the scent of something. She is a better mouser than any of our cats and she has a natural herding instinct.



5. What part does the animal play in the book?

A: The story, “Git”, is based on true events and speaks from the animal’s point of view. It is the story of a man deeply grieved by the loss of his Dobe, Tribute, and unwilling to suffer the same heartbreak again. He fixes on a feral cat he is coaxing to come and take food. When the food starts disappearing without the cat being around, he lays in wait to find the culprit only to find a ragged, starved young dog, recently birthed, standing in his driveway eyeing the food dish.

The characters play themselves. There are no heroes. The villain is whatever family so mistreated this dog and then abandoned her after taking her pups away. In a sense it is a story of a man searching for peace and comfort and a young dog seeking a home.


6. Is there a specific reason why the animal is in the story?

A. Without Sweet Pea there would be no story. She is the central character. Whether or not she finds the home she is seeking, and whether or not the grieving pet owner permits her to stay is something the reader can discover by reading Tears and Tales. The book is one to be read and reread dozens of times. I have read it more than fifty time during the editing process and it never ceased touching me.

However, this is a collection of short stories so there are many animal characters within its pages. Sweet Pea is not the only animal spoken of. There is Spunky, the shar pei/pit bull mix, and Lonesome Dart, a horse with a loving heart, and Willie, a talking horse, and Tribute, and Frenzy (some of the names have been changed in the stories but they are all real animals.


7. What time period does the animal live in?

A: Most of these stories occurred after 1992 and continue to the present time.


8. Where is the animal from?

A. Sweet Pea was born in Casey County, Kentucky. This is rolling and hilly farmland cut from English and Irish stock. In all probability she was born on a farm and kept as a potential hunting dog. However, she was gun shy and of no hunting use to the owner. When she came into heat and became pregnant, the owner had no use for her and did not want additional dogs. He waited until she gave birth, destroyed the pups and abandoned her on a rural road not far from the author’s farm. But as I said, she is not the only animal contained in this book. Most of the others also came from Casey County. One of them came from much higher up. (The Cardinal).

9. Does she live in the same place now?

A. Most of the animals contained in my stories still reside with us on the farm. Some have gone on to their reward and to that place where they wait for us to join them.


10. Tell us about the place where the animal lives.

A. Their location is a 240 acre farm in south central Kentucky. About sixty acres are cleared and the animals have a good deal of land to roam upon. The dogs are permitted to run loose because they never leave the property. The horses have paddocks that range from two acres to twenty. There are running, spring-fed creeks that supply them with water and high ridges that protect them from harsh winds.

11. What special skills does the animal have?

A. Sweet Pea is just great with children and she’s not bad on mothering our pit bull/ shar pei. She is really a very amiable animal, capable of taking care of herself and a loyal companion. When I was in the hospital recovering from colon cancer it was reassuring that she’d be home waiting for my wife and ready to protect her if anything was amiss. Above all, she is a survivor. The other horses are used as trail horses and as companions.


12. How do those skills or abilities affect the animal’s part in the story?

A: I don’t think Sweet pea would have survived in the wild if she weren’t a survivor. She seems to possess a natural skill to hunt and find food. There are days when I still see her burying an extra doggie bone, just in case. Pea isn’t one to waste energy. She knows when to rest and she knows when to hunt. She’s a natural companion in the field and there is nothing she loves better than gong out on the trail with the horses.


13. Tell us about the animal’s past. Can you share one really good experience and/or really bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what they’ve been through.

A. Sweet Pea suffered an injury to her right rear leg that was never treated. Although she is active and unparalleled in the field, she tends to run with the leg up when she is over-active. It is speculated that she was hit with some kind of farm implement and it broke her leg. The bone never mended properly.


14. Who is the most important person in the animal’s life? Tell us about them.

A. My wife Virginia has grown very close to Sweet Pea. When I was in the hospital recovering from colon cancer surgery, Sweet Pea was always there, waiting for Virginia when she arrived home. It was comforting to Virginia to have an animal accompany her into a dark house. It was comforting to me knowing she had some kind of protection.

15. Is that person in the story we’re talking about?

A: No. The story revolves around my first contact with Sweet Pea. At that point in time Virginia had never seen the dog and my contact was limited to noticing my cat food disappearing in huge quantities, given the fact there was only one cat. I was actually watching to see if it were a possum or a raccoon stealing the food. It turned out to be Sweet Pea. I actually did not take readily to her. I had just lost my favorite Dobe and did not want the heart break of another dog. It took her time to wear me down.


16. How does that person impact the animal’s life?

A: Sweet Pea and Virginia walk at least twice per day. On occasion Virginia will mount up and ride the trail, with Sweet Pea right behind. At night they sit together on the couch watching television. Virginia is the primary caregiver, doling out the medications and monitoring Pea’s feeding habits. And, on occasion, Sweet Pea rewards her by bringing home a mole or a baby possum.


17. What do you see in the animal’s future?

A: Well, we’ve had her for ten years and estimate she is about twelve. In her present condition I don’t see any reason she can’t make it to twenty. And a dog could not be happier anywhere.


18. Is the author going to write another story that includes the animal? Or is this book part of a series?

A: Tears and Tales is not part of a series. But the author is working on a second animal book in which Sweet Pea appears again. He hopes to have this book out some time in 2009 as he has just completed his third book, Street Wise: Mafia Memoirs due out in August of this year.

Hunting the Egret by Bryn Colvin

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
‘Hunting The Egret’ is an erotic paranormal tale. Some of the eroticism is quite dark, exploring what happens when a BSM relationship becomes abusive. The book is set in Gloucestershire, England.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
My central character, Verity, is an odd soul. She doesn’t really connect very well with people and as a consequence pours her heart out to an aged hawthorn tree that grows near her house. However, the hawthorn tree does talk back, and Verity, being a rather magic creature herself, is able to hear that subtle voice.


3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
The hawthorn tree offers advice and companionship. Verity is a very lonely person, and this gentle voice makes a lot of difference in her life.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
I tend to write about loners and misfits. The trouble is, it’s difficult to explore a character if they don’t have people to interact with. I needed a few entities my heroine could interact with – aside from her rather peculiar family. The purpose of the hawthorn tree is to give Verity something to talk to in times of distress.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
Deep affection. However, there’s a lot you can’t do with a tree, and as the Hawthorn itself is keen to point out, she does need human contact as well.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
It’s not the kind of relationship where there could be problems.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
No.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
Not really. Although I am tempted by the idea of writing about dryads, so I might have a more central tree character one of these days.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
I have one or two friends who are trees. Seriously. I’ve always talked to trees myself. Visually this one’s inspired by a hawthorn I met in the Malvern Hills.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
For people who find the idea of talking trees hard to get to grips with, please do bear in mind this is a paranormal book, there’s a witch, a goddess, two shapeshifters… in which context talking trees may not seem so odd!

11 - Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

12 - What is the link to buy your book?
http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=28&products_id=337&zenid=e8fb5f33a911b999e381b72512589bd7

The Villain from Hunting the Egret

Who causes friction in the story? Without wanting to give away too much of the plot, there’s a very sadistic and controlling former lover on the loose.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals? I’ve said in previous contributions to this blog that gender matters less to me than convincing motivation. I try to give my villains a bit of depth, but this one is, admittedly, just a bit of a psycho.

How do you use your bad guys? In this tale, one of the characters has a history of being abused, and of willingly submitting to it. It’s by confronting the violent former lover that they are able to move away from that very damaging past.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult? I enjoy it – if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t be doing it. The trouble is, I’m far too good at it. The villain in ‘Hunting the egret’ is a truly horrible piece of work.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way? Probably says far too much about me – but I figure it’s better to write it than do it. I’m probably safer to be around for getting to turn my demons into stories. I have a very dark imagination, I’m capable of a lot of rage and righteous indignation, and worse. This way I get to vent it all and no one gets hurt.

Who is your favourite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in? Gardar in ‘On Borrowed Wings’ remains my favourite. He’s a singularly selfish and egotistical person, capable of making people fall in love with him even while he’s doing dreadful things to them. That said – this new villain has a certain something – the amorality, and again the selfishness and the unshakeable self confidence. One of the features of my bad guys is that they do tend to think they’re wonderful people and they don’t doubt themselves.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books? I remain very fond of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter books (although his status as a bad guy is complicated.) ‘Rebecca’ from Du Maurier’s book is an awesome villainess.

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

When I was working on ‘Hunting the Egret’ I consulted with BDSM author JJ Giles as to what kinds of things would be considered unacceptable behaviour by people in that community. She told me. What I’ve written in this book is very much not what most Doms would consider doing. This villain is a sadist and an abuser and not a representation of BDSM lifestyle.

Please provide your website link. http://www.brynneth.org.uk

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=28&products_id=337&zenid=e8fb5f33a911b999e381b72512589bd7

Qwana from The Last Priestess Series

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.: Qwana is the heroine of The Last Priestess trilogy set in ancient Peru. She is the last priestess to the Moon Goddess in a time when religion turned to sun worship. Those who worshiped the moon practiced a gentle, nurturing religion. Those who worshiped the sun practiced ritual sacrifices, terrorizing the populace of Loa, a city on the Nazca Plain.

What's her name? Qwana

Why did you pick that name? I have no idea. I was in a rock shop and the proprietor had a holey stone (it had a hole in it, considered to be very powerful by crystal enthusiasts) from her trip to South America on the counter. I picked it up and must have linked into the story at that point, because I was compelled to write this history about a woman who lived on the Nazca Plain and who became the last priestess in the temple of the Moon Goddess.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Qwana is beautiful in the eyes of her people: short, compactly built, with dark eyes and hair. Her nose is hooked, her skin is dark and she is dressed in fine, brightly colored garments woven from the wool of llamas and vicuna. Qwana would probably not be considered beautiful in our culture where thin, blonde beauties are the ideal.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Not really. Other than the fact she may have richer garments than the common woman of her time due to her special position, she looks like any woman who might have lived in that time and place.

Who does she love? Qwana loves the Moon Goddess and although she is the only young woman of her generation destined to serve in the temple of the moon, she believes it is the proper thing for her to do. She loves the two remaining elder priestesses: Aruz and Mix’la who taught her the rituals of the temple. She also loves Rowland, a visitor from the planet Deesa who has come to this world to see the wonders described by his father, who was also a galactic traveler. She also loves and protects a baby she found abandoned in the Andean foothills.

Does this person love her? In that culture, it was believed the Goddess loved all of her children. The two older priestesses love Qwana as their daughter and are proud of her, although they worry about her solitary state. Rowland, who grew up hearing stories about the wonders of Earth, loves Qwana from first meeting – although she resists his love – believing that she will betray the Goddess if she offers her life and love to the visitor from a world beyond the stars.

Tell us about her family. Qwana’s family does not figure into this tale, she is dedicated to the temple of the Moon from birth. Her “family” are the people who love and depend on her.

Where is she from? Qwana is born in Loa, a city situated on the Nazca Plain, near the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? The people of Qwana’s city have been swayed to the bloody rituals of the Sun God. They are mesmerized by Xilpu, the high priest of the temple of the Sun. Xilpu is cruel and practices a brutal religion that strips families of their young men and women who die in agony on the stones of the temple. He leads a virtual army of priests that he uses to keep the city in line.

Qwana believes that these bloody rituals are wrong, and while she is forced to witness these brutalities, she longs for a way for the people to be rid of the high priest who uses her as a sexual slave, even though the priestesses of the Moon are supposed to be virgin.

Qwana feels fear and horror at the way Xilpu treats those who follow the religion of the Sun God, but she is powerless to correct the situation and convince the people to return to the worship of the Moon. She wonders if the gentle religion will die if no new girl children are dedicated to follow her in the temple of the Moon.

When Rowland arrives from the planet Deesa, the high priest sends Qwana out on the plain to examine the fallen star, hoping she and her elders will die from exposure. Bewitched by the young priestess, Rowland follows her back to the city, where he witnesses the brutal rituals that honor the Sun God and swears he will release the people from their bondage to the religion that requires a sacrament of blood.

What does she want out of life? Qwana wants to do her duty and serve the Moon Goddess. She is dedicated to this task and believes it to be her life work. Although her initiatian vision indicates she will mate the condor, she believes this to be a prediction of her victory, and not the true ending her story reveals.

What's her biggest secret? Qwana is much stronger than she might have believed. She grows as she protects the elders as they flee from Loa and she comes to understand that true love is an appropriate thing for even the last priestess.

Did you write more than one story about her? Qwana’s story is told in three books: The Last Priestess, Nazca Star and Bride of the Condor.

How would she describe you? I imagine Qwana would see me as a sorceress who is able to record stories in strange boxes and send them out for the world to share. She would probably be shocked at the sort of clothing and lack of reverence exhibited by today’s woman.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Qwana is like all of us who are placed in difficult conditions and learn the true depths of our courage.

Please provide your website link. http://www.terrylwhite.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.ebooksonthe.net, or www.Amazon.com in the Kindle section. The Last Priestess Series are also available at Fictionwise, All Romance Ebooks, and other venues.

NOTE: This is a new edition of The Last Priestess story, and is available only as ebooks at this time

Hero from The Girl Who Fell

What’s his name?

Guile

Why did you pick that name?

A fair few of the names in my Estraguil setting have literal meanings. Guile tends to mean cunning – in a slightly pejorative way, but it also gives us ‘beguiling’ which he certainly is.

How does he look?

Guile has bright red hair, high cheekbones, an expressive mouth and large eyes. He’s lean and good looking, with a touch of innocence about him.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He has a forked tongue.

Who does he love? Why?

Guile loves his friends, and is drawn to the enigmatic Jehanne. He finds her mysterious, compelling, and beautiful.

Does this person love him?

Jehanne loves Guile’s musical trio.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Guile left his family to train as a musician. He went to Tirol as an apprentice when very young, and considers the trio to be his family.

Where is he from?

Guile is Strafian, a kith group that lives in the hills, farming and trading. They have a strong tradition of musicians and story tellers.

Does his hometown affect his behaviour, thoughts and attitude?

Being a Strafian, Guile prizes musicianship very highly indeed.

What does he want out of life?

Guile has no grand plans. He’s doing what he loves most and moves from one day to the next, taking it as it comes and making the best of it.

What’s his biggest secret?

Guile has no secrets. He’s open, honest and straight-forwards.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, nor do I feel any need to.

How would he describe you?

A decent enough musician with a good singing voice and a fair knack for creating stories.

Is there anything about your hero we need to know?

He has lost his memory.

Please provide a link to your website

http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

Best Friend From The Girl Who Fell

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
“The Girl Who Fell” is a fantasy novel, set the Forest of Estraguil.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
Guile has two dear friends, and the three of them play music together, traveling through the forest as bards. Tirol is the eldest of the three and has mentored the younger musicians. He’s stern and serious, and plays an instrument akin to a marimba, but made of bone. Luthian is melfate – neither masculine or feminine, but something else. A talented percussionist with a keen sense of humour and a compassionate nature.


3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
Guile is very much supported by his two close friends – the three of them support and aid each other.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
The trio create the musical magic that runs through the very heart of the narrative..

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
Deep friendship and attachment, which endures even when memory has been stripped away.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
With patience and a determination to find the right way through any conflict.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
There are, but I’m not prepared to post any plot spoilers!

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
No. ‘The Girl who Fell’ is a very self contained book and I don’t plan to revisit any of the characters in it.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
Not consciously, but the trio bear an uncanny resemblance to the band a friend of mine was in some years ago. The first gig of theirs I went to was very strange – because I knew them and had spent a couple of months writing about them, without having met them. I’d seen a few pictures, but they hadn’t been consciously on my mind when I was writing.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
Nothing I could add without giving too much away.

11 - Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

12 - What is the link to buy your book?
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml