GUEST AUTHOR: Shona Husk

Today I welcome fellow-DarkSider, Shona Husk, to my blog.

A civil designer by day and an author by night, Shona lives in Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean.

Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn't looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold--sometimes literally.

With stories ranging from sensual to scorching, she is published with Ellora's Cave, Samhain Publishing, Carina Press and Sourcebooks.

Hi Shona, it's great to have you here. My readers would love to know a little bit more about you.
I write paranormal and fantasy romance and in my spare time I’m a civil designer (I design and draft roads and drainage).

I grew up reading fantasy novels and stumbled onto romance by accident as an adult, combining the two seemed like a great idea and I happily devoured many paranormal romances before writing my own.

What sparks your creativity?
Anything can spark an idea, from a picture in a magazine to specific periods in history, mythology—even a picture on a tarot card.

Can you tell us about your latest release (and share the gorgeous cover!!!)?
THE GOBLIN KING is the first in a trilogy featuring cursed Celtic heroes and their journey back to being human and finding love. 

Cursed by a Druid millennia ago, Roan lives a bleak existence in the Shadowlands, desperately trying to retain his soul and not succumb to the goblin horde. When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?

There is a short free e-prequel The Summons, which was released on August 1.

The Summons: A Goblin King Prequel is the very first time Eliza calls Roan and while it is mentioned in the THE GOBLIN KING to see what happens that first time you’ll have to read the prequel :)

What is it about your characters that made you want to tell their stories?
I love a dark and damaged hero, and Roan is wounded in so many ways. It was also interesting to explore how a man cursed nearly 2000 years ago has been changed by what he’s seen and done.

Eliza, the heroine, has to let go of her fairy tale ideas about who the Goblin King is and either run from, or face, the reality.

I love world-building, particularly settings. Can you share a few fun facts about the geographic locations where your novel takes place?

• Part of the story takes place in the Shadowlands, the place where nightmares are born and goblins roam, seeking battle and gold.
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• The Shadowlands can’t exist without the Summerland which is where dreams are made. They are two sides of the same world.
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• The river in the Shadowlands moves so it can’t be used as a fixed point of reference.
   
• The only fixed point is Roan’s rock spire castle.
   
• Goblins don’t need to eat…but they are partial to eating any person unfortunate enough to be kidnapped over winter solstice (the only time when they can cross into our world, the Fixed Realm)

How cool! I love that the location of the river is not fixed. Are there any particular settings or sorts of characters you'd like to use in a future book?
I had great fun creating a Western style fantasy world for DARK VOW (Carina Press, November 14 2011). There’s magic and guns and vampiric horses and a very reluctant hero. I’m looking forward to going back there for a couple more stories.

So, what's next for you? What are you working on?
In 2012 there will be two more goblin books, KISS OF THE GOBLIN PRINCE  and FOR THE LOVE OF A GOBLIN WARRIOR.

And I’m working on the last two Lucinda’s Lover stories (Vampire rock stars). And in January 2012 BRIGHTWATER BLOOD  (also known as my naked were-lion in Margaret River story) is released with Samhain Publishing.

Now for the really fun part! Shona has a lovely give-away prize pack (some sticky notes, bookmarks and bead earrings) for one lucky person (local or international) who leaves a comment or question for her today.

You have until noon Monday, 19th Sept. (Aussie time) to do this and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, 20th Sept.

Shona's other books (and an alternate cover for THE GOBLIN KING):

You can visit Shona's website here.