These authors are part of a blog group I'm affiliated with, called the Dark Side DownUnder. The site is aimed at showcasing all things speculative fiction - articles, authors, books, spotlights on... and contests/giveaways. You can find out more about DSDU here.
My good friend, Peta Crake is the Dark Sider in the hot seat today!
Growing up, did you have an interest in the paranormal, Peta?
Most definitely.
I loved hearing my grandparents and parents talk about encounters with ghosts (doorknobs turning when there was no one there, a figure standing at the end of the bed) and all those television shows looking at weirdness like the Loch Ness Monster or the Bermuda Triangle.
Although I read most genres, well anything I could get my hands on really, I was always drawn to fairy tales, mythology and fantasy. I can't count the number of times I read "The Folk of the Faraway Tree" by Enid Blyton.
As for television, after Sesame Street and Playschool, one of the earliest shows I can remember watching is Dr Who. Then there was also Blake's Seven, Catweezle, Logan's Run, Greatest American Hero, Tomorrow People and the original Battlestar Galactica (I know some of them are more sci-fi but they all drag your imagination into "what if?" territory).
What drew you to write in the paranormal romance genre?
Twilight! Yep, you read it correctly, the home of sparkly vampires and hot young werewolves.
I had never come across paranormal romance until I watched Twilight which lead to the discovery of the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris.
I then had a reading binge of epic proportions wherein I devoured every paranormal romance and urban fantasy book I could get my hands on...nothing was safe. I think the library and local bookshop quaked in fear when I approached at the prospect of running out of stock.
It suddenly twigged that this was what I was supposed to write. I put my fantasy novel to the side (it was my learner book and will probably never see the light of day) and started on what became my debut novel, Harbinger. At the same time I also wrote my next book, REVELRY, which was out last month (August 2013).
In your books, what sorts of characters or themes do you like to write about?
A lot of my heroines (all of them if my critique group are to be believed) have severe commitment issues. They are strong, independent and will soldier on in adversity until they can go no further. I would call them "low maintenance" and they tend not to be looking for a partner hence the men who do walk into their lives have to work extra hard to earn their love.
Fav. paranormal TV series: Haven or if we are talking fantasy as well, Game of Thrones.
Which paranormal romance author would you just love to meet in person? Sherrilyn Kenyon or the husband and wife team known as Illona Andrews.
Most intriguing paranormal creature: Can I say the heroine of the story I am currently writing? She is a bakeneko (Japanese mythological creature, a spirit cat)?
Fav. paranormal movie: Underworld
Keeper paranormal romance series/books: Too many for my bookcases. Anything by Keri Arthur, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Illona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs....
Which would you prefer - transporter, TARDIS or immortality: TARDIS of course. Transporters are limited in their usage and immortality is just plain depressing.
HARBINGER
As a messenger for the all-powerful and sometimes frightening gods, suburban Aussie girl Ophelia Lind is used to being at their beck and call. When gorgeous demigod Aden moves into her neighbourhood and starts taking advantage of her services, she believes life could not get any worse.
She's about to be proven very wrong.
Without warning an odious creature - evil incarnate - begins to stalk her. Ophelia is accustomed to adventures and scrapes but this is different. Even Aden, finds it difficult to protect her. Suddenly Ophelia is in a battle for survival and begins to question everything - her upbringing, her identity and her true feelings for the alluring and entirely frustrating Aden.
After spending nearly a decade living in Japan and revelling in its culture, she turned her hand to writing.
Now living back in Australia with a husband, two kids, a cuddle-addicted cat, and a thoroughly confused dog, she writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance full of strong sassy heroines, surprising heroes and disturbed side-kicks.
Peta's latest release:
Fate brought her to Ridgewood, fate or really bad luck...
Revelry Bell is tired. Tired of running, tired of being alone and tired of jumping at shadows. All she wants is to settle somewhere safe and quiet, but doubts that will ever be possible, not while her pack and its sadistic leader are still hunting her. With her cash supply dwindling and a stomach so empty it echoes, she jumps at the offer of a job and accommodation in the small town of Ridgewood.
It would be perfect, except for the high number of shifters in town and the presence of Connor Blythe. The man is everything she is trying to avoid - a wolf shifter like her.
When she stumbles across some corpses on Connor's land, Revelry needs to decide if she should follow her instincts and trust the man everyone else has deemed guilty, even if it means losing her precious freedom or her life.
You can find out more about Peta on her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
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Peta, I think we're long lost twins. Though we have a confused cat, not dog lol.
ReplyDeleteI've been lucky and have met Sherrilyn Kenyon (the ARRA convention a few years back).
Also enjoy Haven and have been following the new season with trepidation and joy (that they seem so far to be keeping from any shark jumping).
*whispers* we won't tell The Husband for the purposes of that selection I too would go a TARDIS.