supernatural – Maria Gibbs

Books, Life, Self-publishing, Uncategorized

West Midlands Attending Author Interview: Catherine Green

January 28, 2017 gibbsdream

1. Can we start with your name and where you’re from?

My name is Catherine Green, aka SpookyMrsGreen: The Pagan Housewife, and I am from Cheshire, UK. Originally, I come from the Staffordshire Moorlands.

2. Most authors love reading, is this true for you and if so who was/is your inspiration?

Of course I love reading, always have done! My early inspiration came from authors including Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl. As I grew older I discovered Judy Blume, LJ Smith and Anne Rice. More recently my inspiration comes from Laurell K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.

3. What genre do you write in or do you cross over into many?

I write paranormal romance and contemporary English Gothic. My stories are primarily romance and stories about what happens when you fall in love, but my characters usually turn out to be supernatural or magical in some way. It just happens! I do have some humans in the stories as well…

4. If you could take any character from someone else’s book and make him/her your own creation who would it be and why?

I wouldn’t like to take on another author’s character, but I do admire Anita Blake from the author Laurell K. Hamilton. She is a heroine, but she has many flaws, and these are explored and even worked on throughout the series, which I think is important. I don’t like my book characters to be perfect, it gets boring that way!

5. When did you first start writing?

I have been writing since the first time I learned to form words. As a child I would copy out pages of prose from my favourite story books simply because I loved the act of writing, and the way my writing flowed across the page. As I grew older I wrote diaries (journals), and eventually I began to dabble in short stories and poems. My novel writing only began about eight years ago.

6. Do you plan every inch of your books or do you just let the words flow?

Oh no, I’m too impatient for that! I tried planning my first novel, Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), and I still occasionally refer to my character notes and location details if I get confused with my current manuscript. But I am what we refer to as a “pantser” – I write by the seat of my pants, typing away furiously and seeing what happens. Then I tidy up the writing later.

7. Who is your favourite character and why? (your own character)

Hmm, that’s a tricky one because I love them all! Alright, I do secretly have a favourite: Marcus Scott. He appears in my very first novel, Love Hurts, and he was only supposed to be a minor support character. He is a vampire, friends with the Mason brothers, and he develops a fixation with my heroine, Jessica Stone (read the books to find out why!). Marcus Scott became very insistent while I was writing the first three Redcliffe novels, and eventually I gave in and wrote his story, which was published as The Darkness of Love. He became a vampire during the late 1800s, on the whim of his Lord and Master on an English country estate.

8. Was there an event in your life that triggered a particular book, or even a scene in a book? If so what was the book and what was the event?

My books are really a collection of memories and experiences with added supernatural twists. The main theme throughout all my stories is the entity of being in love, and what it means to love another person. I have a very passionate relationship with my husband and we have been together since we were teenagers. A lot of our personal drama has appeared in my novels in some guise or other, along with themes I have observed from my peers.

9. Are you working on anything at the moment? If so can you share any tasty morsels?

Oh yes, lots of things! Let me see… Well primarily I am working on the final three books in the Redcliffe novels series. Jessica Stone has transitioned fully into the person she was supposed to be, and now she and her spirit animal are learning their place in the Redcliffe werewolf pack.

In other news, I am working on a series of novels set in and around the North West of England featuring vampire hunters and their adventures. One is about a vampire hunter who lives on a narrowboat and takes on a hit that unravels some very deep, very dark and very surprising secrets about herself and her occasional work partner. If angels and demons are your thing, you might like to read this one…

I have a first draft of a novel about a retired vampire hunter who is married with young children when she is persuaded to return to her old job for one last target – the female vampire that almost killed her ten years previously. She must hide her previous identity from her husband in order to protect her family, but of course it never works out that way, does it?

And then we have Hunting the Hunted. This is almost ready for publication, and might even lend itself to a sequel, I haven’t decided yet. This one follows the story of a vampire called Frederick James who haunts the old tunnels beneath Manchester city centre. He is targeted by a group of hunters, but they struggle to capture him when he meets a witch who entraps him in a love affair before revealing the true nature of his intentions. This novel has strong homosexual themes and is a bit more experimental for me as a writer. I like it!

10. What one piece of advice would you give to someone starting out?

Always be positive. When you feel the urge to write, just do it, and don’t worry about the consequences. If you decide to share your work with the world then fabulous, but be prepared for a long and arduous journey on your quest for fame and fortune. Ultimately, we write because we have to. It is in our nature.

11. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Mostly I wrangle children! I have two daughters, one aged 6 and one aged 3, so they keep me busy. We also have a big soft dog and two pet turtles. When I’m not desperately trying to tidy my messy house, I like to indulge in hobby crafts, mainly card making. My current obsession is craft stamps, but I also enjoy decoupage. I am also a Tarot reader, and am doing a Tarot reading every day for my #365DaysofTarot challenge. I plan to compile a non-fiction book with the results when it is finished.

12. What is the hardest part of the whole writing, editing, marketing process for you?

Definitely marketing. It is such a complicated, huge and confusing task. Where do we start? Who do we advertise to? How do we advertise to them? I am still exploring this one, so I will get back to you with an answer eventually (I hope!)

13. We all have those friends or family members who make sweeping statements about our writing or the process, which is your particular bug bear?

I don’t really have a bug bear because truthfully my friends and family don’t discuss my writing all that much. We are often too busy being consumed by the demands of the children and whatever domestic crisis is taking centre stage. I sort of get on with it quietly in the background.

14. What is your idea of happiness?

Happiness to me is an equal partnership between myself and my husband, where our parental duties are shared and I am free to work on my craft without hurrying or having to stop for mealtimes and bedtime routines etc. You’ve probably guessed that I am still struggling to achieve that balance!

15. For this one I want you to showcase your creativity by painting me a picture, with words, of your ideal setting to write in.

My personal library is a room at the back of my house. It is average size, square, with French doors opening out onto a picturesque garden where colourful flowers bloom in the borders, and my children play happily on the lawn. I have a Victorian antique desk to the left of the French doors, on which sits my laptop, notebooks, printer and coffee mug. Two of the walls are lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and in front of the Victorian fireplace sits a small, velvet sofa on which I can rest and read when I need a break. The polished floorboards are covered with a soft rug, and the colour scheme is a mixture of muted purples and greens.

How does that sound?

Lovely (me)

16. What makes you laugh/cry?

My children, my husband and my dog mostly.

17. You’re stranded on a desert island and you can take three men/women who would they be and why? This can be practical or purely sexual in nature.

Ooh, I haven’t thought about that! I might say I will just take my husband for now, because at least then I would get some quality time with him.

18. What is your most annoying habit?

Impatience! I cannot wait for things to happen, I always try and hurry them along. It doesn’t always work, and I am trying to calm down a bit and let things happen naturally.

19. Please tell me about your books?

Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) is about a young woman who runs a bookshop in Cornwall with her best friend. She falls in love with a local police detective and later discovers that he is a vampire, and that his identical twin brother is a werewolf. She is dragged into their complicated and dangerous lives, to her detriment, where secrets are told and lives are lost…

Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) is book 2 in the developing Redcliffe series. In the quiet Cornish seaside town of Redcliffe, Jessica Stone recovers from an horrific werewolf attack and comes to terms with revelations that her lover, Jack Mason, is a vampire, his brother, Danny, the werewolf pack leader, and her best friend, Simon, is a werewolf. Add to that her discovery that she is a witch, and life is suddenly a whole lot harder than it used to be. Jessica has to fight for her own life and Jack’s when faced with his jealous vampire master who wants her old lover back. But things are never easy, and a vampire master is not so easy to defeat…

Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) – Life has changed forever in Redcliffe, Cornwall. Jessica Stone used to be a normal, happy human. Now she is an angry, conflicted and confused witch. It all happened when she met Detective Jack Mason and his identical twin brother Danny. Jessica almost died twice, fell into a love triangle, and she became a murderer. Now she faces the ultimate challenge as she continues the fight to save the man she loves, while simultaneously struggling with her lust for his werewolf brother and their vampire friend. Can she survive, or will love finally end her life completely?

The Darkness of Love – Lord Gregory Stockton is a powerful and respected businessman embracing the modern era of the Victorian industrial revolution. He has a grand and beautiful manor house complete with a repertoire of servants, and his young wife is charming, attractive, and the perfect lady to his gentleman. The only thing they lack is an heir to the family estate. Lord Gregory knows he can never produce a child, for he is a vampire, although his wife and servants know nothing of his secrets. There are other ways to provide heirs for his estate, however, and Lord Gregory has noticed the romantic attraction between his wife and the young stable hand Marcus Scott. He hatches a plan to bring the would-be lovers together, and then cruelly tear them apart as he continues to build his empire and secure his power base in the south of England. The humans are pawns in the vampire’s game of lust, love and control.

The Vampire of Blackpool – The vampire, the witch, and the hunter battle it out in a contemporary Gothic adventure in Northern England.

Meredith Hanson lives in Blackpool, the former Victorian holiday hotspot of Northern England. She masquerades as a reclusive author, feeding on the blood of unsuspecting tourists without remorse. Her life takes on new meaning when she meets a young witch in a local pub one evening. Despite Meredith’s cold demeanour, she finds herself oddly fascinated with Samantha Morris, and falls into an accidental relationship with the girl. It is at this time that a vampire hunter arrives in Blackpool. He is tough, he is determined, and his next target is an ancient vampire that has been spotted in the tourist town. He intends to bring her down and destroy her to save the lives of innocent humans.

Will he succeed? Or will the experienced vampire seductress be the cause of his undoing?

My Vampire Boyfriend: A Redcliffe Short Story Anthology – The pretty seaside town of Redcliffe in Cornwall is a popular location for holidaymakers during the summer season. It has good waves for surfing, good pubs for socialising, and a vibrant tourist industry. It is also home to a hidden werewolf pack, and several vampires and witches, who all live within human society, pretending to be just like the rest of us.

Bookshop owner Jessica Stone used to be one of those humans. Then she met Detective Jack Mason and his twin brother, Danny. They took her on a wild adventure that shows no sign of slowing down. Now she is deeply embedded with the vampires and werewolves, and learning the power of their lust, and a magnetic attraction that is just too hard to ignore. She is also learning about her own true heritage, and how to feed her desires and satisfy her powerful animal familiar that resides within.

This anthology contains adult themes, and scenes of a sexual nature.
20. Lightning round
Tea or Coffee? – Coffee
Cash or credit? – Cash
Cats or Dogs? – Dogs
Beach or Mountain? – Beach
Summer or Winter – Spring!
Sweet or Savoury – Sweet
Early riser or late riser? – Late riser
Morning or Night? – Night
Christmas Tree – real or fake? – Fake
Sex – Lights on or off? – Lights on!

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions.
Please leave Facebook, Twitter, Website links so we can check you out further.

Author of British paranormal romance series The Redcliffe Novels, Catherine Green was raised on books from a young age, and has happy memories of Saturday mornings spent in her small local library, devouring the contents of the shelves. Catherine has always been fascinated by the supernatural world, and it feels natural for her to write about vampires, werewolves, witches and other mystical creatures in her contemporary stories.

If you sign up to Catherine’s newsletter, she will send you a free copy of her Redcliffe short story, It’s Complicated, to introduce you to her fictional supernatural seaside town in Cornwall, England.

More recently, Catherine released her contemporary English Gothic novel, The Vampire of Blackpool. These novels will show you the darker, sexier side of our favourite British seaside resorts!

You can find Catherine in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpookyMrsGreen

Author blog: http://www.catherinegreenauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/SpookyMrsGreen

The Pagan Housewife Blog: http://spookymrsgreen.com/

Books, Life, Uncategorized

West Midlands Attending Author: Holly J. Gill

January 15, 2017January 14, 2017 gibbsdream

1.Can we start with your name and where you’re from?

My name is Holly, I’m from Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire

2. Most authors love reading, is this true for you and if so who was/is your inspiration?

Yes, I love reading. I have always read since being a child, paperbacks and now my Kindle is full and the paperbacks I have now, are signed and stay grease free.

I never had any particular authors who inspired me as they all did. I read so many genres, including the gippy ones the teachers use to pull out.

3. What genre do you write in or do you cross over into many?

I guess I should say, it depends what genre my mind is working on. At The moment all my current published works are erotica, as that is where I initially started. However, my mind started wondering and has taken me to genre’s I never expected I would write, romance, supernatural, action thriller, ghost…if my mind is thinking it, it will write it.

4. If you could take any character from someone else’s book and make him/her your own creation who would it be and why?

Gosh I truly have no idea. I have read so many amazing books, it’s too hard to choose.

5. When did you first start writing?

I started writing when I was about 7 or 8 years old. The only time the teacher got my attention was when she said essay. I loved my imagination taking over. I recalled in my English class when I was 13 or so, the teacher (who was a cowbag) told me off for handing in an essay of 30 pages, she said ‘next time only give me 5.’ I hated her, I thought teachers were meant to encourage students. I guess not. Anyway after that, I handed in 5 pages and once marked went home to finish it.

My first ever novel was written, handwritten might I add called ‘Full of Surprises’ a cute sweet romance, back when I was 16 and I still have it to hand now.

6. Do you plan every inch of your books or do you just let the words flow?

I allow the words to flow. I have an idea where the book is going, but nine times out of ten it will turn. Wowzers! I never saw that coming. I just allow the characters to tell me where and what they won’t me to write.

7. Who is your favourite character and why? (your own character)

Hmm, I am not sure I can answer this question. It’s a cruel question as I love all my character even the badass. If I was really to say…gosh…Holly in All That We Are, why, because she in some respects is telling a story of me. Her character lacks confidence. She hides behind her laptop, keeps herself at a distance of anyone and hates any form of confrontations. And there is also a scene of bullying in there which is true, to each and every word. I had a little cry after I wrote it, no one should ever go through such acts, ever.

8. Was there an event in your life that triggered a particular book, or even a scene in a book? If so what was the book and what was the event?

For me I guess all my novels are my autobiography, there is something in them all that has stolen a little snippet of my life. The worst one for me is in All That We Are regarding the bullying and how that affected my adulthood. For me when writing the scene through the tears, brought it all back, some would say why write it, because to me it was like a sense of relief, sharing a part of me and possibly getting the message across that bullying isn’t acceptable, do something about it, don’t dwell as it will only hurt more.

9. Are you working on anything at the moment? If so can you share any tasty morsels?

I’m currently working on four books, one I’m writing an action erotica thriller which appears to be my favorite genre at the moment.

I have one book I had to take down from publication is with an editor called Innocence BK 1. This book is a romance, and a little taster, Two pasts, one direction. When pain hits full force. Emotions run high. Guilt and protection. Can two hearts hold it together?

Book 2 is awaiting an editor, booked for March called Destiny BK 1. Sexy Erotic Billionaire Romance. Taster, Destiny is a girl who wants for nothing! Compromise Mr. Wright, compromise.

Book 3 is awaiting the editor, booked for June called Target, Scar Lover series BK 1. Action Erotic Thriller. Taster, He was sent to kill her, only instead unearthed more problems.

10. What one piece of advice would you give to someone starting out?

Write to enjoy it. Write for it to be a hobby. Write what you want to write. Never give up, keep writing. Don’t allow anyone to spoil your illusions. Write the first manuscript in draft, then leave and go back and polish, re-write, make it better, stronger and fuller. Stalk authors, get yourself on social media, talk to authors, that is what I did, and even today I reach out for a little help. We are a great community, yes we can get some nastiness, but generally we are all there doing the same thing, getting our work promoted.

11. What do you do when you’re not writing?

I have a part-time job as a care assistant in a residential and nursing home so that takes care of two days working 12 hour shifts. I am a nana to twins a girl and boy who I see as regular as possible. I enjoy reading, spending time with family, going camping in the summer months and visiting places in the UK.

12. What is the hardest part of the whole writing, editing, marketing process for you?

Editing, I loathe it especially as I cannot see the errors. I intend to sink back into the characters and pulling myself out can be tricky. Authors told me to step away. Leave the book for a year or so…doesn’t work I still end up back in their minds and bodies. This is why I hire editors as trust me I need it.

Marketing is a nightmare. It rather daunting at times, you write the book, find a good editor, get it proofread and then start arranging the formatting, and boom hit the big button…and you start hitting social media, crying out to all those bloggers. It’s hard work, and even more so to get it out there.

Will I ever give up…no. I love allowing my imagination to do its stuff, giving up isn’t an option.

13. We all have those friends or family members who make sweeping statements about our writing or the process, which is your particular bug bear?

I’m lucky, I think a majority of my fans I work with they are just brilliant, all so supportive and buy my books. At my last place of work, one woman did suggest telling me her life story and wanted me to write about it…I don’t think so. I think because people think your write stories that you would like to write theirs…nope I have enough people screaming in my head without your story, which isn’t all that exciting.

My family and friends are very supportive, well my hubby has to be he, he’s my assistant for the book signings, at least my muscle man.

14. What is your idea of happiness?

To always be a naughty woman, who is well known for making rude gestures from nothing. Live life to the full and be who you want to be. I don’t worry about much, as life is too short.

15. For this one I want you to showcase your creativity by painting me a picture, with words, of your ideal setting to write in.

Large room, sofa bed, desk with draws, book shelves, chair, notice board, images of characters staring at me, a wall decorated in my published works and another wall with my family, walls can be white and wooden flooring with a rug under my feet.

In a corner would be a desk with draws underneath, in oak. The desk will sit my laptop in the center. My glasses, notepad and dictionary will be to my right and my kindle, headphones, phone on silent with fruit and bottles of juice to my left. To the right a large window with blinds to block out the dazzling sunlight in white and white curtains. And between the window and wall to my right fixed book shelves where I can easily reach for research.

In front of me above my laptop will be a notice board in shabby chic, with pins with ideas and inspiration and other possible ideas that spring to my mind.

I will also have at the far side more book shelves with swag, signed books and a list of names and contacts when looking for promotional ideas, which will also contain all the links to where my books are published.

The far wall would have pictures of my family, grandbabies and below a sofa bed where I can go and relax and read my kindle or sneak a snooze.

One the left wall will be my book covers in all their glory.

The lighting will be variable, depending on what I am doing, reading my kindle would be a small lamp in the corner and when writing a bright light so I’m not squinting. I will also have a Bluetooth speaker if needed to help with inspiration when ideas might run dry.

16. What makes you laugh/cry?

For me, bullying, child cruelty and hearing a baby has died, it breaks my heart.

17. You’re stranded on a desert island and you can take three men/women who would they be and why? This can be practical or purely sexual in nature.

This is going to sound drab but my hubby, Nigel. He is amazing at knowing what to do when stranded, he would know what to do in every department, how to build things, go hunting and how to please me. He is always watching programs where people are dumped and left to survive. For entertainment my hubby as he knows me, he knows what I like and would protect me from anything, well sort of unless he gets hungry and decided to eat me lol.

18. What is your most annoying habit?

I’ll ask my hubby…he said, ‘I cannot cook.” I hate cooking lol!

19. Please tell me about your books?

Desires the series, there are 5 books up to date. This series is about a sex club, an exclusive club where you can go and enjoy your erotic side without being judged. The series tells us the story of a couple, Stacie and Dan. Stacie is the guest who is seeking confidence sexually after being in a bad relationship. Dan the sex worker a serious hot toy boy is her tutor, and well he teaches all she needs to now and more. Heck, he blew me away, the cutie. The series also brings in a scorned woman, jealous of the couple and spends most of her miserable time trying to spilt Stacie and Dan up.

All That We Are, this book is about a promoter called Holly who starts talking on social media to Ashton Noir, who is a bestselling author. They start talking, building up a friendship and helping in areas where they both lack confidence. This is an internet love story which in the author world I bet has happened.

Lightning round
Tea or Coffee? Tea
Cash or credit? Credit
Cats or Dogs? Neither
Beach or Mountain? Beach
Summer or Winter? Summer
Sweet or Savoury? Sweet
Early riser or late riser? Early
Morning or Night? Morning
Christmas Tree – real or fake? Fake
Sex – Lights on or off? On.