Q+A with Jennifer W. Smith (The Forsaken Pearl)

Please welcome today's guest author, Jennifer W. Smith.  Jennifer is the author of the Broken Water series, including THE FORSAKEN PEARL.

Q+A with Jennifer Smith

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Jennifer:  I began writing stories at the young age of ten. For many years, I just dabbled in novel writing until I finished my debut novel, Flying Backwards, in 2015.

EJ:  What brought you to the fantasy genre?

Jennifer:  After writing a contemporary romance, Flying Backwards, I wanted to try writing something different. The Broken Water Series has fantasy, history, evolution theory, adventure and romance. The Rare Pearl: Book One is inspired by a local hotel in New Hampshire. The Wentworth-by-the-Sea hotel is over one-hundred years old and was almost torn down in the 1980s. When I was a kid, and the hotel was going through troubled times, the vacant building gave off a mysterious vibe and I’ve always wanted to write about it. So now it’s tied into the Broken Water series.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Jennifer:  Hmm, I’d like to be a Vampire if I could have eternal life with Robert Pattinson (from Twilight). Oh yeah!

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Jennifer:  The Forsaken Pearl: Book 2 is an easy read, but has an intertwining plot that is engaging and planned out. The characters have flaws and fears that they must overcome. While the adventure moves the story along, the story has historic tidbits and several mysteries along the way. Adding to the mixture, there is more than one forbidden romance. This series is for a broad audience—there’s something for everyone.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Jennifer:  When writing, I build a story board—I’m a visual person. Pinned there now is Robert Pattinson as Kodiak (surprise). For Harmony Parker, Chloe Grace Moretz is who I picture. And for the water god, Suijin, Jason Momoa’s god-like physique fits the bill!

The Forsaken Pearl (Broken Water #2) by Jennifer W. Smith.

Recruited to stabilize the duel realms, Harmony Parker is followed into the human world by her new husband. Kodiak left everything behind to be with his mix-blooded wife. He soon realizes he’s lost a vital part of himself caused by the portal crossing—his ability to remain underwater for an extended period of time. Adjusting to their new life tests their fragile relationship, especially when he is offered work on the Great Lakes expedition, ultimately leaving Harmony alone in the world once again.

In the alternate realm, Finn becomes chieftain. However, his old enemy Gale returns threatening to interfere with the peace between Finn’s tribe on Niagara Falls and the clans on the New England seacoast.  Gale schemes to abduct Harmony and force her to help Finn stop another foe—the Water God.

Evolution shifted in the realms over the last century, allowing a new race to emerge. The result has the Water God fascinated with Harmony and her unique abilities. Harmony is propositioned by the god, who she believes drowned her entire family. Harmony must choose her fate or risk losing those she loves most.

Release Date: September 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Thank you, Jennifer, for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Jennifer W. Smith and her books, please visit her website.

My Dragon Con 2016 Schedule

Here is my updated #DragonCon2016 schedule. 

11 panels!  An autograph session on Sunday!  Hope to see you there.

E.J. Stevens at #DragonCon2016

FRIDAY

Murder, Mystery, and Monsters
Fri 11:30 am Location: Westin Peachtree 1-2 (Length: 1 Hour)
Cherie Priest, E.J. Stevens, Mario Acevedo, Lois H. Gresh, Jonathan L. Howard, James R. Truck

Arrow - Out of the Darhkness
Fri 04:00 pm Location: M301-M303 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
Kevin Bachelder, E.J. Stevens, John Keegan, Angela Pritchett, Betsy Matteis

Essential Ingredients: Mystery & Suspense in UF
Fri 05:30 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
Mario Acevedo, David B. Coe, Melissa F. Olson, Jennifer St. Giles, Jeanne C. Stein, E.J. Stevens

XFiles Re-Start: What happened?
Fri 07:00 pm Location: Valdosta - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
E.J. Stevens, Henry Hanks, Sue Kisenwether

Chasing the Dragon: Addiction in the Victorian Era
Fri 10:00 PM Location: Mart2 204 J  (Length: 1 hour)
Cecilia Dominic, Austin Sirkin, Nico Murray, Sarah Hunter, E.J. Stevens

SATURDAY

Mystic Falls to the Big Easy: A Vampire Diaries/Originals Fan Panel
Sat 01:00 pm Location: Chastain I - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
Valerie Hampton, Jeanne C. Stein, E.J. Stevens, Zan Bowden, Lisa Harrison

Internet Marketing (for Authors): Conquering Social Media
Sat 5:30 pm Location: Hilton, Room 208-209 (Length: 1 Hour)
Sascha Illyvich, E.J. Stevens, Holly Bryant-Simpson, Nico Murray, Tyra Burton

Living with the Dead: Ghosts, Spirits & Necromancers in UF
Sat 10:00 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
Eric Asher, David B. Coe, Myle Cole, Leanna Renee Hieber, Jonathan L. Howard, E.J. Stevens

SUNDAY

Race for the Cup: A Shadowhunters Fan Panel
Sun 01:00 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
Valerie Hampton, Tamsin L. Silver, Fr. Brian Small, E.J. Stevens

Autograph Session
Sun 04:00 pm Location: International Hall South - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
E.J. Stevens, James A. Moore, Christopher Golden, Delilah S. Dawson, Travis Heermann

MONDAY

Jessica Jones - Dealing with your Demons
Mon 01:00 pm Location: M301-M303 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
Henry Hanks(Moderator), Sue Kisenwether, Betsy Matteis, Wendy Hembrock, E.J. Stevens

The End of the Line: A Lost Girl Fan Panel
Time: Mon 02:30 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
Carol Malcolm(Moderator), Kevin Bachelder, Valerie Hampton, E.J. Stevens, Jean Marie Ward, Zan Bowden, Annie Smith

With panels on the Horror track, Urban Fantasy track, Alternate History track, American Sci-Fi and Fantasy Media track, Electronic Frontiers Forum, and X track there will be many opportunities to see me at Dragon Con this year.

See you in Atlanta!

Birthday Bash Giveaway

I'm celebrating my birthday with a giveaway.  Let's party!

Birthday Bash Giveaway

Win a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card and signed Ivy Granger series postcard.

To enter, leave a comment below and include your email address so I may contact you if you win.  This giveaway is international (a $5.00 book from The Book Depository can be substituted for a gift card).  Giveaway ends September 9, 2016 midnight EST.

Q+A with Levi Black (Red Right Hand)

Please welcome today's guest, Levi Black, author of RED RIGHT HAND.

Q+A with Levi Black

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Levi:  2009 was the year I decided I could write a book. I'd read a book that didn't come close to living up to its hype and said: “I can write better shit than that.” and proceeded to google: how do you write a novel. The search took me to Lilith Saintcrow's blog where she had a series of essays about real life writing advice. I devoured her blog and realized I could indeed write a book. So I did. That book became my first sale. (It wasn't RED RIGHT HAND.)

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Levi:  A lifelong fascination with all things spooky, weird, and occult. Even as a child I read books I wasn't supposed to and that led me to many lurid books because of their lurid covers, including a string of occult and ghost novels from the 70's and into the 80's.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Levi:  Immortality. With immortality all other things are possible. You can accumulate wealth, knowledge, lovers, almost anything your heart desires.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Levi:  I give you all the creeps of Lovecraft without the dreary pacing of Lovecraft. This is a Lovecraftian horror novel with urban fantasy pacing. It's bloody, violent, intense, and scary.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Levi:  This is a tough one.

For Charlie I like Daisy Ridley because she killed it as Rey in the new Star Wars. Rey and Charlie have a lot in common and she could bring both the terror and the toughness needed. I know she's a hot commodity in hollywood, having been in a huge franchise blockbuster, but she is my honest choice.

The Man In Black is far tougher. Casting the Crawling Chaos is not easy.  I'd say Idris Elba, but he's much bigger than I imagine the Man In Black to be, but those acting chops are on point. I'd also give the nod to Zachary Quinto because he definitely can pull off the sinister snark of the Man In Black.

But really, in my head, the Man In Black is always Nick Cave. Yes he is a musician, and the singer of the song that inspired the title RED RIGHT HAND, but he has the jangly, loose-limbed swagger I see the Man In Black having.

Red Right Hand by Levi Black

Charlie Tristan Moore isn't a hero. She's a survivor. On a night when her demons from the past are triggered, she arrives home to something even more harrowing-an attack by three monstrous skinhounds, creatures straight out of nightmares. She fights but is outmatched. Just as hope seems lost, in sweeps The Man In Black, a rescuer even more monstrous and unlikely, dressed in a long, dark coat that seems to have a life of its own and with a black-bladed sword held in his terrible, red right hand.

Her rescue comes at a cost. She must become his new Acolyte and embrace a dark magick she never knew she had inside her. To ensure she gives it her all, he takes her friend and possible love, Daniel, in thrall as a hostage to her obedience. The Man in Black, a Lovecraftian chaos god, claims to be battling his brethren gods, other horrors who are staging an incipient apocalypse. But is he truly the lesser of all evils or merely killing off the competition? Either way, will Charlie be strong enough to save herself, Daniel, and possibly the entire world?

Release Date: July 26, 2016 from Tor Books
Genre: Horror, Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Red Right Hand Giveaway

Update: This giveaway has ended. Thank you to all who entered.

Temporary Price Drop: SHADOW SIGHT 99 Cent Sale

Grab your 99 cent copy of Shadow Sight and enter an award-winning urban fantasy world filled with bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.

Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #1) by E.J. Stevens

Winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel and finalist for Best Urban Fantasy Series.

Welcome to Harborsmouth, where monsters walk the streets unseen by humans...except those with second sight, like Ivy Granger.

Some things are best left unseen...

Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills--most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client--until a demon walks through their door.

Demons are never a good sign...

A demon attorney representing the water fae? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.

There's blood in the water...

Kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie faerie this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.

The lesser of two evils...

Shadow Sight is the first novel in the bestselling, award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. The world of Ivy Granger, including the Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series and the Hunters' Guild series, is filled with bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.

Regular Price: $3.99
Today's Price: $0.99

99 Cent Award-Winning Urban Fantasy

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | iTunes

*This is book is Whispersync for Voice ready.  If you purchase the Kindle edition for 99 cents, Amazon and Audible will team up to give you the audiobook for only $1.99.*

Happy reading!