Paranormal Week In Review:
Day 8 of the 2013 Paranormal Week spotlights a series that I just started reading recently and so far it’s incredibly addictive. Caged, book 1, starts with a girl waking up able to see for the very first time in her life. She’s alone, in the forest and covered in blood. I mean, if that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will! The story that ensues is one of action, drama, twists and turns that leaves you desperately wanting more.
This is the synopsis of book 1, Caged.
I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality.
I was too.
After the death of her parents, Ruby awakens from a lifetime of shadows and finds herself alone, thrust into a world of lies, deceit, betrayal and the supernatural.
As her quest for truth continues to come up short, she realizes that maybe some questions really are best left unanswered.
When her true identity is finally unveiled, she is forced to choose between two of the mysterious men who continually seem to crop up in her life.
She chooses poorly.
Now abandoned, Ruby must learn to call on the darkness within to survive, or spend a hellish eternity imprisoned because of it.
I love the mystery that surrounds the story. It’s so evident that there’s so much more to uncover, so much action yet to come. I really love Sean – he’s mysterious and possessive and clearly powerful and I really want to know more about him. Ruby is a feisty heroine who I hope will continue to develop and grow… she’s so new to the supernatural world she’s now a part of and you just know she’s not going to take all the drama sitting down. She’s fierce and outspoken and I love that about her. I am really looking forward to consuming the rest of this series!
Contemporary Romances have been quite popular for
a while now and have been very successful for many authors.
It’s also been said that perhaps the time for paranormal has passed. What are your thoughts on this and why do you enjoy
writing about the supernatural?
I think there’s never a bad time for a great book. If you write it, they will come 😉 I write paranormal because that’s how I think, which doesn’t say much for my mental status, does it? Perhaps therapy is in order…
Tell us about the Caged Series!
CAGED is my baby. It’s where this wild ride started for me, and regardless of where the writing journey takes me, it will always be my favorite.
It embodies urban fantasy as a genre and is packed with action, mystery, sarcasm, very real characters (who grow tremendously throughout the series), and romance. I guess if you enjoy even some of those things, you’ll likely enjoy the books.
This past summer, you released Tarnished and Strayed is next in the series. What can you tell us about Strayed? Any idea on release timing yet?
STRAYED is where everything regarding the series’ arc starts to come to light. It is riddled with answers that readers have been dying for but is still peppered with more probing questions, potential villains, and more twists than you could imagine.
…I do love a good twist 😉
As for a release date, I have nothing concrete. I have to turn a rough draft of another novel into my publisher by December 31st, so that is my top priority at the moment.
How many total books are planned?
There are 7 full novels and 2 novellas (which are not adjuncts or additional reading; they’re part of the main story).
When writing a paranormal story, you have to develop the foundational elements for that supernatural world and keep them consistent with each book. How difficult is this process for you? How do you approach that part of the writing process?
Keeping that consistent is difficult, but not terribly so if you know your story well and always keep your characters behaviors consistent with who they are. They will drive the story and take you where you need to go if you trust them. If the author tries to MAKE something happen, that’s when things tend to fall apart and contradict earlier story plots and details.
I approach that aspect of writing by rereading the books and seeking counsel from team members. I always have someone to bounce ideas off of. It’s amazing how they remember details of my books even better than I do sometimes!
I think release timing can be especially important (and tricky) in paranormal reads as these types of books typically have pretty involved plot lines with clues and specifics a reader must recall when reading the next book in the series. What is your philosophy on release timing? Do you recommend people re-read the previous books before jumping into the next book in the series?
Plot timing is tough. I released my first three in the series close together because I had them all written before I ever published the first. I think that when it’s all said and done, readers would love for the novels to come out quickly, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice the quality of the work to have that. So I take the time I need to craft the story that both they and the characters deserve. If I don’t think my book is a 5/5, then I don’t publish it. If it takes me a year to make that happen, then so be it.
I ALWAYS recommend readers do a reread of at least the previously released novel. Most series do have those minute details that build and craft the overall arc. If you miss them, the unveiling of truth will be a bit lacking at the end, which will be disappointing.
You just released a new contemporary romance book called Undertow, which is one of my favorite books of the year.
I loved it!!! For those that haven’t had a chance to read it,
can you tell us about it?
It’s a story that has plagued my dreams for years. I finally broke away from my paranormal roots to get it down on paper. It’s a story about love, redemption, loss, and forgiveness. I think it’s quite different than a lot of the current romance novels out there, so it provides a little change of pace for readers. The leading female is strong yet flawed. The leading male has a past, yet isn’t damaged. And the story has a realness to it that a lot of people are going to easily relate to.
What are some of your favorite paranormal books?
I’m a HUGE Fever series fan. If I ever meet Karen Marie Moning, I can’t be held accountable for my actions. I’m also in love with Amy Bartol’s books, Susan Ee’s, the early Mercy Thompson series novels by Patricia Briggs and Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and countless others. Paranormal is by FAR my favorite genre to read. I rarely pick up anything else 😉
If you’re dying to know more about me, allow me to put you at ease. I’m a sharp-tongued, sarcastic cancer, who loves vegetable smoothies, winter storms, and the word ‘portfolio’. I should NEVER be caffeinated, and require at least eight hours of sleep to even resemble a human being. At thirty-four, I just now feel like I can keep a straight face while saying the word “rectum” (which is actually a huge lie because I just laughed out loud while reading this to my husband). I live with my iPod firmly affixed to my body, drive too fast, and laugh/cry at inappropriate times.
I’m obsessed with urban fantasy… When I discovered that genre, I knew I had found my tribe. Now I write in that world because that’s what the voices in my head tell me to do. And they are very, very loud 🙂
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Donna Reynolds said:
This series is absolutely AMAZING I loved every page I read and could not get enough I went a bit crazy waiting for the books to come out it was so unlike all the other books I been reading I just got so lost in each one of them as I was reading you did such and amazing job writing each of them I don’t think there was anything I didn’t love about each of them Thank you for sharing your world with us.
Lee T said:
I haven’t started series – but it looks awesome. Will definitely add to my TBR!
Sarah S. said:
Thats like paranormal heaven *_*
terrie61 said:
This is an outstanding series!
Kim Perry said:
Sounds like a good series! I’m enjoying learning about all of these series!
Alexandra A said:
Just finished Caged! LOVE it!!!! Can`t wait to start the others! 🙂