An Interview With Author Debra Dunbar

It's been weeks since I posted to this blog, but wanted to remind those of you who signed on to follow it that I've shifted over to my new blog & webpage, www.livrancourt.com...

This week I've got a bonus guest. Debra Dunbar, one of the lovely authors in the Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft anthology, is here to talk about her writing process and, well, the rest of her life. I haven't had the chance to read her Beltane short story, "Love Mackick", but her paranormal novel, A Demon Bound , was a heck of a lot of fun. Debra's a smart lady, and I know you'll enjoy getting to know her. 

LR: What’s the most compelling thing about your most recent project, the thing that’s kept your butt in the chair through hours of writing and revising?

DD: I really love short stories because they force me to be a better writer.  There needs to be a tightness of plot, an economy of words.  There is no room for wandering, or information dump. 

Readers need to fall in love with the characters in such a short time that every word counts. 

With Love Magick, taking what was originally a discarded back-story idea for another novel, breathing life into it, spinning a wisp into a short story, the motivation was in the creative process itself.

LR: If you had to recommend one writing resource, either a class or a book or a workshop, what would that be? What’s had the most impact on your work?

DD: My most valuable resource is the feedback I receive from my beta readers.  For Love Magick, I used three teenage girls as beta readers.  They gave me valuable insight into slang, and validated that young love, mean girls, and high school social dynamics hasn’t changed much in thirty years.  For a mom who is repeatedly told she is ‘not cool’ by her teen son, it was important that I get it right!

LR: Which book or author has influenced you the most? What is it about their work that grabs you?

DD: Marie-Louise Von Franz.  She’s a Jungian whose books on redemption themes, the shadow, and individuation have had a huge influence on me.  Growth and self discovery are key themes in all my writing, whether it’s a romance or fantasy, whether it’s about a demon or a young Wiccan girl.

LR: We’ve both got short stories in Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft. How did you research your story? Do you practice witchcraft in RL?

DD: My protagonist is a Wiccan, so my research was easy!  I was a practicing neo-pagan for quite a while after college, and participated in a variety of rituals including Wiccan ones.  I designed a few Wiccan ceremonies for our small group of solitary practitioners, and have kept in touch with several over the years.  I’ve met some parents who have raised their children in the Wiccan faith, and always thought about how that might affect them in a predominantly Christian society, especially in the pressure cooker of High School.

LR: How to you juggle all your hats (spouse, parent, worker-bee, housekeeper, writer)?

DD: I’m a parent of three boys, have a full time corporate career and I’m desperately trying to keep the writing schedule of a full time writer.  Sadly, something always has to give.  I try to rotate the ‘loser’ in the battle for my time, so no one thing bears the constant brunt. 

LR: What’s your favorite non-writing activity? Like, are you a closet Zumba addict? Could you macramé a plant hanger if you had to? Maybe you secretly want to appear on A Prairie Home Companion?

DD: My daily jog is part of my writing so it probably doesn’t count!  I love to horseback ride.  We have three horses on our farm, and my gelding, Treasure, is my true love.  (Shhhh, don’t tell hubby!)  I particularly love to foxhunt.  Something about being up early in the morning, seeing both you and your horse’s breath in the air, hearing the horn and the baying of the hounds as you both race across the fields. . . it’s magic.  I fully expect to see elves pop out of the mist one morning.  And no, we don’t kill the fox J

LR: What’s next on your horizon? Describe your current WIP(s) or other upcoming project.

DD: The second novel in my urban fantasy series, Satan’s Sword, is due to release late October.  Right now, I’m finishing up a prequel novella, and am about forty percent of the way through writing the third book in the series.  I’m also really exciting to be working on a graphic novel, which should come out midyear 2013. 

LR: Halloween is nearly on us. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Samhain? Dios de los Meurtos? Trick or Treating?

DD: This year I’ll probably be hosting a costumed release party for Satan’s Sword, but I absolutely love taking the kids Trick or Treating.  All those enthusiastic, sugar fueled, children, racing from house to house in their costumes.  It’s one of the happiest moments in my year.  Plus I get to enforce the ‘parent tax’ on my children’s pumpkin full of treasures.  Yum, yum!

*

Debra Dunbar lives on a farm in Frederick County, Maryland with her family and a multitude of four-legged friends. Her novels feature supernatural elements in local settings. In addition to her young adult short story, LOVE MAGICK, included in the anthology BELTANE: TEN TALES OF WITCHCRAFT, she also has published an urban fantasy novel  A DEMON BOUND, the first novel in her Imp Series.

Samantha Martin is an imp living among humans. She tries to keep her identity a secret, but when she spots an angel one night, clearly hunting demons, the imp comes out of the bag. Sam ends up smack in the middle of trouble, dragging her human neighbor, Wyatt, along for the ride. 

A DEMON BOUND is available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.com, Nook at Barnes and Noble, and a variety of formats at Smashwords.com.  Catch up with the author at http://debradunbar.com

From Amazon: After majoring in English Literature with a concentration in Medieval and Folklore studies, Debra promptly sold out to the corporate world, occasionally dabbling in writing marketing copy and op/ed articles for a local city paper. By day, she designs compensation programs, after dark she stuffs her nose into obscure mythology, and feverishly writes her novels. A DEMON BOUND is her debut novel. Debra lives on a farm in Maryland with Sweetie, three sons, and a Noah’s ark of four legged family members. Unlike her protagonist, she drives an old PT Cruiser, couldn’t carry a tune if you duct taped it to her back, and enjoys an occasional cosmopolitan (heavy on the vodka). On a good day, she jogs and horseback rides, hopefully managing to keep the horse between herself and the ground. Her only known super power is ‘Identify Roadkill’.

True Blood vs Southern Vampire Mysteries Throwdown #3

(I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the fabulous Laird at Memphis McKay has totally overhauled my website (www.livrancourt.com) and it's new and amazing and I love it. The part I have mixed feelings about is that we've built a new blog on the website, and I'll be leaving Blogger behind. Please check out my new site, and if you're one of the lovely Rancourtesans who has been following through Google, you can easily hook up the RSS feed or email to the new site. I'll be posting here for the next couple weeks to allow time for the transition. Thanks so very much!)

Good morning, my lovely Rancourtesans. I'm sitting at a Starbucks on the shores of the lovely Lake Chelan, trying to get a quick blog post done before the husband comes to full consciousness and decides it's time to pack the motor home and go home.
:(
Today is the third post in the True Blood vs Southern Vampire Mysteries throw-down. If you've been playing along, you'll remember that Kristin McFarland and I have been sharing posts for the last couple weeks - she provides excellent and thought-provoking insights on True Blood, and I cover the written series. In the first post we talked in broad strokes about our likes and dislikes (check it on on her blog HERE) and last week we sliced and diced Sookie (on my blog HERE).

This week's post is back on Kristin's blog. I'm going to share the first bit to whet your appetite and give you a link so you can jump over to see the rest of the post. And if you're here from the AvD blog hop, welcome. I couldn't figure out the sticky thing, but my demon-loving post is HERE.
Y'all have a great day!
Peace,
Liv

LR: Which brings up the subject of Pam. Of all the casting choices Alan Ball made, she’s my least favorite, because the book Pam was more like Alice In Wonderland with fangs. She’s also Sookie’s only vampire friend. What do you think of Pam? Is she a friend to Sookie?

KM: NO. She is not Sookie’s friend. I think I can say that pretty emphatically. I like Pam a lot (I think she’s hilarious, and a friend once told me I look like her, so that gives me a soft spot for her), but she’s definitely Eric’s henchwoman. She repeatedly gets pissed at Eric for putting the pair of them in danger on Sookie’s behalf. She’s definitely an ‘us-versus-the-world’ kind of gal....

Now go HERE to check out the rest of the post. We get Eric into blue and pink lycra...just sayin'...

...and the demons who loved them.

Welcome to my stop on the ANGELS Vs DEMONS Blog Hop...

















Why demons?

Why not vampires or zombies or other form or paranormal baddie?

Got two words for that one: Pure Evil.

See, a vampire might accidentally drain a human, which is a bad thing, but they're essentially predators, so killing humans is kind of what they do. Nothing personal, right? And zombies need brains to survive. The fact that those brains are stuck on human shoulders is just our bad luck.

But what is a demon, exactly? Wikipedia says, "In Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism."

These are NOT the good guys, and they really don't have any excuse for their behavior. They exist solely to make trouble, and they're pretty good at it. Anyone who has seen The Exorcist knows what I'm talking about.

Now some paranormal authors have deliberately diluted the absolute evil possessed by the traditional demon, making them closer to naughty-bad-boy characters. Aliagarept, the demon Rachel Morgan works with in The Hollows series, is way more complicated and interesting than any one-note bad guy I can think of. He does what it takes to get what he wants - although not always successfully, which is a good thing for Rachel.

So if you're casting around for a character who needs to be bad, but without the baggage of a vampire, the fur of a shifter, and the, well, yuck factor of a zombie, consider creating a demon. They're intelligent and cruel and absolutely selfish. Hmm, sounds like some of the men I dated...

And while you're at it, leave a comment describing your favorite demon character. I'll be giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to one commenter, and there will be a couple of grand-prizes for the blog hop as a whole - one Kindle Touch and one $60 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Leave a comment here and then peruse the list of participating blogs below. The more you visit, the more chances you have to win!

And if you're ambitious, click the link to see my brand new webpage www.livrancourt.com. I'll do a second drawing for a $5 Amazon gift card for those who use the 'contact me' feature on the webpage and tell me they came from the Angels & Demons blog hop.

She’s a quiet, unassuming bookstore owner by day, but by

night...

Kristen has a deadly secret—when she smells a vampire, she

turns into Jai, a beauti-licious babe who makes vamps

permanently dead. To a vamp, Jai is like ambrosia. They can’t

resist her. She uses this attraction, plus her super strength and

her trusty blade, Mr. Sticky, to end their undead lives. The thrill

of wearing miniskirts without worrying about cellulite stifles

any qualms Kristen might have about killing the undead. Being

Jai is the most fun she has ever had—until they come up

against the one vampire Jai can’t kill. If he and Jai have a history,

as he claims, Jai can’t remember it...or him.

But when her work catches the attention of some old

enemies—who won’t hesitate to destroy Kristen if it also

means the end of Jai—this vampire may be their only hope.

Can Kristen and Jai learn to tell the difference between good

and evil in time to defeat Jai’s ancient nemesis? Or will being

Jai’s hostess cost Kristen more than just her beauty sleep?

Available from Black Opal Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Throw-Down: Southern Vampire Mysteries vs True Blood

And so it begins...

This is the first in a series of four posts that resulted from a discussion I had with Kristin McFarland, a very smart girl who favors the paranormal in her reading, writing, and, most importantly for my purposes, television viewing. She has an amazing ability to synthesize events and draw out the underlying themes, which makes her blog an interesting place to visit. She's also watched all four seasons of True Blood, a show that I feel I should like but I just...don't.

All that much.

So we got to debating the merits of the television world of Bons Temps vs the book version, and out of that came a series of posts that we'll have up the next four Saturdays. It's a back-and-forth thing; this week I'm only going to post the first bit here with a link to Kristin's blog where you'll be able to see the whole post. Next week we'll switch, and the new post will be on my blog and Kristin will be the tease. Um, teaser. Oh...

You didn't want us to make it easy for you, did you?

Enough preamble. Here's a taste, followed by a link to Kristin's blog so you can read the whole thing. Oh, and while you're there, wish her congratulations because she's getting married today!

Okay, Kristin, let’s get ‘er done. ;)

LR: You’ve watched all four seasons of True Blood and I’ve read all of the Southern Vampire mysteries. Now it’s time to compare notes. Your recent blog posts suggest that you’re a mite bit tired of ol’ Sookie and her friends. What’s your favorite thing about the show, and what’s not working so well for you now?

KM: My biggest problem with the series sprang to mind first, so I’ll start there! (Sprang… what a weird word.) I’m bothered by the constant escalation of violence: the show has upped the ante so many times that it’s become harder and harder to shock the audience. It’s forced the producers to show really graphic violence, from a vampire king ripping someone’s spine out on national television, to a main character getting shot in the head in horrifying detail....

Okay, this is where you gotta jump. Go HERE to Kristin's blog where you can read the rest of her answer, and then her question to me.

And if you're interested, you can check out my review of Deadlocked HERE. Have a great weekend, and happy wedding, Kristin!
Peace,
Liv

Photo credits: 

Deadlocked http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Southern_Vampire_Mysteries

True Blood  http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=105736&ecid=AFF-7973318&PID=3545983&pa=affcj

Be Inspired!

So a few weeks ago I had the lovely Sophie Moss here as a guest. She writes about selkies and roses and romance, and she blogs at Sophie Moss Writes. You can also find her on Twitter @SMossWrites

Last week she wrote about the Be Inspired Blog Hop (you can see her post here), and you know what? She tagged me for the next round.  How cool is that?!

I like this meme because it's about inspiration and where it comes from. What are the seeds of our work?  In our dreams, who do we cast as our characters? Read through these ten questions to learn a little more about me, and  don't forget to pop over to Vicki's blog Page After Page to see her answers, too! At the end I'll tag some writers to carry on in the next round. (The rules say to tag 5 writers but I might do a couple more.)
;)


1. What is the name of your book?
A Vampire's Deadly Delight








2. Where did the idea of your book come from?
I was tired of reading books where the main (female) character dropped and spread her legs as soon as the uber-handsome vampire came into the room.  I mean really, girls. Have some self-respect. And I'd been watching a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which possibly influenced me (A LOT!). 

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Paranormal chick lit with strong romantic themes.


4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?
So the basic ideas that a rather ordinary bookstore owner, Kristen, has a secret. Whenever she smells vampire, she turns into Jai, a super-gorgeous instrument of vampire destruction. Kristen thinks it's all a big game until they run up against the one vampire Jai can't kill. He claims a history with Jai, and their ability to survive the resulting turn of events may hinge on whether or not Kristen and Jai believe him.

For the role of Kristen, I've always pictured an actress named Jillian Armenante. She had a recurring role on Judging Amy for a number of years, and she's a college friend of my sister's.  Here's her pic:

For Jai, I'd need someone completely different. I've always pictured the very awesome Angelina Jolie in her Lara Croft incarnation. Doesn't she look like she could tag some vamps in this picture?

 











And for Sir John, the vampire that Jai nicknames Shakespeare (because he speaks like the 17th century gentleman he used to be), I always pictured Mathew McConaughey. Because, well, duh...

(And can I just say that it was hard to find a picture where he looked even remotely like a vampire. It was a struggle, but I had to pass up the pic of him shirtless on the beach. Sorry gang. It would have totally ruined the effect.)

5. Give us a one sentence synopsis of your book. 
Oops, I think I did already. There was a 4-sentence synopsis in question #4. You get the idea.

6. Is your book already published/represented? 
 It came out in January of 2012 with Black Opal Books, a boutique publisher where the people are smart and funny and they value their authors.

7. How long did it take you to write your book? 
It's technically a novella (about 42k words) and it took me about two months to come up with the first draft. I pitched it to Black Opal at a SavvyAuthors.com call for submissions and they offered me a contract. After that there was some back and forth with the editing and such. I started writing in February of 2011 and the book came out in January of 2012. Oh, and it would have been nowhere without some fabulous and timely feedback from my beta readers, particularly my sister Liza, who also did the cover art.


8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
While Deadly Delight does have a strong romantic element, I think I was equally influenced by the sort of tongue-in-cheek humor you find in books by writers like A. Lee Martinez and Christopher Moore. And comic books.

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
Equal parts Joss Whedon, Christopher Moore, and a couple pissed off '70's feminists.

10. Tell us anything which might pique our interest in this book?  
Anything? Really? How 'bout  that there are colorful characters, an unconventional plot, and a spider. If you don't like spiders, this isn't the book for you.


And now for the tags...I'd like to send the gift of inspiration to the following bloggers...
Tami Clayton ~ Taking Tea in the Kasbah (look for her Letters to Benedict)
Sara W. Foster ~ Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition (look for her 50 Shades of WTF)
Mike Schulenberg ~ Realms of Perilous Wonder (look for his post on shifting gears)
Laird Sapir ~ Shabby Chic Sarcasm (in hopes this will inspire a new post ;)
Cora Ramos ~  Cora Ramos Blog (look for her series of posts where she teaches how to use star signs and the tarot to inform your characters)
Jami Gray ~ Jami Gray's Blog (where Raine teaches Jami how it's done)
Leslie Wright~ The Basement - Level 5 (where she's still twirling from her new release!)
Christine Hughes ~ Write What You Love (if Leslie's twirling, then Christine is creating some kind of centrifugal force - TORN came out last weekend!)
Zrinka Jelic~ Romance Powered by History (one of the best ways to start Monday...)
Mackenzie Crowne ~ Mac's Mad Mania (Mac's got a new release That Dating Thing that's loads of fun)
Jillian Chantal  ~ Romantic Advanture with an International Flair (check out her awesome new cover art)

Amanda Byrne ~ The Rubber Duck Brigade (book & movie reviews and a very snarky worldview...)
Shannon O'Brien ~ Bringing A Little Paranormal Thriller To Your Life (look for her review of A Discovery of Witches)

I hope you find some inspiration here, and that you check out A Vampire's Deadly Delight. If I've tagged you, remember that the rules say to answer the ten questions, link back to me (and Vicki too), and tag five other bloggers. I just tagged more because I couldn't choose just five!
Peace,
Liv


TEAM SOPHIA UPDATE: Hey, so last week when we celebrated Sophia's cancer freedom, I said I wanted to raise $150 to add to the donation Stacey, Sophia & I are going to bring to Seattle Children's Hospital. You've donated $85 so far, which is very cool, and we all thank you for it. If you've got a minute, check out the Team Sophia page on this blog and hit the PayPal 'Donate' button in the upper right corner. If everyone who reads this page kicks in the cost of a latte, we'll blow past that $150 goal. Thanks so much!


Photo credits: 
Jillian Armenante: TV.com
Angelina Jolie: Mike's Collection
Mathew McConaughey: People

They're Heeerrreee!

You guys, I'm excited this morning because my guest is Jami Gray, another of the wonderful authors from Black Opal Books. Whenever I have a guest to the blog here, I try to read what they're promoting before they come,  and in this case I can say sincerely (and enthusiastically!) that Shadow's Edge is a rockin' good read (and I can't wait for Shadow's Soul to come out). Check out Jami's take on the poltergeist phenomenon, then keep reading for more info on Jami and her books. And thanks, Jami, for hanging out here today!

Peace,

Liv

One day I create a lovely, Pulitzer Prize worthy page of words for a story, saved it, and then headed off to moderate the blossoming cage fight burgeoning between my Prankster Duo.  When I returned a half hour later, woke the computer and went to continue on with my masterpiece, it was gone.  I spent a good sixty seconds blinking in shock at the blank screen. How could it be gone?

Not ‘saved in a different file’ gone. Not ‘saved under different name’ gone.  Not even ‘somehow ended up in the Trash Bin’ gone.  No, it was GONE.  Never to be found again.  It was as if my computer had developed a Bermuda Triangle in its own electronic universe.

Panicked, I spent hours trying to recover the document all to utter failure. Eventually, I gave up and drowned my sorrows with caffeine and began again.  All the while I cursed the technological gremlins haunting my computer—those vicious little fiends.  Their demonic claws and mischievous antics had destroyed my precious treasure, and now I was back to the dank tunnels of the creative mine.

What this little episode showed me was the phenomenon of trouble making spirits is very much alive and well.  However, it wasn’t gremlins I should have been wary about.  Oh no, those critters are more focused on pestering you with mechanical malfunctions.  Instead I should have been more worried about poltergeists.  Poltergeists are generally defined as noisy spirits, but I think they’ve evolved and become much more diabolical in this technological age.

They are the ones who gobble down that email you swore you sent out to the editor who requested your last minute edits and is now nowhere to be found floating out in cyberspace.  They are the ones who make sure that your dryer only regurgitates an odd number of socks when an even number began the journey.  Poltergeists are behind your phone reminding you that your upcoming doctor’s appointment is today, in fifteen minutes.  It’s their snickers of evil delight you’re hearing when you show up only to find out your appointment is next week.

You’ll never see these critters. People will tell you they don’t exist, that your computer is just experiencing a glitch or that your missing sock is just tucked into that pair of jeans you decided not to wear again, or you wrote your appointment down wrong.  Don’t believe them. They thrive on their ability to drive you insane by making you question your reality.

Think about it.  Initially poltergeists were believed to be spawn of demonic activity.  Yet with the rise of paranormal science and parapsychology in the 20^th century, their origins began to be linked to powerful emotional and mental triggers of the human psyche.  Loosely translated:  their existence depends on wildly erratic and paranoid humans.  What better way to raise your membership than to drive a normally rational person into a believer of “I’m-losing-my-ever-lovin’-mind”?

So be careful out there.  When that email goes MIA, or your socks suddenly reduce in uneven numbers, or those keys move from the counter to the dishwasher, you’re not losing your mind—it’s those damn poltergeists and they want you!

Bio:

Growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border, Jami Gray was adopted at the age of 14 and suddenly became the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater.  Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.

Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where  she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab.  Writing is what saves her sanity.

 

Shadow’s Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles is available now from Black Opal Books.  Shadow’s Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles hits shelves June 2012.

You can find Jamie at:

Website:     www.JamiGray.com

Assc. Blog:  www.7EvilDwarves.wordpress.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author

Twitter:       http://twitter.com/#!/JamiGrayAuthor  

Blurb for Shadow’s Edge:

Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…

It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking.  Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.

When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head.  Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.

Blurb for Shadow’s Soul:

Some nightmares are born of love…

Raine McCord has no problem taking down the monsters of the world, it’s one of the reasons she’s so good at her job.  So playing bodyguard to Cheveyo, head Magi of the Northwest, as he consults with the Southwest Kyn should be an easy assignment. Unfortunately, simple task turns into a nightmare when Cheveyo is kidnapped and Raine is left for dead by one of the Kyn’s most feared beings, a Soul Stealer.

The Stealer’s attack leaves lasting wounds, undermining Raine’s confidence as a warrior and damaging her unruly magic. Her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand.  Compelled to face the emotions raging between them, they must embrace not only their stormy relationship but their evolving magic to escape the twisted threads of murder and betrayal to find Cheveyo.

As Raine and Gavin come together and begin to unravel the complex web of secrets and hidden vendettas haunting the Southwest Kyn, they discover unsettling new truths that threaten their very existence.