Saturday, June 21, 2014

Check out our new inteview with Brantwijn Serrah and her new book, Lotus Petals!

Let's start off with a few interesting details about yourself, hm?

I'm a life-long denizen of sunny SoCali, though at heart I'd love to live in Portland, Seattle, or Alaska.  I guess I've enjoyed sun enough that I'm ready for rain, snow and cozy fires in the fireplace!

I'm the oldest of five siblings and the only girl. I'm also the shortest of them, so... there's that.  I've been married five years and my only children are covered in fur and love tuna.

I have an extra vertebrae in my spine.

How do you pronounce that name of yours?

Well, I pronounce it, "bronch-VYN". The actual Dutch pronunciation of it is a bit stronger, but I'm consistently falling back into my softer habit. So I guess, since it's my name, that's how its pronounced.

And how long have you been writing?

All my life. The first story I remember writing, I wrote in first grade. We were learning to draw three woodland critters—I think they were an owl, a fox and frog, maybe—and then we were supposed to write a story about them. My teacher sort of opened my eyes when she mentioned my story used actual literary techniques, though I didn't know that they were techniques at the time, or what they were... I'd just written the story the way stories I read were written. It stuck with me, though, all these years.

Where did the idea for Lotus Petals come from?

There were two major elements that brought about Lotus Petals as an erotic novel. The first was the two lead characters, Rhiannon and Aijyn. I already had them in mind, I knew they'd met in Japan and I knew Aijyn was something very, very special.  I hadn't found the real guts of their story, though.  Then, when I saw Memoirs of a Geisha in theaters, I fell in love with the time period and the culture of geisha, and thought that might be where Aijyn and Rhiannon's story began.

Sometime around then, when I was looking more into geisha culture and stories, I found an erotic novel centering on the subject. I won't give the title here, but there was a whole prologue about how the author was some kind of expert on geisha, and how her insight into their world had produced this amazing and sultry work.  And the book was terrible! I mean really, really terrible! Not only was its representation of geisha just incredibly shallow and lukewarm and, in my opinion, completely reinforced the misconception that they were just prostitutes, but the writing itself was simpering and weak! I was so incredibly disappointed!

So those two things sort of combined in my mind, and the idea to write a better erotic novel, set in Japan and featuring my two characters who had been looking for a home, all came together.  Since then, Lotus Petals evolved away from that original intent—Aijyn is no longer a geisha, but an oiran, sort of a forerunner to the geisha, and the novel is set in the Edo period, during isolationism, rather than 1800's—but those were the seeds of it, at least!

Do you have a favorite character?

Oh, that hardly seems like a fair question, but I have to say Aijyn. She's just this beautiful, beautiful dear heart of a girl. It's kind of hard for me not to absolutely love her.

Any character you really didn't like?

If we're talking about a character I hate because she's just plain despicable, then it's Sölva, Rhiannon's sadist of a bodyguard.  I designed her to be the one readers should love to hate. 

If you mean my least favorite in the sense they never really stood out to me as much as the others, then its Kazuo, the captain of the Temple guard. He came to me when blue-ring octopus venom became a plot point, and he served his purpose well as the belligerent captain unwilling to see his men disciplined for the sake of a lower-class character. He never really meant much to me, though.

How do you feel when it comes to editing your work?

I am obsessive compulsive about the presentation of anything I'm working on (and I mean that quite seriously. I do have OCD, and one of the things that triggers me is disorganization, inconsistency, or sloppiness in presentation). So, it comes naturally to me to proofread and edit. Sometimes I'll get writer's block because of it: I know I should go on, but something about the last segment just isn't right and I really, really can't go on without fixing it.  It's terrible during National Novel Writing Month. You're supposed to silence your inner editor; there is just no way for me to do that.  You're not supposed to delete or edit what's already done—save all that stuff for after the month is over, they say. It's almost become a tradition of mine to make it to day 24 or so of the event and delete the last 3-5000 words because something about them just didn't work, and then I have to make that word loss back up.  It's just the way I am.

That being said, I really value the perspective of my editor.  Even though the manuscript I send her is as clean and polished as I think I can possibly make it, I know she'll still find errors and, if not actual errors, at least points where something can be improved. And I appreciate that. I try to give every note an honest consideration, even if it's one I don't initially agree with. The fact is, it's her job to do this, and she sees things I don't and she has worthy ideas. So even though I edit the crap out of everything I do, I would never turn down the help of my editor.

What does your "writing space" look like?

I'll write in lots of places. I even wrote a few parts of my new project at a mini-golf park, on my Kindle, between holes! I suppose I'm most comfortable writing in bed, though, with a cat sitting on me. I only added that last part because they will sit on me, whether I like it or not.

How do you take a break from writing?

I'm also an artist, so I like to draw, paint and work with Photoshop and my Wacom tablet. You can see some of my racier work on my blog. That's what you'll most commonly find me doing, but I also customize My Little Pony figures (if you don't know what that is, Google "Custom MLP" in Images), and I've recently developed an interest in sewing and embroidering plushies. So I do a lot of artistic dabbling.
 
Cover:

 
Blurb:

Rhiannon Donovan, daughter to the vampire Queen, would rather die than be made a bride to a demon Lord. Aijyn, courtesan to the undead Daimyo of Kansai, can think of nothing more horrifying than his promise of eternal life.  In the halls of the Blood Lotus Temple, the two women struggle against the chains of their fate, and find a solace in each other that could mean freedom for them both... or might cost each of them their lives.

Social and buy links

Buy link on Breathless Press: http://tinyurl.com/lm5qk7d Brantwijn Serrah's page on Breathless Press: http://tinyurl.com/p4bl55r

Brantwijn's Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/qf2bzwk


Foreplay and Fangs on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/q2cmnep

Find Brantwijn on Google+

And on Goodreads

Say hi to her on Twitter


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Author Bio

When she isn't visiting the worlds of immortals, demons, dragons and goblins, Brantwijn fills her time with artistic endeavors: sketching, painting, customizing My Little Ponies and sewing plushies for friends. She can't handle coffee unless there's enough cream and sugar to make it a milkshake, but try and sweeten her tea and she will never forgive you. She moonlights as a futon for four lazy cats, loves tabletop role-play games, and can spend hours watching Futurama, Claymore or Buffy the Vampire Slayer while she writes or draws.

In addition to her novels, Brantwijn has had several stories published in anthologies by Breathless Press, including the 2013 Crimson Anthology and 2014 Ravaged Anthology.  She's also had a short story published in the Cleiss Press Big Book of Orgasm and the anthology Coming Together Through The Storm. She hopes to have several more tales to tell as time goes on.  She has author pages on GoodReads and Amazon, and loves to see reader comments on her work. Her short stories occasionally pop up at Foreplay and Fangs, her blog at http://brantwijn.blogspot.com.

 

 

 

 


 


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

My books and I are all over the place today!

Check out a new interview with me and an excerpt of A Taste For Danger at http://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/

Then check out the new review of my short, Eyes Only over at http://pen-the-dream.blogspot.com/?zx=e30580f4062857b6! A 5 Cup read!


Monday, June 9, 2014

The Path To Creativity

Also today! The Path to Creativity. Read my poste and views over at Sheri Velarde's blog today! http://sherivelarde.weebly.com/books-and-more-blog/welcome-breathless-press-author-h-k-sterling

Erzabet's Enchantments: A Taste for Danger

Erzabet's Enchantments: A Taste for Danger: Still licking his wounds over blowing it with the love of his life, Detective Jack Heart finds himself in over his head with corporate po...



Check out Erzabets Enchantments for a sneak peak into my new mystery, A Taste For Danger and read an interview with me as well!  My books are suitable for ages 18+.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Sneak Peak at a New Mystery Today!

Sneak Peak at my new mystery today over at Words with Leti Del Mar!http://bookswithletidelmar.blogspot.com/


A Taste for Danger is the sequel to A Taste For Killing in the Chasing the Taste series for Breathless Press. Both books can be read as stand- alones too! A Taste for Danger releases on June 13 but you can pre-order it today! http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=26&products_id=579&zenid=2e94bd1635980c83c9514b43ba487f4d

Read a select sample of A Taste For Danger before its release on Wattpad!

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Check out Author Casey Harvell and Her New Release!

Casey was nice enough to send us her fabulous covers and a really cool teaser that started her series off.  She also granted an interview with Undercover Blog which you can find below. Her book "Shocked", the second in her Electric series is releasing today! Check this talented author out and learn more!



Get "Shocked" here! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KPDA6V0?ie=UTF8&at=aw-android-pc-us-20&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
Five Things You May Not Have Known About The Electric Series

1)    Where the idea began: I love zombies. I see everything zombie as a form of therapy because they terrify me. (I had nightmares for months after watching 28 Days Later.) I really wanted to write an apocalypse. Something terrifying that could rival the chaos and fear of a zombie apocalypse. But where to begin? I started Googling and discovered the Grey-Goo Theory. Thus the nanobot apocalypse was formed.

2)    It’s all part of the groove: A large part of my writing involves music. The Electric Series is made possible mainly by Imagine Dragons, The Fray and The Artic Monkeys.

3)    A secret: Another large factor in the beginning of The Electric Series (Charged) is a vague fan fiction to The Hollows Series by Amanda Hocking (my favorite series EVER!)

4)    Where’d B come from? In The Hollows Series Remy has a kickass female lion named Ripley. She’s badass. B’s small yet but give him a bit to catch his bearings. As for the name? B’s been shortened for “Baby Bear” (Charged) but is also the nickname for my neighbor’s turtle because he’s awesome.

5)    Lastly: Wired will be the final installment of The Electric Series and will be out sometime this coming winter.

 

The Electric Series by Casey Harvell
BREAKING NEWS(From Nov 2013)

New strides in nanotechnology have the medical community very excited! Due to the successful testing of BioNano’s new atomic sized nanobots, doctors hope to attempt the first cellular regeneration of its kind.

BREAKING NEWS:
We are reporting live, up to the minute coverage of the nanobot invasion. Within just a few days the entire eastern seaboard will be affected unless we figure out how to stop them. The issue is that at the rate people are falling to this, all of the scientists with the knowledge to fix them will be overtaken before they have a chance. Please remain indoors if possible, but remember that exposure does not stop with people. These nanobots work on a molecular level. Everything they come in contact with: people, animals, buildings, even water can become a carrier.

Charged Reboot
Electric Book I
Coming …NOW!!
http://www.amazon.com/Charged-Electric-Casey-Harvell-ebook/dp/B00G5H73V6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top#_



Interview

Undercover Blog: How long have you been a writer?
Casey: I think I’ve been a writer my whole life. In college I had an English professor tell me I should pursue it but at the time the industry was still traditional (something I’m definitely not lol). I kept at it—for myself—and in 2011 I discovered self-publishing. The rest is history!

Undercover Blog: What motivated you to become a writer?

Casey: A severely overactive imagination as the result of being an only child. Some kids has an imaginary friend. I had the Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles (complete with Shredder, April, Krang and Splinter.) In elementary school I discovered Gone With the Wind and my love for reading began. Add in some Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High rocured form trips with my Grandma to the used bookstore and I never had a chance ;)

Undercover Blog: What is your favorite thing about writing?

Casey: I love to read. Love it. I can tear through a series in a few days. I love the storytelling that comes with writing. I love making my readers feel the story and want them to be a part of it.

Undercover Blog: What are some of the books by others that have inspired you?

Casey: Anything Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Janet Evanovich, Amanda Hocking, Lizzy Ford, Nicky Charles, HP Mallory, Stephanie Meyer, Stephen King, Jane Austen—I could go on forever but I think you get the idea!

Undercover Blog: Does anything else inspire you? i.e. movies, music, etc. if so, what?

Casey: Um YES! Everything inspires me but mainly the following:

Music—pretty much everything I write has a song or two behind it. The Electric Series is mostly in part to Imagine Dragons and the Artic Monkeys. My next standalone, Eclipsed Agony, will be brought to you by Christina Perri’s Arms.

Movies—It’s impossible not to be inspired nowadays with the movies coming out. Most of them anyway ;)

Video Games—Perhaps not the average but I definitely get inspired both playing and watching my hubby play videogames. The most inspirational to date? The Bioshock Series. Seriously badass.

Comics—Being with a comic book lover for thirteen year some of it was bound to rub off. Considering the popularity of the Marvel and DC movies and TV shows, I’m not alone. The imagination behind them is always inspiring.

Undercover Blog Tales: Cool! Video Games and Comics are answers I haven't heard before. You have a  lot of outlets for inspiration! Now tell us about your latest book. What gave you the idea?

Casey: Shocked is Book 2 of the Electric Series. The idea came to life because (like any true zombie lover) I really wanted to do an apocalypse. I wanted something zombie-esque but something a little different. After some research the nanobot apocalypse was born. As for Kat’s energy? That’s mostly from Bioshock. Like I said before, it’s badass.

Undercover Blog: Have you ever experienced what others call writer's block? If so, what are methods you use to get up and running  again.  Or, if you don't believe in writers block, tell us why.

Casey: Ah writer’s block. Everyone who writes suffers from it now and again whether they recognize/label/whatever it or not. Some days we can sit and write ten thousand words without batting an eyelash. Other’s it’s like pulling teeth to get five hundred words down. My writing style is very spastic so my solution is simple: I move on and do different stuff (I have two boys under ten so it’s easy to find something) until I’m ready to write again. Sometimes it takes a day or two, others a week or more. I find the more I fight to write the story the harder it becomes to get it down. Therefore I take a mental health break until the idea pops up (usually at 2:00a.m. what’s up with that?) and I can keep going.

Undercover Blog: What is your favorite genre to write? If you write in multiple genres, tell us why you picked those particular ones.

Casey: I write romance. From there it branches out J I have so far written one standalone mystery/thriller, one paranormal series and one sci-fi series. We’ll have to see where the next books take me. I can see more paranormal and sci-fi in my future because they’ve been a blast.

Undercover Blog: What is your favorite character that you have written?

Casey: I love Lettie from my Decision Series but by far my favorite to date is Kat. She’s kickass and I can’t wait for everyone to see her evolve in Shocked!

Undercover Blog: What is it about that character that you love?

Casey: Kat suddenly finds herself thrust into an apocalyptic situation as the only weapon. She has to discover this and if she’s strong enough to persevere. I find Kat is relatable to anyone who’d be in that same predicament. She has moments of self-doubt like all of us but her tenacity and sense of right and wrong remain her strongest attributes.

Undercover Blog: Where is your favorite place to write?

Casey: Most of my writing is done on my couch or bed with my laptop. Now that it’s warmer here I can escape outside too.

Undercover Blog: Are you on social media? If so, which ones do you find most valuable as an author?

Casey: I’m on all of them that I can keep straight lol. Mostly Facebook and Twitter. FB used to be the most valuable but has been slipping to Twitter as they continue to hide our page posts L

Undercover Blog: I know! That is so annoying!

Casey: You can find me here on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/CaseyAHarvell
Undercover Blog: Have you ever done in-person events or signings or do you stay pretty much behind the screen?

Casey: To date I stay mostly behind the scenes. I’ve been asked about a signing in Rockland County NY late this summer but I’m still not convinced anyone would come to see me lol.

Check out Casey's series. You won't be disappointed!