31 Days of Halloween Author Interview/Giveaway: Dianne Duvall

I want to thank Dianne Duvall for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for me. I was super excited when she agreed to do this because she has become one of my favorite authors. Her Immortal Guardian series is just fantastic and and rank it up there with J.R. Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood. THAT is how awesome it is! So enjoy my interview with Dianne and don't forget to enter to win the first book in the Immortal Guardian series, Darkness Dawns. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US/CA only. 

I know your third book in the Immortal Guardian’s series, Phantom Shadows published October 2, 2012 and I really want to talk about that. But first, I’d like my readers to know a little about you.
 
What is your favorite quality about yourself? 

I would have to say my determination. If there is something I want to accomplish, I keep working – no matter what obstacles may litter my path – until I accomplish it.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?  

I think getting published may very well be at the top of the list. I’ve loved books ever since I first learned to read and have been creating my own tales for almost as long. Getting published and sharing stories and HEAs with others was a goal I worked long and hard to achieve, so seeing my books in print and hearing from readers who enjoyed them is wonderful. A dream come true. 

We’re going to talk about this book that you’ve written, but first, let us learn a little about how you got your start in writing.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? 

I wouldn’t have become an author if a deep, abiding love of books had not been cultivated in me from the beginning. My parents always encouraged me to read, and reading sparked my imagination. The joy I found loosing myself in fun, fascinating characters and their adventures made me want to create many of my own.

What inspired you to write your first book?   

When I entered college, I majored in journalism. And, while I did enjoy the writing, I found it to be too restrictive. You might say, I wanted to color outside the lines. J I wanted to create new worlds, pit good against evil, and help men and women fall in love and live happily ever after. So I put pen to paper with romance in mind and haven’t stopped writing since. 

Okay, now we can get to talking about Phantom Shadows. 

Tell us about a little bit about Phantom Shadows.   

Phantom Shadows was so much fun to write because its hero is Sebastien Newcombe, who many readers of my series have been hoping would find a Happily Ever After. Sebastien entered the series as quite the villain, raising an army of psychotic vampires with the intention of destroying the Immortal Guardians. His past was dark, dangerous, and deadly. His present is the same. And his future is not looking good. His actions have earned him the hatred of immortals, vampires, and humans alike. Calls for his execution have become a clamor. Bastien knows something is going to have to change soon, he just doesn’t expect that change to be inspired by a mortal woman who sees in him something he and the others can’t.

Dr. Melanie Lipton, a member of the extensive human network that aids the Immortal Guardians, has worked with the lone surviving members of Bastien’s vampire army for over two years, searching desperately for a cure for the virus that infects them or at least for a way to prevent the brain damage and subsequent insanity it causes in humans transformed by it. Her frequent encounters with Bastien have confirmed what the vampires have been telling her all along, that there is far more to him than meets the eye. She just has to find a way to make Bastien – and the Immortal Guardians who loathe him – see it, too. 

How did you develop your plot and characters?  

Each book in my series contains two plots. The first is what I consider the short-term plot that makes the book approachable as a stand alone novel. A romance plot develops alongside an exterior action plot, and both are resolved by the end of the book. The second plot is part of the greater series plot or the series arc. It continues to develop and expand with each new book in the series. In Phantom Shadows, both plots were set into motion by Bastien. The series began with Bastien raising a vampire army. Bastien was set on seeking vengeance and had no idea just what he was setting into motion. His actions started the proverbial snowball rolling down the hill. Every villain that has arisen since can be directly linked back to Bastien. And that isn’t something the Immortal Guardians are likely to forgive . . . or let him forget.

So I decided to find someone who would. After their explosive first encounter in Night Reigns, I couldn’t wait to see how Bastien and Melanie would react when thrown together again. Bastien is not used to kindness, having received none of it during the past two centuries. Melanie is kind and not accustomed to the violence that has been such a large part of Bastien’s world. So I knew both would have to grow and change in order to find that treasured happy ending 

How important do you think villains are in a story? 

Since Bastien was a villain himself when my series began, I would say they are essential. They generate action and conflict and provide characters, who otherwise may never have encountered one another, with a common goal they must work toward. Many villains are truly despicable, which is why we love to hate them so much. But some, like Bastien, can surprise us and be redeemed. Those, I think, are my favorites.

How do you come up the titles of your books?  

When I name my books, I look for a simple phrase that represents some aspect of the novel’s plot. In Darkness Dawns, for example, an enemy arises who threatens the existence of the immortals and spawns a new, dark era in the Immortal Guardians’ world. Hence Darkness Dawns. With Phantom Shadows . . . I will let readers unravel. Explaining the title would be a spoiler. ;-) 

Have you started your next project yet? If so, can you tell us anything about it? 

I have. Thank you for asking. I’m actually working on two projects. The first is a novella entitled “In Still Darkness” that will appear in the Predatory anthology alongside stories by Alexandra Ivy and Nina Bangs. It features Richart d’Alençon and will give readers a chance to witness firsthand the romance that is secretly unfolding behind the scenes in Night Reigns and Phantom Shadows. The second project is the fourth book in the Immortal Guardians series, as yet untitled. I’m very excited about both! 

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers?  

Thank you so much for joining us today. It was such a pleasure to be here. I hope you all will enjoy my new take on vampires and the romance that flourishes in my Immortal Guardians world.

BONUS FUN QUESTIONS  

What is your favorite TV show?  

Monk. 

What is your favorite late night snack?  

German chocolate pie. It’s a guilty pleasure.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?  

In terms of location, I haven’t found it yet. There are a number of places that appeal to me for one reason or another, ranging from beaches to rolling hills to mountains to bustling cities. I found the forests, corn fields, and rolling meadows of North Carolina alluring, particularly when accompanied by moonlight and the fog that frequently creeps through the trees and across the land at night, which is why I made North Carolina the primary setting for my series. When it comes to writing, I tend to gravitate toward quiet, isolated places where I can let my imagination roam freely without distractions or interruptions. And, in terms of kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying myself, my favorite place is with my family, wherever that might be. 

If you got a parrot for a pet, what phrase would you be sure to teach it to say?   

Hmm. I’ll go with one of my favorite Roland quotes: “I’m not antisocial, I just want to be left alone.”

I have to say that is one of my FAVORITE quotes by Roland because he summed up what I have been telling people forever about myself..LOL

Are you a morning person or a night owl? 

I’m a night owl.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dianne Duvall is the award-winning author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel Darkness Dawns was nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance 2011 by RT Book Reviews, for Best Paranormal Romance - Vampire 2011 by The Romance Reviews, and for Best Book of 2011 by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in her Immortal Guardians series, has been declared an "utterly addictive" Top Pick by RT Book Reviews, "intense, passionate and engrossing" by The Romance Reviews, and "a clever, unique, and brilliantly executed book" by Long and Short Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series will be released on October 2, 2012.

When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

Dianne Duvall lures readers into a world of romance and suspense, where love can mean the difference between life and death. . .  

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it's not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire. . . 

Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can't remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different--and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question--he can't put her in danger. But she isn't asking him. . .

PURCHASE PHANTOM SHADOWS

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WIN DARKNESS DAWNS

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Author Guest Post: Making the Transition from Lawyer to Novelist by Paul Batista

I would like to welcome Paul Batista to the blog today! Paul was nice enough talk about why he made the transition from being a lawyer to a novelist.

WHY MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM BUSY LAWYER TO NOVELIST?

More basically, why exit from a business with a good regular paycheck to a business where the financial rewards are uncertain? Why exchange a suit for a casual shirt and jeans? I get asked these questions a lot, and they are in fact questions I ask myself.

Let's start with a disclaimer. I haven't entirely abandoned the practice of law. This is work I've done for more than thirty years, and old habits die hard. Besides, I like it. More important is the fact that the legal work I do provides fuel for the novels I write. A criminal case or even a civil lawsuit involves a story, a narrative. Part of the function of a lawyer is to shape the narrative -- not to fabricate facts but to tell a story.

Creating fiction, however, does give me a license to do more than just shape the narrative of a case. In writing a novel I have the ability and the incentive to weave imagined events together, to create personalities and personal histories, to generate intrigue and conflict. In practicing law, I’m confined by facts -- and those facts can be extremely interesting given the nature of the work I do -- but there are no such constraints in writing fiction.

There's another factor. Law is a highly regulated business. No matter how independent you may be as a lawyer, there are people known as judges. They require you to do specific things on their schedule, not on yours. They want you to do things their way, not necessarily yours. They tend to have outsized personalities -- wearing a robe can transform a guy or gal who in civilian clothes is demure and shy into a muscled-up action figure. And there are also clients. They get to call you in the middle of the night.

The external controls on fiction-writing are different. Sure, an editor can set "deadlines" but those are more goals and aspirations rather than drop-dead dates. You can be disbarred for missing a judge-imposed deadline if you do that too often. The worst a publisher can do is get mad at you.

But the most important reason for transforming myself into a novelist from a practicing lawyer is the beauty of transformation. The stuff of a novelist's life is different from the stuff of a lawyer's life. Creating novels is a liberating experience; you can let loose your imagination. I find I can have a passion and a drive that, even though I’ve loved practicing law, I can't completely tap into in a courtroom. You hear commencement speakers constantly delivering to young graduates the trite mandate to "follow your passions." As you move through life and hit the jarring realities of jobs, families and obligations, you can get cynical about those conventional admonitions to follow your passions, live out your dreams, and fulfill your talents.

But those inspirational messages do have meaning, at least for yours truly. Even a lawyer can break out of the constraints of the life he or she has lived. There is something invigorating, even for a seasoned adult, in taking risks and having the courage to give up security and embrace something unknown, strange, exciting -- fresh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Batista, novelist and television personality, is one of the most widely known trial lawyers in the country. As a trial attorney, he specializes in federal criminal litigation. As a media figure, he is known for his regular appearances as guest legal commentator on a variety of television shows including, Court TV, CNN, HLN and WNBC. He’s also appeared in the HBO movie, You Don't Know Jack, starring Al Pacino. 

A prolific writer, Batista authored the leading treatise on the primary federal anti-racketeering statute, Civil RICO Practice Manual, which is now in its third edition (Wiley & Sons, 1987; Wolters Kluwer, 2008). He has written articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The National Law Journal.

Batista's debut novel, Death's Witness, was awarded a Silver Medal by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). And his new novel, Extraordinary Rendition, is now being published—along with a special reissue of Death’s Witness—by Astor + Blue Editions.

Batista is a graduate of Bowdoin College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and Cornell Law School. He’s proud to have served in the United States Army. Paul Batista lives in New York City and Sag Harbor, New York. 

When Ali Hussein—suspected terrorist and alleged banker for Al Qaeda—is finally transported from Gitmo to the US mainland to stand trial, many are stunned when Byron Carlos Johnson, pre-eminent lawyer and the son of a high-profile diplomat, volunteers as counsel. On principle, Johnson thought he was merely defending a man unjustly captured through Rendition and water-boarded illegally. But Johnson soon learns that there is much more at stake than one man’s civil rights. 

Hussein’s intimate knowledge of key financial transactions could lead to the capture of—or the unabated funding of—the world’s most dangerous terror cells. This makes Hussein the target of corrupt US intelligence forces on one side, and ruthless international terrorists on the other. And, it puts Byron Carlos Johnson squarely in the crosshairs of both. 

Pulled irresistibly by forces he can and cannot see, Johnson enters a lethal maze of espionage, manipulation, legal traps and murder. And when his life, his love, and his acclaimed principles are on the line, Johnson may have one gambit left that can save them all; a play that even his confidants could not have anticipated. He must become the hunter among hunters in the deadliest game. 

PURCHASE EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION

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31 Days of Halloween Giveaway: When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy

On the 15th day of Halloween, Kensington has a giveaway just for you! Today you have a chance at winning a copy of When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Open to US/CA only.

Blurb via Kensington

It’s been a hell of a day for Abby Barlow. In just a few hours, she’s survived an explosion, watched her employer die, had a startling dream, and now she finds herself in a seedy Chicago hotel with the sexy, unearthly Dante, a man she both desires and fears.

For 341 years, Dante has stood as guardian to The Chalice, a mortal woman chosen to hold back the darkness. A terrible twist of fate has now made Abby that woman. Three hours ago, Dante would have used all his charms to seduce her. Now she is his to protect. And he will do so until his very death.

A terrifying plan has been set in motion, one that will plunge Dante and Abby into an epic battle between good and evil—and a desperate race to save their love…

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31 Days of Halloween Giveaway: The Seance by Heather Graham

On the 12th day of Halloween, I have a giveaway just for you! Today you have a chance at winning my personal copy of The Seance by Heather Graham. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Open US/CA only.

Blurb via Amazon

A chill falls over Christina Hardy's housewarming party when talk turns to a recent murder that has all the hallmarks of the so-called "Interstate Killer" murders from fifteen years before. To lighten the mood, the guests drag out an old Ouija board for a little spooky fun…and that's when things become truly terrifying.

Summoned by the Ouija board, the restless spirit of Beau Kidd, the lead detective—and chief suspect—on the original case, seeks Christina's help: the latest killing isn't a copycat crime, and he wants his name cleared. Back in the real world, cop-turned-writer Jed Braden is skeptical of Christina's ghostly encounters, but his police sources confirm all the intimate details of the case—her otherworldly source is reliable, and the body count is growing.

The spirits are right. The Interstate Killer is still out there, and Christina's life is hanging in the balance between this world and the next.

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