Monday, March 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Redemption by Erica Hayes (giveaway too!)

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
Click HERE for more tour information.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.
It is my pleasure to feature Erica Hayes and Redemption.

Erica has joined us today for an interview:
? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Doesn't everyone? But I guess when I was younger, writing for publication was a thing other people did. I was just writing 'for fun'. No way would little ol' me ever be good enough to be like them. It was a dream, but it'd never happen.

And then I realized: guess what? All those authors I admired were like me once. Everyone has to start somewhere. Those people are where they are because they worked at it. And if you don't ask, you don't get. The best (maybe only) way to learn is to get rejected.

So I started submitting stuff. In ye olden days (like, 2008) you definitely had to have an agent if you wanted print. I sent maybe 50 queries for various things before I got any interest. I still have that same agent now.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?
Maybe half a dozen. I wasn't particularly good at any of them. Except maybe the editorial assistant gig. I worked at a veterinary science journal. I was good at that. I liked the editing part. The rest of it? Not so much.

? How long does it take you to write a book?
From the very beginning, including planning and all the faffing about and head-banging-against-wall that goes with it? About six months.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Adjectives! I like adjectives :) contrary to popular belief, they are not the children of Satan. Especially if you don't let them hunt in packs.

? Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?
I have a to-do list each day, and I do it. Frame of mind doesn't really come into it for me. If words need to be made, I do my best to make them. Some days, I fail. But you just have to try again the next day!

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
Amazon.com. If you order inspiration in bulk, it qualifies for Super Saver shipping. Heh :)  if only it were that easy! I don't really know the answer. My mind wanders to strange places…

? How do you decide what you want to write about?
I'm not sure that's a decision as such. Ideas come to me. I evaluate them, think about whether they'll sustain a full-length book, whether I'm excited enough about the idea to want to work on it for months. Sadly, it does have to involve a few commercial considerations, too. What's already out there like it? How will I pitch this? Is it different enough, yet enough the same, to sell?
? What books have most influenced your life?
Probably the stuff I read when I was a teen. There was nowhere near as much YA on the shelves as there is now (ahem, showing my age…) so I gravitated to high fantasy. Quests, magic spells, elven princesses, pig herders who would be king… and then, y'know. Bisexual vampires. Hello, Anne Rice. I must have read The Vampire Lestat like a hundred times.

? What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?
It was a kids' book about an ape. I must have been about 5 or 6. I remember because we had a substitute teacher that day, and she didn't believe I could read by myself. So I showed her :)

? What are you reading right now?
Last night I picked up The Dark Half by Stephen King. I've already read it like a zillion times. I like how it builds.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I watch a lot of TV at night-time. I loathe reality shows, but I watch a lot of dramas. It's story-related, but less effort than reading or writing.

? What is your favorite comfort food?
Pasta. When I'm feeling sorry for myself, I cook a big juicy plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce. Or chocolate, of course. That's an all-purpose food.

? What do you think makes a good story?
Characters I care about. As in, I have to care what happens to them, and their problems have to mean something to me. I find many YA books difficult for this reason. And I like stuff to happen! Plot events. Yes.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?
I'm a big re-reader. There are tons of books I've read more than once. When I was in high school, I used to read fantasy epics like the Dragonlance series over and over and over… and yeah, The Vampire Lestat. These days, I pick up an oldie-but-a-goodie when I want to read for relaxation.

Fun random questions: 
·        dogs or cats?
Cats. I like my dog, but the cat is my favorite. There's something about the pure disdain with which he treats me that keeps me coming back for more.
·        Coffee or tea?
Coffee. The only cup of tea I've ever enjoyed was during a survival exercise in the jungle. Our team split the ration pack at the beginning, and I got the tea bag. I hoarded and hoarded that tea bag. When you're stinky, wet and weary, and you've eaten nothing in three days but a scrap of smoked goat jerky? Even tea tastes good.
·        Dark or milk chocolate?
Milk. But dark will do in an emergency.
·        Rocks or flowers?
Uh. Flowers, I guess. But rocks can be cool, too…
·        Night or day?
I'm more of a night person. But daytime has its uses.
·        Favorite color?
Green.
·        Crayons or markers?
Haven't owned a crayon for decades. So I guess it's markers.
·        Pens or pencils?
I like both! I especially like those clicky mechanical pencils. Click, click…


More About the Author:
     Erica Hayes was a law student, an air force officer, an editorial assistant and a musician, before finally landing her dream job: fantasy and romance writer.
     She writes dark paranormal and urban fantasy romance, and her books feature tough, smart heroines and colourful heroes with dark secrets.
     She hails from Australia, where she drifts from city to city, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Currently, she's terrorizing the wilds of Northumberland.


Redemption
The Seven Signs, Book 2
Erica Hayes

Genre: paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Number of pages: 330
Cover Artist: Kris Keller
Paperback:  Amazon    BN    Book Depository   Ebook:  Amazon    BN   iTunes

Book Description:

Japheth the Tainted is on the hunt for a mysterious demon vampire. But meeting her face-to-face might disarm his warrior spirit—and spark an unquenchable passion with apocalyptic consequences. 

As a fallen angel, Japheth is determined to make his way back to heaven by staying pure and slaying hellspawn. With a new scourge of vampires unleashed by a blood-drinking demon, the Prince of Thirst, there’s plenty to be done. But Japheth is after one vampire in particular—the one they call the Angel Slayer.

Rose Harley never wanted to be a vampire, but the Prince of Thirst can turn even the kindest soul into a soldier of hell. Feeling abandoned by God, she stalks the West Village taking revenge on his angels—until she meets her match.

When Japheth and Rose encounter each other, the battle is fierce and charged with desire. But when they discover a common enemy—the Prince of Thirst himself—they form a dangerous alliance that could either cost them their eternal lives, or spark a love more powerful than heaven or hell.

Excerpt:
“Looking for someone, angel?”
That honey-blood voice quivered Japheth’s feathers taut.
She grinned, mocking. Leaning against the redbrick wall beneath a rusted fire escape, steeped in magical shadow and hot vampire stink.
He stared, dumb. Tall for a girl, only a head shorter than he. Long legs, encased in blue jeans and black army boots. Her short black t-shirt stretched over full breasts, flashing that tempting skin above a silver belt buckle. Her bare arms shone, muscular but womanly. Sexy dimples in her cheeks, perfectly shaped for cupping in his palms.
The bloody feathers of slain angels, gold and white and red, stuck through the thick dark braid she tossed over her shoulder. A few wisps escaped to play around her face in the summer-night breeze. He wanted to trace their path with his fingertips, cheekbone to chin to cherry-ripe lips . . .
“Matter of fact, I am,” he said tightly. “Your sniveling master. Fluvium, is it? Prince of Thirst? Tell me where he is and I might kill you quickly.”
She laughed, fangs glinting. Sharp, lethal like a tigress’s. “You’ve come to kill Fluvium? Good luck with that.” She lolled on one foot, eyeing him speculatively, sizing up her prey. “Japheth, right? Of the Tainted Host? Cute name, for a hamster.”
Sweet lord, his name in her mouth sounded . . . dirty. He swallowed, rough. “How’d you know that?”
“I know my enemy.” She licked ripe lips.
Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  My quick thoughts:
This was not my first Erica Hayes read and I was excited to have the opportunity to read book 2 in this series.  The characters are great ~ well built and easy to invest in.  The story line is intriguing and fast paced. The combination of fallen angel and vampire is fantastic.  Not really a stand alone, but a great addition to the first book.  Well worth the time to read!!!!