1. What is the working title of your book?
Well, since this book is the third and final book in my first ever series, that is a bit complicated LOL How about if I just break down the series...
Series: At War in the Willows
Book1 - The Vampire's Witch
Book 2 - The Vampire's Wolf
Book 3 - The Vampire's Human
2. Where did the idea for your At War in the Willows series come from?
The inspiration for my At War in the Willows series was really a duel creation. Gina Kincade, owner of Naughty Nights Press, approached me about writing it. She had this idea for a paranormal erotic series where clans fought against each other. She had a few specific things she wanted to see even like arrangement of POV, etc. But, I got to pick the types of paranormals, how and what lead to their fighting, the plotline, etc. I honestly never thought I would write a series, but I was so excited by the proposal I accepted the challenge.
3.What genre does it fall under?
As always, my books genres read more like a keywords list. I guess I like to mix things up *winks*
Paranormal, Erotic, Romantic Suspense - The Paranormals being vampires, witches and werewolves.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Hmmm, tough question.... how about....
The Vampire's Witch: Jared Padalecki as my vampire Issac and Julia Roberts as my witch Winter
The Vampire's Wolf: Kate Beckinsale as my vampire Amberlyn and Joe Manganiello as my werewolf Kane
The Vampire's Human: Josh Holloway as my vampire Devin and Emma Stone as my human Sara
Think I am liking the pairings....
5. What is a one-sentence synopsis of your At War in the Willows series?
The Willows is a resort town run by vampires, werewolves and witches, where true identities are kept secret from humans, and intimate relations between the individual clans are strictly forbidden until situations beyond their control lead to forbidden relationships leading three vampires, a witch, a werewolf and a human to ride along the edges of the rules making the Willows a place full of violence and bloodshed.
Sorry, really long sentence! *giggles*
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Neither actually. Since 2007 I've worked with eleven different publishers and have had over 30 stories published. I've learned a lot in that time, and have gotten to the point that I have found my personality match with a handful of publishers that take really good care of my and my creations. At War in the Willows is published with Naughty Nights Press.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft?
Actually, if you don't count all the pauses life put in there not long at all. Each story just poured out of me. As I said before, the actual idea of having warring clans came from my publisher when she proposed writing a paranormal series to me, and I guess it was just meant to be, because the rest came to me very fast. I would say that each story took maybe 3-4 days to write the bare bones of. A lot more time though went into editing, and making sure the series went together well.
8. What other books would you compare the At War in the Willows series to?
None come to mind actually. I mean True Blood does include many paranormals in sexy and violent situations, as does Vampire Diaries on a more prime time level, but both are lengthy novel series. Mine is a three novella series, and I like to write fast and tight plotlines, so this worked for me. I can't say that I have read anything like this plot - props to Ms. Gina again for the idea, inspiration and personal support and motivation as I wrote it.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this story?
Well, since I've answered that question twice now, let me go a little more in-depth into the type of story I wanted to write. In the real world, intolerance is something that really bothers me, gets under my skin and gets me standing on my soap box as my mother says, no matter who it is aimed at. I am more of a quiet person though, not one to just offer my opinions. Yet, as I writer, I get to mouth off about about the injustices of the world in my fictional writing from time to time. But, in my new At War in the Willows Series, I got to wrap a whole world around my rants LOL! In the small resort town of The Willows, vampires, witches and werewolves live together peacefully in public, but are forbidden to relate in private. The humans remain gloriously unaware, well for the most part ;) In each book in the series I pair together two paranormal creatures, have them fall in love, and thus a war breaks out and escalates through the stories in the town. Some want things to stay as they are, fears from unknowns bring about prejudices that must be fought by those who wish to be together. Sound familiar?
As far as writing goes, it is always interesting to create a new paranormal world, decide how close to stay to typical mythology and how far to stray. In the Willows, in order for this fight for the freedom to be together to happen, I made a list of the strengths and weakness that are typical for each of my creatures, vampire and witch and werewolf, to see how they could relate, how they could fight, how they could stand on either side of the issues of being together, etc. I found it really interesting, and actually had to change very few things in my world, stray from the usual myths, in order to make it work. But I am usually that type of writer, I like the original Byron vampires, and the mythical witches with magic passed by bloodline. This worked well for me with the politics of the whole story, and fell in line, very closely related to prejudices and politics today in our own world where man fights man.
I guess my biggest thing though was to show that there were inherent dangers with the creatures being together (you know, the paranormal worlds always amp up any problem) but that with love, with understanding, with compassion, that the initial problems could be overcome - that it was really opening peoples minds that mattered. I believe that in the real world as well. I'm a champion of the underdog, and in this trilogy, that will probably be pretty evident. What I ended up with were three very intense stories, ones that linger in dark, mystical worlds, just the way I like my fiction, and have an underlying moral fiber along with battles and romance.
As far as writing goes, it is always interesting to create a new paranormal world, decide how close to stay to typical mythology and how far to stray. In the Willows, in order for this fight for the freedom to be together to happen, I made a list of the strengths and weakness that are typical for each of my creatures, vampire and witch and werewolf, to see how they could relate, how they could fight, how they could stand on either side of the issues of being together, etc. I found it really interesting, and actually had to change very few things in my world, stray from the usual myths, in order to make it work. But I am usually that type of writer, I like the original Byron vampires, and the mythical witches with magic passed by bloodline. This worked well for me with the politics of the whole story, and fell in line, very closely related to prejudices and politics today in our own world where man fights man.
I guess my biggest thing though was to show that there were inherent dangers with the creatures being together (you know, the paranormal worlds always amp up any problem) but that with love, with understanding, with compassion, that the initial problems could be overcome - that it was really opening peoples minds that mattered. I believe that in the real world as well. I'm a champion of the underdog, and in this trilogy, that will probably be pretty evident. What I ended up with were three very intense stories, ones that linger in dark, mystical worlds, just the way I like my fiction, and have an underlying moral fiber along with battles and romance.
10.
What else about the story might pique the reader's interest?
I think the book trailer video may help. I just love making them, and was very pleased with the final result of this one.
For blurb, buy links and reviews for the At War in the Willows series, please visit my website at http://www.kikihowell.com/2012/01/at-war-in-willows-series.html
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