FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where do you get your ideas?
I keep an idea pixie (very comfortably, mind you) in the bottom drawer of my dresser whom I feed pixie sticks in exchange for ideas. Actually I get my ideas from everything and everywhere. Music, books, movies, TV. Everything I watch/listen/read sparks all kinds of “what if” riffs and scenarios in my imagination.
What’s your daily routine?
I’m writing full-time now (with two series), so after slurping coffee and playing with my cats, I write during the day with regular hours, just like I did with my day job. I’m a reasonable boss (hah!), so I allow a couple of breaks and lunch. I have a daily word quota and once I hit that, I can stop for the day—if I want. Then I try to update all my social network contacts, answer email, blog, etc.
Why urban fantasy?
To which I say, why not? Urban fantasy allows a huge playing field with urban, paranormal, and fantasy elements. I enjoy reading urban fantasy and paranormal stories, and vampires, of course. I didn’t set out to write a particular genre per se, that’s just where my stories seem to belong.
When is the next book coming out?
The fifth Maker’s Song book, ON MIDNIGHT WINGS, will be released at the end of 2012/beginning of 2013 and the next Kallie Rivière Hoodoo book, BLACK MOON MOJO, will be out in 2013. Book six of The Maker’s Song will follow.
Who are your favorite authors/greatest influences?
My greatest influences are S.E. Hinton and Stephen King. Reading is one of my fave pastimes and I love reading books in all genres, including non-fiction. Just check my website’s sidebar for a list and links to my fave authors.
Who else do you recommend in the Urban Fantasy genre?
I love Jeaniene Frost, Jeri-Smith Ready, D.B. Reynolds, Rob Thurman, Jaye Wells, Devon Monk, Jennifer Estep, Jenna Black, Kelly Gay, Jeanne C. Stein, Phaedra Weldon, Mark Henry – among others.
Why don’t you have a movie/TV series made out of your books?
I would love to see my stories and characters on the big or small screen, but that’s not something I have control over. At this point, no serious offers have been made. But if that changes, y’all will the first to know.
Will there be more Maker’s Song books with Dante and Heather?
Yes, absolutely! Pocket has picked up books five and six of The Maker’s Song and I hope to continue with the series for as long as there are stories to tell.
Will Lucien and/or Von from The Maker’s Song ever get books of their own?
At some point in the future, yes. In the meantime, I’ll most likely post short stories about them.
Is Dante based on anyone in particular?
Music inspired the creation of Dante more than anything else—Nine Inch Nails in particular. As for which albums, all of them, but The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, and Year Zero played a larger role. Eric Draven (as portrayed by Brandon Lee) of The Crow and Trent Reznor were influences also, but Dante is uniquely his own.
Do you consider yourself a plotter or a panster?
Y’know, originally I was a panster. I created characters, then started writing their story. Now, because of all the complicated layers in The Maker’s Song series (and the Kallie Rivière Hoodoo series is heading that way), I’ve learned that a bit of plotting is necessary to keep track of all the sub-plots. So, currently, I’m both plotter and panster.
Do you have any advice you’d give to would-be authors?
Plant butt in chair and write. Discipline and perseverance are key to succeeding. Even if you only write ten minutes a day, do it every day. You need to view your writing as a job and treat it that way, especially if you hope to make a living at it some day. Believe in yourself and write every single day. Work for your dream – you’ll get it. And research the business!
What influences the creation of your characters?
Music is the biggest influence. It is an emotional soundscape as I write and a catalyst for creation. Music is my muse
What is the difference between hoodoo and Voodoo?
The main difference is that Voodoo is a religion, with priestesses (mambos), priests (houngans) and devoted practitioners who participate in ceremonies to summon the loa (natural spirits and those of the dead), while Hoodoo is a system of folk magic following the same belief system as Voodoo, including the same gods/loas/saints.
With hoodoo, there are no priests or priestesses or ceremonies, just root doctors and root workers (also known as conjurers) working out of their homes and/or botanicas
Can we expect to see more of Kallie, Layne, and Belladonna? How many books are in the series?
Yes, definitely plan on seeing more of Kallie and her friends. The series is open-ended, like The Maker’s Song series.
