January 20, 2011

Interview/Giveaway with Author Jenna Black

Hi Everyone!

As most of you know I (Dee) recently read Glimmerglass as well as Shadowspell and really enjoyed them both. We got the chance to interview Jenna Black about her FaerieWalker series and she was kind enough to answer our questions. Enjoy!

If you'd like to read my review on both books CLICK HERE.




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GCR: Tell us a little about yourself and your current Young Adult series, Faeriewalker.

JB: I'm a full-time writer of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy. The Faeriewalker series is about Dana Hathaway, a half-Fae teen who gets sick of dealing with her alcoholic mother and runs away to find her Fae father in Avalon, the only place where the mortal world and Faerie intersect. Once she gets there, she finds out she's a rare individual, known as a Faeriewalker, who can travel freely in both worlds and who can bring magic into the mortal world and technology into Faerie. She also gets swept up in a complex game of political intrigue that spans both Avalon and the entire world of Faerie.

GCR: How long does it usually take you to finish writing a book?

JB: This is always a hard question to answer, because there's a lot of stopping and starting involved in getting a book all the way from concept to publication. I can write a first draft in about three months, but the first draft is far from the finished product. I usually revise at least three times (even having revised on the fly while writing), and then there are additional drafts based on feedback from my critique partner, agent, and/or editor.

GCR: How many books can we expect for your FaerieWalker series?

JB: The current plan is for there to be three books.

GCR: Was there anything that you cut out of the first two books that you wish now you left in?

JB: No. I tend to be a spare writer, and my books tend to get longer as I go through the editing process. I'm much more likely to have to add in additional scenes than to cut existing ones.

GCR: Are any of your characters based on someone you know in real life?

JB: In a way, Dana's mom is based on my own late mother, but it's a pretty loose comparison. I made Dana's mom more overtly problematic than my own mother ever was, but there's no denying that some of the behaviors were taken from real life. Also, some of Dana's reactions and emotions are based on my own feelings toward my mother and her struggle with alcohol. It's the only time I've ever tapped into my real life or people I know that closely. I tend to build my characters from the ground up rather than relating them to people I know in real life, but with this series, I wanted to challenge myself to write something that felt closer to home.

GCR: Can you tell us one of your all time favorite quotes? It could be from any of your books or something you've read/seen before

JB: My characters often have sarcastic streaks, and I tend to like their one-liners. (I like those one-liners in other books, too, but it's easier to find an example from one of mine.) Here's one from my work-in-progress, SIRENSONG: "Gee, I feel so much better knowing that him murdering me would be a social faux pas."

GCR: What is your favorite Fairytale?

JB: I honestly never thought about that before. I'm not sure if this counts, but I enjoy stories about mortals interacting with Faerie, and my favorites are probably the tales of Thomas the Rhymer and Tam Lin, both of whom were taken by the Faerie Queen into Faerie and later emerged as changed men.

GCR: And last but not least, Can we have a quick sneak peek from the next book in the series?

JB: In SIRENSONG, Dana receives a summons to Faerie from the Queen of the Seelie Court. The Queen sends her son, Prince Henry, to escort Dana to Court, and Dana doesn't have much choice but to go. Her father and her friends go with her as protection, although supposedly the summons is a sign that the Queen wants to make peace with her. Of course, nothing in Dana's life is ever simple, and it seems that though the Queen might want to make peace, there is someone else who very much wants her dead.

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We want to say Thank you to Jenna Black for taking the time to answer our questions. Cannot wait for Sirensong! :-)


For more information on Jenna and her Faeriewalker series, check out the links below:



Giveaway

Decided to share my copies of Glimmerglass and Shadowspell :-)

Rules:
* US/Canada ONLY
* Must fill out this FORM
* Contest Ends February 3rd 11:59 PM
* Winner will be chosen by Random.org

Good luck everyone!

22 comments:

  1. Great interview!

    I've been a fan of Jenna's adult urban fantasy writing for years now. Her Faeriewalker series is on my TBR list, and that quote from SIRENSONG has me wanting to get to know her new characters!

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  2. I love Jenna's Morgan Kingsley series ... Who wouldn't want a sexy demon to be living inside them (well, if you've got to have a demon). She always seems like such an interesting, genuine person, and her book covers, hands down, have some of the best covers. Nice interview.

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  3. It makes sense that you took from life. The part of the mother really reads true. Great interview and giveaway!

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  4. Great interview. I loved her other books. Looking forward to these too.

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  5. I would love to win this. Great interview and Great giveaway Thank you
    chaarmedone1512@aol.com

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  6. PS every book won is read and donated to Middletown High school they are low on funds and are in desperate need of books.
    http://www.vampyrekisses.com/?page_id=533
    chaarmedone1512@aol.com

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  7. I would love to win this book. =D
    mystifyingparanormalreviews@gmail.com

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  8. Wonderful interview. I really want to read these so I can review them on my blog! They look so fabulous! Thanks so much. :)

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  9. NIce interview! I've been looking for another faerie series to try, and this one sounds quite interesting. Thanks for the giveaway. ^_^

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  10. I've been really looking forward to reading these! Thanks for the great interview and giveaway!

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  11. The FaerieWalker series sounds like a lot of fun... count me in!

    yadkny@hotmail.com

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  12. Sounds interesting! :) Thanks for the giveaway! ^_^

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  13. Thank you for the interview. It's nice to learn more about the authors that I love. The Faeriewalker series is one of my favorites.

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  14. Awesome interview and awesome giveaway!! :D
    cmurphy213@yahoo.com

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  15. Loved the interview♥ Thanks for sharing your books with us ♥
    veltara(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. Awesome interview. I love her Morgan Kingsley series but I haven't had a chance to read this series yet. I'd love to though. :)

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  17. I've been really drawn to these covers, and reading this interview definitely makes me want to read the books more!!

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  18. I haven't read Glimmerglass (well, technically i did read the first two chapters that were included with her free short story, Remedial Magic) or Shadowspell yet, but they're on my TBR list!!

    Thanks for the giveaway =)

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  19. The series sounds great. The quote is hilarious! Wonderful interview.

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  20. Great interview! These books sound awesome and they are going on my to-read list ASAP. I can't wait to read them. :-) Thanks for the giveaway!

    californiablue17@aol.com

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  21. Great interview. I've never read these books before, but I've heard great things about them. I look forward to reading them. Thanks for the giveaway.

    kira(dot)thomas(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. Thanks for the giveaway! This is a new author for me but this series sounds great! I'll be adding it to my TBR list.

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

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