General musings

  • Hanging out with Gin Blanco and Jane Yellowrock …

    4 Comments

    I’m doing something something fun this summer — a character interview with another author.

    Shadow RitesFaith Hunter writes the Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series (along with the Soulwood series). Many folks who read Faith’s books also read my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, starring Gin Blanco, my assassin heroine. So we thought it would be fun to put together an interview with our two leading ladies, Jane and Gin. And thanks to Mud at Let’s Talk! Promotions for agreeing to “host” the interview.

    I’ll be posting sections of the interview on my Facebook page every Monday morning starting today, July 11, and running through Aug. 15. Faith will be posting sections every Wednesday through Aug. 17 on her blog. When the interview is finished, I’ll post the entire thing here on my blog. Hope everyone enjoys the interview. 🙂

    Here’s the first part of the interview:

    THE INTERVIEW:

    Mud:  (Huge Ditsy Talk Show Host Smile) Thank you everyone for coming tonight. I want you to give it up for my special guests, professional killers, Jane Yellowrock and Gin Blanco. (Loud applause, slowly dying into rapt silence.)

    Mud:  Good evening ladies, and thank you for coming today. So, I understand you both come from Asheville, Ashland, um, someplace like that, right?

    Jane:  (Places cell phone on the table. Looks longingly at the door. Calculates how long it would take her to leap across the table and get away and if Gin—whoever she is—would shoot her in the back for deserting her.)

    UnraveledGin: (Looks at Jane, then the host, then all the exits. Leans back in her chair and gives everyone a bright, charming smile.) Thanks for hosting me on your show. I appreciate it.

    I’m from Ashland, a Southern city that’s full of giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals—Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone. It’s quite lovely … except for all the crime, corruption, and conspiracies. But it’s home, and it always will be.

    And yes, “Ash” names seem to be very popular. Maybe because so many things get reduced to ash, rubble, ruin, and the like when we’re around?

    Jane:  Yeah, yeah, yeah. Used to live in Asheville, North Carolina. Sleepy little city. Lotta snow skiing in winter, lotta water sports on the rivers. Rock climbing. Hiking. People disappearing from time to time. Vampires are pretty civilized. As much as blood-sucking fangheads can be. I’m in New Orleans now. (Thinks.) It’s hot there.

    MORE ABOUT FAITH

    Faith HunterFaith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. She writes three Urban Fantasy series: the Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires. The Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. And the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. The role playing game based on the series, is ROGUE MAGE, RPG.

    You can follow Faith on her official Facebook page, her personal Facebook page, and Twitter, along with https://www.yellowrocksecurities.com and https://www.gwenhunter.com.

    As you can see, Jane and Gin had a lot of fun hanging out together. 🙂

    Again, I’ll be posting sections of the interview on my Facebook page every Monday morning starting today, July 11, and running through Aug. 15. Faith will be posting sections every Wednesday through Aug. 17 on her blog. Hope everyone gets a chance to check out the interview.

    What about you guys? Do you like reading character interviews? Which fictional characters would you want to hang out with?

  • Happy Fourth of July …

    Hope that everyone has a Happy Fourth of July. 🙂

    Let’s take a moment to remember our veterans, their families, and all the sacrifices they’ve made for us so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we do.

    I know many folks will be hosting cookouts or spending some time at the pool or lake. I’m hoping to squeeze in some reading time. Hope everyone enjoys the long holiday weekend. Be safe out there!

  • · ·

    Rob-Con set for July 30-31 …

    Rob-Con 2016I’m doing something fun in a couple of weeks. I’ll be one of the many writers, artists, vendors, fans, and more attending Rob-Con 2016. The event will be held on July 30-31 at Viking Hall in Bristol, Tenn. from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days. Admission is $15 for one day or $20 for both days. Kids under 5 get in for free.

    I will be signing books on Saturday only, July 30, starting at 9 a.m. and going until 1 p.m.

    Rob-Con 2016 will feature writers and artists signing and selling their books and artwork, along with vendors who will have everything from comic books to toys to games. If it’s related to comic books, comic book movies/TV shows, or fantasy movies/TV shows, you can probably find it at Rob-Con 2016. Folks are encouraged to come in costume, and one of the highlights of the weekend is the costume contest, which will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 31.

    Now, I don’t have a superhero costume, but I do have several superhero T-shirts (Captain America, Black Widow, etc.). So that’s what I’ll be wearing. I always see lots of folks wearing really cool superhero T-shirts, which usually leads to me going online and ordering more superhero T-shirts for myself. LOL.

    Whether it’s a comic book convention like Rob-Con 2016 or a romance-writing convention like the RT Booklovers Convention, cons are always a lot of fun. It’s just really great to meet and hang out with people who are passionate about comics, books, writing, or whatever the con is about.

    Comic book and fantasy conventions are held in towns all across the U.S. (and world). If you’re unsure if there’s a con in your area, ask the folks at your local comic book store if they can point you in the right direction. Here’s hoping that you can make it to a con sometime soon.

    What about you guys? Do you plan to attend any conventions or book events this summer?

  • Happy Memorial Day …

    I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day. Let’s take a moment today to remember all of our veterans, their families, and all of their many sacrifices over the years.

    Hope that everyone has a fun weekend. Read a book, go to the movies, host a cookout, hang out with your family and friends, and just enjoy the unofficial start of summer. Have a great holiday!

  • Bitter Bite, Elemental Assassin #14, has been released …

    4 Comments

    Bitter Bite, the 14th book in my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, has been released today, Feb. 23. Woot! Woot!

    Bitter BiteBitter Bite is available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats from all the usual retailers:

    Amazon Kindle / Amazon paperback / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / Google Play / iBooks / IndieBound / Kobo

    Audible / Amazon audiobook

    The audiobook is available through Audible and Amazon, and the awesome Lauren Fortgang is once again be the narrator.

    And here is the book description:

    Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship? That’s the question Gin Blanco is asking when a friend’s long-lost relative comes strolling back into Ashland under suspicious circumstances. 

    It’s not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far—my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I’m the one on the outside looking in.

    It’s funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he’s doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I’d like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I’ll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground—for good.

    In other words, this book is all about Finn. 🙂

    You can read the first chapter of the book here. Scroll down and click on the Read Excerpt tab.

    I had a lot of fun writing this book, and I hope that everyone enjoys Gin’s (and Finn’s) latest adventure. Happy reading!