SOMETHING ABOUT WITCHES by Joey W. Hill
Arcane Shot Book I Ruby Night Divine is a gun shop owner. She's also a witch who knows magic can fail. She's experienced it firsthand, with full-blown tragic consequences. Smith and Wesson is a whole hell of a lot more reliable, and nothing's as cathartic as the ability to put a few holes in the things that piss you off. Like Derek Stormwind.
A powerful sorcerer, Derek is determined to get to the bottom of why she pushed him away and ran three years before. He also needs her help. A coven needs training to help them fight a demon and his minions. While Ruby is willing to do it, she's sure it's just a ruse to get back in her heart - and her bed. The thing is, that's where she wants him. Unfortunately, her bed's already made, she's this close to losing her soul, and she fears nothing can save her. Not Derek. Not even Smith and Wesson.
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Joey W Hill writes about vampires, mermaids, boardroom executives, cops, witches, angels, simple housemaids... If there's an erotic love story to be told, she'll take the plunge. As a result, she's proud and humbled to have four series and over twenty award-winning and highly acclaimed titles under her belt, as well as the support and enthusiasm of a wonderful and widely diverse readership. In 2009, Joey was nominated for a Career Achievement award in Erotica by Romantic Times.
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WIN - Leave Joey a question about her new book today at her Cyber Launch Party and your name goes in the hat for a $50 Gift Card from Amazon or Barnes and Noble and an autographed book of your choice from Joey's impressive backlist - check out your choices here!! Please leave your email address, so we can contact you if you are today's winner - Good Luck!
Happy Release Day Joey!!! Wow how exciting to help you celebrate, not only a new book release, but also a brand new series!
ReplyDeleteTell us all about your new Arcane Shot Series and what you have planned for it.
And tell us about the new book. I love witches and magic, so I can't wait to read this one!
Hope you enjoy your special day and your cyber launch party and I hope SOMETHING ABOUT WITCHES is your biggest seller yet!!
Have fun!
Joey, you know you are my aspirational author. I read The Ice Queen 6 years ago and it took my writing in a whole new direction. To me, you will always be the queen - and not icy, either!
ReplyDeleteSo, where did the idea for this book come from?
Congrats on the new release! I see this is book one in a series, how many will there be and can they be read standalone?
ReplyDeleteok I went out and read the excerpt, now I have to read the book!! I love the cover, put the hero in a cowboy hat and I love it! and those abs....drool worthy!
debr97 at yahoo dot com
Hey Joey! I'm excited to have another chance to win this book. It sounds so great! How many books do you have planned for this series?
ReplyDeleteashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com
Congrats on your new release! Sounds like a great book. I was wondering if you ever base your characters on people you know?
ReplyDeletequiltlady110 AT gmail Dot com
Hi Ms. Joey! I'm so excited about the new book and series witches and cowboys??? I'm all over that!
ReplyDeleteI know there are many times that you cross reference characters from you other books. My question is in this series will you do the same and which characters will you use?
So excited to get the new book! Congratulations!
Jess
Bones46 at hotmail dot com
Looks like I found my next new author. The storyline rocks. The names of your characters are interesting. Do your characters morph on you as you're writing or do you stick to the gameplan?
ReplyDeleteHave a fantabulous day!
Lynn
lspangler0504 at gmail dot com
AI, thank you so much! This book returns to my love of traditional fantasy - I was raised on character-driven masters like Raymond Feist, Stephen Donaldson, Lloyd Alexander, etc, who could wrap together great characters with intense emotion and traditional fantasy/magic elements. Of course, I add in a lot of romance (wink). This book gave me a chance to develop a plot that includes ritual magical practice and a nice "save your corner of the world" intensity - mixed with the intensity of the relationship Derek and Ruby are trying to salvage with each other.
ReplyDeleteThe blurb gives a good description of the story, but I found the combination irresistible - a prickly witch who's also a gun shop owner, and a sorcerer who wears dragonskin boots. The side characters also make this an intriguing story (and of course give you a glimpse of the heroines/heroes of the next two books). Raina, the half-succubus/all witch who runs a bordello of sex demons and Mikhael, a Dark Guardian (he's the dark cop to Derek's light cop), are the protagonists for In the Company of Witches, the next book due out in May. You even get a glimpse of Book 3 (if these do well and the publisher wants it) - Ramona, a chaos witch and a Grim Reaper, intrigued by her because he can't "see" her death the way he can everyone else.
Desiree, thank you for that lovely comment. You asked where did I get the idea for the book - my agent wanted me to pitch a mass market paranormal (vs trade size) to Berkley, and she said "maybe make it something about witches" lol. No, title didn't come from that, but it is a funny coincidence. I am Wiccan, and of course, with Wicca growing so strongly out of the sixties, the stereotype is Birkenstock sandal, crunchy granola, peace and love, whereas the roots of many branches of Wicca are much deeper, closer to shamanic practice. I liked the idea of Ruby being the type of witch who defied those stereotypes, so I thought hmmm...witch who runs a gun shop. Yep, that'll do it (lol). And Derek sprang into my head as a cowboy sorcerer from the first, because he carries the idealized code of medieval chivalry along with the romantic persona of the cowboy, as there's a lot of overlap in those legends/lore.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, glad you liked the excerpt! You asked: "I see this is book one in a series, how many will there be and can they be read standalone?"
ReplyDeleteSo far I have three planned, as noted in my response to AI - it's starting out as a trilogy, focusing on one witch per book, with the other two playing key roles in each story. As such, they'll each be a standalone paranormal romance, but you might get some spoilers if there are references to actions from a previous book. Hope you enjoy Derek and Ruby!
Ley, my apologies - I should have included your name in my response to Deborah, since you had the same question - see that response for your answer, and let me know if you need any further information.
ReplyDeleteQuilt Lady, you asked - "I was wondering if you ever base your characters on people you know?" No, I don't. A physical feature, a scrap of dialogue or a personality trait may come from someone I know, but the characters themselves develop into unique personalities as I draft out the work. Which makes it a lot more fun (smile).
Hey, Jess! Thanks for coming by. You asked "I know there are many times that you cross reference characters from your other books. My question is in this series will you do the same and which characters will you use?"
ReplyDeleteActually, yes - the coven that Ruby will be helping is led by a woman named Linda in a little town called Lilesville. This is the Linda and Lilesville from If Wishes Were Horses, one of my much earlier non-series titles. Justin and Sarah were the protagonists of that book and, though they won't make an appearance in this book, they will be mentioned. There's also a brief appearance by some of my angels from the Daughters of Arianne series!
Lynn, hope I meet expectations! Let me know if not - I always appreciate feedback, good or bad. You asked "Do your characters morph on you as you're writing or do you stick to the gameplan?"
ReplyDeleteOr, they always morph (lol). But in a lot of ways they're like babies. I have a sense of who they are when I start writing, but I pretty much keep the reins loose so they can grow/develop into unique personalities, ones that often surprise me. It's one of the many reasons I love writing. When you're doing it right, it's a lot like holding the planchette over a Ouija board and letting the "other" force take you on the journey.
HAPPY SAW RELEASE DAY!!! I am so excited to start reading this book. I might have to tackle the UPS guy before he makes it to my house with the book.
ReplyDeleteSo here is my question. I was wondering how old Derek Stormwind is? I remember Derek from your VQS. I am thinking he both helped Mal build his island and Mason create his tomb. Mal is at least 50 + years old and the gods only know how old Mason is (LOL). So this being said, how long has Super-Sexy Derek been around.
Thanks again for your amazing stories and series!!!!
Just wanted to say congrats on another amazing book. Do you have a fav series that you write?
ReplyDeleteErin, Derek is around 1200 years old. He ages EXTREMELY well. Which reminds me, I believe he does mention his involvement with Mason in this book, though Mason himself isn't in it. ;> Thanks, Erin!
ReplyDeleteSMT - you asked my favorite series. That's a lot like picking my favorite child (grin), so I usually answer that with the series that is the easiest for me to write (where the creative flow works the best). That would be the Nature of Desire series. It brings together some unlikely pairings in the Domination/submission world - alpha cop and a Mistress; two Dominants who can't do without one another; a male sub and a heroine who isn't a part of the D/s world at all...etc. The characters in those books, their emotional intensity, was so easy to write. As I said, I love all my series, but those books launched my career, and I still go back to them for inspiration when I'm stuck creatively. You can find blurbs and excerpts for all of them under the series link on my website, if you'd like to check them out.
ReplyDeleteSMT - you asked my favorite series. That's a lot like picking my favorite child (grin), so I usually answer that with the series that is the easiest for me to write (where the creative flow works the best). That would be the Nature of Desire series. It brings together some unlikely pairings in the Domination/submission world - alpha cop and a Mistress; two Dominants who can't do without one another; a male sub and a heroine who isn't a part of the D/s world at all...etc. The characters in those books, their emotional intensity, was so easy to write. As I said, I love all my series, but those books launched my career, and I still go back to them for inspiration when I'm stuck creatively. You can find blurbs and excerpts for all of them under the series link on my website, if you'd like to check them out.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new release Joey. My copy is in the mail :)
ReplyDeleteHow would you describe the two main characters in a sentence?
I understand these characters were seen in the VQS will characters cross over?
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
Hi Joey. Happy release day! You're my favorite author so any day one of your books releases is always a very happy day for me. And two releases by you in such a short time . . . heaven. :) (Hostile Takeover was amazing, by the way.)
ReplyDeleteI read that this new series is a bit lighter in the sexual aspect (very little BDSM elements). Did you find it difficult to hold those aspects back, considering that has almost always been a very large part of your stories?
*singing badly * Did you ever know that you're my heeeeeroo..........
ReplyDeleteLOL!!!!
Happy Release Day!!!!!! I'm falling behind in my Joey purchases darn it! You're making me chant "Tax return! Tax Return!!"
I can't wait to read this one!!!!
You've answered a ton of great questions already, so I'm just going to say "Happy release day!!"
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read this new one.
Happy Release Day Joey! I read an early review of Something About Witches and the reviewer loved it. I have wanted to get my hands on this book since then. Congratulations on getting a mass market release. How exciting!
ReplyDeletegeishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
I won't bother asking you any questions as you've already answered any I have :D
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add congratulations from me on your latest release :D
Happy Release day Joey!!! I am very excited to read this new series of yours. I am a big fan of your Vampire Queen series and will be on the edge of my seat waiting for more on Lady Lyssa and friends. Does this new series have a BDSM side to it?
ReplyDeleteThanks
blonde_mama_t@me.com
Happy SAW Release Day!!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad we get to find out Derek Stormwinds story. Loved the way he helped Lord Mason honor his love Farida in Beloved Vampire. Also still amazed at how Derek helped design Mal's island sanctuary in Vampire Instinct. Maybe with this book we can figure out why Kohana is so leary of Derek?
I love the way your characters cross over into other series and stories. For me it makes the worlds and families you create even more amazing.
Can't wait to find out about Derek and Ruby's story!
h2ofire@q.com
Elaine, you asked if, since Derek was mentioned in the Vampire Queen series, if there will be any crossover from those characters in these books. Not so far, but see my response to Jess above. We will have some appearances/mentions of characters from my other books.
ReplyDeleteAs far as one sentence to describe both characters, I think I like a compilation of my description to Desiree and AI - A prickly witch who runs a gun shop and a 1200-year-old cowboy sorcerer who wears dragonskin boots. The excerpt link AI has provided is a great introduction to them as well. :>
Elaine, you asked if, since Derek was mentioned in the Vampire Queen series, if there will be any crossover from those characters in these books. Not so far, but see my response to Jess above. We will have some appearances/mentions of characters from my other books.
ReplyDeleteAs far as one sentence to describe both characters, I think I like a compilation of my description to Desiree and AI - A prickly witch who runs a gun shop and a 1200-year-old cowboy sorcerer who wears dragonskin boots. The excerpt link AI has provided is a great introduction to them as well. :>
I am impressed with the breadth of paranormal characters you have written. Am assuming that you find each type fascinating, I know that your portrayals always make me feel that I am submerged in their stories. What is it about witches that fascinate you?
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Elaine, I'm so glad the book is on its way to you - thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteKatie, thank you for that wonderful compliment. You asked: "I read that this new series is a bit lighter in the sexual aspect (very little BDSM elements). Did you find it difficult to hold those aspects back, considering that has almost always been a very large part of your stories?"
I think because I knew the publisher was looking for something not so hardcore, the characters themselvse accommodated that. Ruby and Derek aren't the whips-and-chains, in-the-fetish-club types, but they have a strong psychological D/s element running between them.
One of the reasons I started writing erotic romance was because I loved the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle elements of Domination/submission that have always existed in mainstream romances. The alpha male heroes of the books I read in the 70s-80s were often just this side of being a sexual Dominant. The best D/s writing emphasizes the psychology/emotional connection, with the mechanics being merely the icing on the cake. However, that "icing" is often the dividing line between a book being called sensual vs erotic.
As a result, I went with thinner icing while trying to keep the cake part just as rich (grin). Since my favorite part of writing D/s is the psychology side of it, where all the emotional intensity happens, the deep "click" between the characters, I enjoyed focusing on that aspect without necessarily having to worry about the trappings (though trappings can be fun - lol).
So...(okay, am realizing I went into a philosophical ramble without really answering the question directly) - I think because the characters themselves were more suited to a sensual vs erotic treatment, that made it easier to write them that way. Cardinal rule of writing is you don't make you characters do what doesn't come to them naturally, so that helped. :>
If I read correctly Derek is 1200 years old. How old is Ruby and what causes them to live longer than normal humans?
ReplyDeleteI just got Something About Witches and can't wait to read it.
Alana
Ladychyde13@yahoo.com
Jennifer, Rosemary, Stacie and Ilona - thank you all!! You guys are making my day. But then you all always do. No one can brighten things up for me like my readers - except maybe my husband and animal children, but that's just a given (grin).
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I hope you get that tax return! I definitely want to hear your thoughts on SAW!
Debbie, so glad you enjoy my vampires. You asked: "Does this new series have a BDSM side to it?"
ReplyDeletePart of this is answered by my rather long-winded reply to Katie, above (grin), but I'll just add to that by saying - Yes - it's more outfront in In the Company of Witches, but I still went with the more psychological angle in both books, rather than hardcore, so I think it will satisfy the desires of my current readers without scaring off new ones who might not want to get as deep as we've gone into the vampires or the contemporary Nature of Desire series. I'm not certain if the third book will have any D/s elements at all, beyond what we've seen with alpha heroes in mainstream romance, because Ramona and the Grim Reaper don't give me that vibe, but we'll see.
Terry, I'm glad you enjoy the crossover between series. You asked "Maybe with this book we can figure out why Kohana is so leery of Derek?"
ReplyDeleteYou're of course referencing Vampire Instinct, where it was implied Derek helped Mal set up the magic that protected his wildcat sanctuary, and Mal's right hand guy on the sanctuary, Kohana, had a problem with that. I won't explore that in this book, but I don't need to keep you in suspense (grin). Though Kohana had a shaman in his ancestry, and a touch of that nature-based magic himself, Derek's magic is far more advanced than that, which would make a personality like Kohana's a little more apprehensive about how deeply Mal involved himself in it. If Kohana had a chance to discuss it more with Derek, he probably wouldn't have been as concerned. Hope that helps!
HI WOW the book sound great and since you are wiccan and then are you going to do more of the same kind of books i am reader and blogger and found this on my face book page i like the cover of the book.Will you use your vamp and the other people together like the vamp and fairy do you have any book mark or cover of the book i like to get them for my collection
ReplyDeletedesi the blonde@msn.com
i accpted you on fb desiree reilly
Lil, thank you, and hello! Hope you've been doing well. You asked "What is it about witches that fascinate you?"
ReplyDeleteYears ago, when I wrote my first published book, it was an epic fantasy built around a strong central romance and the heroine was a modern day witch. In researching her, I stumbled across the Wiccan faith. It matched the spirituality I'd always followed and gave it a name, which made me pursue the research even more deeply.
Since Wicca has myriad connections to shamanism, historic witchcraft/magical practices, natural healing methods, energy work, etc, there were a lot of ways I could use the research in paranormal romances. So as a result, when my agent suggested a series featuring witches, I was delighted to turn in that direction, because that type of heroine is near and dear to my heart.
Ladychyde, hope you enjoy the book! Thank you for getting it. You asked: "If I read correctly Derek is 1200 years old. How old is Ruby and what causes them to live longer than normal humans?"
ReplyDeleteRuby is in her mid-twenties and mortal. It's discussed briefly in the book why Derek has lived as long as he has, and how he and Ruby resolve the issue of vastly different mortalities, so I won't ruin that part of it for you, but some of it is left a mystery, much the same way Merlin's longevity was a bit of a mystery, left to unravel in later books (wink).
Desiree, hello - you asked - "are you going to do more of the same kind of books"; "Will you use your vamp and the other people together like the vamp and fairy"; and "do you have any book mark or cover of the book"
ReplyDeleteYes and yes to the first two questions (smile) - as noted in earlier responses, this is planned as a trilogy, each featuring a different witch as the central heroine. There will be some crossover from characters in my previous books, specifically If Wishes Were Horses, and A Mermaid's Kiss (an appearance by Jonah, my angel hero of that book!:>).
If you'll email me directly at storywitch@storywitch.com with your snail mail address, I'll be happy to send you a book mark. Thanks for asking!
Happy release day! I'm so thrilled that you have another book with Paul Marron on the cover! I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteironss [at] gmail [dot] com
Joey, about half way through SAW now and I'm really enjoying it. I love the crossover between the various series. Especially with the vampires.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if there is a chance that we will see Mal visit with Derrick again some time. Or maybe another visit with Lyssa? Perhaps he will need the spells Derrick to be reenforced? - grin
Happy release day and congrats on the new series. You have already been asked & answered so many great questions. My question is about your writings in general: Is it hard to keep track of so many different series? And do you work on multiple projects at one time, bouncing back and forth?
ReplyDeleteCongrats again!
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Hi Joey,
ReplyDeleteI just loaded Something About Witches to my Kindle and hope to start reading it this afternoon.
I love the way your brain works, lol, and your storylines and characters really resonate with me.
Love that you are sneaking some past characters into this new series.
Are you doing anything special to celebrate your release day?
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Congratulations on your new release and new series! Looking at your rather large backlist you've done paranormal and contemporary. Have you thought of doing either a straight up historical romance or even a YA title? Or maybe a romantic suspense?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
maria63303 at gmail dot com
Hi Joey. Congratulations on your new book. Sounds great. I love the cover. Do you have a special way of commemorating the release of your books?
ReplyDeleteCrystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
Happy Release Day, Joey. Congrats also on the new series.
ReplyDeletejanie1215 AT excite DOT com
Sheree - thanks - glad you like the cover!
ReplyDeletePat, with my series/books, I can never anticipate which characters will cross paths, because often I don't know myself until it happens in the story (grin - so it's a nice surprise for me, too!), but that spontaneous nature of characters making guest appearances is part of the fun. Of course, though I can't anticipate who will show up/cross paths, I can guarantee crossover will continue to happen, because my muse seems to love that! Glad you're enjoying the book!
Hey Joey, super congrats on this release, can't wait to read it!!
ReplyDeleteAs you know you are one of my favorite authors :), so I want to know do you feel like you have to constantly improve on your writing style?
maiwilliams08@gmail.com
Happy release day Joey :)
ReplyDeleteSomething About Witches looks like an awesome read! The excerpt ROCKS and the cover is sooo pretty. Ican't wait to start reading the series.
Mindy :)
Birdsooong@aol.com
Thanks, June! You asked "My question is about your writings in general: Is it hard to keep track of so many different series? And do you work on multiple projects at one time, bouncing back and forth?"
ReplyDeleteI typically don't work on two first drafts at once. I'll work on multiple projects that are at different stages of the production process - I might have one first draft happening while I do an edit round on another in-process work, and review a final print galley from the publisher.
It is difficult to keep details straight for consistency/timeline sake, and for that reason I've started getting volunteer help, as well as working myself, on some series bibles to track those details better. Especially when I also add the free forum vignettes revisiting the characters, and crossover appearances as mentioned earlier, into the mix (lol). Thanks for the question.
Thanks, June! You asked "My question is about your writings in general: Is it hard to keep track of so many different series? And do you work on multiple projects at one time, bouncing back and forth?"
ReplyDeleteI typically don't work on two first drafts at once. I'll work on multiple projects that are at different stages of the production process - I might have one first draft happening while I do an edit round on another in-process work, and review a final print galley from the publisher.
It is difficult to keep details straight for consistency/timeline sake, and for that reason I've started getting volunteer help, as well as working myself, on some series bibles to track those details better. Especially when I also add the free forum vignettes revisiting the characters, and crossover appearances as mentioned earlier, into the mix (lol). Thanks for the question.
Sorry, guys - don't know why I keep getting replica posts - I'll try to watch my double clicks!:>
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release!
ReplyDeleteHow long before the release date do you have to turn the final draft in?
chey127 at hotmail dot com
Joey!
ReplyDeleteSo exited for this release! Congrats on the start of a new series. I know this one will take off with your readers and even gain you a whole lot of new ones :)
My question to you is...
While writing your Vampire Queen series, Derek popped up various times. Where you aware then, when you created him that he would be getting his own series?
Congratulations on your newest release Joey .I love your books and am very excited about Something About Witches.I am a paranormal addict cant get enough and witches are my absolute top favorite being to read about .
ReplyDeleteflanagan@mebtel.net
Happy release day. SOMETHING ABOUT WITCHES looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteHow do you decide whether to write series or stand alones? With series do you plan how many before you begin writing?
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Joey, Why did you decide to write paranormals?
ReplyDeletecsdsksds@gmail.com
Cathy M, it's always nice to bring in some familiar faces, even into a new series. It happens pretty naturally, I don't even really plan it, but if one of those secondary characters catches a reader's eye, it might give them another book they want to read, so that works out well, also (grin). You asked "Are you doing anything special to celebrate your release day?"
ReplyDeleteI'm spending it with you guys here (beaming). Always enjoy you all's enthusiasm on a release day. Makes all those edits worth it. Other than that, pretty normal day. Catching up on tax paperwork because it's of course that time of year (ugh).
Maria, you asked "Looking at your rather large backlist you've done paranormal and contemporary. Have you thought of doing either a straight up historical romance or even a YA title? Or maybe a romantic suspense?"
ReplyDeleteSo far the muse has only taken me toward paranormal and contemporaries, though I've had two books that would have qualified as romantic suspense - Natural Law and If Wishes Were Horses both involved a murder mystery. Vampire's Claim blended some historical into the paranormal, because it took place in 1950s Australia. So even though my predominant interest is in the pretty straight paranormal or contemporary storylines, I'm not adverse to integrating elements of other genres if the plot calls for it (smile).
As far as YA, I'm pretty hopeless in that arena. When I was 12, my psychiatrist said my biggest problem was I was 12 going on 40, so I have no frame of reference for that age group (lol). My only stab at it was a free short story, currently offered on my website, called Halloween Knight. I actually do love the story, but my muse hasn't propelled me in that direction since. But I never say never!
Jane, thanks for the congrats!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, thanks to you as well. You asked "Do you have a special way of commemorating the release of your books?"
I'm usually hip deep working on the next project or the other eight million things involved in this crazy business, so typically what I do is something like this - hang out with you all throughout the day and enjoy your comments! (Which is VERY special to me, even if it doesn't sound hugely celebratory!)
Mai, you're such a dear! You asked: "do you feel like you have to constantly improve on your writing style?"
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. An author is only as good as her next book, and there is absolutely no ceiling when it comes to improving your craft - you can always get better. Each story is a new set of characters on a different journey, and I feel like I owe them my best effort, every time.
Mindy, you're too kind. Thank you for that. I like the cover as well. :>
ReplyDeleteChey, you asked "How long before the release date do you have to turn the final draft in?"
It depends on the publisher. I work for two of them. Berkley, the book is turned in anywhere 7-10 months before release. With Ellora's Cave, it can be as little as 1-3 months between submission/release, depending on their scheduling.
Meltz, I sure hope so! Thanks for the good wishes. You asked "While writing your Vampire Queen series, Derek popped up various times. Where you aware then, when you created him that he would be getting his own series?"
ReplyDeleteWhen he popped up in Beloved Vampire, I wasn't sure...he seemed intriguing, but not quite "real" yet. It was when he was referenced in Vampire Instinct I was sure he would be a character. There's this "ping" feeling I get from a secondary character or reference when that person is going to have their own book, and when Mal is explaining how that sorcerer helped him piece things together for the wild cat sanctuary, and it depleted his energy so drastically, he came alive - even though he never even actually "appeared" in the book. :>
Wanda, I'm delighted to hear you enjoy the witch stories. Hope you enjoy this one - let me know if you don't!
ReplyDeleteMarybelle, you asked "How do you decide whether to write series or stand alones? With series do you plan how many before you begin writing?"
Even though the muse has to be solidly behind everything I choose to write, sometimes if the publisher is specifically requesting a series, I'll brainstorm with that goal in mind, and the muse will work with me accordingly (unless I've done something to piss her off - lol). It's very rare these days that my publishers actively seek a standalone from me, because series just sell much better, but it doesn't mean they won't publish a standalone as a novella in an anthology, or, if I have a great idea for a standalone that has potential to become a series, that can be worth a second look.
Most of the times my series are open-ended, no planned number of books. The exception has been my Knights of the Board Room series, since it centers around five corporate executives, and in each book, one man finds the female submissive of his dreams and the other four use their sensual talents to convince her he's worth having (grin). Since there's only five of them, there are of course only five KOBR books.
The Arcane Series, of which Something About Witches is the first, I imagined as a trilogy, because Ruby, Raina and Ramona sprang to mind as the three central heroines, but if other strong secondary characters appear (and the books do well such that the publisher wants more of them), it could expand.
Runner10 asked "Why did you decide to write paranormals?"
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I was a passionate fantasy reader, particularly the strong, character-driven fantasies written by Stephen Donaldson, Lloyd Alexander, etc, and as I moved into my mid-teens, that expanded to Jennifer Roberson, Marion Zimmer Bradley, etc, where there was a strong romantic subplot. I wanted to turn it around - write a romance with a strong paranormal subplot, which at that time was considered a "cross-genre" book. Most traditional publishers wouldn't touch those, though a bunch of us had started writing them.
Fortunately, digital publishing came along and started publishing things like paranormal romance and erotic romance, and brought those genres onto the map, and of course now they are both very popular genres with publishers. Hooray for readers! You guys made that happen.
Wow a new series. I have always wondered how you keep it all straight.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
Do you schedule your writing time each day or go about it differently?
ReplyDeletelenikaye@yahoo.com
Happy Release Day Joey!!
ReplyDeleteI'm halfway through Something About Witches and it is just as good as I imagined it would be. I have two questions for you. First, since this is a sensual series, did you find that you had to catch yourself and tone down the sexual scenes in SAW since you are used to writing erotic books? And second, I know authors do research for their books and you did some research on owning a gun shop for your character Ruby, but did the shop owner you talked with teach you how to shoot a gun?
Congratulations on the new series and the whole new fan base that will go along with it, you deserve it!
mcquistonp8@aol.com
Debby, sometimes I get it a little confused (lol). But it all works out in the end.
ReplyDeleteLeni asked: "Do you schedule your writing time each day or go about it differently?"
I try to stick to the same schedule every day, like a 9-5 work day, only for me it's more 8:30-4:30 with a break at lunch time to spend time with my dogs and cats. That's my ideal schedule. For the past several years it's been more round the clock (grin), but I'm trying to get back to a better schedule to balance work and personal life.
Kristen, that's wonderful to hear! I'm so happy you're enjoying it. As far as whether the gun shop owner taught me to shoot, I'm a Southern girl - I already know how to shoot a gun (lol). Seriously, years ago, when I wrote If Wishes Were Horses, where my heroine was a sheriff (my hero was a Wiccan priest who ran the local erotica shop - great story!), I felt like I needed an understanding of firearms, so I went to a gun range, acquired a Sig Sauer and learned the basics. It was a lot of fun, and was great to integrate into my understanding of women's self-defense tactics, etc, which is always useful personally.
ReplyDeleteAs far as needing to tone down the erotica, Katie asked that question earlier, so let me just re-paste it here so you don't have to look through the comments -
I think because I knew the publisher was looking for something not so hardcore, the characters themselvse accommodated that. Ruby and Derek aren't the whips-and-chains, in-the-fetish-club types, but they have a strong psychological D/s element running between them.
One of the reasons I started writing erotic romance was because I loved the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle elements of Domination/submission that have always existed in mainstream romances. The alpha male heroes of the books I read in the 70s-80s were often just this side of being a sexual Dominant. The best D/s writing emphasizes the psychology/emotional connection, with the mechanics being merely the icing on the cake. However, that "icing" is often the dividing line between a book being called sensual vs erotic.
As a result, I went with thinner icing while trying to keep the cake part just as rich (grin). Since my favorite part of writing D/s is the psychology side of it, where all the emotional intensity happens, the deep "click" between the characters, I enjoyed focusing on that aspect without necessarily having to worry about the trappings (though trappings can be fun - lol).
So...(okay, am realizing I went into a philosophical ramble without really answering the question directly) - I think because the characters themselves were more suited to a sensual vs erotic treatment, that made it easier to write them that way. Cardinal rule of writing is you don't make you characters do what doesn't come to them naturally, so that helped. :>
Hey Joey girl! No question, just want to congratulate you on release day! Love all your books, so I know SAW won't dissapoint. Your books are an "auto-buy" anytime! :-)
ReplyDeleteI want to say thank you for responding to all of our questions.
ReplyDeleteJoey, popping by late (at last!) to say woohoo! Congrats on the release of not only a new book, but launching a new series! I've many of your titles on my TBR and keeper shelf, and am delighted to learn more about what will be coming up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to celebrate with us and glad you're able to do it while catching up on your own paperwork ;)
Do you have any fun plans in mind for celebrating Valentine's?
Wishing you many sales and some joyful time with the ones you love!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
Terry, thanks for that, and Debbie, you're very welcome! I always enjoy spending time with you all!
ReplyDeleteflchen, thanks for coming by! For V-Day, my husband and I are going to go out for dinner and I think he's bought me something from my Amazon wishlist, so I'm excited as to what that will be - the list is pretty much all DVDs or books, so should be something wonderful i can watch or read. My own personal V-Day present to me is going to be buying Breaking Dawn on 2/11 and spending two blissful hours sighing over Bella and Edward's love story - I haven't seen it yet! :>
Congrats on the new release! Sounds good! What kind of research did you do for the book? What was the most unique thing you found out doing research?
ReplyDeleteamysmith98 @ gmail.com
Ooh, that sounds like a perfectly lovely way to celebrate, Joey! Have a fabulous time, and enjoy the you-time, too!
ReplyDeleteAmy, thanks! With Ruby being a gunshop owner, I needed more information about that. I had the basics on the use of firearms, but running a store selling them was a whole different matter. Fortunately, there was a local gunshop owner who was willing to spend an afternoon with me, and he was a tremendous help steering me in the right direction. Fortunately, from previous paranormal reading/writing, I already had a good background in magical practice, so the gunshop was the main research need.
ReplyDeleteI found out so many interesting factoids, I could probably ramble on about them all forever. However, probably one of the most unexpected things I found out was that the bulk of an owner's time is spent tracking down supply for customers. I was also not so surprised, but found it interesting, that 30% of his clientele are women. He also has a great deal of retired military that hang out at the gun range once a week to bond/spend time together. It was an interesting "behind the scenes" glimpse of his business.
I love the way you weave characters from other books and series into all your books. in Something About Witches, you have Derek, Justin and Linda characters from 2 different series and a standalone novel. As far as I know this is is a unique style of your own. Sir one particular thing/thought that started you incorporating strings from your different series and books.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new release. I have to admit that witches are my favorite paranormal characters so I am looking forward to reading your book.
ReplyDeleteseriousreader at live dot com
Congrats on the new release. I'm excited to read this new series of yours.
ReplyDeletee.balinski(at)att(dot)net
Just got the book today! can't wait to start it! Hoping to have it be the read for my book club next month. Will we find out more about his help with Malachi's Island?
ReplyDeleteHi Joey. Congrats on the new series. Looking forward to reading it. Will you have your characters from your other series make guest appearances in your new series & vice versa? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book Your witch series sounds interesting I can't wait to read it I love finding authors I haven't read before its like a present just for me lol
ReplyDeletenstyaudi@gmail.com thanks for the giveaway too.