October
20
Jennifer Mathis won the pleasure of interviewing me in a contest held by my friend Evie Balos on her author loop. Congrats, Jennifer! Below, you’ll find her questions and my answers!
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Please tell us about Black Angel, and I would usually ask what sets it apart, but when I read the blurb I was simply blown away. I have never read anything like it before 
Well thank you. It is a fantasy novella on another world, involving a hero from yet another world. He was banished from his own planet for a crime he didn’t commit and hides on the heroine’s world. Everyone on the heroine’s world of Tegras sees him as a demon. He has obsidian black skin and leathery wings. Whenever he is discovered, he moves on before the “villagers with pitchforks” comes for his soul. LOL Only his heroine sees him as anything other than a demon–in fact, she sees him as an angel, and their love story blossoms from there.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
I don’t really know. I’ve seen books with alien heroes–different than humans, and they intrigued me. I think I was first intrigued by a series with pegasus heroes, and I don’t think they were shifters… I actually never read that series, but it stuck in my mind. Then I saw a book with a lizard-man alien hero. I thought whoa… and it was a best seller. Were these authors on to something?
I wanted my Alric to be just enough human to relate to him, but just enough alien to make the reader wonder if they could fall for a Genessa, too. I came across a picture of a Drow, which is an elf of the Underdark (you’d know this if you were a D&D geek). Their skin is coal black and they have white hair. Well, I didn’t want the white hair, and I’ve always kinda loved the look of gargoyles, so that’s the look I settled upon for Alric. I think it works quite well, and I was VERY pleased to see my cover artist was able to get my hero on the cover.
Can you tell us a bit about the next 3 books in your Desert Princes series?
Only the next THREE books?? It’s a FIVE book series, so there’s FOUR more coming down the pipeline after VIPER. We have the Scarab, who is Viper’s best friend. He’s been in love with Trianna since he was a boy. Unfortunately, she was engaged to the Viper for the past seven years. When the Viper marries another, Scarab sees his chance and pounces.
Falcon is in love with a blind woman, and he’s not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, since his entire body is scarred due to a vicious attack in his youth. He doesn’t know if he should tell her or not, since she is the only woman who isn’t jaded by them. As they agree to become lovers, the Falcon learns that love is more than skin-deep, and will do what it takes to keep Zara by his side.
Spider’s wife died two years ago in a horrible, senseless attack on his caravan. She’d been heavily pregnant with his heir, but now, that future is not to be. He accepts the daughter of the governor as his bride, to bear him heirs, but he will not recognize her as his princess. Only his first wife has that honor. But as the days go by, he finds himself falling in love with Amani, and he fights that longing tooth and nail out of respect for his passed wife. But then the same people who killed his princess threaten to do so again with Amani, he’s got to face the fact he’s in love with her, or risk losing it all again.
Jackal is the book I’m currently writing. He’s been searching for the woman he wants as his princess for the past ten years. He finally finds her, but she’s being pursued by an evil spirit. It rocks his caravan and destroys a few of his caravs, but he will not be moved. In a desperate bid to keep her under his god’s protection, he suggests marriage, but fate has much more in store for them than a mere demon from Kaldaeron. When truths are faced head-on, the Jackal must decide if faith in his god will be enough to save the woman he loves.
Cast your characters: Who do you envision as your princes?
Heh, well, that’s a hard one. Tariq is Oded Fehr from his Mummy movie days. With a full beard, however. 
Scarab would probably Robert Downey, Jr. with his Tony Stark vibe. Scarab has thick hair and a goatee, and RDJ is smokinhotsexy in the Ironman movies, so why not? Heheh
I’ve always pictured Falcon as Coby Bell, the guy who played Jesse Porter in Burn Notice.
Spider is harder. He has a soulpatch, however, it’s not a wimpy one. Imagine… a goatee without the mustache. It’s hard for me to picture an actor with his look. He’s gotta be hotsexy with a side of emo. Ooo ooo, I KNOW!! Jared Padalecki from Supernatural. With a soulpatch.
Jackal is Zachary Levi from Chuck. That boy is just so cute! And seen as how the Jackal is considerably younger than the others, he fits with that “younger brother” vibe he has with the rest of the princes.
Tell us a little about you: You have written so many books and at the same time you home school five kids! How? What is your schedule like? Do you have a cape under your clothes that says Wonder Woman?
No, I don’t have a cape, I pretty much just write non-stop. Well, I do stop for chores and school. But if the family isn’t demanding my time, I’m in front of my computer. There’s no such thing as “work hours” for me with regards to my writing. It’s more of a need than a job for me. And even when I’m at my computer, most of the time is spent answering emails, promoting, or just yakking on various Yahoo loops, which is in itself a form of promotion. (Because readers tire of you pimping your books right quick). Sometimes I have a window to write in the morning, usually between 7:ooam and 9:ooam I can write. If I’m not writing, then I’m answering emails, and making the rounds. After school and chores, there’s another window, between 3pm and 5:30pm I can write before the evening chores and dinner must be done. If my hubby has things to do on his computer, I might have another window from maybe 8pm until 10pm.
I rarely write THAT much, usually I’m playing online, tweeting and plotting with my crit partner. But that is my ME time, and I try to write in those windows as much as I can.
Some fantasy: Any hero from one of your books is going to come and sweep you away (hubby of course doesn’t mind at all). Who is coming and where are you going with him?
It would be either the Scarab Prince or the Spider Prince. I love them both equally. Scarab would take me to his oasis and show me where his gandarang fruit grows, and Spider would enchant me with the luscious scent of his rahala blossoms at his oasis. I think… I’d probably go with the Spider Prince. I love his caravan colors of black and silver, and assuming I was taking the place of his heroine, he’d love me to distraction and only show me his tender side. The rest of the desert only sees his gruff outer exterior, but I would secretly know he’s got the heart of a romantic within him. He’d take me to a feast at the governor’s tent in Suridesh, then we’d make love under the light of the moons and bathe Jikkar in our colors.
And in the spirit of Halloween, what is your:
Favorite Scary movie-
The movie that freaked me out the most recently is Paranormal Activity. I prefer the toy with the mind kind of horror rather than the gory or cheap and dirty BURSTING OUT OF THE BUSHES TO DRAMATIC MUSIC! type horror.
Oh, and the best mind f–k movie of all time is The Mist. Watch it ONLY in black and white on the director’s cut DVD. NO COLOR. You’ll ruin the b-movie effect, and that, in essence, ruins the movie.
Favorite Halloween-ish book-
Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I remember reading that book as a teen, alone in my house, totally engrossed. Like the book didn’t exist, my house didn’t exist, I was IN the story, I was so engrossed. My dog came up to me and nudged my arm to tell me she had to go out and I screamed and jumped off the chair, scaring the shite outta that dog. (And myself) LOL!
Favorite Halloween Song-
Grim Grinning Ghosts by Bare Naked Ladies. I realize the song is older and they only covered it–it’s the main song played in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion–but I just LOVE their version, and we’ve blasted it out our front windows on many a Halloween.
Favorite Halloween Cartoon-
Not really a cartoon, as much as a made for HBO kids movie called The Worst Witch. I used to love that show, with Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard, and I believe Fairuza Balk as the worst witch. I used to watch it every time it was on during October. It was cheesy, but we all need a little cheese!
I want to thank you for letting me interview you and of course I enjoyed learning more about your fabulous books!
Thank you for the interview, and congrats on winning the opportunity! I’m glad you had fun. 
I sure did!
~~Becka
