Exclusive Interview with Author J. Rose Alexander

Today, we're doing something a little different. This is our 13th guest author interview on the Marie Lavender's Books! blog, and fellow author J. Rose Alexander is visiting us. 

 

Hello!  It’s such a pleasure to have you here. :)

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book? When did it come out and where can we get it?

http://bookgoodies.com/a/B016V3V9H2


The latest book is called Penumbra: Equinox, and it just came out on the 19th. It's a witches-werewolves-vampires story, and the beginning of a HUGE series that takes somewhere around 70 years to tell!
 
That's interesting! I had a book out on October 19th as well. 

And Penumbra sounds fascinating!  Just perfect for Halloween!

Is there anything that prompted your book? Something that inspired you?


This book has history. I started writing it when was 11 or 12 years old, and it was because I wanted to read the story like the one that was in my head. I was big into Christopher Pike, I was just discovering Anne Rice, and I loved (shamefully) Teenwolf before it was cool to be a werewolf or shifter. And originally, it was hand written. It was crazy! 


Oh, wow! That's awesome to publish something you began as a kid. 
 
So, tell us...

When did you know you wanted to write?  Or has it always been a pastime of yours?
 
I think you can guess from the last question; I've always been writing. I started writing when I was 6, but the first real evidence of what I was writing was when I was eight. It was a story called "Telephone Terror". It was seven pages long. 

That's great! And I sure would like to learn more about "Telephone Terror". My writing wheels are turning...;)
 
Do you have any favorite authors?
 
Anne Rice, kind of a given, Christopher Pike, Margaret Atwood, Sherri S. Tepper, J.R. Ward-- I'll give anyone a shot, really. 

You touched on my weakness! I love J.R.'s books.
So...we're curious. Do you write in a specific place? Or time of day? 
 
Nope. I'm very busy, so I've been SUPER mobile. I write on my phone when I can, usually on my commute to and from work, and late at night when I have a chance to sit in front of the computer and just let the words out. 

I can't blame you there. Life is so busy!
Are there any words you'd like to impart to fellow writers? Any advice?
 
Your first copy is never your final copy-- and no matter how many nos you get, get keep going!

Oh, I totally agree. We should never give up on our dreams. Thank you for your words of wisdom, J. Rose.
 
And thank you for stopping by! It was such a pleasure to have you here.  :)

Readers, here is the blurb for Penumbra: Equinox.
 
What would you do to keep your friends from falling into evil?

It wasn't a question the group of friends wanted to think about. With Vincent trying to hide his werewolf, Alia and Coray discovering their frightening powers, and Coleen getting slammed with the news she's adopted, they have enough to worry about.

(Never mind that they also have to to deal with Vincent's and Alia's crazy exes, Coray's mother, Coleen's father and the otherworldly creatures someone is sending after them to kill them-- There was really enough to keep anyone busy right through homecoming.)

But the day Vladimir Vaduva shows up at their school and people start turning up both dead and drained of blood, it becomes a question they have to have ask.

As Rosa and Billy get pulled into the vortex, they realize they need an answer...

And, they have the feeling they aren't going to like it.
 
Here is an excerpt from the novel.   
 
Alia woke up to the sound of a perversely happy bird chirping in a nearby tree. She was soaked to the bone and uncomfortable, though no longer cold. She was not in the mood to listen to cheerful little birds, whose only purpose in life was to tweet infernally pleasant tunes to those people of the world who could wake up at the crack of dawn.
She pulled at the blanket and fluffed the pillow, though her choice of bed was apparently a cold hard surface that was in no way comfortable. She adjusted the blanket again and rolled onto her back to try and find a better sleeping position.
“Do you often sleep in cemeteries? ‘Cause if you do, you’re weirder than I am.”
Alia’s eyes shot open and she leapt up from her cold slab. Spinning around, she found the source of the voice: Coray was leaning against a headstone, arms folded, a twisted smirk on his face. She stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds, then realized what he had just said was dead accurate. She had fallen asleep on the steps of a mausoleum. She relaxed a little and grabbed the blanket. “Where am I? How’d you find me?”
“You’re at Green Knoll Cemetery,” Coray answered. “Apparently, napping with the dead. I was at Vincent’s last night when you busted in.” Coray leaned up from the headstone. “We tried to run after you, but the sky opened up on us as soon as we walked out the door. I ran to your house, and your mother was standing in the doorway, looking horrified. The front door was shattered, and the car is going to need some attention as well.
“Your dad showed up on the porch looking a touch panic-stricken. He told me you ran and wanted to know if I knew where you’d go.”
She sighed. “This is all so screwed up. I guess the rest of them will be here in a few minutes?” Alia wrapped the blanket around herself.
Coray shook his head. “They don’t know I went to look for you. They think I left and went home. No one knows you’re here.”
Alia slumped in relief. “Thanks, Coray.” She sat down on the tomb she had just leapt off of.
“You’re welcome.” He took a seat next to her.
Alia looked at him. “Why did you tell me to let my parents know about the hogrodan’s wound?”
“I knew your parents would know how to take care of it.” Coray shrugged.
Alia shook her head. “Dad was really upset this thing was after us. And you said something about stopping it for good.”
“Yeah, I did,” he said. “Well, since I was the one who forced the hand, I guess I should explain what’s going on…” Coray looked over at her. “And I would guess a damn right better than the half explanation you got last night?”
“The half explanation?” Alia laughed sardonically. “You are joking. All I got last night was really confused. A brother I never knew claiming he was somewhere around nine hundred years old just appeared in the middle of my living room. My parents are lying to me.”
Coray shook his head. “They aren’t lying to you, Alia. What did they tell you last night?” Coray said.
“That I’m a witch and have four siblings. There was something about wolf’s bane? Hen’s bane? Royalty? By the time they got to that I wasn’t listening. These mysterious siblings are about as fond of my mother as I am. Especially Jacob.”
Coray nodded. “Okay. Well, they lied to you about a part of your life, not the whole thing. I would blame them, but I wouldn’t completely blame them for that. It’s some sort of stupid tradition that has gotten them in trouble before. You’re a witch, Alia. A full-blooded, natural witch. Just like I am.”
Alia sighed. “For some reason, I didn’t think they were lying about that part.”
“Pissed me off too,” Coray commiserated. “Here.” He produced a cup of steaming tea, complete with tea bag still steeping. “Earl Grey?”
Alia looked at the cup as though it were poison, and after realizing how cold and thirsty she was, took it from him. “You?”
“Yeah, me.” Coray nodded. “When Vin and I were in the accident this summer, I was scared beyond reason. My powers popped out in a moment of desperate need, to save my own ass in that car. That’s what happened to you last night." 
 
Riveting!
Readers, don't forget to check out this book!
 
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B016V3V9H2
 
Purchase Links
 
Universal Amazon link:  http://bookgoodies.com/a/B016V3V9H2
 
 
Author Bio
 
Authoring a few poems here and there and an intermittently updated blog, J. Rose Alexander lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three cats. Chatter box, compulsive writer, bon vivant, stunt commuter, and a ninja in her dreams, J. Rose enjoys losing herself in the capes and masks of her superheroes and is always on the lookout for a new adventure, on the page or in real life.
 

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