Dark of kNight Series Official Website

Tantalizing Tuesday:  Author Spotlight

by Carrie

Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem

http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/2010/04/tantalizing-tuesday_20.html

To say this past week has been a "blur" is an understatement. Besides having gone by faster than I even noticed, with my new glasses falling apart and my using my older pairs, even more blurry than that. I used my previous pair which was 3 steps weaker than my new pair, and the transition back has been full of headaches, so I haven't done much reading. Then on Monday, yesterday, I remembered something that the doctor said about one of the other older pairs of glasses I still had sitting around. It was 2 steps stronger than my previous pair, which would make it only 1 step weaker than my new pair, so I put them on. After most of the day, I noticed a reduction in headaches and was finally able to read again - yay! That's kind of what I was doing today. I picked up Dark of kNight by T.L. Mitchell, our guest for today and found myself very absorbed in the story.

While it isn't dialogue driven as is the newest trend in books, it is in a first-person pov and, while I'm not sure I have a clear picture of what the main character looks like yet, I happen to be in her head and pretty-well able to see what she sees. If it isn't picture perfect I can write it off to the notion that maybe she isn't all that observant when it comes to her own surroundings, as not everyone is observant all the time, especially in times of crisis, like what Julie (the main character) finds herself having to deal with when the book begins.

Her father has died and it is a family friend, and his long-time business partner, that tells her. To say he is controlling is an understatement, but he has a soft-spot for his daughter, Casey, and that much is evident.

I really like how this story pulls you along through the main character and really lets you see what she feels as she feels it. If the rest of the book is this way, it should be a fascinatingly good read!

Let's get to the reason you're here, the interview! In honor of April 15th being tax day, we’re asking 15 questions this month.

ME: Speaking of taxes, are you’re taxes finished, or do you procrastinate with them? Do you do them yourself or do you have a taxman do them for you?

TRACEY: My taxes are finished for the year. I do always try to file them on time after I have received all my information. I have always completed my tax returns myself.

ME: As it says, “April showers bring May flowers”. What flowers do you hope to see the first thing in spring?

TRACEY: The flowers I love to see in the spring are Daffodils and Tulips. Growing up, we always had a spring garden filled with a variety of colors of these flowers.

ME: Do you plant your own garden? Why or why not and where is it (are they) located?

TRACEY: Yes, I do plant my own garden. I love gardens and enjoy the work. In the past I have usually planted several small gardens around the house.

ME: Do you prefer plants or seeds? Does it matter where you get them, or do you have a favorite place to go? What’s the name of the place and why do you prefer to go there?

TRACEY: I prefer plants. Seeds take a little too much time and I have never had much success with them. It really doesn’t matter where I buy the plants, it just depends on what I’m looking for at the particular time. Specialty colored roses I usually order from Jackson & Perkins. I look for specific colors and like hybrid roses.

ME: What will you plant (or have already planted) this year and why?

TRACEY: Since I have just moved, I don’t think I will be planting a flower garden this year. Maybe after I am more settled I will start planting.

ME: Do you have any plants that are must haves for your garden, ones that it just won’t be complete without?

TRACEY: For me, the musts are roses, bearded iris, daffodils, bleeding hearts and lilacs.

ME: For your produce, is the local grocery store just fine, or do you like to hit your local farmer’s market? What is your favorite fruit or vegetable that you do like to get?

TRACEY: I seriously have a problem with the local produce at the grocery store. I prefer to buy my produce at a local farmers market or grow it myself. My ideal choice of shopping when I lived in Florida was an Organic Grocery store called Evermann’s. My favorite fruit varies. It depends on what I have a taste for that week. I love pineapple, bananas, mangos and papaya. For vegetables, summer squash is my favorite.

ME: Now that we've learned a bit about you, let's learn a bit about your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

TRACEY: My main genre is paranormal romance.

ME: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others?

TRACEY: The elements I use in my story are mystery and suspense. Personally, I love to read a story with both. I figure if I can write a story that will keep me interested, I know it will keep the readers interested.

ME: Do you prefer red roses or black roses? If so, does that show in your writing? If so, how? If roses aren’t your style, what flowers are? Do they influence your writing? If so, how?

TRACEY: I prefer red roses. I would say it does show in my writing. Red roses represent love. Actually, in my novel Dark of kNight I mention roses. The rose I speak of is a white rose. It’s name is called peace. In the prologue and a dream scene the heroine, Julie Knight dreams of a rose garden. Her life has changed so drastically …not to give any spoilers out, but she looks for peace. In the dream, she sees this white rose, its scent is so delicate and she recognizes it as Peace. The last statement she makes, “I reached my hand through the fog to collect my prize; my peace.” It is a very strong statement for a young woman who has gone through so much in her life in such a short time.

ME: The jury’s still out on this question, so we’re still asking it! - Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one planting the seeds? How do you cultivate those seeds regardless of who plants them?

TRACEY: I find myself very fortunate to have a publisher who allows me to write the stories I enjoy. My publisher, Wild Horse Press, and I stay in close contact with one another when I’m working on a new project or idea. Sometimes, if a story hits me - I just write it. Prime example, The NightMan. The NightMan was story that burned to be told.

Personally I have heard complaints from readers who are reading cookie-cutter books. The characters of these books maybe different but the story is still the same. Readers want variety and something new and fresh. As a writer, I believe you lose your creative flare when you are told what to write. To make an impression on readers I believe you have to set your heart free as a writer. The vision you create for your readers is important. They want to feel apart of the characters, feel emotion and see a vivid picture of events. I don’t think I could ever write for a publisher who dictated “what” I needed to write. If that were ever the case…I would open my own publishing company. J

ME: In your opinion, what author had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing did you find so influential and why?

TRACEY: OMG, I’m caught between two authors. When I first started writing many years ago, it was Stephen King. I read so many of his books and developed his flare for horror and suspense. Quite a few years ago I was introduced to Karen Marie Moning and her books. Moning’s writing was exactly what I loved. She carried the mystery, suspense and humor in her stories. Along with a wonderful romantic tale.

ME: While authors can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Dark of kNight, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

TRACEY: The story of Dark of kNight began as a series of dreams, actually nightmares. The dreams were so vivid and clear, some mornings I would wake up with my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn’t understand why I was having these series of dreams. After about the third dream I started writing them down. Before long, I realized this may make a good book. After writing the first draft a friend of mine read over the story and loved it. She encouraged me to keep writing and finish it into a full length novel. Which after the final draft, I ended up with Dark of kNight. The story was truly based on a series of haunting dreams.

ME: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is a second book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

TRACEY: The heroine and hero of Dark of kNight is Julie Knight and Daniel Maxwell. Julie is tall, slender built( a little on the athletic side), long dark brown hair and light brown eyes. She has olive/tan skin (which is answered in Fall of kNight). Daniel Maxwell, handsome, tall (6’4”), well built- not overly but very smooth, his hazel green eyes complements his black hair. Which he does have somewhat of a dark appearance.

Daniel and Julie have always known one another. Their families were close- even when they were children. Daniel has always loved Julie from the first kiss. He has never wanted anyone else other than Julie. The two went their separate ways - only to be reunited by the death of her father. Years had passed between the two of them, but the love Daniel had for Julie remained. This time he wasn’t going to fail.

OH comical cut ups? Of course! This is one thing I love about writing. There are quite a few between Julie and Daniel. But my favorite is with their friends Jason and Heather. Now, if you could picture a group of wolf shape shifters, young and out for a good time at a very nice restaurant, you would have something like this:

“Several stories crossed the table of Daniel and Jason’s fishing expositions. One of which was the story of the big one getting away. Not to mention how drunk they were one night when they thought they saw the Loch Ness Monster. Daniel said it was the moon moving on the waves of the lake. Jason swore it was Nessie which had tipped the boat and caused him to fall into the lake. We all laughed as Daniel reminded his dear friend he had never seen such a brave heart as his friend pulled his trousers down to moon the so-called monster when he fell backwards over the boat.”

ME: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

TRACEY: I have been very pleased with the response to my cast of secondary characters. Like I mentioned above Jason and Heather McLaughlin. Jason is a purebred Irish pup and he has the personality of someone who will make you laugh even when you don’t want to. Heather, is petite just a little over 5’4”, she has a pixie-like hair cut. She is not Irish, but loves her purebred Irish wolf lad Jason. She is not as wild as Jason, but they make for a very cute couple and compliment each other wonderfully.

Jason and Daniel met in Scotland, while Daniel was working on bio-genetic research. They are both scientists and are employed by a company co-owned by Daniel and Julie’s father.

Scene stealers? If you read the book you will notice Heather is a little reserved. So this particular scene was a stealer for her. CAUTION SPOILERS* This scene happens immediately after Julie and Daniel discover the vampires (Richard and Nathaniel). Richard shows a particular interest in Julie, which causes Daniel to become very protective over his wolf girl.

I turned toward Daniel and he looked to me in concern.

“I don’t like that Richard.” He huffed.

“Because he has a thing for me?” I teased.

“I better be the only one that has a thing for you!” He growled. “Besides can a vampire actually have an erect…”

“Daniel!” I shot at him in surprise.

“Well, I was just wondering.” He shot back.

Heather and Jason walked up to us. “Rumor has it, they are huge.” She said as she laughed and darted off changing into her wolf image.

Jason roared loudly with laughter as he followed her changing into his wolf image. There was no way I could contain my laugh when I looked into Daniel’s astonished face. I unzipped his robe and slid it off his shoulders. The shock was still on his face. Smiling I slipped out of my robe. I began to walk away from Daniel.

I turned my head slightly to the side. “Darling, you have nothing to worry about.” I purred as I laughed and burst forth into my wolf image.

Interview with T.L. Mitchell

Posted by BookTalkAdmin | 8:00 AM | contest, interview, paranormal, trailer | 7 comments »

Visit the link:  http:///www.romancing-the-book.com/2010/05/interview-with-tl-mitchell.html

Jen: This week we are happy to welcome T.L. Mitchell to Romancing the Book. Tracey, will you please share a short bio with us?

Tracey: Currently I live in Virginia where I have been spending my time enjoying the view of the mountains while writing. My debut novel, Dark of kNight was released in the 2nd edition by Wild Horse Press in November of 2009. Since then, I have completed Fall of kNight (kNight Series Book 2) and a new short story collection The NightMan (Book 1 The Eternal Love Collection).

Jen: Tell us about Fall of kNight your upcoming release and where it’s available.

Tracey: Fall of kNight is the continuing story of Julie kNight and Daniel Maxwell in the kNight Series.

The story picks up where Dark of kNight ends. Julie thinks her life is normal, at least for a Lycan. She becomes more acquainted with her new lifestyle as a wolf-shape shifter. However, just when things seem normal, the threat of the werewolves return. Not to mention the inhumanly beautiful vampire, Richard Macarthur. Richard’s desire for Julie turns dangerously seductive as he is determined to make her his…forever.

The story holds the readers with the same suspense and mystery as in Dark of kNight. New characters and surprises are added. However, the colorful cast of original characters still remain.

Fall of kNight will be available in Ebook and Amazon Kindle May 18th. You can pre-order Fall of kNight at All Romance Ebooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fallofknight-427353-139.html.

Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.

Tracey: I discovered writing when I was sixteen. It was an English writing assignment. The teacher gave us one sentence to finish a two page short story. I had no idea what to write. Finally with pen in hand I just started writing what ever came to my mind. The story started unfolding in front of my eyes. Before I realized it, I had written more than 2 pages. I shortened the story and submitted my work the next day. I received two “A’s” for the work with a note from the teacher saying “See me after class.”. He wanted to encourage me to consider writing as a career. I still remember his words and wish I had as much faith in myself as he did when I was that age. It took me over twenty-five years to gain the courage to have my work considered for publishing.

In 2009, I published my debut novel Dark of kNight through Author House Publishing. In November 2009, Dark of kNight was re-edited and re-published by Wild Horse Press. And so the story begins with the kNight Series Books.

Jen: How does your family feel about your career?

Tracey: They are very supportive. I’ve had their help with book trailers and tossing around scene ideas for feed back. They love the kNight Series.

Jen: Describe your writing in three words.

Tracey: Suspenseful, Passionate and Entertaining.

Jen: Do you have a writing routine?

Tracey: Not really. I usually try and write some on a story everyday. If a story or scene hits me pretty hard I stick with it until its done. For example, The NightMan, I started writing the story around 8 am and didn’t complete it until 5am the next morning. Yes, I took breaks, but I couldn’t stop writing.

Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?

Tracey: I think the most challenging aspect of writing is the characters. Character personalities are as important as the storyline. You want each character to become alive and thrive with individuality. Keeping in mine their dialogue is very important. Not every character should act or speak the same.

The easiest part of writing for me, I would say story lines. I like to be creative and try to come up with something fresh or a new perspective. My imagination is always going in different directions.

Jen: Do you have a favorite character or one you most identify with?

Tracey: Most of my readers would probably think Richard, the vampire in the kNight Series is probably my favorite character. I would probably have to agree. Richard is a character who is fun to write. He is draw to the heroine in ways he can’t explain. His vampire side is drawn to her blood, while his male nature is drawn to her beauty. It’s a double whammy for him. He knows he has the abilities, both in a dangerously seductive manner as well his vampire nature to take her. Richard wants Julie, but he wants her to submit herself willingly to him. He will not take her by force. His character is very strong. You feel his pain of loneliness. You experience his tragic loss through his words and expressions. He is a character who is skilled in the methods of seduction. Its not just a vampire thing---this boy has skills! I would say he is one of the most interesting characters I have ever written.

Jen: What five authors or people, from the past or present, have been important to you as an author? What question or comment have you always wanted to say to them.

Tracey: Paranormal romance authors, Shannon Bailey, Tamela Quijas, Bonnie Elliott have been very close and dear author friends of mine. They have been very supportive in my writing and encouraging as I grow and develop deeper as an author. Another dear person I would not forget to mention is the one everyone knows at Amazon- Grammy. She is a wonderful supporter and also dear friend to us paranormal romance authors. As an avid reader- she’s there to give us feedback when we need it. She is very honest and tells you up front if the story stinks or not! Which is what we need. Someone who is honest with us and keeps us grounded. My publisher Wild Horse Press has been a great experience for me. Truly guiding and working with me. It takes a good publisher with patience to work with writers. They are very supportive and encouraging as well.

I tell them this when I can: “I love you guys! & Thanks for your friendship, your love and just being a shoulder to cry on when the reviews aren’t so good.”

Jen: Most people only dream of becoming a published writer. Now that you’ve accomplished that goal is there anything else you dream of doing?

Tracey: Good question. Accomplishing the goal of becoming a published writer/author is just the beginning. I love to write and want to continue writing more entertaining books. My next two goals are: 1 to have a NY Times Best Seller and have Dark of kNight and the kNight Series made into a movie. Among those goals I want to enter writing contests and further my writing skills. In other words, I want to be the best author I can possibly become. I have never started a project just to complete it without mastering the technique and skill. Writing is a passion I love and I want the readers to feel that passion when I write.

Jen: What do you do in your free time?

Tracey: Watch movies! I love movies. When I need a break and just relax I go out to dinner with a friend and we usually catch a movie. Movies are always my way of relaxing and taking a breath of fresh air from the writing world.

Jen: What’s next for you?

Tracey: The next book I have coming out June 22nd is The NightMan. A delicious short story of one woman, one werewolf and one vampire. It’s a thrill ride from start to finish of how one mysterious night can change the lives of three people. Dark of kNight has been submitted to a professional screen writer. Hopefully my next dream will come into play and I will be watching Dark of kNight in the theaters.

Currently I’m working on Dawn of kNight(Book 3 kNight Series) and a fantasy novel Sword of Alkatar which will be finished shortly (I hope).

Jen: Where can you be found on the web?

My website is : http://www.darkofknightseries.com/

My Space: http://www.myspace.com/darkofknightseries

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000079351822&ref=profile

Twitter: http://twitter.com/dofknightseries

Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

Tracey: I love feedback from readers. Tell me what you like in the stories you read. What kinds of stories do you prefer? and why?

I also want to share that Dark of kNight was accepted by screenwriter Gordon Hayes. He is currently working on the screenplay. Fall of kNight, (Book 2 of the kNight Series) made it to #5 Hot New Releases Amazon Kindle Family Saga & made it in the top 100 for Amazon's Kindle Best Sellers in Family Saga during its three day debut!!! Exciting News!!!!

Jen: Readers, Tracey is giving away a signed copy of Dark of kNight and a signed copy of Fall of kNight when it becomes available in paperback this fall to one lucky winner. Due to shipping costs, the contest is limited to those living within the US and Canada. To enter the contest, you first must leave a comment or question for Tracey. Then to finish your entry, you need to leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, May 30.