Today I have the honor of interviewing one of my favorite authors: Ms. Gena Showalter. Welcome to That’s What I’m Talking About, Gena! We are here celebrating the recent release of Burning Dawn, the latest title in your entertaining Angels of the Dark series. Will you share with us a little about the latest tale in your good-angels-gone-bad series?
GS: Thank you so much for having me over! Writing Burning Dawn was such a pleasure. I’m still head over heels for Thane, an immortal warrior with an insatiable need for violence. And I know, I know. An insatiable need for violence—hardly hero material LOL But the majority of his savagery is directed at demons, making him the most dangerous assassin in the skies. And, yeah, okay, the rest is directed at his lovers. But they like it! Honest! Still, he fears he is becoming the very evil he fights against… though everything changes when he meets Elin Vale, a vulnerable beauty who will shred every bit of his iron-hard control. For the first time in his life, he has no desire to hurt, only to pleasure, and he has no idea how to deal. His journey touched my heart.
Can you share with readers what is up next for these dark angels? Do you have a set number of books you have planned for this series?
GS: There isn’t a set number of books planned, and I’m not sure who will be next. However, I’m curious to know the next warrior my readers are most interested in reading about. William? Cameo? Xerxes? Bjorn? Axel, perhaps? My goal is to give each one a happy ending.
The Angels of the Dark series is a spinoff from your wildly popular Lords of the Underworld series. At what point did you realize that you wanted to expand the Lords’ universe? Do you find it difficult to go back and forth between the two series and varying mythologies? Do you see the books and stories intersecting again in the future?
GS: I knew I wanted to delve deeper into the world of the Angels of the Dark while writing The Darkest Secret. When the smoldering winged warriors stepped into the Lords of the Underworld world, they were given a task. Protect the keeper of Secrets—or kill him. They didn’t care which. Life or death, decided as easily as a coin toss. Color me intrigued. These males were supposed to be the embodiment of love, but they were so freaking cold-blooded. I admit I liked the idea of warming them up.
Your books are set in numerous locals, including some intangible ones like the heavens and underworld. Is it more difficult to map out actual locations or ones that you have to create?
GS: I like creating my own locations. Probably because I’m sure to get all the details right LOL.
You also write a number of other series and books. How do you tackle each writing deadline? Do you write more than one book at a time, or is each story contained and completed before switching gears? Do you have different writing rituals for the different series?
GS: I’m very disciplined about my writing. I map out the number of chapters or pages I need to write or edit on a daily basis to meet a particular deadline and then I do it, no matter how long it takes me. If I have to work on multiple books at a time—which has happened quite a bit—I spend half of the day on one project, and then switch focus.
Okay, time to spill… do you have a favorite character from any that you’ve written? Is there one that has given you more grief than the others?
GS: William has been my favorite since the moment he stepped onto the pages of The Darkest Kiss. He takes nothing seriously—well, nothing but the condition of his hair. He will stab his friends as easily as he will stab an enemy. He has a warped sense of humor. He sleeps with anything breathing, and sometimes even that isn’t a requirement. He is a mystery. He has never been in love, thinks himself immune… and yet I know he will fall harder than any of the other warriors.
With all the writing you do, do you find time to enjoy reading a book or two? What are your favorite genres? Have you read any good books lately that you’d like to share?
GS: I don’t get to read as often as I’d like, but whenever possible I’ve got my nose buried in a book. I’ve been enjoying contemporary novels lately. Roxanne St. Claire is always an excellent choice. Lily Everett, Katie McGarry, Sabrina Elkins, and others. Rinda Elliott just launched a YA series with Norse mythology. Wendy Higgins has a new fantasy YA, See Me. I was honored to receive a sneak peek at a new paranormal series coming from Kristen Painter and seriously enjoyed.
On a personal note, I just have to say that your Lords of the Underworld series is one of my all-time favorites, and it was the focus of one of my first blog events, We love Gena Week, back in May 2010. After you saw the publicity I included on Twitter, you reached out to me to donate prizes. Thank you so much for your generosity! Over the past four years, do you find it getting more difficult or easier to stay in touch with readers via social media?
GS: I’m always so grateful to readers and bloggers who help spread the word about books they love. It’s beyond awesome! But I do find staying in touch a bit more difficult nowadays. More deadlines, more travel, and more promo means less time to interact on a daily basis.
Gena, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by That’s What I’m Talking About. It has been a true pleasure!
Giveaway
Thanks to Gena and Harlequin for generously donating a personalize SIGNED copy of Burning Dawn to give to one (1) lucky commenter. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form AND leave a comment at the end of this post answering Gena’s question: What is the next warrior readers are most interested in reading about. William? Cameo? Xerxes? Bjorn? Axel, perhaps? The giveaway is open during the time specified on the Rafflecopter form. Winner chosen at random from all eligible entries. This contest is open to US mailing addresses only, where not prohibited by law. Open to participants, 18 years or older, who are legally allowed to participate in such a contest as allowed by their local laws. All federal, state, local, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. By participating in the contest, participants agree to be bound by the decisions of the contest sponsor. Prize will be delivered by the publisher, Harlequin. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. By entering this giveaway, participants agree to abide by these terms.
If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com.
About the book
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Angels of the Dark tale about a winged warrior renowned for his ruthlessness, and the woman who becomes his obsession…
A tormented past has left Thane with an insatiable need for violence, making him the most dangerous assassin in the skies. He lives by a single code: no mercy. And as he unleashes his fury on his most recent captor, he learns no battle could have prepared him for the slave he rescues from his enemy’s clutches—a beauty who stokes the fires of his darkest desires.
Elin Vale has her own deep-rooted scars, and her attraction to the exquisite warrior who freed her challenges her every boundary. But Thane’s unwavering determination to protect her means she must face her greatest fears—and enter a world in which passion is power, and victory means breathtaking surrender.
About Gena
Gena Showalter is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose books have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, as well as Entertainment Weekly. Her novel Red Handed has been optioned by Sony Television. Critics have called her books “sizzling page-turners” and “utterly spellbinding stories,” while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise.” Her mix of humor, danger and wickedly hot sex provides wildly sensual page-turners sure to enthrall.
Visit Gena Showalter’s Official Website
Follow Gena Showalter on Twitter and Facebook
Follow Harlequin on Twitter and Facebook
You can also check out my review of BURNING DAWN (loved it!)
LotU is one of my favorite series! Because of my reviewing schedule I haven’t yet started the Angels of the Dark series, but I’ll get to it this year for sure! Since I haven’t read it yet I can’t answer the question about the Angels. But I am looking forward to William’s story. Or even Cameo’s, but I’m glad Torin’s is next. He’s the one I really want to see get a HEA.
They would all be great if they had their own books but I will pick Bjorn.
All of them? Is that an option? lol
All of them! But I’m hoping on reading about William!!!!!!!
I would love to hear cameos story. She is so tragic but sweet. She needs someone to love her too!
Too hard to decide but I would say Cameo!
I’m really curious about Cameo, but doesn’t matter who will come, I’m sure, I will love the story about her/him! 🙂
I would like to read Axel’s story
I really really want to hear William’s story. Really really!!!
Oh my gosh, it’s like asking which is my favorite dog (I’ve got eight)…I’ve got to go with Bjorn! I like the idea of getting an Angels of the Dark book and then A LotU book to follow (hopefully William’s)!
I would love to get William’s story next. He’s one of my favorites!
I would love to see william have a story then xerexea! 🙂
I would love to see Cameo or William in one of your next books.
Great interview and would love if you wrote Williams story next but anyone of them would be great as well.
I would love to see Williams story but you have done such a good job of including him in everyone else’s stories that I hate not to learn more about him before he falls in love.
just bought book cant wait to read
I really want o read Axel ‘ s story!!! I love this series and am so glad there will be another book!
William! Oh pretty please give us william! I am waiting to read his book since his first line *_*
William! I have been waiting ages for his story 🙂
I’d like to read about Axel!
Love to read about any of them
William of course!!! Don’t make us wait too long Gena. 🙂
Too hard to decide but I would say Cameo!
I have been waiting to read William’s story since he appeared in LOTU!
Cameo! I’ve been waiting for her story since I started LOTU!
I am sadly behind in Lords but I’m eager to catch up this summer. It’s a GREAT series! I so love William and would love to see his HEA.
Axel
A million votes for William!! Lol
I would like to hear Xeres story as well as more from LOTU. Your books are amazing!
If I had to pick I’d go with William. But if we are talking the Angel series…I’d go with Axel. He cracks me up. lol
That was an awesome interview
All of them. I can’t wait for there books Yay!!!
I would like to read about cameo
I’d love William to be the next book. I really want to find out what all is behind him ;).
Axel or Cameo’s.
I’d love to read about them all, but I’ll pick Cameo for the next story. 😀
William !!
I can’t wait for Cameo to have her own story. 🙂
I’m really anticipating William’s story. I will wait however long it takes!
Love, LOve, Love these books!
Xerxes
I hope she writes a story for everyone…though I would love to read William’s story first. 😀
I would love William’s book to be next!!
I’m going to have to choose Axel. 🙂
Thank you for this opportunity!
William! Oh PLEASE William!! I need to now his story, we all know it’s going to be spectacular! So my votes for William.LOl he’s just so yummy!
I haven’t started reading the series yet, but I’m going to say Bjorn, simply because I like the name. Thanks for the great giveaway. I can’t wait to read this series.
well, I am not sure what happened, but I think that my whole comment was lost! My choice is to have Cameo have her own story. I do love William but I think he is too funny as is right now. When he falls, it will be hard, and a great story, but I think his character needs to build up more for it! then it will be a guaranteed hard fall! LOL (but I would love to see him with Gilly some how/some way :)) (in my lost comment I was trying to say that I LOVE the LotU series and was blown away by how fantastic the series is! I was not expecting it to be that in-depth and have so many stories but yet each one is new & exciting and not just another book. I love that you can read them how ever you want, but to get the full & best experience, you should read all stories, short & long and in the “right” reading order. I love how the back story follows through all the books too! Love this series! Keep up the great work Gena!!!)
Willy! But I’m also terrified. He is such a man of many secrets and many powers. I want him to stay fickle and all powerful, and having a HEA might make him veer to the path of (Gulp) Goodness. And who could deny Xerxes and Bjorn their females? And my Gods, if AXEL, were to settle down…
William is who I would love to read about next.
Xerxes, I would love to read his story!
Definitely William! Fingers crossed
I can’t wait to get all their stories but if I had to choose it would either be Cameo or Xerxes. I have been really eager for both of their stories. I can’t wait to read this book, I love Thane.
I would love to read William’s story next then Bjorn’s! I just want to read William’s next because I can see he is going to go through some character changes. I would also like to see how William and Gillys relationship works out. Lords of the Underworld has always been my favorite of you’re series and I’m going through major withdrawl! I want to see Bjorn’s book after Williams book because Bjorn is in a really tough spot right now and when I finished Thane’s book I wanted to see more of him. He is going through it alone and won’t even let his boys in which is really sad! Thane’s book was amazing and I can’t wait to read you’re up coming books! Oh and is it too much to ask for Dallas’ book from the alien huntress series? 😛
Wililam
It’s a hard to choose but I pick Xerxes.
I can’t wait to read William’s story 🙂