Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Interview and Giveaway Guarded by Carmen Fox




Do you have a specific writing style?

Yes. I love to put the reader right in the mix, so I spend a lot of time on important scenes, like fight scenes and love scenes, to make sure I get the right blend of pace and description. Occasionally my rhythm and my transitions are a little jerky, which I use to add immediacy. My characters are also quite witty, far wittier than I am (ask anyone), and that’s not something I set out to do, but an element that’s somehow become part of my style.

Do you write in different genres?

Yes, sadly often at the same time. Since my reading interests vary, all sorts of genres flow into my books. So if you want romance, you got it, just know it might not always be straight-forward. Mystery? No problem, I can squeeze that in, too.
I’m working on a thriller-type novel, not a wisp of magic in sight, but my voice is definitely sassy paranormal heroine.

If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

Paranormal, both urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Growing up, I loved Harry Potter-style books, which are basically urban fantasy for kids. Anything is possible, and if you’re after a book that transports you away from your mundane life, why not into a world that knows few bounds?

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

I love plays on words, but a title is no place to be funny. Still, I wanted a title that fits the content. Ivy, my heroine, is proficient in the use of ‘guards,’ metal plates with grooves that shape energy into badass magic. The world I created features Guardians who guard the border between realms. So GUARDED ticked all the boxes, not least because Ivy’s been through some dark times, and she’s now a little guarded around people.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

I titled GUARDED once it was complete. That’s due to my habit of referring to my books by the main character’s name. So for many months, GUARDED was known as IVY. My future books, however, already have titles, because I vaguely know what their general themes will be.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Mary Buckham. As an instructor, she breaks books and scenes into their most basic elements and then helps you reassemble them in the right way. As a writer, she preaches what she practices. But I have learned from many writers over the years, in all sorts of genres. The writing community is extremely generous with advice and support.

What books are in your to read pile?

Too many. Consider this. Every time you discover a new author and a new series, you have to keep up, don’t you? So Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Chloe Neill, JR Ward… keep me very busy. Plus I like to discover new authors, so they end up in my pile. Add to that the fact that I love reading different genres, and you end up with a list including anything from Tricia Drammeh’s latest to Celia Breslin’s next book. And let’s not forget I need to find time to write my own books. Sigh.

What is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects?

I’m working on the sequel to GUARDED, this time with Florian as the main character. I intended to write a novella, since I wasn’t sure how much fun I’d have writing from a guy’s point of view, but it’s been highly enjoyable and the plot I devised easily fills a full-length novel.

Do you have any advice for other writers?


Plenty. J I love helping out new writers. Not because I’m such an expert, but because over the years I’ve accumulated a treasure trove of tips that I wish someone had given me when I started. I’m working on developing a course on Show vs. Tell, which has made the greatest difference to my writing. Once I understood how to truly transport a reader into the moment, everything fell into place. In fact I’d encourage all writers who are thinking of seeing their work published to take courses or read up on the various aspects of style and the construction of a novel. You wouldn’t operate on someone without some form of medical degree (I hope), so don’t just hop into writing unprepared. Learn from those who’ve been where you are.

Guarded
The Silverton Chronicles
Book 1
Carmen Fox

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Romance/Suspense

Publisher: Smart Heart Publishing

Date of Publication: July 31, 2015

epub: 978-0-9931992-0-2
paperback: 978-0-9931992-1-9
hardcover: 978-0-9931992-2-6

Number of pages: 276 print pages
Word Count: 104k

Cover Artist: Ana Grigoriu

Book Description:

When everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.


Review Trailer: http://youtu.be/rpI5DtqvR8E


Blurb Read by Voiceover Artist: http://youtu.be/6i3DmvcaMWs

About the Author:

Carmen lives in the south of England with her beloved tea maker and a stuffed sheep called Fergus. An avid reader since childhood, she caught the writing bug when her Nana asked her to write a story. She also has a law degree, studied physics for a few years, dabbled in marketing and human resources, and speaks native-level German and fluent Geek. Her preferred niches of geekdom are tabletop games, comics, sci-fi and fantasy.

She writes about smart women with sassitude, about pretty cool guys too, and will chase that plot twist, no matter how elusive.

Expect to be kept guessing.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER, Carmen’s first urban fantasy novel, was published in March 2015. To find out more, visit her at www.carmen-fox.com.


Twitter: @authorcarmenfox


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1 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you very much for having me, Roxanne. The interview was so much fun! :-)