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Hey guys! I am super excited to have here today one of my favorite UF and YA Paranormal authors! The one and only Rachel Vincent!
I LOVE the world and characters she created in her shifters series and her Y.A. series is one of my favorite ever, so getting the chance to interview her was nothing less than an honor! Not to mention that she has been amazing and is actually going to giveaway a Signed copy of ALPHA! Details at the end of the post…
Enjoy!
When did you first start writing?
Kindergarten.
Have you always enjoyed Fantasy?
As long as I can remember, anyway!
Why writing Urban Fantasy?
Because I like to read urban fantasy. And I like the fact that there are no limitations. I can write about anything I want, so long as I keep the rules of the world consistent and the characters sympathetic. Gotta love that kind of freedom.
Were there any Books, Movies or Writers that have inspired you?
Um…sometimes books or movies will trigger an emotion that I really want to be able to capture in my writing, but I can’t think of a book, movie, or writer that’s inspired me to write something specific. But music is really good for inspiring tone and mood.
What is your favorite subject in the Urban Fantasy Realm?
If you’re asking what my favorite creature is, I don’t have one. My least favorite would be vampires, because I don’t like the idea of cold walking corpses or people who want to eat their love interests. But there are a couple of writers who’ve managed to make me like their particular brand of vampire.
But if you’re asking what my favorite subject to write within urban fantasy is, that would be finding the lesser of two evils. I like to put my characters
into situations where there is no good choice to be made. Faythe’s story starts out like that, in fact. She can either abandon her Pride, which needs her for a very serious reason, or she can give up the life she wants for herself. Either way, someone’s going to lose something important. And that problem never goes away.
ALPHA being the last book in the Shifters series, was it hard to write?
Yes. Very. At this point in my career, I’m no longer a rookie (Alpha will be my 9th book on the shelf), and that has its advantages. And it’s challenges. Now there are expectations from readers, both good and bad. Some people have really high expectations for Alpha because they’ve loved the previous books. Which is awesome. Some people aren’t fans of Faythe, but they like her world and my writing, and they’re waiting for her to prove her worth in this last book. And that’s also very cool. But either way, the pressure is on, and there’s no way to please everyone.
So yeah. Writing it was hard. I had this whole mental block for a while, where I kept putting off starting the book, and whining about it to my CP. But deadlines wait for no neurosis, and there came a point at which I had to just sit down and do it. So I did.
Did you always know how things were going to turn out when you started writing the series?
No. Stray was intended to be a standalone. Then I wrote a sequel. Those books sold as books 1 & 2 of a three-book contract, so I set down and decided how far I wanted this to go, and mapped out a rough series arc, then adjusted the ending of Rogue accordingly, to introduce the concept of the Territorial Council and the power it has over the Pride members.
Favorites:
Favorite Paranormal themed Movie?
Oh, goodness. There have been so many. From Dusk Till Dawn—I love that Tarentino’s vamps aren’t redeemable. They’re true monsters. And The Stand. It was a mini-series—does that count?
Favorite Paranormal themed TV Show?
Buffy. Hands down. Now and forever. Specifically, seasons 2 and 6.
Favorite Paranormal themed Book?
That’s actually impossible for me to answer. It changes all the time. Right now, probably White Cat, by Holly Black. Stunning, and smart, different.
Favorite Author?
Stephen King. And maybe Courtney Summers. Very different writers, but both are able to make me forget about the process, which is really hard for a writer. We know how to construct a story, so we see the stitches in the material, which sucks. But both King and Summers have thus far been able to make me see the story instead.
Favorite Paranormal Romance Author?
Oooh, I actually don’t read much straight romance. Sorry! I love a good love story subplot, but I tend to prefer that the main plot be more mystery or suspense of some kind. Notable exceptions for me include Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles. And Jeaniene Frost, if you consider her stuff to be more paranormal romance than urban fantasy.
Favorite one of your Books?
Favorite of my own books? That’s always the latest. Right now I’m enamored of both Alpha and My Soul To Steal. But my favorite single piece of my own writing is “Binge,” my short story in the Immortal anthology.
Who is your favorite of your own characters?
From the Shifters series, Ethan. He was just plain fun. From Soul Screamers, either Sabine or Tod. But Sabine’s easier to write. Her lines are just there, waiting for me, and they’re almost always contentious. She doesn’t have a single simple relationship or friendship, and many of her relationships conflict with others. I find her fascinating, and hilarious, troublesome beyond belief.
Which was the hardest to write?
Lately, Tod is hard for me to write, because he’s gotten pretty complex. Keeping him funny and compelling is more work than it used to be, but it’s worth it.
From Shifters, Greg Sanders (Faythe’s dad) is a hard one to write. He’s a constant struggle to balance power, determination, carefully controlled rage, and love for those he protects.
What would you be if not a writer?
I would probably have gone back to teaching. Because little else interests me, since no one seems willing to pay me to play Rock Band or watch TV. ;)
If you could be a Paranormal Being, who would you be?
I’d be some kind of psychic. I really want to know what people are thinking but not saying.
If you could meet any Urban Fantasy Character out there, who would you like to meet?
Oooh, I’m gonna have to go with “none of the above.” Urban fantasy is, in general, a very dangerous playground, and I’m not sure I’m ready to play in it, in real life. ;)
Quickies:
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Up or Down? Up!
Virtual or Real? Both.
Right or Left? Left.
Day or Night? Night.
Here or There? Here.
Sooner or Later? Sooner!
Light or Dark? Both.
Fast or Slow? Fast!
Vampires or Shifters? Really? Give you one hint. Not vamps.
Angels or Demons? Neither.
Reading or Writing? Both.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Whichever part I’m not on. Seriously, though, I think page proofs are the best, because they’re the easiest. The hard part’s done, and I get to sit back and enjoy my story like a reader, while watching out for missed typos.
What is your least favorite part?
Whichever part I’m currently on. It’s all hard work.
The Shifters Series in your own words?
Faythe’s transition from a closet shapeshifter demanding independence to a badass leader willing to sacrifice her personal needs to serve and protect those she cares about. Love. Loss. Passion. Violence. Conflict. No easy choices.
Oh. And a full-scale revolution.
I know I already miss Faythe and company, any plans for short stories set in Faythe's world?
There’s a story from Abby’s (Faythe’s cousin, from Stray) POV coming out in an anthology from Tor this spring. Other than that? You never know… ;)
You also write a great Paranormal Y.A. series, The Soul Screamers series, can you describe it in your own words?
High school junior Kaylee Cavanaugh discovers she’s a bean sidhe, a death herald compelled to scream uncontrollably when someone near her is going to die. With her introduction to the supernatural reality, she comes face to face with reapers, monsters, and the Netherworld, a warped mirror-image of our own world where souls are a black market commodity, everything is food for something else, and death just might be a blessing.
How many books do you have planned for that series?
Soul Screamers is open ended. The world building is broad enough that I keep getting new story ideas and concepts for it. Very exciting!
Do you have another adult Urban fantasy series in the works?
I do! The first book will be out in the fall of 2011.
If yes, Can you tell us anything about it?
Sorry! I can’t just yet. But I hope to be able to after the Alpha release madness dies down. ;)
What is coming up next for you?
More novels. Always more novels. And there’s a Soul Screamers e-novella currently scheduled for December 1, in advance of the January 1 US release of My Soul To Steal.
What are you working on right now?
Right now, I’m writing a short story for a 2011 anthology and working on the rough draft of IF I DIE (Soul Screamers book 5)
Do you have any advice or tip to those like me that want to become a published author someday?
Just keep reading and writing. There’s no substitute for hard work. And learn to take criticism. If you can’t take it from your critique partners or beta readers now, you’ll never be able to handle the sometimes less-than-constructive criticism of reviewers.
Anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Hi! Thanks so much for sticking with Faythe, and I hope you love Alpha!
Find Rachel Vincent Online:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Buy Rachel’s Books:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble| Books On Boards
Win a SIGNED Copy of “ALPHA” by Rachel Vincent
Book #6 in The Shifters Series!
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