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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween Special with Stacia Kane!

To close the Halloween Weekend I have an interview to share with you! Stacia Kane is a great author who has some Personal Demons and some may say a Demon Inside. If you haven't checked out her books yet then I highly recommend you do!

Enjoy the interview and make sure you enter the contest! Oh and make sure you enter the other contests (see the sidebar for more info) which don't close for entries until November 8th!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you as a guest here and I hope you will enjoy your time here ;) Maybe you can start things off for us by telling my readers a bit about your Megan Chase series?

Stacia - Well, I usually describe it as a light, kind of sexy romance-y urban fantasy. It's not strictly romance, but there's a stronger romance subplot than in straight urban fantasy.

Megan Chase is a regular woman with a special skill; she's psychic. The ability serves her well in her job as a psychological counselor, but not so well in her personal life, since knowing exactly what a potential friend or lover is thinking about her isn't really conducive to close relationships. But when she takes a job doing a silly radio show--the tagline is "Let Megan Chase slay your personal demons"--she realizes there are some people she can't read: demons themselves. Her psychic abilities make her powerful in the demon world, and the "slay your personal demons" line is seen as a threat by the actual personal demons, the Yezer Ha-Ra of Hebrew and Biblical myth.

Demons exist, and they look basically like people, and to survive--and make money, lots of money--they've rganized themselves into Mafia-like "families" called Meegras. Greyson Dante, a representative of one of these Meegras, originally contacts Megan because his boss thinks her abilities can be useful. But it turns out there's a lot more to it than that, and as the days go by Megan realizes she's quite attracted to Greyson and he to her. I love Greyson. He's my idea of a perfect Alpha male: strong, smart, and in charge, but without all the Me-Tarzan-You-Jane so many "alpha males" seem to have. I always say Greyson doesn't need to behave that way because he KNOWS who he is. :-)

So watching Megan struggle to deal with all of the new information, and to forge a real life for herself in this alien demon world, is basically what the series is about. Reviewers and readers seem to have found Megan to be an extremely likable, appealing heroine with common sense, which has been really gratifying because that's exactly what I'd always hoped she would be. I wanted to create a heroine I'd actually like to hang out with, who ran away when it made more sense to run away, just like a normal person would do, but who would turn and fight--and fight hard--when there were no other options.

Amber - How was the idea for the series born? Was it a long process or something that just came to you?

Stacia - It was a little of both, actually. I'd seen several agents blogging about the phrase "[MC] has to battle his/her personal demons" and started thinking about the fun that could be had with that cliche, keeping in mind the old cartoons with the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other. So the tagline came to me, and originally Megan had written a book, but I didn't want to write the kind of character who would actually come up with that "Slay your personal demons" thing on her own. So the radio show was born. I'd started a ms a while back which dealt with the antipathy between demons and witches and really liked that idea, and I was thinking of adding bodyguard demons to the Megan story, and "Malleus and Maleficarum" came to me as names. Only immediately following them was "...and Spud." And it just all fell into place; the tone of the book, the characters, and the plot.

Amber - Are you anything like your characters? Are any of them based on people you know?

Stacia - Oh, there's a bit of me in all my characters, sure. Megan has some of the same likes and dislikes as me--she cooks the same foods I do, using my recipes, lol, and she's allergic to bell peppers like I am. Chess from the upcoming Downside books likes the same music I do and has some of the same opinions on things. But they're not me, and no, I've never really based a character on someone I know.

Amber - The second book in the Megan Chase series, Demon Inside, has just been released. What can people expect from the newest installment?

Stacia - More action! There's a lot more action in this one, more craziness, more violence. But I think there's more depth there too; we learn a bit about Megan's background and childhood, and her relationship with Greyson takes a few careful steps forward; they're so cautious, those two. It's really about the aftermath of the events of PERSONAL DEMONS, and how Megan deals with all the enormous changes in her life brought on by those events.

Amber - How many books will their be in the Megan Chase series? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Stacia - Well, I just finished the third book in the series, so there will definitely be three! And right now I'm working on a YA project, and am especially excited about the Downside books. They're much, much darker than the Demons books and much more intense. My heroine, Chess Putnam, is a drug addict who lives in a creepy punk-rock ghetto called Downside. Twenty-four years before there was a huge ghost apocalypse--the dead rose from the grave and slaughtered humanity--and it was only ended by the intervention of an atheistic, magic-based church called the Church of Truth. Chess works for the Church disproving hauntings--the Church will pay a settlement if you have a ghost in your home--and her particular expertise, along with her drug habit, leads her into some very interesting avenues. The first book, UNHOLY GHOSTS, will be out May 25 from Del Rey, with the next two books following in the next two months. We sold UK rights to the series and those will follow essentially the same schedule, and we just sold audio rights as well, so they'll be audiobooks, which is really exciting to me!

Amber - How did you end up being a writer? Was it something you always wanted to do?

Stacia - It was, yes. And over the years I tried, off and on, to do something with that ambition but I didn't really get serious about it until after my first daughter was born. She was about a year and a half old when I really gave writing a go; it was about two years later--after taking almost a year off while I was pregnant with my second and the first few months of her life--that I started selling, and I've been chugging along ever since.

Amber - How did you end up writing Paranormal Urban Fantasy? Was it planned? Is it a genre you enjoy yourself?

Stacia - I love the genre! I originally started writing medieval romances, because I love that period. But I decided to try writing a vampire erotic romance, really as a lark, and discovered I really enjoyed writing them. Through paranormal romance I discovered urban fantasy and it just clicked; that was what I wanted to write. So I did, and to my delight I found it suited my voice and style really well and was a blast to write.

Amber - What books do you like to read when you have time? Do you have any must read authors/series?

Stacia - Oh, I read almost anything I can get my hands on! Any genre, anything; it's all about voice for me. I love Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. I love Caitlin Kittredge, Richelle Mead, and Mark Henry.

Amber - How do you relax?

Stacia - With vodka. Lol. No, not really. Well, okay, sometimes. But I watch TV with my husband--we're currently catching up on MAD MEN--and I love to bake. I hardly ever eat what I bake, but I love the process of doing it. I read to my daughters or do things with them. And of course I read. A LOT. :-)

Amber - Lots of authors have playlists for their books. What music or bands would find their way onto a playlist for the Megan Chase series?

Stacia - For the Megan books? I listened to a lot of old soul music when writing DEMON INSIDE; lots of Bill Withers and Isaac Hayes and Sam Cooke. I had in mind that that was the sort of thing Greyson listened to; I could picture him driving around with those songs playing, you know?

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature what would you be and why?

Stacia - Oh, I'd love to be a vampire. Eternal life and eternal youth? I am so there.

Amber - You are stranded on a desert island. What 5 things do you hope to have with you?

Stacia - Aside from the obvious things like a sharp knife and a firestarter? Hmm. Sunscreen. Water purifier. A phone with working internet so I can tell people where I am? And something to write with and/or on! That's seven. So I guess I can lose the purifier, and make the thing to write with or on a computer with an endless battery.

Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog. I hope you will pop by again sometime!




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Contest Time!

Stacia is kindly giving away a signed copy of DEMON INSIDE!! One lucky winner will get their very own demon!! Cool!!

All you have to do to enter this contest is tell us what you dressed up as this Halloween! If you didn't dress up then tell us as who you would like to dress up as.

No Costume = No entry!

The usual rules apply!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

I can offer more prizes if my Amazon Associates account gets more money!! So please make sure you order at Amazon.com through the links around the site and help keep the contest coming! (although right now the account is empty....)




The contest will stay open until Sunday 8th of November 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

71 comments:

Linda Henderson said...

Well I didn't dress up for Halloween but if I had I would have liked to dress up as Marilyn Monroe. She wasn't pencil thin and I'm not either. She had a very cool look though.

Barbara E. said...

I didn't dress up this year, but if I could pick a costume it would be a fairy princess, with wings and magic wand. I'd rather be fabulous, not scary :o)

cheesygiraffe said...

I didn't dress up this year. I haven't dressed up in years. I guess if I did I would go as a sexy vampire or a sexy witch. Or some other kind of sexy paranormal creature that isn't hairy. LOL

Pissenlit said...

Because my party plans fell through this year, I didn't dress up as anything but I had two costumes ready this year. Before I found out that I was staying in, I was torn between going Goth and going as a Squint from the TV show, Bones.

Chris J. said...

Hi Amber and Stacia!
What a cool Halloween treat ya'll have given us, Amber you rock!
Stacia, I haven't read any of your books but would love to. :)

As to costumes, I didn't dress up but my kids did. My son was a cool cat dude from the big hat and pimp outfit area, my daughter was a vampiress.
If I had I would have been a Fairy, beautiful wings and all.

Thanks so much Amber for all the interviews and the great Treats!

Van Pham said...

This year i dressed up as Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland.

Alicia0385 said...

I dressed up as a bumble bee!!

Cathy M said...

I borrowed my son's nursing scrubs (so comfortable), and had my husband covered in bandages with nice patches of blood showing through. Great fun.

Sue A. said...

I didn't dress up this year. I'd want to be bad for once, so maybe a witch.

Sue Brandes said...

I work at Asisted Living & I dressed up with a cat shirt and ears & a tail. And of course a bit of makeup like wiskers. LOL. Enjoyed your guest post.

SiNn said...

i didnt dress up this yea rbut i intend to dress up next year a sa naughty schoolgirl or a gothic princess not sure yet really ill change my mind a million times by then

Llehn said...

Neil Gaiman. I mussed up my hair, wore black and donned a leather jacket with sunglasses.

jeanette8042 said...

I dressed up as a fairy brat!

Lori T said...

Well, I did not dress up this year and I usually do not dress up. I think that if I did dress up, I would choose something like a fairy with a fancy shimmery dress.

I hope that everyone had a great Halloween!

BrigidsBlest said...

I dressed up as a Scottish peasant woman this year, in my RenFaire clothes: green skirt, black underdress, green and white tartan overdress, leather peasant shoes, and a pewter thistle pin. I have red hair and I can fake a muddled Scots accent, so it was a decent costume.

BrigidsBlest at yahoo dot com

donnas said...

I did not dress up this year. But if I would have I saw this awesome costume for a Goth Fairy on Amazon. It was cool.

Linked on sidebar here: http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Sweeter the berry said...

I didn't get to dress up but I would dress as a witch if I were to. letessha@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Hi :)
Thanks for having Stacia Kane here today & for the excellent interview. Thank you Stacia for sharing!
I love Stacia's writing. Whatever she writes, I'll read.
:)
I didn't dress up but I handed out candy. If I did, I'd dress up like Christina Ricci did in The Addams Family "I'm a psychopath - I look just like you." (or words to that effect).
:)
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
:)

Unknown said...

Hi :)
Almost forgot - I Blogged about this excellent interview & giveaway contest!
http://rkcharron.blogspot.com/2009/11/november-second.html

Dot S.(ladeetdareads.wordpress.com) said...

Great Interview! I dressed up as a nurse a vampire nurse of course.

Kathy said...

I haven't dressed up since college, but if did, I think I would go as a mediaeval queen of England. Eleanor of Aquitaine maybe.

Anonymous said...

I dressed up as snap crackle and pop with my friends. I was Pop. :]

Andrea I said...

I haven't dressed up in years, but I did drop my adult daughters at a party. They went as a sub slave and a gangster girlfriend. If I had gone somewhere, ti would have been as a vampire.

I enjoyed your interview with Stacia.

clynsg said...

I didn't dress up for Halloween either, but I suspect I would pick something warm if I had--it was pretty cold here! Maybe Anne Boleyn carrying her head.

clynsg at yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I didn't dress up but I would like to dress up next year as Darth Vader.

john ferris said...

I dressed upas a vampire.
john ferris
guapo1317@live.com

Anonymous said...

I didn't dress up for Halloween, but if I had, I would have been a female werewolf.
mom1248(at)att(dot)net

hippo said...

We don't dress up for Halloween but it would have been nice to go as Harry Potter (would be feeling all young again ...)

Anonymous said...

I didn't dress up for Halloween, haven't since I was about twelve, but how great would it be to create a costume of a character in a book? I've written a few would love to one day see someone dressed like my character. Eek! I think I would wicked-witch melt.

booklover0226 said...

I didn't dress up this year but if I did, I think I would have repeated what I did in the 5th grade! I was 1/2 woman and 1/2 man!

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 AT gmail DOT com

ky2here said...

I wanted to go as Lady Gaga meets Kate Gosselin but I settled for Superman.

Pat said...

I was sick this year so didn't dress up, but I would have liked to dress up as a scary witch

Asylumgirl said...

I was a vampiress with an emphasis on makeup and I even had silver fangs.

Deidre
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com

LINDALSHOT said...

I dressed as a Cincinnati Bengal!

Bella said...

Hi Amber and Stacia - thanks for the interview! Stacia, I have been hearing so much about your books and would love to try one!

I tweeted: http://bit.ly/2RqklH and also posted on my FB page (Bella Smythe). I'm sure there's a way to link to FB, but I cannot figure it out :(

So, halloween -- it's not really my holiday (ducking). So I just wore a long black velvet broom skirt and black t-shirt, with some large-ish shiny jewelry and a witch's hat with the most divine purple dreds. ;-)

Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
~bella

Marie said...

I didn't dress up this year, but if I had I would have dressed up as either a Medieval of Renaissance Lady -- I've always wanted to do that!

marielay@gmail.com

Mardel said...

I've enjoyed the Personal Demons Novel but I have to admit I'm really looking forward to Unholy Ghosts.

Halloween Costumes- This year I didn't dress up, because I was tired and feeling flat. But one year while I was pregnant- very pregnant- I wanted to dress up as a nun. This was in 1979 though and almost every told me it would be horrible to do that, so I ended going as a pregnant witch. I just looked like a fat witch because my bosoms were so huge, and my belly so huge, I should have gone as a tomato or pumkin. LOL.

Carol EL said...

I stayed home this year,but I would like to be something scary like a vampire. jelly15301@gmail.com

cait045 said...

I didn't get to dress up because I had to waitress a wedding but I really wanted to be a woods fairy.

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said...

We had a family party the weekend before Halloween and I was a Police Officer - and I got to be a Zombie at work :) But that isnt unusual....

Miranda
mdwartistry at yahoo dot com

BTW - I've added your contest to my side bar.

Terri Dell said...

I dressed up as Peter Criss from KISS, a very scary looking catman I might add LOL

David Johnson said...

I didn't dress up this year but if I did I would dress up as a Cowboy, thanks.

Curling up by the Fire said...

I didn't dress up for Halloween this year as I was sick all weekend but my kids did. My son was the Grim Reaper and my daughter was a Gothic Bride.

If I really went all out for Halloween, I think I would wear something really creepy. I think it would be fun to really get into the makeup, wigs, and costumes and do something really unsual and highly scary, nothing of that princess stuff for me. Wouldn't it be cool to play a villain for a chance?

AmandaK said...

I didn't dress up this Halloween, but next year I plan on dressing up as a witch next year!

orchestratenoise0726[at]yahoo[dot]com

mverno said...

i dressed as tina louise mverno@roadrunner.com

Dawn said...

i dressed as a vampire bride

Rosie said...

Well, I didn't dress up this year, but after going to a haunted house with the kids and seeing the characters walking through the crowd, I wished I could have dressed as the crazy lady from the lunatic asylum. She was walking throught he crowd in a hospital gown and going up to people and screaming at them. It was great!

Brandy said...

i wish i dressed up as a hamster

Blodeuedd said...

Well since we don't dress up here I just put on my plaid skirt and pretended to be a catholic schoolgirl

Jen D. @ Not Now...I'm Reading! said...

Thanks for the great interview and contest Amberkatze.

And thanks for stopping by Stacia.

I didn't get to dress up this year but I've always wanted to find a costume that resembles the one Kate Beckinsale wore in Underworld. I think if I start dieting now I can pull it off next year. =)

*Jen*
iiiioneloveiiii(AT)gmail(DOT)com

StyleVamp said...

I didn't dress up this year, however i would love to dress up one of these halloweens as Cleopatra..but I want it to look completely authentic lol

littlelatina said...

sounds great im in. i was a zombie chef this year

All This Silence... said...

I was definitely a witch this year. A barbed-wire witch, to be exact. The best part was the fishnet, glitter mascara, and the red glitter lipstick. Lots-o-fun!

Lisa Rusczyk said...

I'm sorry you are allergic to bell peppers. Nothing like a good red bell pepper, fresh cut, right off the vine.

Barbara Michaels was my favorite author as a kid. I need to pick one of hers up again.

Your book sounds good. I'm going to look for it on my Kindle.

orchidfae said...

I did not dress up this year

Ellie Wright said...

I didn't dress up this year but I have dressed as a 1920's flapper in the past, so that would have been my choice again.

Anonymous said...

Since I had no one to go party with I didn't dress up this year but if I had the figure like when I was in my 20's the costume would have been Morticia Adams. She was one hot creture of the night!

whitewolfreads said...

I didn't dress up this year but i did wear my Halloween pajama pants that are orange with different black sets of eyes all over. However, i would have liked to have dressed up as Amy Brown's Queen Mab.

jmspettoli

Brooke said...

I didn't get to dress up... I would have gone as my demon girls demon mom... She didn't get to dress up either... (frown)

Misty said...

Stacia your books sound awesome. I had not heard of you unfortunately before today. I am glad I stopped by now I have some more for my TBR pile.

I didn't dress up, but if I did it probally would have been a sexy vampiress of this sexy fairy costume I seen.

saturdaynightfever said...

A walking, talking Christmas tree!

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

i wore the same ole scary mask that i wear every day of the yr........




cpsnsamples@aol.com

Becky said...

What a great interview. I didn't dress up for Halloween. If I had I would have liked to been either a vampire or the big bad wolf from little red riding hood. A friend of mine dressed as the big bad wolf in granny's night clothes and it was a very cute costume. She has had her costume for 7yrs now though.

lilyk said...

I didn't dress up but I would like to dress up as SpongeBob SquarePants.

souldolphindream said...

I dressed up as a gypsy this year. My daughter who is 6 loved putting all kinds of jewelery on me.

souldolphindream@aol.com

susan1215 said...

I didn't dress up but if I would have I would dress up as a witch

Unknown said...

CONTEST CLOSED!!!!

Please check the main page for the winners announcement!

demmi said...

I did not dress up this year but would have liked to dress as a ghost
con5459(at)gmail(dot)com

Hotsnotty2 said...

I was a Greek Goddess this year! Thanks!

Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com

dvice12 said...

I'd like to dress up as an astronaut

Dawn Reid said...

I was Rainbow Brite.