Author Sherri Browning Erwin was unknown to me until another author emailed me to give me a heads up. I went to Sherri's site and and saw the cover of her upcoming book and instantly knew I wanted her to be a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog.Jane Slayre is a new take on the classic Jane Ayre and while I am not one for the classics I am currently reading this interesting twist of a book.
So get to know Jane Slayre and one of the authors Sherri Browning Erwin then make sure you enter the contest and maybe even win a copy for yourself!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your debut book 'Jayne Slayre'?
Sherri - Hi Amber. Thank you for having me. Jane Slayre is a retelling of Jane Eyre, with Jane as a courageous orphan who leaves the detestable vampyre family she is being raised with to go off and fulfill her destiny as a vampyre slayer.
Amber - How did this book come about? Are you a big Jane Eyre fan?
Sherri - I've always loved Jane Eyre. Imagine my surprise when my 16 year old daughter was not excited to be reading it this year for school! I thought "well, maybe if it had a few vampires..." My friend, author Kathleen Givens, encouraged me that it was a great idea, worth pursuing, and it went from there. Sadly, Kathleen passed away most unexpectedly in January and she won't get to read the final version.
Amber - What kind of research did you have to do to write this book? Anything interesting?
Sherri - I got to know Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte quite well. I immersed myself in reading and rereading Jane Eyre because I wanted anything I added to blend seamlessly as if Charlotte and I had written it together in one room. I also looked for anything I could find on vampire lore, on zombies, on voodoo, and on werewolves. Charlotte actually mentions vampyres in Jane Eyre, in a description of Bertha Mason, so I believe she would have enjoyed the added twists.
Amber - Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us
about?
Sherri - I'm working on an alternative history set in Victorian England. And I'm considering a sequel for St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre. That might turn out to be for my eyes only. I really see a lot of possibilities for his character as he goes off to slay vampires in India.
Amber - Have you always wanted to be an author? and why did you pick this genre?
Sherri - I have almost always wanted to write books. A major case of sibling rivalry drove me to read early. My older sister won a yellow ribbon reading award in Kindergarten, and I was determined to get one of my own. One of the first books I read made me laugh, cry, and completely moved me (Margaret Wise Brown's Golden Egg Book). I wanted to write stories like that. By second grade, I was on my way, turning my spelling test words into short stories. I started sneaking and reading my mother's historical romances when I was twelve. All those pretty covers! Who could resist? But I didn't publish my first book, a historical romance (The Scoundrel's Vow, Dell Books 1999), until I turned 30.
Amber - What is the easiest and hardest part about being an author?
Sherri - The easiest is being allowed to indulge my imagination to my heart's content, all while staying at home and comfortable in my work uniform of sweatpants and tees. The hardest is making a plot take shape in a way that makes sense and will engage the reader-- actually getting the words on the page.
Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Sherri - I like food and wine, travel. I enjoy watching the Travel Channel and the Food Network. I blog. It's writing, but in a much more relaxed way.
Amber - Alot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?
Sherri - I've been influenced by the Phantom of the Opera lately because my daughter is a violinist performing a medley of Phantom songs with her school orchestra. She practices all the time, and the music fills the house and my head.
Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?
Sherri - I love Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dean Koontz (especially his Odd Thomas books), Julia London, and Kathleen Givens.
Amber - Jane Slayre promises vampyres, zombies, and werewolves but what I want to know is which side are you on? Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Sherri - That's a tough one. Edward seems a little like a stalker, but Jacob looks so young that he brings out my maternal side. If forced, I'll say Team Edward, but I'm probably more of a Carlisle fan. I like mature, calm, thoughtful men.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Sherri - Can I say a witch or is that too tame? One of my critique partners used to call me The Devil's Handmaiden. That always sounded like fun to me. I'm not sure what it entails, but I like to imagine it would grant me a fair amount of power.
Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog! Good luck with the new book!
Sherri - Thank you! It has been fun.
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Contest Time!
This week you could win a copy of Jane Slayre! As soon as I am finished reading my copy it will go out to the winner! All you have to do is answer a question...
What classic would you like to see turn paranormal? Feel free to share your ideas and titles ;)
No Classic - No Entry!
Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but 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.
Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 18th of April 2010 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.
Good Luck!
68 comments:
Hmm... maybe Emma. I've actually never read the book (GASP) but I watched the movie version on Masterpiece Classic (yes I watch that show and I know I'm pathetic) and really liked it. I'm not sure how it could be turned paranormal but I would like to see how it would turn out. Thanks for the contest.
I'm a follower
kmichellec87(at)yahoo(dot)com
Well so many have these days ;)
But..oh Ivanhoe, I always loved the movies and the story. just think he coming back from the Crusades and something is plaguing old England
blodeuedd1 at gmail dot com
gone with the wind
All good ones. Someone has written Emma and the Vampires. Not sure how that one is, but I'm curious.
Ivanhoe, wow, don't hear much about that one lately.
Gone with the Wind, love that. Gone with the Wolves, maybe? Scarlett, wolf-hunter.
What about Anne of Green Gables?! Maybe with fairies and goblins! :P
fabgiada @ gmail.com
Ohh, What about Oliver Twist? Oliver could be an orphan recruited for demon hunting or something like that.xD
follower
echs2007@gmail.com
I was going to say Oliver Twist but since someone already said it how about The Swiss Family Robinson...
You're all so creative! So many good ones I never even considered. All some of my favorite books, too.
Tom Sawyer.
JANE SLAYRE sounds awesome, especially because I'm a big JANE EYRE fan. :)
How about "Little Women" with some paranormal in it? Could be interesting.
Thanks for the contest!
karenwitkowski AT aol(dot)com
The Secret Garden.
I think Emma by Jane Austen, that woudl be interesting! :-)
stella.exlibris (at) gmail DOT com
I'm a follower too
Tom Sawyer, Emma, and Little Women all have mash-ups out. Little Women has two! One with vampires, one with werewolves. So, all good choices.
Thank you all for your support! Jane Slayre is a really fun read (so I say, LOL) and I hope you pick it up. :)
Call of the Wild
Hey could try Little House on the Prairie where the Ingalls' girls are all witches that Fight evil.
Peter Pan! Or the Wizard of Oz! That would be fun! Never read either, but maybe if they were paranormalized I would.
patronus89013 at yahoo dot com
The Great Gatsby... and Ghosts!
Hamlet with zombies!!
wookieecookie7 at sbcglobal dot net
So many great ideas! I think mash-ups will be around awhile at that rate.
Madam Bovery
How about the "Grapes of Wrath" or the "Sound and the Fury" I really did not like those two and I think they could benefit from some paranormalization! Favorite classics that would also be fun are Ivanhoe and Les Miserables!
Thank you for the contest, and thanks Sherri for the interview!
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
I think that either Little Women or Huckleberry Finn would be amazing with the paranormal inserted.
I'm a follower, willowwanderer at gmail dot com
I think "Black Beauty" where Beauty is a shifter??
This sounds like a great read
Oooh so love this question!! Great Interview..how about a paranormal version of "Othello.."
That would make a good read..
How about Rhett and Scarlett in Gone With the Wind turned paranormal?
GFC follower and email subscriber!
delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com
what about the prince and the pauper? or moby dick?
k_sunshine1977@yahoo.com
What about Rebecca? Think she could come back as a ghost, or a vampire? Interesting concept.
I would love to see Mary Poppins turned Parnormal. I know it would have to be an adult version but I still think it might be a hoot.
terraontop57 at yahoo.com
LOL - The Devil's Handmaiden
sounds like a fun read!
i'd like to see Great Expectations turn paranormal.
vvb32 at yahoo.com
Oh, I'd second Terra 57's suggestion I would LOVE to read a paranormal version of Mary Poppins, now that would be FUN! :-D
youmean mary poppins isnt a para normal ?? are you sure that womans creepy and honestly i think theres a few would be cool
huckfinn
Gone with the Wind would be totaly awesome as a paranormal
ummm
Casa Blanca another one lol
Gone with the Wind, love that. Gone with the Wolves, maybe? Scarlett, wolf-hunter.
i like!!!!!!!!
So much has been mentioned already. What about The Catcher in the Rye?
chirth7@yahoo.com
This book sounds really good. I would pick Lord of the Flies. That would be interesting with a new twist. Thanks for the contest.
stevebrandes(at)gmail(dot)com
Two ideas, one for kids and one for grown-ups.
First, as a kid, one of my favorite books was "The Boxcar Children". I think it would be totally awesome if the boxcar that the four kids found was a gateway to Faerie, and the kids became changelings.
Second, adult: I think "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" would have gone quite differently if the men who continually took advantage of Tess were vampires, and she was a slayer. (If fact, I'd be surprised if no writer has done that one yet.)
Oops, forgot my email:
BrigidsBlest at yahoo dot com
How about Moby Dick, the whale is a shifter with a bad attitude against the captain.
The scarlett Letter, make her be the only human and the rest witches or elves,you can throw some vampires in that story also.
tha t would be fun to sit down and try to come up with a story like this. Pick a novel and turn it in to a paranormal story. I think I will try it for fun....
Great question.. and I enjoyed the interview. Please enter me in the contest
HeidiS
heidijohnjeffATverizonDOTnet
How about Gone with the Wind? That would really be different. With the South as vampires and the North as werewolves.
Also how about "Dances with wolves" what if the tribe was a group of werewolves or shifters of another animal. Could you picture Kevin's face when the would have shifted in front of him? Could be make an intersesting movie and book....
HeidiS
heidijohnjeff@verizon.net
Lots of good ones already mentioned. One of my favs as a teenager was The Three Musketeers. I had a serious crush on Aramis - I think because Richard Chamberlain played him in the movie. I think recasting them as slayers would be fun.
Hmm lets see what about the breakfast club ,gone with the wind or casablanca
HMMM what if Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes was actually psychic - not just obsessed with noticing every detail - Doyle was interested int he paranormal. Really what I'd like to see would a believable book about Arthur Conan Doyle reincarnated or as a ghost visiting a reincarnated version of his real lady love. But that's another story entirely.
follower
amycreatingfire at gmail
Swiss Family Robinson.
I wqould like to see gone with the wind with some paranormal in it. Maybe Scarlett could fight off zombies instead of yankees. Or maybe Rhett is a vampire who turns her. I'd read that. Fun question!
cmooneyfowler@gmail.com
How about Last of the Mohicans? Always thought it was unfair that Alice and Uncas had to die!
cgclynsg0 at gmail dot com
The Scarlet Letter certainly contains enough intrigue to inspire a good paranormal story.
Romeo & Juliette should become a vampire novel. Romeo can be human and all of Juliette's clan can be vampires with the love between them being forbidden.
mckelly74 at gmail dot com
Voltaire's "Candide"!
edgenemmers@gmail.com
The Three Musketeers would be awesome with a paranormal element.
jkpulley1 at aol dot com
(original comment deleted because I totally forgot to put in my e-mail address...)
I think that any of Shakespeare's plays or the Scarlet Letter. You have all the mystery...through in a couple vamps and weres make it that much more interesting.
i am a follower
tweeted - http://twitter.com/Heatwave316/status/12380908254
heatwave96(at)hotmail.com
Wuthering Heights!
I am all about someone writing Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea with a paranormal twist. i was obssessed with the books and movies as a child and would love to see some wolves or fae...maybe even a vampire but they don't have to get too crazy. Doesn't Avonlea just sound like the perfect home for fae?
Link - http://sillylittlegame.blogspot.com/p/blog-feature-of-week.html
~Yesenia, yeseniah23 at gmail.com
I would like to see The Three Musketeers revamped!
Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
I would like to see Wuthering Heights turn paranormal. garrettsambo@aol.com
I disliked reading Wuthering Heights so I'd like to see a paranormal version of it, possibly with a few of the characters killed off.
wyvernfriend at gmail dot com
id like to see little women turn paranormal that would be cool :)
http://twitter.com/klp1965/status/12401397497
Sounds good.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I'm follower.I would love to read!
naomi20 at live.jp
Moby Dick.
I would say Black beauty.
Joan Ferris
jnferris@aol.com
I'd like to see A Tale of Two Cities
So many to choose from but I would like to see a paranormal version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
dispatcher_kristy@Hotmail.com
What about gone with the wind
rhondastruthers atyahoo dot ca
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