Author Interview & Contest with Jeannie Holmes

One of my favourite reads of 2010 was Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes. Now the second part in the series, Blood Secrets, is about to be released and I have it on pre-order for my Kindle.

If you haven't already tried Blood Law then I can only recommend it highly and hope you give it a try. However if you feel like getting to know the series and author a little better first then you may just enjoy this interview with Jeannie Holmes or the new interview below!

Oh and anyone who fancies a signed copy of Blood Secrets should make sure they enter this weeks contest!!

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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 new release Blood Secrets?

Jeannie - Alexandra Sabian is dealing with the fallout of turning rogue in the first book, Blood Law, and has been suspended from the FBPI. When a local college student disappears, she's given a chance to prove the Bureau Tribunal that she's not a risk to the vampire community. She takes the assignment even thought it means working with Varik Baudelaire again. However, neither of them knows the extent of the danger they're facing when a killer known as the Dollmaker takes an unnatural interest in Alex.

Amber - Blood Secrets is the second book in the Blood Series. What can we expect from the new installment and what do we have to watch out for?

Jeannie - Readers can expect to see a progression in Alex's relationship with Varik. They're becoming more comfortable with one another and are working through the issues that drove them apart. Readers will find out more about Varik, his past, and why he does some of the things he does. There is also more information about the vampire community and how it functions. As for what to watch out for -- I don't want to give away spoilers but there are a few twists that may really surprise readers.

Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?

Jeannie - For the most part, names come to me with the characters so I don't really pick them. Alexandra is a name I've always liked and means "defender of the people." Since Alex is an Enforcer and charged with protecting the vampire community, it fits her well. Varik means "honorable defender," which fits his character. Yes, he's a bit of an ass at times, but he means well and really tries to protect Alex even when she doesn't want his help.

Amber - Will there be more books in the series? Are you working on anything else?

Jeannie - I have more books planned and books three and four are plotted. I'm not actively writing book three yet since I'm working on a couple of other projects but will be returning to Jefferson, Mississippi soon.

Amber - What kind of research have you done for your books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?

Jeannie - I've done a ton of research and very little of it is boring, or at least I don't find it boring. I've researched forensics and spoken to law enforcement officers so I can make much of what Alex does as realistic as possible. The wildest bit of research I've ever done was to spend a twelve hour shift riding shotgun with a patrol officer on a Saturday night. It's an experience I will never forget, and I have a deeper level of respect for all law enforcement.

Amber - Is there a paranormal creature you just don't like, and would never use in your books?

Jeannie - I'm not a huge fan of zombies. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and other supernatural beasties don't really bother me, but there's something about zombies that really creeps me out. I won't say I'll never use them but they're pretty low on my list.

Amber - What paranormal creatures are you dying to fit into a story but you haven't managed to fit in yet?

Jeannie - I recently learned of the Mongolian "death worm" and am dying to use it! I've been doing a lot of research into Asian mythology and the "death worm" sounded too cool. It supposedly lives in the in Gobi Desert, grows 2-4 feet long, and sprays acid on its victims. It's not really paranormal but it more of a cryptid -- a legendary creature that's existence is yet to be confirmed by science -- like Bigfoot.

Amber - A lot of authors are writing now in both adult and YA genres. Have you considered writing a YA book?

Jeannie - I have considered it, but I think most authors have because the explosion of books in that market. Will I write a YA book? I won't rule it out.

Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately?

Jeannie - I haven't been watching much of anything lately. My husband and I decided to disconnect out cable television because it was too great of a distraction. As for reading, I read Kim Harrison's latest installment of the Rachel Morgan series, Neal Shusterman's UNWIND on the recommendation of a friend, and am currently re-reading Joseph Conrad's classic, HEART OF DARKNESS.

Amber - And to finish, If you could be any famous person, alive or dead, who would you be? and why?

Jeannie - That's a tough question. I enjoy being me so it's hard for me to imagine being someone else. However, I do think Anna Paquin has a pretty sweet deal being surrounded by all the men of True Blood so trading places with her for a day might not be so bad.

Amber - Thanks for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog again!

Jeannie – My pleasure and thanks for inviting me!





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Contest Time!


Jeannie is giving away a signed copy of Blood Secrets!! Woot!


How To Enter


Trueblood started back up last week. Have you been watching the series? What has surprised and shocked you? What is missing and who could you do without?

Not watching Trueblood? What are you watching then????


No answer = No Entry


Earn more entries for each link you place about 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! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

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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 Bookdepository.com and Amazon.com links/Banners below and around the site!





The contest will stay open until Sunday 10th of July 2011 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.