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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Author Interview & Contest with Beth Fantaskey

I have been drooling over Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side for a while now but still haven't got my hands on a copy. However I decided that while I am waiting I could get to know the author a little better and share the interview with you guys!

So if you haven't come across author Beth Fantaskey yet, then keep reading and find out more about her. If you have across her before then keep reading and maybe learn something new ;)

Keep reading till the end and 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 bit about Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side?

Beth - It's the story of a very rational, average, adopted American girl who discovers, on the eve of her senior year in high school, that her birth parents were actually vampire royalty. And to make matters worse, Jessica learns this fact from a hot, arrogant, Romanian foreign exchange student who has shown up on her doorstep - insisting that he's a prince from a rival vampire clan, here to claim Jess as his future bride. If Jess doesn't marry Lucius and fulfill a pact signed at their births, it will ignite a global vampire war...

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?

Beth - It was actually very quick. I came up with the idea while on a long car trip, and I just started jotting down ideas on all these old (clean!) napkins that my husband is always stuffing in the glove compartment of his old Subaru. Some of the inspiration comes from my children, who are adopted... but beyond that, it's hard to say!

Amber - What comes next? Is there going to be sequel? Series? Do you have any other projects you are working on?

Beth - My next novel, Jekel Loves Hyde, comes out in the spring. That's basically been my project since Jessica's Guide - and I wrote a "mini sequel" about Jess and Lucius on my website, bethfantaskey.com. Those 22 new chapters are meant as a "thank you" to everybody who's asked to read more of their story, while I consider whether there will be a full sequel. I'm getting lots of wonderful (and some desperate!) requests, so I am definitely working on that right now.

Amber - Have you always wanted to be an author? and why did you pick the paranormal genre?

Beth - I've been a writer for magazines and newspapers for over 20 years, and I think every journalist secretly - and sometimes not so secretly - thinks about writing a novel. That compulsion started getting stronger in me over the last few years, and I began moving into fiction.

The story that I wanted to tell drove the genre. The stranger who shows up on Jess's doorstep needed to really shock (and initially repulse) her - and what would shock a rational, math-oriented girl more than to learn that she's destined to be a "mythical" being?

Amber - Something I have always wondered about is how authors come up with the names for their characters. How do you pick the names you use in your books?

Beth - "Jessica" just popped into my head as perfect for the girl I was imagining - and "Packwood" comes from a mansion down the street from my (very un-mansion-y) house. I took a lot of time combing through Romanian genealogy and name sites before choosing "Lucius Vladescu." I selected "Lucius" because it's strong and masculine and means "light" - although it's also reminiscent of someone very dark and sinister... And "Vladescu" is meant to call to mind the original "Dracula," Vlad the Impaler.



Amber - What is the easiest and hardest part about being an author?

Beth - The easiest part is doing stuff like this - basically hanging out with readers. The hard part is just getting down to work every day... being disciplined about sitting down and typing.

Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?

Beth - I'm a runner. That's like my therapy. I like to put on music, go out and relax for a few miles. I also love to travel when I get the chance. My last big trip was to India, which was amazing. Now I'm just waiting until my kids are a little older so I can start dragging them around the planet!

Amber - Alot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?

Beth - I either put on Pandora or my local college radio station, WQSU, which mainly plays alternative rock. My Pandora mix includes everything from AC/DC and Kenny Chesney to Saosin and Rammstein. I like to keep an open mind, music-wise, which is reflected a little in the German metal and pop references in Jessica's Guide.



Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?

Beth - I am a big fan of classic authors like Dickens and Dumas - which is probably pretty obvious to readers of Jessica's Guide. There are lots of references to Austen, Melville, etc. And, of course, Jekel Loves Hyde is a twist on the old Robert Louis Stevenson novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As for a favorite work... it's hard to beat The Count of Monte Cristo, in my eyes. It's a page-turner with an incredibly dangerous, charismatic hero... I love it!

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

Beth - This probably seems boring, but I'd have to say vampire. There's just something so compelling about them!

Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again someday!





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Contest Time!

This weeks prize is something extremely rare and special. Beth is giving away a printed copy of the 'Wedding chapters'. It isn't anything fancy, just printed off her computer and stuck in a binder which makes it very rare! She will however sign it! Which makes it very special!

All you have to do to enter this contest is post a comment on any other post on Amberkatze's Book Blog and let us know where you posted.

No Post = 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!




The contest will stay open until Sunday 15th 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.

32 comments:

Misty said...

A very interesting interview girls. I enjoyed learning more about Beth. I knowwhat she means about running to unwind, I like to bike ride with my ipod, myself so relaxing and great excersize.

I love the new book Jessicas Guide to dating on the darkside. I haven't read it yet, but have read quite a few reviews and do plan to pick it up next weekend, I can't resist.

The prize Beth is offering is definitely a rare, but also a special one. I think it's an awesome prize and I would be honored to have Wedding Chapters exspecially in this way and even signed, I love this.

I posted on to the lucky winners of the halloween contest today.

misty_labean(at)yahoo.com

elaing8 said...

Great Interview. I'm waiting for Dec. to get the paperback version of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside.I've read great reviews and friends have told me I have to read it.

What an awesome prize for the giveaway.

I just posted in the Fade Out Review.

cait045 said...

I loved Beth's book and the online wedding. It was so much fun voting on the dress, and everything else.

Very cool prize

cait045 said...

I loved Beth's book and the online wedding. It was so much fun voting on the dress, and everything else.

Very cool prize

booklover0226 said...

Beth is a new author to me, so I found the interview informative and entertaining. Now I'm ready to enjoy her books; the titles sound interesting.

Thanks,
Tracey D

KayeDean said...

Great interview. I'm so looking forward to reading her books.
I posted on the lucky winners of the halloween contest.
sandym204@ gmail dot com

aurora M. said...

I posted to Fade Out by Racchel Caine.
I love Beths work and missed out on the bouquet toss and sent my book off to a friend because she could not get one for herself so, I am hoping to win these wedding chapters so that I have something amazing to remember my all time favorite, "Jessicas Dating On The Dark Side" Thanks Beth
veltara@yahoo.com
Aurora M.

aurora M. said...

Oops! I should really check my posting before I push send. I know it's Jessicas Guide To Dating On The Dark Side...duh.. (Sorry Beth)and Rachel is spelled with only one C...sorry.
Love it! :)
veltara@yahoo.com
Aurora M.

startrek said...

Thanks for the fabulous prize.
george ferrid
littlegeorgie56@yahoo.com

Alexis said...

A very good interview. I really enjoyed in learning ho Beth came up with her ideas. I can really relate to how she gets inspired.

I love Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. I can't wait for her new book to be released next spring.

The wedding of Jessica and Lucius was absolutely amazing. I read it over and over again because I just love it so much.

Winning this prize is definately rare and is something I would treasure dearly. I would be honored to have such a magnificant piece of work.

I posted this to Facebook.

alliestavros@gmail.com

Asylumgirl said...

I commented on your review for Rachel Caine's Fade Out.

Deidre
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com

Sue Brandes said...

Great interview. you are a new author to me also. Your book sounds wonderful. I love the cover too. I also think it's a great prize. Thank you.

Van Pham said...

I have already read this book, which was Great! I also read the wedding chapters on Ms. Fantaskey site...but would love to have a signed original copy :)

- I posted a comment on your review for Rachel Caine's Fade Out.


thanks for contest!

van

SiNn said...

Amber i posted on my blog

http://zenes-escape.blogspot.com/2009/11/author-interview-contest-with-beth.html



commented on Fade out

http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/11/196-fade-out-by-rachel-caine.html

SiNn said...

was an awesome interview your work rocks beth sorry i got side tracked forgot to post that i loved the interview and i agree the prize is deff special

Unknown said...

Thanks for running this contest!!! I've wanted to get my hands on this book which is not available in my country {so far} *special thanks to a friend that sent me one all the way for U.S* ... I hope to win this so it can pair off with the book I currently have now at home... email add: freespirited_sec91@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

I've posted both on my facebook page and opened an event page to tell ppl on Facebook about this contest :

http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/11/author-interview-contest-with-beth.html

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a really interesting book. I also run to clear my head especially when working on a new plot twist, but I still have to get an ipod.
Thanks for yet another cool interview!

Karen said...

Great Interview :)

ktgonyea at gmail.com

Stacey said...

Great interview, LOVE Jessica's Guide and cant wait for Jekel!!!!

I responded to http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/11/195-tempted-by-pc-kristin-cast.html

+1 for tweeting (http://twitter.com/PageTurnersBlog/statuses/5649260252)

Stacey
secsec1 (at) gmail (dot) com

aurora M. said...

I posted a comment on Silent night haunted night. Please enter me in Beths contest......(rubbing my hands together) "I love her work!"
veltara@yahoo.com

aurora M. said...

I posted beths interview link and contest on my facebook page.
veltara@yahoo.com

Blodeuedd said...

Oh what a cool prize :D Yes I sure wanna look at that. Not to mention gotta buy and read the book too one day. Sounds cute.

Posted here: Fade Out by Rachel Caine"

All This Silence... said...

I commented on Silent Night, Haunted Night by Terri Garey. :)

sarah_bear_38@yahoo.com

Cherie J said...

Beth is a new author for me so I really enjoyed the interview. Definitely have to pick up a copy of her book as soon as possible. it sounds great! i posted on the Halloween weekend winners post.

cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

LuAnn said...

What a great interview! I'm very impressed with Beth's list of authors who influence her writing.

reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed the interview. Beth is a new author for me. I have read good things about her writing, so I am anxious to read Dating on The Darkside.

Vickie said...

I have this on my WWBL and will get it one of these days. It's alphabetical order, so it's at least very close to the top of the heap.

I commented on SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT post and on BLOOD KIN. Both of these are on the WWBL, too. SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT is going to be one of my holiday reads next month.

VWinship at aol dot com

lilyk said...

I commented on the Halloween Special With Stacia Kane! post at http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/11/to-close-halloween-weekend-i-have.html.

Anonymous said...

I commented on your interview and review of Nancy Haddock's La Vida Vampire. garrettsambo@aol.com

Tammy said...

I follow your recomends I did read both of the Chicagoland Vamp.Books and this one sure does sound like a goode

Jax said...

I posted on this contests reminder.... This is an awesome contest check me in...

jomullane(at)bluemarble(dot)net