I am honored to give Jenna Storm the opportunity to be a guest on my blog today.
A little bit about Jenna...
She grew up in Pennsylvania and moved with her family to sunny Arizona after she graduated high school. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts, Drawing and Painting but her true love is writing. When not writing, she spends time with her daughters and enjoys reading various mythologies, romance, paranormal and suspense. The more vampires and mythical creatures the better. Throw in gloomy, cold weather, a soul shaking thunderstorm and she's hooked.
The following is an author interview she has provided:
Is this your first book?
I have other manuscripts that are in the submission process. So far, my heroes tend to be strong, passionate alpha males who meet their match with strong willed heroines. My heroine may start out a wreck in the beginning of the story, perhaps some tragedy or past relationship shakes her to the core and she struggles to rebuild her confidence while battling obstacles, including the intense alpha-hero. By the end of my story the heroine is more than ready to handle her assured, virile man who turns out of course, to be putty in her hand.
My intent when crafting a story is to create a tale that evokes a moody feel using a setting ripe with mystery or volatile weather, a romance with plenty of conflict, external danger and, of course, the paranormal. Vampires, daemons and witches are my favorite but there's no telling what future mystical being will hijack my imagination.
Are you working on the 2nd book of the series?
I sure am. The next Stone Dagger installment focuses on another of the Brethren enforcers and introduces another mythical species (the Auras) as the heroine. The Auras muted golden essence is compelling, draws attention and is a symbol of their goodness. Unfortunately, it also makes them an easy target for the daemon factions who want their, oh so tasty, blood. Why feast on fast food when you can have gourmet?
This tale (not yet named) will take place in Alaska with the heroine desperate to protect the Kassi, a gilded box that contains the Auras resurrection (Upprisa) ability. With the loss of Upprisa every living being the Auras touch will die while the daemons will have the ability to resurrect. The Brethren must not let this happen. It's the hero's duty to obtain control of the Kassi and the woman who possesses it. Lots of obstacles, secrets, fiery passion and tender moments between these two characters.
Tell us about Her Last Kiss.
I wanted to create a story that took place in the Arizona White Mountains where I could use stormy, volatile weather to set a dark mood and create another obstacle for the characters. The heavy storms and remote location seclude the characters and keep them in the center of danger where they must rely on one another to survive. The seclusion enflames Alek's passion for the intoxicating Geneva and resisting one another's allure proves impossible. Toss in an antagonist who is on the brink of insanity and uncontrollable feasting and you have Her Last Kiss...
Geneva Phillips life changes forever when she embarks on a weekend in the Arizona White Mountains to soothe her broken heart. Geneva never realized offering an injured man refuge from a raging storm would plunge her into a dangerous and sensual world. When a bloodthirsty daemon targets Geneva as his next kill, she must rely on the mysterious stranger to keep her alive. Alek Savakis is an Enforcer for the Brethren of Stone Daggers. His mission is to destroy a rabid daemon loose in the area. His one intent is to kill the daemon and move on, the last thing he needs, or wants, is to find himself stranded with a woman who drives him mad with the need to possess her. As their dark enemy continues to feed on the innocent ones Geneva fears Alek will go to any length to protect mortals even if it means sacrificing her to the daemon.
I enjoyed creating the heroine Geneva. She has a sense of humor even as she discovers the world is full of dangerous creatures that would like nothing more than to drink her empty. Alek is strong, virile, and risks his life to protect an 'innocent' he just met.
What made you think to have this as a series?
While I wrote Her Last Kiss, ideas for more stories featuring other Brethren popped into my head. I made the daemon world more diverse with different types of daemons who have different powers depending upon their ancestry. I also added another species, the Auras who I introduce in the second book of the series.
How did you go about writing Her Last Kiss?
Her Last Kiss was intended as a shorter story but when I started writing Geneva and Alek's conflicts and the interaction between them the story grew into the length it is now. I enjoyed my characters too much to end their story. I found Geneva a fun personality, a little quirky while Alek, my tough Enforcer showed a gentle, patient layer existed under his forceful exterior.
What will be the thread that ties the books together?
The Brethren are a group of daemons who want to protect mortals, the innocent ones, as they're called throughout the books. The Brethren will always be fighting the faction of daemon who seeks more power and has a disregard for life. When I created the backstory for the daemons I had them banished to caves and encased in crystal. For the Brethren series, I created a special weapon, a stone dagger, needed to destroy the daemons.
The series will depict the good and evil within the daemon world. The daemon who kills wantonly and the daemon who takes just enough blood to survive and resists his/her base desire which is to drink their prey to the point of death.
How many books do you see in this series?
I have so many ideas for this series running through my head I can hardly get one jotted down before another takes its place. I would love to write about the Brethren for as long as readers enjoy it!
Are you a plotter or a panster?
I always start my writing with character worksheets and then move onto an outline. As my characters develop in my mind and their character arc evolves I come up with more scenes for my outline. However, my outline is not something I have to follow. Some of the best twists in my stories come after I've already started writing and I'm revisiting the outline for the second or third time.
What else are you working on?
I have a paranormal romantic suspense coming out in March 2012 with Muse It Up Publishing. The first book in the Element Series is called The Burning Seal. Here’s a little blurb:
Detective Danni Keegan is plunged into a dark, demonic world where survival depends on deciphering the connection between ritual killings, and a demon terrorizing her for a ‘gift’ she wasn’t even aware she possessed.
She must unravel her dreams of another woman who lived during ancient times and battled a bloodthirsty demon. The same demon who now hunts Danni.
The loss of Danni’s body and soul looms imminent as her only chance to destroy the demon depends on changing her new partner’s convictions. A sinfully sexy man, who exudes power and self-assurance with the ease of breathing and has an iron willed determination not to believe in the paranormal.
Where can people find you on the web?
I wish Jenna the best of luck with her wonderful career!
If you have any questions for Jenna, please feel free to use the comments for this, or to simply say something nice! :)
Thanks for stopping by!
