Q&A Interview and Giveaway with Lisa Beth Darling

Hello everyone!  LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are proud to welcome Lisa Beth Darling to our sites today!  

Lisa proudly boasts that her writing career began right around the 7th grade--A fact which her fellow students adored, but which got her called down to the Guidance Counselor's Office more than once. Not deterred by the counselors, and instead spurred onward by them, Lisa continued to hone her craft throughout those formative years.  She currently lives in CT with her husband of 25 years and the memory of raising her 2 adult daughters. 

Lisa has won more than 20 awards for her previous works in the Stargate SG-1 and House, MD fandoms, (including the prestigious Blue Moon Awards and White Board Awards), and is not a stranger to successful fiction.  Choosing to leave fandom stories behind and return to her roots as an original, hard-hitting author of dark and gritty romance though, she’s back releasing and working on her full length novels.   

Her latest full-length novel “The Heart of War” blends timeless Greek Mythology with Erotica, Romance, and Suspense as Ares, God of War, falls in love with Alena, a seemingly fragile Fey. The lovely Alena is on the run from Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death. The peace and quiet of Ares' secluded Greek isle is interrupted when the Olympians demand he turn her over to them. Glorious battles, hot romance, and dark passions combine in "The Heart of War". The next installment of the OF WAR series is due out on Halloween, “Child of War:  A God is Born”, followed by “Child of War:  Rising Son” in December.  The series will conclude in 2012 with “Spoils of War”.    

Lisa’s novels are not recommended for the faint of heart, but for those with bold and daring souls. She brings conflict, passion, love, and suspense to unique couples in her full length works. Never one to shy away from the less pleasant things in life, and instead believing it is in the Darkness where Character is created, determined, and defined; her heroes and heroines have their love tested by demons from within, and without.

Sound good?  Let’s learn some more about Lisa and her work, shall we!?

 DON'T FORGET!:  Lisa will be availabe to chat Live with members, followers, fans and guests from 8-9:30pm EST on the LITERAL ADDICTION Contact Us Page (http://www.literaladdiction.com/contact-us.php#/general/)

 

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Hi Lisa!  We’re very happy to have you here today, and are excited to help you promote “The Heart of War”! 

LISA: I'm thrilled to be here, thank you very much for having me!

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  We like to start out by finding out a bit more about our guest author, and then we’ll dig into the book and series… 

Q1): Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we couldn’t find out easily on the Internet?

LISA: I'm agoraphobic (that means I'm afraid to leave my house and only travel within a limited 'comfort zone'), I'm a choco-holic! I'll eat darn near anything if it's smothered in chocolate, by day I'm legal secretary in a rather off-beat law firm.

Q2):  Did anyone or anything special inspire you to become an author?

LISA: I'm one of those people who were just born this way.  I knew I was going to be a writer when I was in the 4^th grade.  Most of my family didn't understand my drive and desire as none of them write but they did support my endeavors. They bought my blank notebooks, electric typewriters, ribbons, correction ribbons, paper (I started on onion skins!) and carbon paper by the truckload.

Q3):  What are 3 things that never fail to make you smile?

LISA: My husband walking in the door at the end of the day, the full moon, and a walk on the beach.

Q4):  What are some of your hobbies or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

LISA: I tried for years to have big beautiful gardens in our yard but we just have too many critters so, this year, I took to gardening in big pots and growing plants on and around our deck.  I kept them away from the deer, rabbits, ground hogs, and the like and they did very well. We have loads of red ripe juicy tomatoes at the moment.  I also do some photography, I love to photograph abandoned buildings and places but I also do a lot of nature photography as well.

Q5):  If they were to make a movie of your life to-date, what do you think it’d be called?

LISA: Dancin' on the Edge

Q6):  Who are some of your favorite authors, and what’s in your TBR pile right now?

LISA: My all-time favorite author and my biggest writing inspiration is The Master, Stephen King.  "Full Dark, No Stars" is STILL sitting by my bed waiting for me to crack it open and it's been almost a year now.  I never get any quiet time to just sit and read, on the rare occasion that I do I'm usually just too tired to crack a book.  When I was younger I also loved Jacqueline Susan, VC Andrews, Harold Robbins, Shana Carrol, and Mary Higgins Clark.

Q7):  If you weren’t a writer, what career path do you think you would have chosen?

LISA: When I was very small my parents let me go to a gypsy fortune teller who read my palm. She said I would do a lot of social work and helping those in need and that I would travel across a vast body of water one day.  She also said I had a 'glow' and a 'spark' about me that indicated I was an Old Soul and would be very wise and creative.  For the last 9 years or so, I've worked in a law firm that deals only with the elderly, poor, completely indignant, the totally insane, and with young children.  It's a tough job and the pay sucks but I think it counts as 'social work'.  Still waiting for that trip over the water! I'd love to go to Greece and Scotland one day.  But, as to the 'glow' and the 'spark', well, that's all proven itself true over the years. At least it has to my satisfaction.

Q8):  Why did you feel like you had to tell this story?

LISA: I'm one of those strange writers who knows the Muse is always with her.  I didn't feel that I had to tell this story, the story chose me to tell it.  I'm just the conduit when it comes to stories like these. However, I realize that stories choose their authors for a reason and that is mostly because the Muse feels a particular writer is the best person to tell it. I think this is why the Muse chose me for this one: I fell like love with Greek Mythology and the Greek Tragedies in high school—to this day they are probably thee best things I've ever read.  I always felt sorry for Ares.  I thought he was very misunderstood. 

Q9):  Was there any specific inspiration behind the creation of “The Heart of War” or of the OF WAR series in general?

LISA: Several years after graduating high school Ares started becoming a character in many of my stories. He'd just pop up…there he was…half or a third of the way though and he'd have a little role, just something small.  Then two TV shows came on the air "Hercules the Legendary Journeys" and "Xena Warrior Princess".  My family and I loved those shows, they were fun and campy and they were just good entertainment.  The second or third season of 'Herc' this absolute HUNK burst on the scene to play Ares. Oh my Gods! There he was, my man, living, breathing, walking, talking, and being pretty much everything I ever imagined him to be.  It was like he was plucked from my imagination and set on the TV for my total viewing enjoyment.  Let's face it, Kevin Smith was H-O-T!  I mean knock-you-off-your-feet and make you happily BEG for it HOT.  There aren't a lot of men in this world that I can say that about.  He's been gone from this world nearly ten years and looking at an image of him still makes my heart race and my mouth water.  He is the Grand Inspiration behind the "Of War" series and I've dedicated the whole series to his memory.

Through his portrayal of Ares and it being so close to what I had in my head I was able to really grasp him.  When a show called Stargate SG-1 came on the air (years after Xena departed) and I started writing a fanfiction series, "Daughter of the Gods" and Ares had a starring role from the second novel through to the end—six novels and 30 short stories! Then he was finally ready to take the lead role but I worried about it.  In my heart I wanted to do everything the Muse wanted me to do but; Ares? As the HERO?  That's a tough sell for anyone. But the story was too good to ignore so we wrote with no thought of publishing it for a mass mainstream audience and we just did whatever the heck we felt like doing.  Ahhhhh….man that was GREAT.  It wasn't until we got to the end of "The Heart of War" that I realized it wasn't The End we were going to go on to tell at least 2 more stories in the series.  It would show Ares as everything he is and in every aspect; Warrior, Lover, Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Protector, and, of course, General Hell Raiser.  We would follow him from the time he meets Alena and tell the entire story of their relationship from beginning to end.  We couldn't do that in just one book.

Q10):  What can we look forward to as the series progresses?

LISA: On October 31st, "Child of War-A God is Born" releases in paperback.  This is a two-part sequel to "The Heart of War".  In this part Ares and Alena welcome their son, Raven, into the world but they're not your ordinary parents and he's not your ordinary kid.  Have you ever met 'Damien'?  Raven makes him look like an angel.  Add into that we get our first look into the history of the Olympians and how they came to be here. We also get more background on Alena and the history of her clan. Zeus is convinced she is not a Fey from the Golden Lands but a Fae from the Dark Kingdom sent to capture Ares' heart and use him against his family to exact revenge for nefarious deeds done long ago. This story covers Raven's formative years. The next book, "Child of War-Rising Son" is a coming of age story and will return to the hotter themes we had in "The Heart of War".  Whether or not Raven redeems himself or he slides further into darkness remains to be seen.  The last story of the series "Spoils of War"….I can't tell you anything about it without spoiling the end of "Rising Son"…sorry.

Q11):  What else is in the works for Lisa Beth Darling, outside of the OF WAR series?

LISA:  I have one non-fiction book on the market "The Shame of Eminent Domain-Fort Trumbull" showcases my photography and the Fort Trumbull section of my hometown that was the center of a rather long, drawn out, and very ugly eminent domain case.  I have another non-fiction photography book coming out soon "By the Sound" which features images around Long Island Sound.  As for fiction, there's nothing on the plate but the Of War series, until it's done there just isn't anything else.

Q12):  What’s a typical work day like for you?  Do you have a writing routine or things you absolutely cannot go through your day without?

LISA: Hubby's alarm goes off at 6:15, I bitch, groan, whine, roll over and go back to sleep for another twenty minutes or so.  I come into the office by 7:30 and work until 1:00pm. Sometimes I'm able to get some writing or promotional work done at the office between spurts of insanity….shhh, don't tell my boss!  I go home, clean up the house, decide what's for dinner, yak with my girls (20 and 25), have a cup of coffee and then head to the computer.  Check email, check site stats, check FaceBook….all done, ok, all set…ready…GO!  Pop open the file and try to start writing but lately I have to do a lot of promotional work and that gets in the way.  I might have graphics or site work to do.  I try to save 2pm-4:30pm for just writing. I like it best when I'm alone in the house but, if I'm not, I close the door to my office, get my coffee, my cigs, a little bit of Old Toby, light my candles and incense and we (the Muse and I) sally forth.  I end at 4:30, somewhere before that I usually manage to find 15 minutes to start dinner.  Hubby comes home, we have our time together, we have dinner, we have a little more Old Toby, watch some TV, maybe I go back to the computer for a few small things or maybe not. I might pop upstairs, draw a bath, turn on the laptop and type one or two 'brilliant' lines that I know I'll forget if I don't do it right then!  I tend not to write late into the night when they're all in bed or whatever, because then my brain gets so turned ON that I can't sleep.

I have my bath, I commune with the Muse in the tub, we have the best conversations in the bath and come up with the most wicked little twists. Then it's off to bed, cuddle with hubby, play a video game or watch a little more TV, with any luck we close out the night with a rousing round of sex and then do it all over again come morning.

The weekends are a different story, those are my days to sleep and write, sleep and write, sleep and write.  And of course, do the laundry.

Q13):  What legacy are you hoping to leave behind with your work?

LISA: I never thought about it that way.  I guess, after I'm gone from this world, I would like just one person—anyone at all—to say 'she wrote a damn good story'.

Q14):  Is there a question that you have always wanted to be asked in an interview but have never been asked?  How would you answer that question?

LISA: Why is there so much violence in this story?  I would love it if someone would ask me that especially if they did it before they started complaining, ranting, crying, and panning. I've gotten a lot of flak for the level of violence but no one ever asks me about it. No, it's not for "shock value"…I don't do "shock value", however, should you find it 'shocking' then good for me because it's supposed to be.  The part about the black mamba…which most people who didn't like the story bitch their heads off about…is actually taken from a few different accounts of a rape by the victims in African Refugee Camps.  For those out there who found the story too violent and couldn't handle it….think of what it's actually like to live there before you go crying about what you read into your soft cushy pillow tonight.

Q15):  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

LISA: Well, while I realize the answer above is a bit bitchy I'm actually a very friendly person.  So if you're out there and you want to get in touch with me, go for it. I love to interact with people who read my stories get their feedback and comments because it helps me be a better writer.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews:  Lisa, thank you so much for being with us today!  We’re very happy to help you promote ”The Heart of War” and the OF WAR series, and thank you for entrusting us with the task…

LISA:  Thank you very much for having me! This has been a lot of fun.

LITERAL ADDICTION’s Review of “The Heart of War” can be found on their Book Reviews page, as well as out on Amazon, GoodReads and LibraryThing. 

If you'd like to find out more about Lisa, please visit her at the following websites:

Lisa's Website http://moonsmusings.com/lbdarling/ 

Lisa's Blog:  http://lbdarling.wordpress.com/

Facebook http://facebook.com/lbdarling

GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1577311.Lisa_Beth_Darling

and Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/LB_Darling

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CONTEST:

Lisa is graciously offering up an eBook copy of “The Heart of War” to a winner from Book Monster Reviews. 

To Enter: Make sure you are a follower of the BMR Blog and then post a comment on the interview and make sure you leave a valid email address. Any comments without an email address will NOT be entered into drawing. You must also be a follower of the BMR blog. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Don't forget to drop by the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com/) and follow the directions and links to enter their contest for an extra chance to win!!!