Q&A Interview and Contest with Shanon Grey

Shanon Grey Interview Intro:

Shanon Grey Interview Intro:

Hello everyone! LITERAL ADDICTION and Book Monster Reviews are very happy to welcome Shanon Grey to our sites today!

Shanon has a great bio on her website, and we thought we’d borrow it for today’s Event so take a read:

“I love writing about the extraordinary. Life never fails to provide me with a plethora of ideas.

THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS is the first in my series, THE GATEKEEPERS. I am currently working on Meadow’s Keep. I am very excited about the stories and the characters and hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.

I spent my life on coasts, both the beautiful Atlantic and the balmy Gulf. Hurricane Katrina taught me about the fragility of life and the strength of friendship, family and starting over. I currently live in northern Georgia, having traded the familiarity of the coast for the lush beauty and wonder of the mountains, where my husband fulfilled my lifelong dream—to live in a cottage in the woods.

There, I garner inspiration from horses grazing on rolling pastures and the deer that wander by to tease my incredibly tolerant dog.”

As mentioned above, Shanon is the proud creator of THE GATEKEEPERS series, which currently consists of “The Shoppe of Spells”.

For those of you not yet familiar with Shanon’s work, we thought we’d give you the synopses of the book to get you up to speed.

THE GATEKEEPERS series

 

“The Shoppe of Spells”

THE GATEKEEPERS Book #1:

When is a whole more than the sum of its parts?

When it has ties to the quaint little town of Ruthorford, GA, as Morgan Briscoe discovers when a cryptic message threatens to change her life forever. Morgan’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake.

Dorian is running The Shoppe of Spells and despite his riveting good looks, he can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner.

Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension. Unable to control their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.

Sounds fabulous right!? How about we get to the interview to learn a bit more about Shanon and her new series, shall we!?

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 Shanon Grey Interview

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Hi Shanon! We’re very happy to have you here today. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.

SHANON: Hi, everyone. First of all, I’d like to thank you for having me for a visit. I am a huge fan of Literal Addiction and Book Monster Reviews. It is truly an honor to be here.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: We always start by getting to know our guest author a little bit better.

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

SHANON: I am extremely shy and love the internet, since it lets me be me, or whoever I want to be. I am a huge superhero fan, which my family perpetuates by getting me comics and the new movies. I am waiting for the Avengers with a passion. And third, I spent a lot of my life researching peoples natural paranormal abilities, including in college, where I managed to make a complete fool of myself due to a post-hypnotic suggestion.

Q2): What are 2 things that always make you smile, and 2 things that never fail to piss you off?

SHANON: Children and animals never fail to make me smile. I suppose it’s the innocent joy in living that they have and are willing to share. What always pisses me off? Intolerance of any variety. Life if too short for people to judge one another or try to dictate how someone else should live.

Q3): What’s your favorite inspirational quote?

SHANON: I believe the following serves well no matter what your beliefs.

“Bide the Wiccan Law ye must,

In perfect love and perfect trust.

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:

An' ye harm none, do what ye will.

What ye send forth comes back to thee

So ever mind the law of three.

Follow this with mind and heart,

Merry ye meet, and merry ye part.”

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

SHANON: I am a voracious reader. I try to read some of my genre, but I also try to relax by reading outside of it, as well. I spend a lot of time researching and writing, so I have little “play” time. I do love crafts and have enjoyed many from sketching to jewelry making.

Q5): Who were some of the authors that inspired you and perhaps helped to mold you into the writer you are today?

SHANON: Mary Shelley, besides writing Frankenstein, was one gutsy woman. Modern authors would be Christine Feehan, Maggie Shayne, Jayne Ann Krentz, Nora Roberts, Sharon Sala and… I just realized I could go on for pages and pages so I will just stop.

Q6): With fantasy being such a popular genre these days, what about it drew you personally?

SHANON: I love dragons and faeries and magic. Mercedes Lackey ~ darn I forgot her above, pulled me right in.

Q7): What are your favorite types of scenes to write (i.e dialogue, action, sex, etc)?

SHANON: Hmmm. I love dialogue, action, and sex. The worst is backstory. My stories are generally character driven so I try to sneak details into the action. Some writers are eloquent with vivid descriptions that go on for pages. That is a talent I have yet to perfect. So, I stick with what I know: action and sex ~ and let them talk to take a break.

Q8): What is a typical writing day like for you - Do you have a routine that you follow? Are there specific things that you have to have with you to get the creative juices flowing, etc? Do you have any unique writing quirks?

SHANON: Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. I have a fabulous office that my husband and son created for me. I love it and grab my coffee on the way there. I have lots of room and a huge desk and worktable for spreading out, so I spend most of my time in there. I have never had trouble getting my creative juices flowing. I have more trouble doing the rest of life’s normal tasks. Thank goodness I have a very understanding and supportive family.

Q9): Was there any specific inspiration behind the creation of THE GATEKEEPERS series?

SHANON: We moved to Georgia a bit after Katrina wiped us out. I’d never lived in the mountains before and fell in love. I would drag my husband all over the place, just taking in the small towns and the beauty. One day I was in Barnes & Noble, grabbing coffee and a scone when the Gatekeepers came to me. I sat down, took the scone out of the bag, and started writing on the bag. I’ve framed that bag!

Q10): How many books do you have planned for each of the series?

SHANON: Right now, I have four planned. The second, Meadow’s Keep, will be out late this spring. The third I’m toying with going back in time to a story about the descendants’ beginnings, and the last one will have Meadow traveling to Scotland. But, you never know. Characters have a way of getting away from you. Other Ruthorford stories keep popping out, like PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS, which is a suspense about Kateri Chance who comes back to Ruthorford to start over, only to find she’s dragged a very dangerous past with her.

Q11): What can we expect as the series progresses?

SHANON: East of my books in the Gatekeepers Series are stand-alone stories. The books revolve around the descendants of Ruthorford, their stories, and how they deal with who they are.

Q12): What were some of the challenges in bringing “The Shoppe of Spells” to life?

SHANON: I would love to say it was easy peasy, and in some ways it was, but I am also with a different publisher. Most problems have been technical in nature. I have loved working with the editors, authors, graphic artists, and publishers.

Q13): What about the book are you the most proud of?

SHANON: I love my characters and the way they interact with one another. I enjoy their successes and their foibles. I get lots of fabulous emails from readers telling me how much they love Ruthorford, my characters, and the story. They warm my heart and make my days brighter.

Q14): What’s next for Shanon Grey? What do you have going on in the immediate future that your readers and fans should know about?

SHANON: I am finishing Meadow’s Keep. I think we just finalized the cover and it’s fabulous!  I also write smaller pieces for my website, shanongrey.com, which include articles about Ruthorford or the legends I create. I love folklore and enjoy creating it for Ruthorford and its descendants. I have another series I’m working on, a suspense, and my original paranormal, Capricorn’s Child, that was lost to Katrina. Turns out my wonderful son managed to rescue some notes and dry them out. They are packed away in airtight bags (in case of mold). I haven’t ventured into those bags yet, but someday…

Q15): Is there anything special that you’d like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

SHANON: I would like to say thank you ~ for taking a chance on me as an author, for letting me know what you think, and for encouraging me. I dreamed of this all my life and finally took the leap. You, my readers, have made my dream come true. For that, I will always be grateful.

LITERAL ADDICTION/Book Monster Reviews: Shanon, thank you so much again for being with us today. We’re very happy to help you promote your new series and turn some new readers on to your work. We’d love to have you back if you’re interested.

SHANON: Thank you for having me and making it relatively painless. I would love to come back and visit, anytime. Literal Addiction and Book Monster Reviews enable all of us to enjoy our passions and share it with others.

If you want to keep up with Shanon, you can find her here:

Website: http://www.shanongrey.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShanonGrey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ - !/ShanonGrey

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4833324.Shanon_Grey

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CONTEST:

Shanon is graciously offering up an e-book (Amazon prc or Nook format - winners’ choice) copy of The Shoppe of Spells to a winner from LITERAL ADDICTION and a winner from Book Monster Reviews.

TO ENTER:

Make sure you are a member of the Book Monster Blog (by clicking on the “JOIN THIS SITE” button at the top left hand corner of blog page), and then post a comment on the interview with your email address. 

*Any comments without an email address will NOT be entered into drawing.

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!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!