I love dragons. Actually, I believe they once existed. Can all those myths and legends from around the world be wrong? They're even mentioned in the Bible. Just read the last few chapters of the Book of Job. And even if you're a sceptic, I'm sure my special guest this week, the lovely Jane Hunt, author of The Dragon Legacy and The Revenge Masquerade, will have you believing.
1. Why
did you choose to write in your genre?
Writing a romantic fantasy wasn't a conscious decision. My first
novels that never saw the light of day were a historical romance and a
contemporary romance.
I got the idea for The Dragon Legacy when I started writing full
time in mid 2012. I saw it, as a paranormal romance with elements of mystery
but readers perceived it, more as a quirky fantasy romance. I guess some of the
concepts in it are from the realms of fantasy. :-)
2. How
many books do you plan to write in this series?
If I'm honest I wrote 'The Dragon Legacy' as a standalone novel.
When my critique partner read the story, she loved Zane and Jasmine, who were
secondary characters. Other readers agreed. So I wrote the wolf and witch's
story in 'The Revenge Masquerade'.
There are two more stories in the series;' Egyptian Chaos',
which is about Lorenzo who we meet in 'The Revenge Masquerade' and book 4 '
Searching For Her Dragon Soul', which is Larna's story, again a character from 'The
Revenge Masquerade'.
3. Why
dragons? Post a pic of your favourite dragon.
I love legends and mystical creatures. Dragons are the most
iconic of them all; maligned in western legends and fairy stories, although
revered in eastern culture. I wanted to show dragons as guardians of the world
and those who live within it.
This is a favourite picture of mine from my Pinterest board 'The
Dragon Legacy' https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/476185360570459056/
4. What
scene in your book(s) do you like the best?
It's hard to choose. Both are full of action and romance.
I guess in 'The Dragon Legacy'. I like the scene close to the
end between Xavier and Fleur. She is so courageous, even though her chances of
overcoming the demon are slight.
I think the love scene in the Venetian garden between Zane and
Jasmine is my favourite. They took so long to reach this point and the scene is
full of atmosphere and sensuality.
5. Which
actors would you like to play the lead characters if a film was made of your
book?
The Dragon Legacy:
Lukas - Goran Visnjic
The Revenge Masquerade:
Zane- Ciao Vaz (OK he's a model :-))
Jasmine- Karen Gillian
6. Which
one of your characters would you like to be?
There's a little of me in both the female leads:
Fleur (The Dragon Legacy),
when I was young and naive. Jasmine (The Revenge Masquerade), when I was young
and wiser.
Also Grace, Jasmine's mother who is in both books, bits of me
now.
7. What
song would you choose as the theme song of your book?
I didn't listen to music when I wrote the first two books of The
Dragon Legacy series and so they don't have a theme song. Maybe I should write
one?
'The Dangerous Gift ''s playlist reflects parts of the book and
what helped me to write the story. http://jolliffe01.com/2014/07/28/the-dangerous-gift-playlist/
8.
Who is your favourite character, and why?
Like most authors I love the characters that I am writing about
at the time, most. If I had to choose. In 'The Dragon Legacy', Fleur because
she experiences a life changing journey and survives. I like survivors. In 'The
Revenge Masquerade', Jasmine, again she experiences so much as the story
progresses but her acceptance of her duty and power is spine tingling for me.
9.
If not the Lake District, where would you like to set your next book?
The setting of the story is usually one of the first things to
inspire me to write. I choose places I have been, or would like to go, or in
the case of 'Egyptian Chaos', the choice is obvious because of the events in
The Revenge Masquerade, set in Italy partly due to its association with masque
balls.
I have also written a romantic suspense novel - The Dangerous
Gift, set in Texas. Past Shadows my current work-in-progress, set in Regency
Derbyshire.
10.
Do you believe dragons ever existed? Why or why not?
Yes I do and maybe still
do, in a parallel existence. Most things are possible and physical evidence is
not a requirement for me to believe in them. This is probably why I thought my
story was an urban paranormal tale and others saw it as fantasy. It's a matter
of perspective and belief and everyone's is unique.
11.
Do you write full time for a living, or do you have another daytime job?
In theory, I write full time but as everyone who has a family
knows, there are so many calls on your time. My writing has to compete but it's
what I truly want to do.
12.
Are any of your characters based on real people?
My female characters have elements of my personality, at certain
life stages but mainly like my male characters; a creation of my mind and
experiences.
13.
What advice would you give to new or aspiring writers?
I still consider myself a
new writer and each day is a learning experience for me. So I would say be open
to new ideas and advice but remain true to yourself and your beliefs about your
stories. Ultimately they are a reflection of you and that is priceless.
Thanks Jane J
Book Description
Zane Lupus, the wolf shifter who loved and left
Jasmine broken-hearted, is in danger. Haunted by nightmares, Jasmine risks her
fragile heart and travels to Venice to find her one-time friend and lover,
hoping she can save him and rekindle their passion. Abducted by Lorenzo, a
passionate dragon, Jasmine is tempted away from her quest to find her wolf.
Zane is confronted with what he suspects is an
enemy from his past. He tries in vain to warn the dragon lord, Lukas, about the
threat to the infant dragon. The horror beneath The Revenge Masquerade is
ancient and terrible and determined to capture the infant dragon for its own
ends.
The
Dragon Legacy faces its greatest test. Is Jasmine, empowered by the guardian
witch's snake ring, strong enough to restore the natural balance? Or will the
sacrifice she must endure destroy her before she embraces her destiny?
Extract
Present day Venice, Italy.
Zane
slowed his pace. His nostrils twitched. No humans in the immediate vicinity.
The Piazzetta San Marco with its decorative, lit archways appeared deserted in
the predawn light. Zane padded across the square enjoying the breeze, which
ruffled his silver fur. He kept to the shadows conscious he must remain hidden
from the city's early risers; lovers enjoying the romantic Venetian dawn and
the gondoliers who wouldn't pass up on a chance of an early fare. His keen
silvery-blue eyes scanned the network of narrow streets for the secluded spot
he used to shift into his wolf the previous night.
His wolf
persona made a greater impact on the city's shifter community. His keen wolf's
gaze identified the darkened corner where two houses met; the presence of his
distinctive leather boots and other clothing confirmed this was the place.
Mindful of discovery he shifted quickly. Moans he couldn't suppress echoed
around the tunnel like street, as muscle ripped and bones cracked until he became
outwardly human again. Breathing heavily he looked around. No-one disturbed
him.
Zane
emerged from the darkness into the warmth of the dawn sun. He pulled up the
hood of his cotton hoodie and put on his designer sunglasses, compulsory attire
for the fashionable in Venice or so his friend Larna insisted. Larna so
quintessentially Italian; beautiful, fashionable and fiery yet despite her
undoubted attributes he only saw Lukas' kid sister. He smiled at this misnomer,
still everything was relative even in the paranormal world and at eight hundred
years old she was the baby of his dragon friend's family. He jogged along the
narrow streets and alongside the canals, which defined Venice until he reached
a spectacular palazzo resplendent with gothic arches decorated with Moorish and
Byzantine designs.
His
Cuban heeled boots clattered on the polished ceramic floor, which stretched the
length of the grand entrance. He pushed back his hood and took off his shades;
no need for disguise here among friends, the last step of his mission to alert
the supernatural world about the fate of the infant dragon. Zane gagged, as the
stench reached him at the bottom of the elaborate staircase. He recognized it
immediately but sniffed again because he wanted to be wrong. The last time he
smelled the putrid odor was in England
when he fought with Lukas, the dragon lord, against the demon to save the last
dragon egg. The dragon destroyed the demon snake and its demonic essence, but
the smell was so similar... Every step on
the stone staircase resonated as he hurried towards the galleried landing. The
priceless art he usually loved to linger over passed in a blur. All his senses
focused on the danger ahead. He stopped. The smell wasn't as strong here. He
retraced his steps until the elaborate carving of the drawing room door
imprinted his back. The door was uncharacteristically shut. His hackles rose as
his hand made contact with the marbled knob, it shimmered with radiated heat.
He ignored the warmth and twisted the knob. The door creaked as it
opened…
BUY LINKS
The
Dragon Legacy
All Romance E-books
The
Revenge Masquerade
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
Itunes
KOBO
Inktera
All Romance eBooks
4 comments:
I like dragons and I adore Jane Hunt. Lovely to see you here today Jane and to well have my appetite..salivating...for starting the Revenge Masquerade this week.
Fab interview ladies! I love dragons too :-)
I've read The Dragon Legacy, Shehanne, and I'm just about to start The Revenge Masquerade. It's my weekend read.
Thanks Tracey. It was fun interviewing Jane.
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