Today, I'm excited to have Nina Mason, author of smexy paranormals and killer thrillers, to stop by for an interview with me. Her new novel, The Queen of Swords, released on March 22nd.
The Queen
of Swords, a paranormal tale of undying love
Author: Nina Mason
Publisher: Vamptasy Publishing
Heat level: spicy
Formats: Kindle and paperback
How can she be his
soul mate if he doesn’t have a soul?
When Graham Logan, a Scottish earl
turned vampire by a dark wizard’s curse, draws the Queen of Swords, he knows
he’s about to meet the love of his life. For the third time. But surrendering
his heart will mean risking her life…or making her what he is. Neither of which
his morals will permit him to do. Graham, who believes he lost his soul to the
curse, rages at God: Why give her back only to take her again?
Cat Fingal, the third incarnation
of Graham’s twin flame, won’t let him escape so easily. As soon as they meet,
she feels she knows him and begins having past-life flashbacks. A white witch,
she casts a spell to summon him, wanting answers and to fill the void she’s
felt all her life.
Graham has other problems, too.
Like the seductress who wants him for herself and the dark wizard who cursed
him and killed his beloved the first two times.
Will he find a way to save her this
time around? Or will she save him?
Nina, Thank you for stopping by.
What was your inspiration for writing The
Queen of Swords?
Thinking back on when I first started what
is now The Queen of Swords, a paranormal tale of undying love, something like
six years ago, I’d have to say it was the Twilight phenomenon. While I enjoyed
the series very much, I set out to write a vampire who’d experienced history
and characters who thought more deeply than “he’s so hot.” I also felt
frustrated about the criticisms I was reading on the internet of Twilight by
people who clearly knew nothing about the vampire genre. So, that was a piece
of it, too. The original few versions of the book had a lot of conversations
between the h/h about vampire literature. There is still some of that, but it’s
been greatly condensed over time.
What is your favorite genre to read?
Literary fiction. I love beautiful writing.
What is your writing process like?
I start with a kernel of an idea, develop
the characters and their GMC (goal, motivation, and conflict) and try to
develop ideas for a plot. I then try to map it out rather loosely using the 15
beats of the Save the Cat method and/or the Hero’s Journey. Once I actually start
writing, things can go way off course when my characters take over and start
doing things that weren’t on the program. If I like what they’re doing better
than what I plotted, I’ll go with it and change the plot. If I don’t like it, I
cut their stuff and rein them back in.
If you could have your ideal writing space,
what would it be like?
The library in an old manor house in
England. You know the kind you see in Jane Austen movies with all the gorgeous
paneling, towering bookcases, and rolling ladders. Notice how many times these kinds of libraries
get mentioned in my books. LOL.
You are a doll maker. What kind of dolls do you make? What inspired
you to get into this hobby?
I used to paint figures, but stopped after
I got married and had a baby. My house was too small for a separate studio and
I was terrified my toddler would get into the paints of the turpentine or
something equally dreadful. To fill the
void, I started making dolls. My first few attempts were pretty dreadful, but I
kept at it and eventually figured out how to stuff, sew, and paint them using
other people’s patterns. I do historic dolls. I love history and historic
costume and antique dolls, so that’s what I do. Over time, I started working
with paper clay. Another huge learning curve. After I got the hang of it, I
started doing sculpted figures on armature frames with detailed historic
costumes. Some of them were featured in Art Doll Quarterly a few years ago. The
trouble was, I couldn’t sell them. The recession hit and they’re expensive
because so much work goes into them I can’t sell them as cheaply as people
might like. These are one-of-a-kind art pieces. I can’t sell them for what
Chinese mass-produced items sell for. I went back to making cloth dolls so I
could make them more affordable.
Rapid questions:
Coffee
or tea? Both.
Scotland
or Hawaii (for vacation)? Scotland. Hands down. I’ve been to Hawaii twice
already and I’m a total Scotaholic. All of the heroes in my books, even the
thriller that’s releasing in August, are Scots.
3
Favorite books:
The
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Pride
& Prejudice by Jane Austen
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Again, thank you for stopping by and answering a few questions. I'm looking forward to reading The Queen of Swords!
Look for the Giveaway at the bottom of the post.
Look for the Giveaway at the bottom of the post.
About Nina Mason, author
Nina Mason is
a hopeful romantic with strong affinities for history, mythology, and the
metaphysical. She strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read:
those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. Three of her books will be
published in 2014: The Queen of Swords, an urban fantasy/paranormal romance;
The Knight of Wands, book one in the Knights of Avalon Series; and The Tin Man,
a political thriller about the dangers posed by media monopolies. She is currently at work on Book Two of the
Knights of Avalon series and is itching to get back to a book she started a
while back about a merman who falls for an oil company spokeswoman after a
phantom tanker capsizes on the coast of the Hebrides islands. When not writing,
Nina works as a communications consultant, doll maker, and home stager. Born
and raised in Southern California, she now lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with
her husband, teenage daughter, two rescue cats, and a Westie named Robert.
Social-media links:
Website:
http://ninamasonauthor.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ninamasonromance
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/ninamasonauthor
(@ninamasonauthor)
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/ninamasonauthor
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks so much for featuring me and my book on your blog today!
ReplyDeleteNina, it was my pleasure to have you stop by my blog for an interview, thank you!
DeleteThe Queen of Swords is the best book I've read in quite a while. fantastic writing with character's I've fallen in love with, especially Graham!
ReplyDeleteCat Fingal desperately looking for her soulmate to complete her as no other can. Graham Logan desperately trying to avoid his soulmate in order to save her life. What happens when these two meet is dynamite!
An absolutely wonderful book that took my breath away. I couldn't put this book down. Cat and Graham have to be some of my most favorite characters. I love Nina Mason and this book.
ReplyDelete