Welcome, J.D. Brown

1: Thank you so much for being here, J.D. Brown,

First up is the obligatory question. When did you first begin writing?

Thanks so much for having me, Roseanne. I started writing fiction in 2008, it was just a few years after I had graduated collage and I was between jobs, still trying to find myself. I had a laptop at the time and writing was a free activity that kept me from going insane thinking about money and the economy. I had thought about writing before but dismissed it. But I guess the timing was just perfect then. You know the saying when one door closes another door opens.


2: What inspired you to write?

I’ve always been a book worm and a fan of the paranormal, but I was tired of reading urban fantasy or paranormal romance that stared a human main character. I wanted more of the vampires and other dark creatures. I wanted to get inside their heads. Reading about the human was boring to me since I am a human, lol. So when I sat down to write my first manuscript, I knew from the start all my characters would be paranormal. There wouldn’t be any humans. This set the very early premise for Dark Heirloom.


3: What do you like the most and least about writing?

What I like the most is the deep and incredible satisfaction that comes with the creative process of writing - of creating new worlds and characters and watching them grow, and especially when other people (readers) share that joy with me.

What I like the least is the insane amount of time it takes me to write a book. A year’s worth of work for someone to read in a few days for a few bucks. It can be frustrating sometimes.


4: What do you for fun and relaxation when not writing?

I read or watch TV. I love going out to eat or hanging out with my friends at a café. I’m more active during the summer and love going for walks or going to the lake and tanning on my parents’ boat. That thing is a massive old monster, but it goes fast and I look forward to it every summer.


5: Which authors do you like to read?

A shorter answer would be which authors don’t I like to read? I love reading urban fantasy and paranormal romance the most. My current favorites are Darynda Jones and Cassandra Clare - but I have a large pile of books sitting on my TBR shelf waiting for me to dive in, so my favorites may change soon!

6: What’s the one thing you’d most like people to know about you?

I love my fans. Seriously, I love my fans. And I want them to talk to me. Nothing turns a bad day around faster than a reader leaving a positive comment on my facebook page or blog. I love chatting with them - it doesn’t even have to be about my books! No matter how famous I get in the future, I will always make time for my fans. They make all the work and itty bitty pay worth it. J

7: Tell me about your current novel, where I can find it and your website/blog.

Dark Heirloom is the first book of a new vampire urban fantasy. I’ll leave you with the official blurb:

“You’re a vampire” is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she’s able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn’t understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It’s their fault she turned into one of them…right?

Jalmari’s hatred for his old-man intensifies when he’s ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run, there’s no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst. Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan’s only savior.

The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she’ll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way…

Dark Heirloom is currently available in e-book format for all e-reader devices from Muse It Up Publishing as well as for Amazon Kindle.

I can be found around the wed at:
·       Facebook Fan Page
· Twitter Profile
· J.D.s Blog
        J.D.'s Book Club

8: Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Keep writing and keep working toward your goals. Persistence and out-of-the-box thinking are the keys to this industry.

9: Do you base your characters on real-life people?

Yes and no. Initially, I may base my characters’ physical features on a celebrity, but they very quickly grow into their own personality and style.

10: Where do you get your ideas and what inspired you to write this book?

Jalmari, one of the main vampire characters from Dark Heirloom, takes the credit for this one. He came to me in my imagination and just started telling me his story. I was so intrigued by the experience that it stayed in my mind for a long time. When I finally sat down to write, I knew it was his story that had to be written.

11: What are you currently working on?

I’m working on finishing the full draft of Book 2,  titled Dark Liaison. The sequel continues the events brought up in Book 1 and adds to them quite a bit. It’s a wild ride for sure.

12. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

This fall I’ll be at a book signing in Louisville, KY along with my fellow authors from Muse It Up Publishing. If you live in the area and are interested in seeing us, please follow my facebook page at facebook.com/authorjdbrown and I will keep you up to date with the details.

 EXCERPT

            A scream tore from my throat. The rapid slap of my sneakers against asphalt echoed through the alley. Wind ripped my hair and coat back as if trying to halt my escape.  A chain link fence rose in the distance as I neared the end of the alley. Shit. I could have sworn this one opened to Clark Street.

            Thud.

            I froze. My heart pounded in my ears. Tears fell as I closed my eyes. Please, please, God…

            His heinous laugh drowned out my ragged breath. Caught at a dead end, I had no choice but to turn and face him. He stood in the shadows, the darkness of his attire blended in with the night. Only the glow of his emerald-colored eyes gave him away.

            Think, I shouted to myself. What does he want? My purse? My money? With a shaky hand, I pulled my wallet from my bag and flung it at him. He shifted his weight, dodging the wallet in one simple move. I stared like an idiot as it landed in the gutter behind him. Why is he chasing me if he doesn’t want my money? What else could he want?

            He grinned, bearing a set of abnormally sharp, fluorescent-white teeth. Who the hell is this freak? He stepped toward me. My fists clenched as I stepped back. He took another step forward. My back pressed against the cold metal of the fence. Tears blurred my vision and fell as ice melted through the back of my coat. Chills rolled down my spine, sending a quiver to my lip. I swallowed the lump of panic building in my throat. “Leave me alone!”

            He kept advancing, his eyes locked on my face, his gait slow with one foot in front of the other, like a cat. I shoved a trembling hand in my purse in search of my pepper spray. He snatched my wrist and yanked me to my knees. The contents of my purse spilled and scattered.

            “What makes you think I want anything from you?” he sneered.

            My chest heaved as I pushed myself up. From the corner of my eye, I glanced at the mouth of the alley, now behind me.

            He scoffed. “You think you can run? Go ahead, mouse. Run.”

            I did.

            I was almost to the street when a thick shadow dropped from the sky. Two rock-solid fists shoved my chest. I fell backward. My head hit the pavement. Stars danced in the periphery of my vision as I struggled to sit up, but my limbs moved in slow motion.

            Two hands, each finger adorned by a silver ring, gripped my shoulders and lifted me. My back hit something solid and cold—a brick wall. My feet dangled above the ground. He held me at eye level; his sour breath churned my stomach as his face inched closer to mine.

            “I know what you’re thinking.” His voice was deep, smooth, as he rolled his R’s. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Nevertheless, once you kill one rat, you have to kill them all. Even a little mouse like yourself.”

            My blood drained at the utterance of the word kill. I squirmed in his grasp. “Please, don’t hurt me.”

            He clenched my jaw with one hand as his fingernails dug into my skin. I cried not from the pain, but from fear.

            “Would you like to know a secret?” His hot breath caused bile to rise in my throat. “Only you disgusting rats can see our eyes glow. I’m sure you knew that already. I’m sure your mother told you the stories. I’ll bet you didn’t listen to her. I bet you thought they were just fairy tales and bad dreams, hmm?”

            I had no idea what he was talking about. I concentrated on finding a way out of his grip, hoping his guard would slip while he continued his monologue.

            “You know, when you find one rat, there are a dozen more in the nest.” He tightened his grasp. “Where’s your rat hole, eh little mouse?”

            “Let me go!” Pain manifested in every inch of my face. My jaw throbbed and my head spun. A stiff ache cut through my spine. Fear and cold shook my core. Exhaustion weighed down my struggling limbs. I just wanted it to end.

            He studied my face for a moment, a frown tugged at his lips. “Very well.”

            He released my jaw then reached back under his jacket. The sound of sharp metal being unsheathed pierced the night as he drew out a long silver dagger. My eyes widened at the emblems engraved on every inch of the blade and handle. I recognized them as Norse in origin. I also recognized the precise way in which he held the dagger level with my left rib cage. He’s going to stab me in the heart.