Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated from Queens College in North Carolina with a degree in English literature. I currently live near the beautiful town of Madison, Georgia with my husband, son, dogs, and the odd assortment of stray cats. As a kitchen witch, I have always sought out and nurtured the magick that can be found in the mundane trappings of everyday life.
My outlook is decidedly romantic, hence my chosen genre. The Darkly Series and my new Legends of the Pale Series follows unlikely couples as they struggle against themselves and outside forces to find lasting love. Enchanted Darkly, was the first book in the Darkly Series and published in 2010. Little did I know that this one book would inspire an entire series based on Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend. The Darkly Series books are closely tied to one another and are best read in order: Enchanted, Bound, Kept, and Surrendered Darkly. Resurrected Darkly is the final offering and becomes available May 1, 2019 on Kindle.
Unlike the Darkly Series, the Legends of the Pale Series was designed to appeal to a broader array of readers. These books also fall into the genre of paranormal romance, but they are not tied as tightly together as my previous series. Ideally a reader should be able to read this books out of sequence and never feel as if they’ve missed anything. The Kindle edition of The Love of Gods will be released May 1, 2019.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Love of Gods is my latest book and is the jumping off point for the new Legends of the Pale Series. My goal was to tackle the same type of paranormal world but this time with a modern feel to it. It just made me laugh to imagine an ancient god using a cell phone and navigating an increasingly connected world with all it’s technological pitfalls. I also wanted readers to have the freedom of reading the books out of order without feeling as if they’d missed a huge piece of the series cannon.
The Pale itself was inspired by the idea that there are entire communities that live separate but alongside what most of us consider to be modern/normal society. Mundane examples of such groups would be the Amish, the Tinkers, gypsies, some small witch groups, some religious sects, and so on. Each of these examples are radically different from each other and yet they have their own set of rules by which they live and govern their lives and communities. What if groups like these were more than human? What if there were self-governing communities that lived on the fringes of modern society that were other; such as shifters, demi-gods, demons, werewolves, and earthbound ancient gods? This is not a new concept but I believe my personal spin on it has created an interesting universe for me to play in as an author.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Though I don’t think of any of my habits as unusual, though someone might. As part of my writing life, I workout and weight lift because many of my characters are fighters and I want to personally experience that sort of physicality. I am also able to write anywhere and often do for hours at a time; coffee shops, the library, the sofa or in bed. I tend to wear a pair of big and fuzzy, wolf-feet slippers when I’m writing at home. My husband bought them for me while I was finishing up The Love of Gods and they make me smile. Also around that time, I had written about half of The fate of Wolves so they were appropriate footwear for crafting a story about werewolves. I have coffee every morning before I start writing and a glass of wine in the evening when I’m done.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There have been many, but as to the style, Karen Moning and Christine Feehan are the two biggest influences. I just love their multiple series and their ability to create vivid characters.
What are you working on now?
I am currently handing over the second book in the Pale Series, The Fate of Wolves to my editor, while also finishing up the first draft of the third book, The Dreams of Demons. I’ve started the fourth in this series, The Souls of Witches, and periodically jumping between book three and four if I find myself stuck with a scene.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
In 2010 I would have said without hesitation that Goodreads did the best job of getting the word out about my books, but now I’m not so sure. Of course I keep a presence there, but it is a crowded field nine years later. Facebook and Twitter help, but my best vehicle for getting my books looked at is my own author’s website and Amazon itself. Their promotions and ads are very effective.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a well crafted story and have it professionally edited. These are the two steps you as a writer have the most control over and it will set you apart from the masses.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write the damn story. Too many times our internal-critic sabotages our progress. That voice slows the act of writing down and it makes us second guess ourselves as storytellers. If you take the time to fully flesh-out your characters they will tell you their own story. Your job is to let them tell it. Let them express their fears and their hopes. Take the journey with them without trying to control every action, every decision.
What are you reading now?
I have a friend, Katharine Wibell, who wrote the Incarn Saga and I am currently reading Ullr’s Fangs, book two of this young adult series.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Pride and Prejudiced, The Mists of Avalon, and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Acheron.
Author Websites and Profiles
Tarrant Smith Website
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