I have to be honest, moments like this are part of the reason I love blogging. The one and only Keri Arthur, whose books I adore, is visiting Team Tynga's Reviews and I got to interview her!! If that's not an amazing moment, I don't know what is. I've been a major fan for years and it was incredibly hard for me not to fangirl all over her but she is here to promote FIREBORN, her newest release and the start of what is sure to be an amazing new series.
Please join me in welcoming the inestimably talented Keri Arthur!
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First of all, thank you for visiting Team Tynga's Reviews and congrats on starting a new series! What's the most exciting part about kicking off a new series?
Thanks! And thanks for inviting me here to chat.
I think the most exciting thing about starting a new series is the ability to follow the journey of not only brand new characters, but to build a brand new world. I know that’s a bit of a standard answer, but you need to remember that between the Riley Jenson and the Dark Angel novels, I’ve spent 16 books in the one world, and I’m loving the ability to stretch as a writer.
How would you describe FIREBORN if you only had ten words?
I’m never very good at doing something like that! Lol. Um... In a world where supernaturals aren’t entirely accepted, a phoenix battles to save mankind. Nope, that’s fourteen. Told you I wasn’t very good!
What inspired you to write a series based on phoenixes?
I think it mainly stemmed from the desire to get away from both werewolves and vampires as main characters. As much as I love both, I just wanted to do something a little different. I spent hours trolling the net, looking at all sorts of supernatural beings--something I usually do when I’m researching for bad guys, not good. I kept stopping on references about phoenixes, and the idea of a character with the ability of being reborn from the ashes of their past just fired my imagination. Emberly was born :)
All of your heroines are very confident, sexy women. How do you come up with some strong yet individual characters?
It’s very much a backlash of all the fantasy novels I used to read in the 70s and the 80s. You know the ones--the heroine was always tripping over, doing something dumb, or in need of rescuing. It drove me up the wall. Sure, not every female character in fantasy fiction needs to kick arse, but surely it wouldn’t have hurt the (mainly male) writers at the time to write one or two capable females? You have no idea how relieved I was to find writers like Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey.
Who are your favourite characters to write dialogue for (in this or any of your other series)?
Actually, my favourite all time character to write dialogue for is, believe it or, a sword. Or rather, the demon who gives the sword life. Amaya was not supposed to be such a strong presence in the Dark Angels series, but once she got page time, she was not giving it up. I had enormous fun thinking up snark for her.
Will Emberly's world overlap with Riley and/or Risa's? Can we expect any familiar characters to crop up, even just for a cameo?
I’m afraid there’s no chance of that happening, because Fireborn is set in a completely different world to the Riley and Risa’s. Yes, it’s still Melbourne (that old ‘write what you know’ chestnut) but it’s a very different, somewhat darker Melbourne. There’s definitely no werewolf clubs in this version!
Melbourne is very much a character in your books, including FIREBORN. What are some of your must-see or must-do attractions in the area?
Melbourne is the most European of all Australian cities and, like France, you’ll find restaurants and cafes everywhere, most of them with tables and umbrellas out on the sidewalks so people can enjoy the sunshine (or get protection from the famously unreliable weather here) and people watch. If you’re coming to Melbourne, allow plenty of time to explore all the interconnecting little laneways with their amazing variety of shops, and sampling some truly fantastic cuisine. We do love our food, coffee and tea here. Then head off down the Great Ocean Road for some spectacular scenery, or head on over to the Yarra Valley, where some of the best wine makers in the country are located--and eat and drink some more while you’re there :)
How many stories do you have planned for the Souls of Fire series?
I have two planned at this point, but there will be more after that. I just don’t know how many as yet, because I usually need to be several novels into a series before I have some idea.
Finally, can you give us any exclusive teasers about what's to come? I'm so curious about everything, but especially about what's going on with Sam.
You do find out what is going on with Sam, but I’m afraid it’s going to take a couple of books. As for a teaser...let’s just say it’s connected with what happened to his brother.
Thanks very much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Thanks again for inviting me. :)
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For more Keri, check out the following links:
You can also visit the previous tour stop, Fang-tastic Books, or check out Rambling from This Chick tomorrow for more FIREBORN goodness.
And here's the scoop on FIREBORN:
From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand-new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson—a phoenix capable of taking on human form and cursed with the ability to foresee death....
Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent it from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.
Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plaguelike virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment intended to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now all those infected must be eliminated.
But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames....Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
Thanks for having me back! ALLEGIANCE takes a dark(er) turn as the looming war strikes at the heart of the town just as Aidan’s community is trying to rebuild. At the same time, a couple of new characters come to town, including an eagle-shifter named Robin who was in STORM FORCE. Her interactions with the Penton crew, especially with Big Bad Mirren, are really a lot of fun. So there’s a good dose of humor woven in with the darkness.
