At the end of the month, Juliet Dark will celebrate the release of her first book under this pen name, The Demon Lover. Tynga’s Reviews is happy to be part of the festivities surrounding the release of this Paranormal Romance novel and make sure you read the interview to discover more about Juliet, Demon Lover and the books to come!
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1- If you were to list the top three reasons a reader should pick up Demon Lover, what would they be? (time for shameless promotion *winks*)
Well, I'm a little embarrassed to sing my own book's praises, so let me quote a recent reviewer on Amazon, Stephanie D. This review made me so happy because not only was it very generous, but the reviewer highlighted exactly what I had hoped readers would enjoy about the book. She says that DEMON LOVER is, "like the coolest lit professor ever decided to teach a class on gothic novels, then slipped in folklore on fairies, witches, vampires, and other magical creatures." Well, that's exactly the combination of subjects I'm most interested in. That's the kind of class I'd love to take--and the kind of books I like to read.
Then this same reviewer went on to say, "These sensuous, fever-inducing passages were addictive. But aside from that, Dark's writing is sumptuous, the setting - rich, and the plot - full of dark foreboding, mystery, and magic." So if you like romance and sex, look no further!
She finished up by saying, "For a fan of gothic romance as I am, The Demon Lover was a lavish literary feast that not only celebrates the genre but enriches it by incorporating fairy lore, enchantment, incubi and other supernatural creatures." As an inveterate lover of the Gothic novel, I'm always looking for books that capture the thrill of the Gothic romance.
So if you're looking for something a little literary, full of suspense and magic, and also sexy, then you'd probably like THE DEMON LOVER!
2- Callie McFay, the main character in Demon Lover, is a paranormal author. Did you find yourself relating to her? Was it different for you to write about an author?
Callie writes academic books on Gothic novels and folklore, while I write fiction. I imagine that Callie writes the kind of books that I might have written had I gone on to pursue a doctorate in English literature instead of writing novels. There came a time in my life, though, that I realized that as fascinated as I was by academic writing, I couldn't do it and also write fiction. So Callie represents the road not taken, I suppose. It was fun, though, to read the kind of books Callie might read and to imagine what kind of books she would write.
3- Demon Lover is your first book under this pen name, but you wrote multiple novels as Carol Goodman. Why did you choose to pick a new pen name and how did you choose it?
DEMON LOVER represents a slight departure from the books I wrote under my own name. I say slight because I've always worked fairy tale elements into my fiction. The difference here is that the fairy tales are real. As I was writing THE DEMON LOVER, though, it became clear that it was far more sensual than my earlier books. I felt sometimes as if I'd been possessed by the incubus of the title! My publisher suggested that I publish the book under a pseudonym to distinguish it from my previous novelS. I came up with the name out having lunch with my editor and agent--it seemed to spring off my lips without any precognition!
4- Demon Lover is the first installment in the Fairwick Chronicles (releasing December 27th), do you have any info about the second book? Title or tentative release date maybe? How many books can we expect in the series?
The second book is called THE WATER WITCH. I've already finished a first draft and my editor has it now. I'm not sure what its pub date will be, but I imagine it will come out sometime in 2012. It continues Callie's story in Fairwick, NY and includes many of the same characters we meet in THE DEMON LOVER. And yes, we haven't seen the last of the demon lover. I'm working on a third book of Callie's story now called THE HALLOW DOOR.
Now onto some Christmas-y questions!
5- What's a typical Christmas like in the Dark's family?
Well, the last few years I've been so busy writing that I have to admit I've been negligent in decorating and cooking. So we usually haul out the carved plywood Christmas tree that my daughter made a few years ago as part of the set to "A Doll's House" and string some garland on it. Since I moved upstate last year we've been having fires in our fireplace and I've been baking things with apples. When my daughters are home I make a lot of pots of Harney's Holiday tea and then we bundle up and take a hike at nearby Poet's Walk, a beautiful park with views of the Hudson river. The important thing about the holiday to me is having my family--my husband around me.
6- How is it different from when you were a kid?
Oh, we had a real tree! And my mother cooked more. But otherwise it was pretty much the same--just a good time to spend with close family.
7- If you could ask Santa for anything, what would it be?
The same thing I ask every time I wish on a star, for health and happiness for my friends and family. Sometimes I throw in that if I sold more books I could do a lot more to make my friends and family happy:) Oh, and a new pair of warm slippers would be nice ...
8- What would Christmas be like for Callie?
Well, first she would go to the faculty winter solstice party. The people of Fairwick celebrate the old pagan festivals because ... well, because a lot of them are old pagans. The residents of Fairwick decorate their houses with tiny ice sculptures that hold special amulets inside them (it's pretty cold in Fairwick so those ice sculptures stay frozen all winter). She might go down to the pond by the library where there's ice skating and hot apple cider or go cross-country skiing through Honeysuckle Woods, but she'll try to be back home before dark. It's a magical time in Fairwick, but also a dangerous time because the door between this world and Faerie stands open and you never know what kind of creature might slip through.
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Thank you so much Juliet for such generous answers!
It’s been a great pleasure to have you on the blog =)
If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Demon Lover
I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.
But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
Random House would like to giveaway 5 copies of Demon Lover to five (5) lucky winners!
Open to Us only
Giveaway Ends January 4th, 2012.
All you have to do is fill the Rafflecopter form below.
The only mandatory entry is to provide your name and email addy =)
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Carol Goodman (Juliet Dark) grew up on Long Island, attended public school, and started writing at age nine, when her fourth grade teacher introduced the topic “Creative Writing.” She wrote a ninety-page, crayon-illustrated epic entitled “The Adventures of the Magical Herd” in which a girl named Carol lives with a herd of magical horses. She knew from that moment that she wanted to be a writer.
I've been hearing so much about this book, and I'm so excited from what I'm hearing! :D It's finally going to be released at the end of this year, so I can finally read it. You don't read a lot of stories involving an incubus, so I'm really curious about Juliet Dark's take on them. Thank you for hosting the giveaway, Tynga!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview, this was very interesting. Good luck with your new series, it is on my wishlist!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time meeting this author and story. Demon Lover is going on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love the blurb. I think I'll enjoy this one :). Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat Q&A post!!! I really love the cover! I cannot wait to pick up my own copy!!!
ReplyDeleteI want to read The Demon Lover because it sounds like a fantastic book and the cover is awesome.
ReplyDeleteWell at first it was the cover. Then the synopsis. Now the interview. I'm so excited for this book!
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else has said, there's been a lot of positive buzz about this book and the cover is gorgeous! I've had this book on my wishlist for a while and I'd love to read it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful post and giveaway!
Happy Holidays!
I would like to read this book because it sounds really good. Tore923@aol.com
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview! Love this series!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read this book because it's got all the elements I enjoy-a gothic bent, folklore and paranormal elements and an interesting character with an interesting problem. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletemljfoland AT hotmail DOT com
I love the dark and gothic twist to this story. It sounds so interesting with the incubus.
ReplyDeleteThe cover got my attention and the synopsis sounds great.
ReplyDeleteSounds like and interesting series. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Thanks for the interview.
ReplyDeleteI love to read new series books--please I would love to ring in the new year with this book
ReplyDeleteaudie@wickerness.com
I've never heard of this. I'd love to try it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post and giveway! I've heard good things about this book and I love the cover :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
great post! I can not wait to read this! since it comes out right around my birthday I am hoping to get a copy for either christmas or birthday :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting read. I like the cover.
ReplyDeleteI'm always interested in reading new to me authors which Juliet/Carol is. Plus, I love paranormal books.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful cover, and the second thing was "The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers"!! I think the book sounds terrific, and that's why I would love to read it:)
ReplyDeleteWith a book description like that how could you not want to read it! But I have heard real good things about it also.
ReplyDeleteAmy Lynn
I really like the sounds of this book. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds amazing by the synopsis, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I love paranormal reads
ReplyDeleteThe cover looks amazing! Plus I love paranormal books :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for paranormal books. I love the cover. Thanks for the giveaway chance! DeAnna Schultz
ReplyDeleteI love the cover, I love paranormal, and they synopsis sounds interesting. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the cover to this book soooo gorgeous. thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletestephjx
eckstein 99
I have been looking forward to this one. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win this because I love the paranormal genre in general! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read because it sounds like a great book love paranormal! Thanks for the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love dark fairy tales, so this seems like something I'd like to read. :]
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read this book from the time I saw the cover and read the synopsis. It definitely sounds intriguing and I am hoping for a really good story.
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read this book since I saw the gorgeous cover on goodreads and read what the book was about. It sounds like such a good read!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover for starters and it sounds like a really interesting book based on the synopsis!
ReplyDeleteI've heard lots of lovely things about this book! I cant wait to read it! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI want to read this book because there is a damn Incubus demon in it!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any incubus demon books yet and I would love to start with this one!
Not to mention that the cover is just so beautiful designed.
Thanks for the great giveaway!!
The cover is gorgeous and I would love to read this series. It is new to me I never had heard about it!
ReplyDeleteThe cover looks beautiful, the description is intruiging, all around this looks like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteOh this has sounded like such a fabulous book. I cannot wait to read up on all it is about.
ReplyDeleteThe incubus part really caught my attention.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really intriguing storyline. It's already wishlisted for me - sooo have to read it.... thanks s o much for sharing the fun interview as well!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway I've wanted this book for a while now.
ReplyDelete