Q&A with Catherine Stovall

Please welcome author Catherine Stovall, who is stopping by today as part of her Virtual Book Tour to launch her new book, Stolen. To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Stolen, simply leave a comment below...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?

Insomnia by Stephen King. The first time I read the book I literally couldn’t put it down. The story is unlike anything I had read before (I was about 15) and the characters were positively captivating. I have since re-read the book many times and am still in love.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Anne Rice is my favorite author and I own even her early works under the name Anne Rambling. Her writing shows her love for her characters and helps to give them a complete three-dimensional existence. She also has the ability many author’s lack to give her works a strong finish.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
I positively adore the Cassandra Clare covers for The Immortal Instrument series. They are well designed and positively beautiful.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Oh, I love this question! I would choose Charles Dickens for his outlook on the hardships of life, Emily Bronte because she represented women in a time where the literary field was not a woman’s profession, Anne Rice because she is the Queen of Horror and my literary idol, Stephen King because of his knowledge of the profession, and Dean Koonts because I would love to learn a few tricks about writing with such suspense.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Everything in life inspires me. Even though I write fiction, I try to tie in reality as much as possible. I am always stopping whatever I am doing to jot down a note or two for later. Music is probably the most inspiring though. Without my iPod, I would be completely lost.

Where is your favourite place to write?
Curled up under the covers is my favorite place to write. My kids, husband, and pets distract me a lot but I write my best when I am in familiar and comfortable setting. Plus, the interruptions remind me not to get to lost in my own world and miss time with them.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I typically will only read the book after I watch the movie if it is one that I haven’t read yet. I do this because the movie is never as good. With The Road, I watched the movie afterwards and I was impressed. They did an excellent job of recreating the story.

What is your book about?

Jenda and Soborgne are best friends and everything they do, they do together. Unfortunately, this time the girls may be joined at the hip in a far more horrible way: by death. The girls are kidnapped and held captive by Belle and Matteo, two vampires with a plan. Belle, a sociopath in life and death, is searching for an heir to her reign as the only vampire to hold the secret to surviving the sun. Matteo is a lost soul who would give anything to be loved and to see the light of day. As the four characters’ worlds collide, blood is spilled, lives are lost, and rules are broken. Disappointment in love and life bring out the worst in humans but, with vampires, it leads to a chilling tale of romance and terror.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of this fabulous book, simply leave a comment below...


If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Belle ~ Delta Burke

Jenda ~ Emma Stone

Matteo ~ Alex Pettyfer

Soborgne ~ Selena Gomez

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I have a pet snake. He’s a Ball Python named Berkowitz.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I just moved to a very small community about 15 minutes from the small college town I did reside in. I don’t know anything interesting about where I live now. We have less than 800 residents and there’s not much that goes on here.

Winter or summer? I really prefer Fall. Winter is way too cold and summer is way too hot. That’s the joy of living in Missouri. The weather is always extreme.

Ebook or paperback? Both. eBooks for when I am on the go or lunch at work and paper back for those times when I just need the comforting feel and smell of an old favorite.

Favourite food? Cheese. I love cheese. I put it on everything.

Sporty or couch potato? Not really sporty but not a couch potato either. I like to get out and go on photo shoots in strange out of the way places, go walking in the historical district and hit all the thrift shops, and hike and rock climb with my best friends.

Cook or be cooked for? Be cooked for. I use to enjoy cooking but now its just so time consuming.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Stolen, 

simply leave a comment below...

Q&A with author Raine Thomas

Today I have the lovely Raine Thomas with me. Raine is the author of The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Oh, gosh. There have been so many! I’d like to say it was an inspirational biography or something, but I don’t generally read those. I’ll go with “The Bride” by Julie Garwood. It’s a historical romance that was pointed out to me randomly in a bookstore by a complete stranger. I started reading it and couldn’t leave without buying it. Her style was much fresher than the standard at the time, and her characters were so well depicted. She inspired me to want to write romance.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Nora Roberts. I absolutely love how she develops characters and effortlessly evokes emotion. She writes “guys” better than any romance author I know. I’ve probably read every one of her books, and the plots are never stale or “phoned in.” I am in awe of her abilities.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers. 

Besides the covers for the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy you mean? (Ha!). Any of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments covers. They’re fantastic!

If you could have a dinner party with any author from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
It would have to be Edgar Allan Poe. I’ve always been fascinated by his work. Even my dog is named Poe. Having worked in the field of mental health for a number of years, I think our conversation would be rather fascinating.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I’m largely inspired by music. Some of my inspiration has also come from the people I’ve met. Youth facing and overcoming challenges also serves as a big source of inspiration to me.

Where is your favourite place to write?
During the heat of summer, inside on my couch. When weather permits, I love sitting outside on the porch.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
I’d have to say “The Silence of the Lambs.” I might have even liked the movie more than the book.

What are your books about?
The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy (Becoming, Central and Foretold) follow sisters Amber, Olivia and Skye as they discover that they aren’t entirely human. What they are is half-Estilorian, a race of beings that once existed alongside humans. Because the Estilorians have powers and abilities beyond that of humans, humans grew to resent them and warred against them. Thus, the Estilorians created their own plane of existence, removing themselves from humanity and becoming the objects of human myths and legends (think gods and goddesses, angels, etc.). As the sisters are introduced to this world, they find love, adventure and quite a bit of danger along the way, culminating in a battle foretold long before their births.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters? 

Oh, that is TOUGH! The sisters are triplets. They all have long brown hair and they’re eighteen, so I could possibly see an actress like Selena Gomez or Ashley Greene playing them. Gabriel, James and Caleb are harder. I think with darker hair and a bit of bulking up muscle-wise, Chace Crawford would make a good Gabriel. For James, the cleft in the chin, the dark blond hair in a choppy cut…Zak Efron would probably be a good fit. I have yet to find the perfect Caleb. If he were a few years younger, Will Young would actually have been great for his role, though.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I’m a big baseball fan. The Atlanta Braves, in particular.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
Orlando is called The City Beautiful, and it really is a lovely city. It’s also home to “The Mouse” and “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Not such a bad place to live.

Winter or summer? Winter.
Ebook or paperback? Ebook. Er…paperback. Do I have to choose?
Favourite food? Tacos. Any kind.
Sporty or couch potato? Total potato.
Cook or be cooked for? If I value my health and livelihood, I should be cooked for whenever possible.
Link to your website, blog or both: My website is http://www.rainethomas.com and my blog is http://RaineThomas.com/blog/. I’m also on Twitter (http://twitter/Raine_Thomas) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/rainethomas) and welcome followers and friends!