This month’s theme (September) in Hidden World Magazine are fables and fairy tales, any kind of magic, and I’m bringing you a very special and wonderful treat.
I’m honoured to introduce Danielle Rose to our readers. Her debut novel, Blood Rose released in August, and she was nice enough to answer my questions about herself, her writing, her favorites and about Blood Rose and it’s characters.
You can read my spoiler free review about BLOOD ROSE, then the interview in two parts.
Blood Rose, the first novel in the Blood Books series takes the reader to a world full of magic... and blood.
Witches and vampires against each other was a new storyline for me, I never read a book like this before. I appreciated the informative first chapters, the reader gets to know the background of the world, the history of the conflicts between the two races, the culture of the witches. Not to mention the thrilling fight we land right in the middle of.
The plot's really exciting, I was full of anticipation while reading, I wanted to know what happens next, it kept me on the edge and I couldn't do anything but read and guess and worry.
Avah is a great heroine, and her character develops a lot through the book. I think she grows into The Power she possesses, and learns a lot about not just the witches and the vampires, but most of all, herself.
The writing style is really good and prime, clear of typos and mistakes, whitch is always a good thing, especially in a debut novel.
When we first met with the Hunters, I immediately knew that Jasic is going to be the hero of the story.
His and Avah's chemistry is palpable from the start, you just know something is going to happen between those two, and you couldn't help but root for them.
I recommend Blood Rose to lovers of the paranormal genre with something new and unique as plot. The ending left me with wanting more, and I'm excited about the upcoming books and novellas in the series.
If you haven’t picked it up yet, I highly suggest you to do it and dive into this unique new world.
Danielle’s answers to my questions about herself and writing in general:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Danielle Rose, and I’m the author of the Blood Books series, as well as several forthcoming standalone novels. I currently reside in Wisconsin with my husband and our furbabies: two dogs and a cat. Here’s the fancy version of my bio: Danielle Rose is writer of fiction and travel, as well as the owner of Narrative Ink Editing LLC. Danielle currently resides in the Midwest, where she spends her days at a local coffee shop planning her next vacation or plotting her next novel. Danielle holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program. In addition to her Master of Fine Arts, she also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and certification in professional writing from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. When not writing, traveling, or writing about traveling, Danielle enjoys being outdoors, cheering for her favorite football team (Go Packers!), and spending time with her husband and their furbabies: two dogs and a cat. For more information about Danielle Rose, visit her website: www.Danielle-Rose.com.
2. How did you become a writer?
Though I remember writing as a teen, I started taking my writing seriously in 2009. In 2008, I watched the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. I hadn’t heard of the series at the time, but I was fascinated by Meyer’s take on the vampire trope and how she made her vampires truly unique. After watching the films, I read the books, which then led to me reading more and more books. In November of 2009, I sat down to write my first novel, and I haven’t looked back since.
3. How did the idea of Blood Rose come to you?
Most of my novels come to me in dreams. I dreamed about the Blood Books world and the creatures who call it home. Eventually, I began to dream about the characters and specific plot points. This all led to the final product, which releases on August 13, 2015!
4. Who is the writer that inspires you?
I would say it’s a tie between Richelle Mead and Stephenie Meyer. I am obsessed with Mead’s writing and worlds, and Meyer was the author who ultimately started my love of reading, which led to my love of writing.
5. Would you please name a few of your all-time favorite books?
Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and so many more. It’s incredibly difficult to choose just one or two!
6. If you got an opportunity to co-write a book with someone, who would you choose?
I would love to co-write a book or series with another indie author, but I have no clue who at this point; it’s too early in my career. If I was able to co-write a book or series with a mainstream, traditionally published writer, I would love to work with Richelle Mead.
7. If you’re stuck with writing and get into a funk, what do you do to emerge out of it?
I rarely face writer’s block, because I’m a big fan of outlining. When I have an outline, I have a plan, so I know exactly what I’ll be working on each day. During the few times I do face writer’s block, I try a different things to get out of the writing funk: I’ll take a break, research my world some more, try writing a different scene, and try to mentally work my way through the tricky scene I’m working on.
8. What about music? Does Blood Rose have a playlist? Do you have a band or any particular song that reminds you of your debut novel? When you write, do you do it in silence, or do you need some kind of background noise?
Oddly enough, I have no preference on this. I write with or without music. It all depends on my mood and the scene. I’ve written in silence and also while country, pop, rock, or classical music have played as background noise.
9. Would you please tell us about your writing process and methods? How do you write? How do you manage the ideas in your head? It must be hard when so many characters are "talking" to you at once.
My process depends on what I’m working on. If I’m writing a novel, I aim for at least 1,000 words written every day, and then after two months, I have a completed first draft. If I’m editing, I’ll take it slower, but I can usually get through a few thorough rounds of editing within one month’s time. Working on one project while another calls to me is really difficult. To avoid the distraction, I’ll write down what I’m thinking and then file it away for the day I’m ready to begin that project. I’m actually facing this issue right now. I’m working on Blood Rose’s sequel, but my standalone post-apocalyptic narrative is calling my name! It can be really hard to focus on just one project, but it has to be done. If I keep stopping to work on other things, I’ll have 30 half-finished novels by the end of the year!
10. In the USA, self-publishing your book is really popular and a well-known matter. We don't know much about it here in Hungary. Would you mind telling us about the procedure a bit and the advantages and disadvantages?
I firmly believe that all writers need to determine the right path for them, not what’s popular or what someone else in the same genre is doing. I think the story will determine the route needed to be taken. Some stories do better when traditionally published (like non-fiction) and some stories can do better traditionally published (like erotica). Of course, there are always exceptions. There are a lot of pros and cons to each route that need to be considered. The major perk of self-publishing (freedom) can also be its biggest downfall depending on the writer. The writer has the freedom to write what he or she wants to write, choose the cover design and editor, pick a release date, and so on. If the writer isn’t familiar with this industry, then this perk can be a huge downfall. This is why it’s important to choose the route you take based on what you know and feel to be right.
Question and answer session about Blood Rose
You have a keen eye! There have only been a couple reviewers who have commented on the Pagan culture represented in the book. Contrary to popular belief, I did no research for the witchcraft seen in Blood Rose. Instead, I drew upon my own beliefs. I follow a very spiritual religion, which shares many beliefs with the Pagan religion. It was very easy for me to describe Avah’s heritage and upbringing because I was able to draw upon my own. I intentionally stayed true to the religion. In fact, the only difference is that the witches in my book can control the elements, whereas witches in reality cannot (at least, not that I’ve seen!).
2. If one day you would get an opportunity to see Avah's story as a movie or a television series, who would play the main characters? Can you name a few actor?
I would love to see Blood Books become a movie or television series! There are some characters who share no resemblance to an actor or model, but there are others who resemble someone fairly closely. I’ve blogged about this, too, when I did character introductions! Avah and Tatiana: It’s easy for me to choose actresses for these two. To me, they look like Jenna Dewan Tatum (Avah) and Mädchen Amick (Tatiana).
Amicia: I can also see Amicia clearly. She resembles Kat Graham.
Jasik and Malik: It’s more difficult for me to see these two in any actors or models I’ve seen. I have a clear vision of them in my mind, and I’m sure you do, too! I can see characteristics of them in the Hemsworth brothers, and I can see them in Theo James, too.
Lillie: I see Claire Holt (with a pixie-cut hairstyle) playing Lillie.
Jeremiah: Jeremiah is another character I can’t see in a model or actor. His look and his personality are clearly detailed in my mind, so it’s difficult for me to put an actor in his place.
3. I think it's safe to say that Jasik stole a lot of readers’ hearts; he is pretty much swoonworthy material with his strength and protectiveness toward everyone he cares about. Do you have a favorite book boyfriend? Why do you love him?
I have way too many book and TV boyfriends! Currently, my favorites are Elijah and Klaus from The Originals television series. I also love Dimitri from Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. These characters remind me of my own creations: they’re loyal, strong, courageous, selfless (well, Klaus really isn’t so selfless), passionate, devoted, and willing to do anything for their loved ones. Plus they’re sexy! Big bonus!
Thank you, Danielle for being so nice and spending your free time with us. We wish you a very successful writing carrier, and a lot of more awesome books to come!
~ Andie
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