Paula Kennedy Interview

August 11th, 2011

Paula Kennedy

 

Paula is the author of Discovery, the debut novel of the Angels of the Night series.

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Newly Released

Angels of the Night: Discovery

Book 1 in the Angels of the Night series

Release Date: August 1st, 2011

Publisher: Champagne Books

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READ VRB’S REVIEW HERE.

 

The Questions

Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for the readers at VampireRomanceBooks.

It’s a pleasure to be here! Thanks for having me.

 

Besides your new book, what other exciting things are happening in your life right now?

I’m almost done writing the second book in the Angels of the Night Series and am very excited to share it with everyone. There’s nothing more satisfying than completing a book.

 

As a fairly new name on the PNR scene, can you tell us all about yourself?

Are you married? Kids? Pets?

I’ve been married to a wonderful man for five years, have three great kids and one energetic gerbil that tolerates the inquisitive hands of my toddler.

What is your favorite place in the entire world?

My favorite place in the entire word is my camp on St. Joseph Island. Being on the water inspires me to write and on any given Saturday afternoon you might find me fishing off the dock, swimming with the kids or working on my books outside on our shaded deck.

Where is somewhere you’ve only dreamed of going?

Scotland! Being a Kennedy, and someone who was very into highland dancing and bagpipes as a child, I’ve always wanted to visit the country of my ancestral roots.

Did you always want to be an author? If not, what did you want to be?

I’ve always had a creative side but only just decided to submit a manuscript to a publisher. I think writing is an inborn passion – if you don’t love it you’re not going to go through the heart ache involved.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working hard on your books?

Aside from playing with my children, biking, reading (of course!) and playing the piano, my husband and I also love to golf.

Who are some of your favorite authors to read?

My list of favorite authors has grown over the years but there are several I return to frequently. Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Margaret Atwood and Anne Rice are my top four.

 

I’ve had the pleasure of reading your new book Angels of the Night: Discovery, for those that haven’t, could you tell us a little about it.

Thank you again for the great review and I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Angels of the Night: Discovery is a paranormal romance about a seemingly ordinary girl, Allison Webber, who joins a secret society hiding the existence of vampires. Things heat up quickly in this all male cult when she catches the eyes of two sexy vampire twins, Thane and Darcy Wallace. Amid steamy encounters with the identical twins competing for her attention, Allison learns her mission is to aid a select group of vampires, the Angels of the Night, as they hunt and destroy the females of their species. Completely taken with the brothers and her new role, she fails to see that one of the twins has been using her. Allison must delve deep within herself for the courage to save the brother she loves and destroy the one who betrayed her.

How many books do you plan for the series?

I don’t really have a set number in mind for the series and will continue to write until the entire story feels like it’s done.

 

What inspired you to write Angels of the Night?

My love of vampire romance books of course! I’ve actually had this idea on the back burner for a number of years but was only just inspired, by my husband, to finish it. There’s a post on my blog where I talk extensively about my inspiration for Angels of the Night but it’s far too long so I’ll share the link.

http://thanesangelofthenight.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-inspiration.html

Of the characters in Discovery, who was your favorite to write? Who was the toughest to write?

My favorite character to write, believe it or not, was Jonas Osborne. Without giving too much away, Jonas is an ancient vampire who takes great pleasure in making others miserable. He grew to be the character I loved to hate and I’ve started a novella telling his story. I expect to have this story finished by next summer.

The toughest character to write was Allison Webber. I found that I kept going to my teenage daughter and running ideas by her so that Allison didn’t start sounding like some middle aged woman.

 

Are any of the characters based on anyone in your life?

Allison Webber, the person at the heart of the struggle between the Wallace twins, has taken on some of the characteristics of my daughter. All positive of course!

 

If there was one thing you could change about your book, what would it be?

In hindsight there are some things I would to add to the first book as I write the second. Now that Discovery is out I’m bound by the rules I created. That gets a little frustrating at times.

Other than that, though, I love the story. I’ve caught myself falling into Allison’s world while referencing something for the second book and have to stop myself from reading the whole book again.

 

There are a lot of twists in the story, how have readers responded to Angels of the Night?

I have had nothing but positive reactions to the story and several readers are excited for the second book. Surprisingly a fan even e-mailed to tell me how much she loved Thane and Darcy. It’s great to see that other people love the Wallace twins as much as I do.

 

What do you find to be the hardest part of getting your book into the readers’ hands?

There are many paranormal romance books out there and readers have a lot of great options. It’s hard to stand out in the crowd.

 

Who designed the cover of your book?

Amanda Kelsey. She is a very talented artist and I was honored to have her work on Angels of the Night.

 

Do you feel that the electronic book boom has helped new authors such as yourself?

I think the electronic book boom has helped all authors – whether they’re new on the scene, such as myself, or someone that’s been writing for many years. E-books have made it easier for readers to get the types of book they want quickly and conveniently.

 

With the book/movie and tv crossover success of such series as Twilight, True Blood, and Vampire Diaries, do you feel that there is a preconceived expectation of what a “vampire romance” book should be about?

I think there is a difference between the adult and Y.A. market in regards to what they expect from a vampire romance story. Adult readers of vampire romance seem to be looking for something different, they want characters unlike any they’ve read about before. Y.A. readers, I feel, often go looking for stories, and main characters, that are similar to the ones they’ve already fallen in love with.  So I think it depends on what market you’re looking at.

 

Did you do anything particular in your book to make sure your book could stand out in the crowded world of vampire romance novels?

I’ve taken a new perspective on the idea of what a vampire is. I don’t want to ruin it for those that haven’t read the story yet but I’ve used science, and a little physics, to explain why vampires are different from humans.

 

If you could collaborate on a book with any author, who would you choose?

Stephen King, definitely. I often find myself saying, “Hey! This reminds me of a Stephen King novel.” Pair King’s wild imagination with some sexy vampires and voila – you have the makings of a pretty awesome story.

 

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Never, ever, give up! If writing is your passion then stick with it.

 

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found work best for the PNR genre?

Although I’m pretty new at this, paranormal romance books are widely enjoyed and I’ve found that there are several avenues that seem to work well for marketing. I have recently become addicted to Goodreads and hold a Facebook account. Feel free to join me on both.

 

Thank you again for coming by VRB to answer our questions. Is there anything you’d like to add or anything you’d like to say to the readers and fans?

Thanks again for having me and good luck to all who enter the draw for a free copy of Angels of the Night: Discovery.