Interview and giveaway with author Jocelynn Drake, Burn the Night tour

I'm so happy to welcome Jocelynn Drake to the blog today. She's stopping by on her Burn the Night tour and she's going to tell us about herself and Burn the Night.Expected publication: June 28th 2011 .

Burn the Night is the final book in the Dark Days series.

Feel free to post any comments and/or questions you have for Jocelynn Drake in the comments.

Info about the giveaway at the end of the post.

Author bio

The Oldest of three kids, Jocelynn grew up and continues to reside in the Cincinnati, Ohio region.

She started writing when she was 12, spending all of one summer re-writing the story of Robin Hood in the battered remains of a notebook. While life has brought many changes and surprises, the love of writing and a good story has been a constant.

When not writing, she can be found buried in a good book, wandering through the woods with her camera cradled protectively against her body, traveling to interesting locations, or relaxing with her family, who have also remained in the Cincinnati area.

If you could visit anywhere (real or fictional), were would you go?

The Dark Days series is largely based in Savannah, Georgia, though Mira does travel quite a bit.  I have been lucky to visit Savannah on two occasions and I very quickly fell in love.  I would jump at the chance to go back at any time and would love to move there someday.  Some other places that are at the top of my list include Venice, all along the Nile in Egypt, and Machu Picchu in Peru. 

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Joy”?

Joy makes me think of a peaceful sort of happiness, just one notch above contentment.

I have seen on your site that you like to take pictures, can you tell us about and/or show us one of your favorites?

Several years ago, I got interested in photography, mostly in landscapes and color.  I quickly learned that I don’t have much of an eye for black and white photos, though I own a large collection of Ansel Adams prints.  While living at my parents during college, I use to take my Canon Rebel down through the woods and along the creeks, taking hundreds of pictures.  I don’t currently have any favorites downloaded in digital format as I was working in film at the time.  Sadly, I don’t pursue photography any longer as I now have a chronic sickness that makes my hands shake, but I still love looking at photographs.

For people who have yet to read your series can you describe The Dark Days series in three sentences?

The Dark Days series is a whirlwind dark adventure, pitting a vampire and a vampire hunter against an evil race determined to wipe humanity and vampires from the planet.  The feared Firestarter, Mira is forced to come face-to-face with her tormentor while having to question whom she can really trust when push comes to shove.  Meanwhile, Danaus fights for both his soul and his ideals as he draws closer to his prey.

Will you mention 5 words about Mira and 5 about Danaus?

Mira is deadly, devious, devoted.  Danaus is sexy, honorable, determined.

If you had to choose one thing you like the most from the cover of Burn the Night, what would it be?

That’s easy.  I love the fireball that Mira is holding.  I have been secretly wanting to see Mira with her trademark fireball, but I had never mentioned it to the publisher because it didn’t seem to quite fit until now.  I like the idea of Mira going out in a blaze of glory with her man at her side.

How does it feel to know that Burn the Night is the final book in the Dark Days series?

I’m definitely sad to be closing the book on the series.  I’ve known Mira & Co. for several years.  They’ve been in my thoughts for so long that I feel as if they are my family and it’s hard to say good-bye to them.  Every once in a while, I still think of something that I didn’t have time to accomplish with them or a character that I wish I had had a chance to spend more time with.  I think that’s part of the danger of creating such a big, detailed world.  There just isn’t enough time for everything.

But in the end, I think it was time to bring it all to a close. I had started the series to tell Mira’s story as she battled the demons from her past that were threatening to eclipse her future.  I got the chance to see both her and Danaus grow into wonderful people and what parent couldn’t be more proud of that? 

If you had the chance to meet any character from your Dark Days series in real life, who would it be and why?

That’s a hard choice.  My instinct is to say Mira or Danaus, but then I won’t.  I’ve written books from their points of view.  I’ve had them walking around in my brain and chatting with me for years.  I know them in and out, and I never feel like I am really without them even though I am no longer actively writing about them.  I’m more drawn to the characters that haven’t had a lot of screen time.  I’d like to sit down with Tristan and ask him if he has forgiven me for what I put him through.  And then give him a hug.  I’d like to go on a moonlight stroll through Forsyth Park with Valerio, but I don’t trust him to behave himself.  I’d like to sit up all night in a coffee house with Stefan and try to peel back the layers of mistrust and protective barriers to get at the real him.  And I’d like to give Alexandra a hug and apologize for never getting around to her wedding.  In the end, if any of my characters called to meet up for drinks and a chat, I would jump at the chance.  They are family and I miss them.

Can you tell us something about your next series The Tattoo Artist?

I am hard at work on the first book in a new series.  This is a totally new and exciting world.  After working in a closed/hidden world, where humans were in the dark, I decided to throw the doors open on this one.  In this world, magical creatures live along side of humans, but they are all lorded over by powerful witches and warlocks.  In an effort to get ahead in this world, many people will turn to the tattoo artists, who, for the right price, can give you love, luck, or revenge with the right tattoo and potion.  The series centers on a skilled tattoo artist and his co-workers as they struggle with their hidden pasts and the interesting customers that come through the door.

Which books are sitting at the top of your TBR pile?

I do so much have a pile.  To me a pile implies a neatly stacked tower in a particular order.  My TBR pile is more like a mental TBR mound.  I’ve recently been reading a lot of Lynsay Sands and Kerrelyn Sparks.  Other authors that I love include Kim Harrison, Rachel Vincent, Jim Butcher, Vicki Pettersson, Simon Green, and Raymond Feist.

Thank you so much Jocelynn for stopping by, it's really been a pleasure and I can't wait to read Burn the Night!

Find Jocelynn Drake here:
Website
Blogger - The Dark Days Series
Live Journal
Facebook


GIVEAWAY TIME!
Now you have the chance to win a signed copy of  Burn the Night.
I have not one but TWO signed copies to giveaway!

Official Contest information:
To enter, please leave a comment below
Contest deadline is July 17, 2011
Contest is open Internationally
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!

Extra entries:
+1 GFC follower
+1 Networked blogs follower
+1 Twitter follower (@mette_s_jensen)
+1 Post about this giveaway (Twitter, Facebook ect.)