Welcome Rose to The Written Butterfly! Thank you so much for stopping by!
1)
Can you tell us a little about
your book?
Of course! Smoldering Afterglow
is the 4th book in the Dark Light series. The series is about the
endless battle between angels and demons, and the humans who get mixed up in
the chaos. This particular book is the story of Madelyne, a Nephilim (which is
a half-angel, half-human, for those who don’t know!), and the
demon-of-many-mysteries, Sinclair.
Both characters were introduced in
previous books, with small roles. Madelyne is the younger sister of the heroine
of book 2, and has quite a traumatic past. This story is set some years after
the events of the 2nd book, but Madelyne is in many ways only
beginning to learn to function in society again. As for Sinclair, he was
introduced in book 3, and his true goals are revealed in this story—as well as
the reason behind his penchant for mystery.
Smoldering Afterglow is a
different take on a second chance story. Instead of these characters having any
previous history with each other, it’s more that both have significant personal
barriers preventing them from simply enjoying life. Through finding each other,
learning to trust and ultimately falling in love, they thus have a second
chance to experience a fulfilling life. And in that way, this story is also
about healing. Even though it’s technically about a war between supernatural
entities!
2)
Was there as specific part of the
story that you absolutely loved writing as well as not enjoyed writing?
Oh, that’s tricky. Well, without
spoiling too much, I can say I really loved exploring more of the demonic side
of the Dark Light world. I explored some of the angelic side in previous books,
but this is the first time I’ve had solid opportunity to share such insight
into the Hell realm. Sinclair is a character who is old enough, and educated
enough, and experienced enough, to have all manner of knowledge—which was quite
fun to play with!
On the flip side, it’s difficult
writing a character with significant trauma without a comparable level of your
own trauma, I think. So expressing Madelyne’s struggles was definitely a
challenge for me, but nonetheless her past and her perspective were key factors
to this story, so I did my best.
3)
Do you have a ritual when it comes
to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.
Hmm, not as much as I used to, I
wouldn’t say. I write every story on my laptop, of course, and I’m old-school
just enough to still be using Microsoft Word instead of any more
‘writer-oriented’ program that might be out there. Really, I’m just a creature
of habit, and mildly afraid of new things. I like what I know, exactly because
I’m familiar with it!
Aside from that, I prefer to write
either in silence or with my music playing in the background. I get easily
distracted by the flashing screen of the TV if it’s on in the background! Oh,
and settling in with a good cup of coffee is definitely a plus, though I’m not
always so lucky.
4)
Do you have a favorite line or
scene in your book?
There are a couple of scenes that
come to mind which I’m particularly fond of. One is a personal scene between
Madelyne and Sinclair, pertaining to scars and trying to push past trauma. The
other is a very different kind of scene, where I introduce a new creature which
creates all sorts of havoc for the characters. When my beta reader read that
scene, she said I described them so well she felt literally repulsed. It was
quite the compliment!
But if I’m being honest, Sinclair
was rather enjoyable to write most of the time. The scene I chose for my teaser
on the publisher’s page is another of my short-list favorites, where he has to
come to Madelyne’s rescue (I’m a sucker for that kind of trope, regardless).
There’s also another contender, but I can’t describe it without spoiling too
much!
5)
What future projects are on the
horizon for you?
I have several future projects on
the horizon, honestly!
In terms specifically of the Dark
Light world, there are two more books to come after Smoldering Afterglow.
The story I’m planning for book 5 will follow two characters who were both
introduced in this book, but I won’t spoil which ones—you’ll have to read it
for yourselves and guess! In fact, I’ve officially introduced the couples for
both the remaining books. Book 6 will be particularly dramatic, I suspect.
I do have another book already in
the process of publication, though I don’t yet have a release date. That book
is called Orchid’s Heart, and is a standalone historical fantasy
romance. I’m incredibly excited to share this story with everyone! This is a
tale of forbidden love between a Crown Prince and a young woman whose spent her
entire life in service of the royal family, and what happens when her life is
threatened. I loved writing this book so much, I struggled with bringing it to
an end!
And currently I’m working on the 7th
and final book in my other ongoing series, the Night Shadows series. This book
is Jasen’s story, and while I won’t spoil who his love interest is, I will
confirm she’s someone who’s been previously introduced. I have been excited to
write Jasen’s book since I first introduced his character (back in book 1), and
I think readers will be surprised in a very good way when they embark on his
journey!
Find
Smoldering Afterglow at your favorite eBook retailer, including:
Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes
& Noble
