Welcome to my interview with Emma Adams, author of Walking Shadow. First, a bit about the book.
When you have a connection to the Darkworld, nowhere is truly safe.
Ashlyn has found a new home in Blackstone, but when a spate of grave robberies across the country spark fears that someone is practicing illegal sorcery, she comes under the radar of the Venantium, the protectors of the Barrier between her world and the Darkworld, who are suspicious of any sorcerer unaware of their origins.
The trouble is, what Ash does know might just get her killed.
Sufferers of the dangerous condition known as the vampire’s curse are being brutally killed, and the latest victim is Leo’s guardian, the ex-head of the Venantium. Ash determines to help Leo find out what’s really going on, but it isn’t long before events are spiralling out of control. The dead are rising from their graves, and the barriers around Blackstone are threatened by a demon which looks exactly like Ash herself…
Buy links:
Here's my interview (and keep reading for info on Emma's other books):
Where/how did you
come up with the idea for your story? Did it suddenly pop into your head or
were you brainstorming?
I thought of the idea of the
demons years ago, for the first series I wrote, but there were problems with
the story which meant it had to be shelved. But I really liked the demon
mythology, and a couple of years later, came up with the idea of re-using it in
a story set at a university!
Did you start
with the main character, the world or the overarching concept?
I came up with
the concept of demons/the Darkworld first, then the overall storyline.
Panster or
Plotter? Or in between?
I'm more of a
plotter, but I don't outline every single detail in advance. I spent years planning the first book I wrote,
even going as far as to outline every scene on a spreadsheet – but when I
finally started writing the book, it turned into something completely
different. I still work from an outline, but I also like to be surprised when
I’m writing – which tends to happen whether I like it or not!
Are you a fan of
writing contests?
I've entered a
few query contests and think they can be great for some writers, but I find
them to be distracting from the actual writing process, and I prefer to query
the traditional way. Total personal preference, of course!
What's the best
marketing tool you've found so far?
I love newsletters. They're a
great way to keep in touch with my readers and I love it when I receive replies
from subscribers keen to read my next book.
What do you like
best about your mc?
I like how Ash
attempts to rationalize all the crazy things happening to her, at least at
first, and doesn't instantly buy into the idea of magic as real. She's
naturally sceptical of the idea of the Darkworld, and it takes time for her to
understand her powers.
What do you like
best about your main antagonist?
I like how the
demons aren't even remotely human. They don't have or understand emotions, and
they kill people because it's natural to them as breathing is to humans.
Creepy!
Anything else you
like to share about your journey or your upcoming launch, including links to
giveaways or ways people can help spread the word?
I'm hosting a
Facebook party with guest authors, prizes and discussions! :) https://www.facebook.com/events/340212519481922/
And here's more information on the
first in the series, Darkness Watching
(Darkworld #1)
Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one
interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's
losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into
the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.
Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.
All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.
In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...
Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.
All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.
In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...
Reviews
“In the vein of Buffy and Supernatural, DARKNESS WATCHING found that perfect balance between the freaky and the fun.” - YA author Jen Estes
"Demons, Sorcerers, evil, and secrets. Could you ask for a better supernatural suspense set-up?...It's full of suspense, danger, evil and dark humor. The plot is original, and completely gripping. From the first page, this book had me hooked." - Rose at Desert Rose Reviews
"A suspenseful first part to an intriguing new fantasy series." - Sharon Stevenson, supernatural author
“The story is extremely well-written with effortless, flowing prose, and the original magic-user mythology and Darkworld creatures are very entertaining. The author took what might have been over-done premise and twisted it into something very fresh and exciting.” - Lexa Cain, author of Soul Cutter
"This is a wildly different story than any I have read about demons...I loved it!" - Kathy at Bookmarks, Spoilers, and Happily-Ever-Afters
“In the vein of Buffy and Supernatural, DARKNESS WATCHING found that perfect balance between the freaky and the fun.” - YA author Jen Estes
"Demons, Sorcerers, evil, and secrets. Could you ask for a better supernatural suspense set-up?...It's full of suspense, danger, evil and dark humor. The plot is original, and completely gripping. From the first page, this book had me hooked." - Rose at Desert Rose Reviews
"A suspenseful first part to an intriguing new fantasy series." - Sharon Stevenson, supernatural author
“The story is extremely well-written with effortless, flowing prose, and the original magic-user mythology and Darkworld creatures are very entertaining. The author took what might have been over-done premise and twisted it into something very fresh and exciting.” - Lexa Cain, author of Soul Cutter
"This is a wildly different story than any I have read about demons...I loved it!" - Kathy at Bookmarks, Spoilers, and Happily-Ever-Afters
Fear's Touch:
A Darkworld Novella is also available now! This is a standalone novella, intended as a prequel to the Darkworld series. As it takes place one year before the events of Darkness Watching, it doesn’t contain any spoilers (although it does hint at things which will come into play later in the series).
Freakish powers and staring demon eyes
aren’t part of Claudia’s plans for the future – and neither is ending up stuck
at the gloomy, isolated University of Blackstone. But bad life decisions are
the least of her problems, when a split-second decision to help out another
magic-user puts her in the crossfire of both the shadow-beasts and the creepy
organisation which hunt them down.
Claudia’s never had to worry about
making the right choice before, but every decision matters when you have a
Darkworld connection. Soon, she’s going to have to make a choice: turn her back
on the crazy and try to live a normal life, or take the monsters down.
But in a world where everyone seems to
have secrets, can she really trust her fellow magic-users – or even herself?
Emma spent her
childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average
reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing bizarre, fantastical
stories. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first
opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three
years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured
a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She
also entertained her creative writing group and baffled her tutors by
submitting strange fantasy tales featuring dragons and supernatural monsters to
workshops. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian
piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will
never see the light of day).
Now a reluctant graduate, Emma refuses to settle down and be normal. When not embarking on wild excursions, she edits and proofreads novels for various publishing houses and reads an insane number of books. At the age of 21, she signed a publishing contract with Curiosity Quills Press for the first book in her creepy urban fantasy Darkworld series. DARKNESS WATCHING was published in October 2013, the first in a five-book series. Emma’s books tend to contain monsters, magic, and wildly inappropriate humour.
Thank you for interviewing me! :)
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