Interview & Giveaway: Rebekah Turner

Each year to kick off my Blogoversary event, I always like to pick an up and coming author who I have had the pleasure to read in the past year. This year it is Rebekah Turner whose Chronicles of Applecross series, Chaos Born and Chaos Bound, has something for everyone and couple that with great characters and amazing world building you have yourself a Winner on all fronts. Please Welcome to Blood Rose Books Today:

Rebekah Turner

If there was one author you could co-write a novel with (they can be alive or dead) who would you choose and why?

Well, I wouldn't ask anyone famous or well-known. Hells, no, thank you. Could you imagine if you teamed up with Laurell K. Hamilton and stuffed your side of things up? Sheesh. She'd slice off your ears off and wear them around her neck just for a laugh. Talk about freaking pressure. No, thanks. I think I'd pick my cool writer buddy Charlotte Nash (http://charlottenash.net/), who loves B-grade movies and awesome trashy novels as much as I do. And then we'd write something like a series called: Lesbian Zombie Nazi Hunters. I mean, that story just writes itself!!

 

Is there a book, author, story or person that inspired you to become a writer?

I recall being very inspired to gravitate back to writing after reading One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich. Then I discovered urban fantasy through Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Holly Black and Kelley Armstrong and I knew I just had to write something.

The Urban Fantasy / Paranormal genres appear to be the genre that everyone is writing in these days (even authors that are well established in other genres), what do you think draws authors to these genres? Why did you decided to release your debut in this genres?  How do you believe your novels stand out from the rest of the crowd?

I think authors are drawn to the urban fantasy/paranormal genres because the only limits are your imagination - anything can happen! And alpha males can also be totally alpha-holes, because they're werewolves, baby. And you still love them, because, you know, hormones and sexy man titties. Not to mention the She-Ra heroines, kicking ass and taking names. What could be cooler than that?

I decided to release my debut in this genre, because I felt I had a good story and strong voice. Growing up, I cut my teeth on CS Lewis, so I always loved the whole portal into secret worlds thing. And how my books stand out? Why, it's got everything. Fights! Romance! Heroic action! A she-ro with attitude!

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?

Crime is pretty hard, I think. Or mystery. Because you have to know what the hell everyone is up to and what their secret motivation is. I try to combine a crime element in the Applecross books and it's tricky, making sure everything lines up.

Another one would be horror. I've written a few short horrors and I found it difficult to bring together elements to freak your reader out that doesn't feel contrived or done before.

A lot of work went into the creation of The Weald, how would you describe Lora’s world to would be readers?

This is what I wrote for a synopsis, introducing the world:

Beyond our world and through the candy-striped tollbooths of the bear-men, lies The Weald: a hidden land entrenched in a medieval-like existence and a refuge for the mystical races. Within the sprawling walled city of Harken, lies a quarter named Applecross. Its shadowed streets are home to those considered unsavoury by polite society — the witch, the warlock and others not quite human. Adopted by a witch-elf as a babe, Lora Blackgoat now works these twisted streets as a blade for hire for a satyr with no regard for social niceties.

One of my favorite things about Lora is that she has some aspects to her that are not typical of a heroine, for example she has lame leg. Why did you decide to give her a flaw that could greatly hinder her especially as a smuggler and mercenary?

I love Lora to bits. She's full of piss and vinegar and she'd be my favorite fantasy drinking buddy. She's the type of character that will go down swinging and then bite your ankle bloody, still trying to win the fight. By giving her a disadvantage, I knew she'd just work harder to succeed at independence.   

When you decided to write your Applecross series did you intend to not use the typical creatures associated with UF / Paranormal genres (for example Vampires, Zombies, Werewolves)? What went into the creation of some of your creatures?

I wasn't drawn to writing vampires. After reading JR Ward, I didn't think I could do anything as awesome as the Brotherhood. I was raised in a very religious home, so I was very familiar with the mythology of angels and demons, who felt like a natural fit for this story. For the other characters, I just shook up a bunch of mythical tropes and wrote what fell out of my imagination, while others I just plain made up. 

It appears that in most UF and paranormal novels, yours included, that have come out in recent year that there is a romance aspect to the stories. Do you think that romance is needed within novels of any genre to make the plot and story more well-rounded? And I guess we as readers need to know whose side are you on, Seth or Roman?

Romance isn't necessary needed, I think it depends on what kind of reader you are. I always love a good romance tangled around a plot. But other readers might be turned off by it. My husband included. He reads my early proofs and makes suggestions, but whenever he hits a romantic thread, he can't stand it and makes all sorts of lame jokes on the page. Different folks, different strokes. 
And as for which character's side am I on? Well …. Roman's the classic, old school hero, and Seth is the antidote, being the wicked, dark anti-hero. I think I'd have to say I love both men equally. Don't tell my husband I said that.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

Chaos Broken is with my editor and will hopefully be out late in 2014. I'm also working on a novella, a paranormal fantasy called Carnal Crimes. I just have to finish a naughty sex scene before I can send off. When I say finish, I mean write something better than... 'and then they shagged in the dark alleyway'. Erotic. Fail.

What is one book (other than one of your own) that you think should be a must read for everyone?

One?! Impossible, I tell you! Okay. I think The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, because...you know...a classic and all that. 

I just want to say thank you to Rebekah for being part of my Blogoversary and I know I am looking forward to the next book in her Applecross series. Rebekah has very kindly offered to have a Giveaway (INT) to go along with her interview so follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. 

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