Blogoversary: J. C. Daniels Interview & Giveaway

Today the feature author is one that goes by a few names, but I recently discovered her under her newest name J. C. Daniles with the release of Blade Song, which is a book that I think will appeal to many readers of the paranormal genre. Please Welcome to Blood Rose Books Today:

J. C. Daniels

You have been reading since you were a child, is there still a story or fairy tale that still inspires you today?

I don’t really read much of anything that I used to read as a kid, except for Mercedes Lackey…I started reading her in middle school, I think.  I do still enjoy the Bunnicula books and Through the Eyes of Opalina…I passed on a love of those books to my kids.

You have been writing since you were fairly young and have a great love for Vampires, what paranormal creature do you think would be the hardest to write a story about?

A zombie.  Zombies just don’t hold a lot of appeal for me unless I’m killing them in the book (and I haven’t done that, I don’t think).  Trying to write one where the zombie was the main character?  Very hard.

Your first pen name was Shiloh Walker and you have changed to J. C. Daniels due to the fact that you were writing too much. Your new pen name is a play on three people who are important in your life. Can you share your relationship or the names of the people who inspired your new name?

Well, I haven’t exactly changed names, so much as picked up another one… LOL. I’ll continue to write under Shiloh—it’s just that my urban fantasy series and some future projects will come out under J.C.  I’ll continue to write romantic suspense as Shiloh, and the name change doesn’t affect any of my current series.

I played off a variation of my kids’ names and initials. I don’t give their actual names out for privacy reasons. 

You decided to self-publish Blade Song as it was not selling the traditional markets, what additional challenges did you have with self-publishing a novel?

You shoulder all the work, all the costs.  Editing costs, formatting, the covers. All the promotional work is on you, trying to figure out the right way to push the book…all of it.  It’s a lot of work and there’s a lot of upfront expense.  Fortunately, this wasn’t the first book I’d self-published so I had some idea of what to expect.

I personally have not read any of your novels under your pen name Shiloh Walker, how will your new books be different under J. C. Daniels?

Well, the Colbana books aren’t romance.  If any of my readers pick up BLADE SONG and expect it to be like my paranormal romances, they might be in for a disappointment.  It’s got the action that many of my paranormal books do, but my paranormal romances tend to be focused on the action and the romance…that’s not the case with Kit’s series.  There is a romantic subplot, but that’s just a thread of her story and there’s no nice, neat little bow at the end.

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

For me, personally?  One that bores me.  No, seriously…I think a solid SF book would be hard.  The tech has to be there, but a well-written SF book with engaging characters and a great plot is a thing of beauty.  I enjoy SF, but too often the tech overwhelms the book, for me, at least, so I like it when there is a meld of everything.  That is something I’d have a very hard time with.  And I’m not exactly tech-minded.

What I personally liked about Blade Song was the introduction of the Aneira race, which I had not read a book about before. What inspired you to write a book about Amazons?

I hadn’t read one before…I love urban fantasy.  I outright adore it and I’ve wanted to try my hand at it for a long time.  I was trying to think of something that might be a little different, and there were the Amazons.  I hadn’t really read or heard much about them in modern stories, but they are these amazing women from mythology.  I was started playing with the idea.  Thus…the Aneira.

Kit is a very interesting character who has been defined by her up bringing within the Aneira culture and her family. Did you start out with the intent of having Kit as a damaged character? Was it hard to write about Kit’s past? Will we get to see any of Kit’s actual family? (I know I am really interested in learning more about Kit’s past as well as her family)

Kit was damaged from the get-go, yes.  It’s been a while since I wrote the short story that sort of set this world up, but even when I was writing that, I knew she was screwed up.  But I have fun writing screwed up characters.  Forged in fire, and all that.

Whether or not I’m able to explore more of her family depends on how the first book goes, though… I want to write more in the world, so I’m hoping the things go well with BLADE SONG.  If it does, then I do have plans for more books, and we’ll learn more about Kit, yes…possibly more of her family.

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

It all depends on what people like to read…if people enjoy fairy tales and don’t mind romance, I’ve got a bastardized fairy tale series, Grimm’s Circle and the next book BLIND DESTINY will be out soon.  It’s a lot of action, a lot of twists on the fairy tales we know, and a lot of fun.  My next romantic suspense, STOLEN, is due out in October.  I’m not yet sure on things with the Colbana Series, though…too soon to tell.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).

Old favorites… only one?  SL Viehl’s ENDURANCE, from the Stardoc series.

As you can tell J.C. Daniels (aka Shiloh Walker) has quite a few different genre and series for the reader to choose from. I think that there is almost something for everyone there. I have only read Blade Song under her new pen name J. C. Daniels but I think that it will appeal to those who enjoy the paranormal genre. Shiloh has very nicely donated a copy of her newest novel Blood Blade for a Giveaway (Open Internationally). Thank you once again for being part of my Blogoversry and on a side note I completely agree with you about the SF genre, lol.

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Make sure to check out the other great Interviews & Giveaways that are happening right NOW!!!

Marcia Clark (USA Only)
Jennifer Estep (USA Only)
Trevor Shane (Open Internationally)

John Dodds (Open Internationally)
Amanda Bonilla (Open CAN/USA)
Angela Gerst (Open Internationally)