Welcome to the Crossroads Tour!

Welcome to day 1 of the AMAZING Crossroads tour!  I LOVE participating in this tour each  year.  We always feature fantastic books and their authors and it never fails that people tell me they were introduced to a book they love because of this tour!  Today I'm introducing you to authors Christine Fonseca and Lucienne Diver!  Take a look.

Interview with Christine Fonseca – Compass Press – Transcend, Libera Me

#1 – I read Transcend is inspired by Phantom of the Opera… so why Phantom of the Opera?

I am a HUGE Phantom fan – both of the book and the musical. Phantom is just such a deep and complex character. And the musical is amazing – the lyrics and the music. So, yea…huge Phantom fan!

#2 – What can you tell us about Transcend to whet our appetites?

Transcend follows the story of Ien Montgomery, a 17-yr-old musical prodigy as he wrestles with a destiny filled with expectations from is well-to-do family, a destiny he desperately wants to escape, no matter the cost. And yes, there is love…and madness. It is a psychological thriller unlike anything I’ve seen on the market recently.

#3 – Your Requiem series looks great!  How many books will be in the series?

Thanks! I love this series. There are three full length novels – LACRIMOSA, LIBERA ME, and DOMINUS (coming Spring 2013), as well as 3 shorts – Dies Irae, Mea Culpa, and a special “readers-choice” short coming in the winter (more on that next month). Plus, there just may be a special spin-off series in the future. A spin-off short appears in the Winter Wonders Anthology releasing in December.

#4 – What is your favorite Halloween candy?

OOhhh….that is a hard one. I am a hard-core dark chocolate fan. So, maybe Mounds. Or York Peppermint Patties. Of course, you can’t go wrong with Candy Corn. LOL

Interview with Lucienne Diver - Flux – Vamped, Revamped, Fangtasic, Fangtabulous

#1 – LOVE your books!  How many books will be in the Vamped series?

Oh thank you!  Right now, only the first four are planned.  Three are out (Vamped, Revamped and Fangtastic).  The fourth, Fangtabulous, releases in January 2013.  Although, if the series becomes wildly successful (oh please, please, please), I could happily write umpteen million adventures with these characters.  I adore them.

#2 – What is your favorite part about writing the books?  Gina is so fun!

My favorite part is coming up with something in each book that throws Gina wildly out of her comfort zone.  She’s such a fashionista that I love to force her into the goth scene or other settings where she has to blend in, when she’d really rather stand out.  It’s also a blast to watch her grow over the course of the series.  That sounds odd, “watch her,” as though I have nothing to do with it, but it makes sense, because Gina is the bossiest character I’ve ever written, and I really do feel like she’s developed herself and I’ve just been along for the ride.

#3 – Can you give us a sneak peek of what is to come?

Absolutely!  The next book, Fangtabulous, takes the gang to Salem, Massachussetts, to my mind the most haunted town in America.  Here’s Gina’s “Introduction” with her boyfriend Bobby’s notes below.

A brief and bloody or fair and fabulous or short and stylish…history of Salem, Massachusetts:

Everyone knows that Salem, Massachusetts was, if not founded, then at least overrun by a sect of colorblind cultists* who had never seen a single episode of Project Runway or What Not to Wear.  And that a batch of bad bread or boredom led to some young girls cavorting around like they were in the throes of Bieber-mania and blaming it on women (mostly) they claimed consorted with the devil.  Really, these women had the audacity to be different or to tick off one of the girls.  One was even, wait for it, known to wear red**.  That’s right, the Salem witch trials claim fame for one of the first true fashion victims.

By the time the ghoulish girls finally accused just the wrong person and lost their approval rating, twenty people had been put to death on their say-so alone and almost that many more had died or gone mad in prison.

Oh, yeah, a lot of other historical stuff went on in and around Salem too, like international trade on the tall ships, which led to America’s first millionaire long before anyone thought to ask who wanted to marry one and to televise the answer.  Nathaniel Hawthorne, who you reader-types might know for stuff like The Scarlet Letter and “Young Goodman Brown,” but who I remember best for a horrifying story we had to read back in the eighth grade where a woman’s psycho husband performs surgery to remove her one imperfection and ends up killing her instead.  Like perfection and woman couldn’t survive together on this earth or some sexist thing.  (“The Birthmark,” in case you’re wondering.) 

But now?  Modern day Salem?  One of the most haunted places in America and somewhere, we hoped, where a few vampires, a mad scientist and a reformed Fed with a touch of magical mojo could blend in without drawing too much attention.  As it turns out, we were wrong.  But it wasn’t our fault.  Really….

Bobby’s notes:

*The Puritans were not colorblind, but were—how should I say it?—ascetics.  (Gina’s giving me a huh look, so let me try again…if it looked good or felt good, it was probably a sin.)

** This was Bridget Bishop, first person put to death in the trials.  Not only did she have red hair and clothing, she was said to drink and was known to play that morally bankrupt game of shuffleboard, still beloved of the sea-worthy over-sixty-set.

#4 – Favorite Halloween movie?

Oh man, that’s tough!  I think it would have to be Scream.  I love how it’s both a great story in its own right and one that pokes fun at all the horror film tropes!  It works as satire =and= horror.

Thank you to Lucienne and Christine for visiting my blog!  Make sure you participate in hunt because you could win a Kindle pre-loaded with a book from each author participating in the tour!  For more details go to Judith Grave's blog HERE. 

Be sure to join us for a LIVE twitter chat hosted by Mundie Moms on Monday October 29th from 8-9 CST/ 9-10 EST

For more information about Lucienne Diver and to purchase her books, please visit her website HERE

For more information about Christine Fonseca and to purchase her books, please visit her website HERE