Since then, I've devoured her Gardella series, and now that she's created a new pen name, Joss Ware, I've become equally enamored with this creative, unique universe she's built for us to play in (though it's nice to know we can go home at any time LOL).

When Colleen/Joss agreed to let me interview her, I was thrilled. She's definitely one of the most fascinating authors out there, and I always want to know what she's working on. Plus, if you follow her on Facebook, you know she can turn a simple visit to the coffee shop into the most fun experience.

So here we go, this is my time with the rockin' Colleen Gleason/Joss Ware force of nature....

S~ You first came on the scene with your delightful Gardella vampire series, under the name Colleen Gleason. Any plans to have more Gardella stories, perhaps a spinoff? (I always liked the idea of a modern-day storyline set in the U.S.)

C/J: I would like to do more Gardellas in the future, if it makes sense. Obviously, as those who have read the Victoria series know, there is an opportunity for future books based on how that series ends. I'd also love to do a mini-series about one of Victoria's predecessors (who are mentioned in the other books--Catherine or Rosamunde).

But right now, I'm really busy with the Joss Ware series and also a new historical vampire series coming in 2011 from MIRA that I literally don't know when I'd get to another Gardella.

S~ I love the idea that the brilliant Joss Whedon inspired your Ware pen name, and what an inspiration he was for the Gardella series. What other writers have inspired your work?

C/J: I've always loved Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters for her combination of romance and suspense/paranormal--in particular, her mastery of subtlety. I think that's why the love triangle in the Gardella series (and hopefully the one that is beginning to evolve in the Joss Ware series) seemed to be so successful with readers.

S~ I am completely taken by the world of Envy, and how you've created it. How many books do you see writing about it?

C/J: Well, as of right now, I'm contracted through book 6, which I'm delighted about. I feel as though I could write more than 6, but I had originally planned for only 6...so it depends on the publisher and how I feel after the last book. I certainly am comfortable with expanding the "world" and characters and the storyline...there's so much I could do with it!

At the same time, like the Gardellas, I don't want to get into a situation where I feel as if the series has played itself out and is simply being continued for the sake of continuation. I feel like I ended the Gardellas in the right place--before it jumped the shark, so to speak. With the Envy books, there is a larger cast of characters, so I feel as if I could go further without getting into that potential rut.

S~ When you have a few minutes of free time, what do you find yourself reading: books similar to the genre you're writing in or something completely differerent? What are you reading right now?

C/J: I must confess that I rarely read in my genre. It's just a "thing" about me. I prefer to be blissfully ignorant of the other worlds and mythoses (is that a word?) in my genre so that I know that anything I do comes from my brain and isn't the result of leakage or influence from other works.

I like to read mysteries, historical romance, and contemporaries. Right now I'm reading Nora's SAVOR THE MOMENT. I just finished Kylie Brant's WAKING DEAD, and plan to read something by Liz Carlyle next.

S~ You also have written some erotic takes on classic tales under the name Colette Gale. Any upcoming stories you can share with us? What inspired you to write about these particular stories?

I wrote three books as Colette Gale, and I loved every single one of them because they were TOUGH to write. When I write erotica, I like to have lots of erotic scenes in them--pretty much in every chapter--or I feel like as a reader, if it's labeled erotica, that I've been cheated. :-)

The first book is the story of The Phantom of the Opera, based on the Webber play/movie--and explains why Christine didn't end up with the Phantom. (At least, in the movie. In my book, she does.)

The second book I did was MASTER, which is an erotic version of The Count of Monte Cristo. That book, unlike Phantom, follows Dumas's original story quite faithfully--but tells it from the perspective of Mercedes and Dantes, and all the things that happened behind the scenes. (wink, wink) Only the ending is different, because I couldn't stomach Dantes going off with Haydee, who was a girl half his age.

And the latest book came out in May of 2009, and it's for those who loved the BBC Robin Hood (before the horrible ending of Season Two). It's called BOUND BY HONOR and it develops the love triangle between Robin Hood, Nottingham and Maid Marian.

At their cores, all three of the Gale books are love stories--but they are stories whose romantic development is told chiefly through sex scenes. I love them all, but I don't have any plans to write a fourth one. They are a *lot* of work for me!

S~ What are the challenges in writing that keep you motivated? What do you love most about the writing process?

C/J: The things I love most about the writing process is starting a new project (oh, joy!!) and typing THE END at the end of it. LOL. The process for me is usually push and pull...sometimes it flows really well, and sometimes it's like yanking teeth.

But the thing I love about the process is getting into characters' heads, learning about new things, and torturing my heroes. Love to torture my heroes.

Motivation comes from the simple fact that there is no other job in the world I'd rather be doing, so in order to keep this one, I have to actually do it!

S~ What's the most interesting type of research you've ever done for a story? Have you ever visited any of the locations that you've written about?

C/J: I've never been to Italy, despite the fact that one and a half Gardella books take place there (but I am finally getting the chance to go in October!), but I've been to the UK. I've also been to Las Vegas for the Envy books.

As far as interesting research…one of the things that I found fascinating was when I was doing research for the third Gardella book, The Bleeding Dusk. There’s a “Door of Alchemy” in the book, and I learned about this actual portal when I was looking into interesting facts about 19th century Rome. The door as it’s portrayed in Dusk is an actual piece of architecture, and except for the vampire aspect, its legend and description are true

S~ What might people be surprised to learn about you?

C/J: That I don’t read vampire novels. ;-)

S~ What are some of the things you are passionate about?

C/J: Food. Reading. Politics (but let’s not go there here). My children and husband.

S~ Do you tend to play music when you write? Does it change based on what story you're writing? What should people be listening to right now?

C/J: I do play music while I’m writing; often to drown out whatever’s going on around me. I write quite often in public places, and when I do that, I usually wear foam earplugs and put my headset on over them, and then play music.

I listen to a lot of things over and over so that it tends to become more like white noise. I like the Harry Potter soundtracks for that, and I also listen to some chant-like music as well. Sometimes I do listen to rock and roll or pop, but not very often. I’m not really listening as much as creating white noise.

*****

So that is just a taste of my time spent with C/J. Part 2 will be up later today, and I'll finish the interview tomorrow morning. This will be topped off with a contest to win the first 3 Awakening Heroes books! Be warned, it's a bit more of a challenge, but nothing you guys can't handle :)

Labels: author interviews, Colleen Gleason, Joss Ware

Hey my peeps, starting tomorrow, stay tuned for a fun 3-part interview I did with one of the nicest and most creative people I've had the pleasure to meet, paranormal author Joss Ware.

And later, I'll be hosting a contest to win copies of her first 3 books in the Awakening Heroes series. So if you haven't read them yet, now is your chance.

Labels: Joss Ware

Here's Beth Kery, author of one of my top favorite erotic romances of all time: Wicked Burn. She's so sweet, and much prettier than my blurry photo-taking skills would indicate. In my defense, I was using my phone to take the pictures, and it's not the best quality. But take my word for it, Beth is adorable.

It was a most fun Saturday, and I also got to meet some Twitter friends, like Colleen. Julie's adorable son Jackson was there, but I missed the opportunity to meet the brilliant Mr. James. Perhaps another time. I also missed seeing my pal Dani again. I got there around 3:30 and stayed the whole time. I figured if I'm going to drive into the city I'm going to make the most of it.

After the signing, we headed across the street to the Webster Wine Bar. (I did take a picture, but it was so dark in there it's hard to see after I downloaded it). I talked to Julie a little bit about her next book - her heroine owns a wine store and Julie did extensive, um, research for the book, which has now prompted me to find out more about wine. I never really cared all that much before, but it turns out Illinois has some decent wineries, plus I checked online and there are a gazillion wine-tasting events around the city and suburbs, some of them even free. So I think I'll be brushing up on my wine knowledge.

Shiloh's hubby was also in attendance. Gotta give the guy credit for listening to our chatter. He didn't talk much but you can just tell he's got some interesting thoughts and opinions, judging but the look on his face LOL. I'm sure being married to an author, he's heard it all.

Got exciting news from Joss: she's working on book #4! I won't give anything away, but I'm thrilled to pieces. It's going to also reveal a lot about another character who will be getting a story later on, and I can't wait for his story. It's going to be a doozy, I'm sure. And in Colleen Gleason news, she's got a new vampire series she's working on, so I'm tres excited about that. Keep those books coming, Joss/Colleen!

In other news, I have a interview with Beth to post, which will probably go up sometime this week. I'm looking forward to that. She was very patient with me, as I tend to ask really confusing questions, but I think we worked it all out.

So as you can see, I had a GREAT time. These ladies are 4 of my favorite authors, all auto-buys for me. And I'm looking forward to seeing them again later in the year for other signings. There's the Chicago Spring Fling, which I'll be attending, as well as the Lori Foster get-together, and RWA. It's going to be a fabulous year :)

Labels: Beth Kery, booksignings, Joss Ware, Julie James, Shiloh Walker

Labels: Joss Ware

A man with no future . . .

When Dr. Elliott Drake wakes from a mysterious fifty-year sleep, the world as he knew it is gone. Cities are now desolate, and civilization is controlled by deadly immortals. Stranger still is Elliott's extraordinary new "gift"--he has the power to heal, but it comes with fatal consequences.

A woman with a past . . .

Jade barely escaped the immortals and is now hell-bent on revenge. She trusts no one . . . until Elliott. His piercing gaze and tempting touch shatter her defenses, but the handsome doctor seems to have dangerous secrets of his own. Is it safe to trust him with her heart?

If they are to survive in this dark new world, Jade and Elliott must work together to fight the forces that take them beyond danger.

Beyond desire.

I somehow managed to score an ARC of this book (it magically appeared in my mailbox) and I was jumping for joy. Thanx to Kati, I became a huge fan of Colleen Gleason's Gardella series, so when I heard (probably from Kati *g*) that she was going to be writing a new series under a new name, Joss Ware, I had to know more.

This book is sufficiently grim and creepy in the sense that the world essentially "ended" 50 years ago and what's left is nothing but mass destruction and perhaps a few thousand people. There are no movie theatres, no iPhones (sob!), or Starbucks. The cities have crumbled, and what's left over are rundown hotels, rusted and useless vehicles, and the bare essentials. Most of the people living were not around at the time of "the Change", so they don't know what life was like back in 2010. But Lou Waxnicki knows, and so does Dr. Elliott Drake, who along with some of his buddies are the few remaining survivors. In the six months since they've woken from their Rip Van Winkle nap, these men have tried coming to terms with no longer having the modern conveniences and carefree lifestyles they once knew. Even Elliott, as a doctor, doesn't have access to the medical supplies and equipment that was such an integral part of his profession. Things are different now.

One night the men come across a group of teenagers who are being attacked by gangas, or zombies. They are flesh-eating creatures who only come out at night, who moan incoherently and reek something awful. Though not very coordinated and unable to climb without the benefit of stairs, they are also massive creatures with glowing orange eyes and sharp teeth and claws, and they crave human flesh like nobody's business. The only way to kill a ganga is to destroy their brains. (Braaaaiiiinnnssss!) Just thinking about these smelly, vile creatures is enough to give me nightmares.

Anyway, during the attack, Elliott and the men encounter Jade, a beautiful woman who comes riding in on a horse to save the day. After the attack, Elliott realizes she's been injured, and he attends to her wounds, only to discover his gift of healing has some serious side effects.

Elliott and the other guys, along with the rescued teens, make their way back to Envy, where a community of humans now make their home in a broken-down Las Vegas hotel. Elliott learns about the Strangers, a group of immortals who seek to control the humans, and more about the mysterious gangas. The humans are secretly trying to find a way to defeat the Strangers, and use covert technology and the skills of two of the original survivors to carry out their plan. Working together with Jade and this misfit group of rebels, Elliott begins to realize that this is now his life, and it's incredibly overwhelming. He tries to deal with the reprecussions of his gift, and his growing feelings for a secretive woman who seems to have every man falling at her feet, and manage not to get killed in the process....

My thoughts:

This book sorta reminded me of the movie 2012, when the world turns against itself and starts self-destructing. Only in this instance, the destruction was not the result of Mother Nature, but by a deadly group of immortals who have definite plans for the humans. Some modern conveniences still exist, and I found it amusing at all the references to the pop culture of 2010 or earlier. There are no new CD's from current rock bands anymore, no DVD's. It was rather depressing to think about that. But the people who survived and who were born after the Change didn't have any choice. This is what their world was now, and they had to come to terms with it, which I think they did admirably well, especially the guys who'd been "sleeping" for fifty years.

It also reminded me of the Resident Evil movies too, because of the gangas. These creatures are controlled by the immortals, and they are many, monstrous, and constantly craving the flesh of humans. Their one weakness, other than dying by destroying their brains, seems to be bright light, so they only come out at night. I think zombies are the creepiest of creatures, and definitely not sexy at all, so this would definitely top the list as one of my nightmares.

I don't watch "Lost", nor have I see "I Am Legend" but I'm sure the premise was inspired by the t.v. show & movie (yes, actually after visiting Joss' website I see that it is) but this series is different enough you don't feel like you're reading an exact take of either of those two storylines.

I liked Elliott and Jade very much, and it was completely believable that these two people would fall in love with each other in only a matter of days. Life is different now, harder to hold onto, so everything is more intense, more focused. The little things that held people back don't exist anymore. The chances of surviving in this brave, new world are not as high, especially now that Elliott has used his gift several times and the danger becomes greater everytime.

I felt sad at the loss of the "old" world. I cannot imagine living without the modern conveniences of today, and it must have been unbearable for Elliott and his buddies to wake up to such destruction and waste, their loved ones gone, their security vanished. I am dying to know more about how the other characters have dealt with these abrupt and jarring changes since they awoke, and I hope Ms. Ware will address it in future books, especially since there are more characters I want to find out about.

I remember seeing a brief review about this series stating that they (the reviewer) weren't sure there was enough of a backstory to continue the series. However I don't see it that way at all. There are still so many unanswered questions I have; about Elliott's abilities, about Lou Waxnicki and his brother Theo, about all that happened 50 years ago and in between.

So if you like stories set in a post-apocalyptic world and loved the Gardella series, then you definitely have to read these books! I was on the edge of my seat reading this book, because Ms. Ware doesn't not shrink away from those difficult decisions. This world is not cushy and safe, and sometimes innocent people get hurt. There's not always a knight in shining armor charging in just in time to save the day. The book is not overly violent, but it doesn't shy away from it, which is extremely believable within the frame of the story, and I can appreciate that.

The one complaint that immediately comes to mind is that I wish there would have been more "on air" time with Preston, because he was a true villain and though we get an idea of what he's capable of, it would have been a little edgier to have him make more of an appearance. Other than that, this book kept me interested right from page one, and the more I discovered, the more I wanted to know. I'm completely hooked. And if that weren't reason enough to love it, Ms. Ware manages to throw in a few wildly sexy scenes to satisfy the romance lover in us all. And they totally fit in with what's happening in that story at that given time No sexxin' while the gangas are chasing after them. Smart characters, are Elliott and Jade. Gotta love that.

Rating: ****1/2 out of *****

Labels: Joss Ware, reviews