Christine James's Blog, page 9

Raw Interview Spotlight Info

Okay guys, so here is the deal.  I was talking with Dr. Church and he suggested that if any of the readers out there wanted to ask a few questions to the person in the interview, then we should allow it.  So, each week, after Dr. Church's interview, if you have a question you would like to ask, then post it in the comments section at the bottom of that page and we will see about getting some answers. :)



Have fun guys.



XoXo

Christine

Raw Interview Spotlight: Sable

It’s very nice to meet you,
Sable. I’m Dr. Branton Church. I hope you don’t mind the location. I assumed
you would feel more at ease in a bar than in my office.

 Eh,
I don't really care. I'm good wherever.





Excuse me for chuckling. I forgot
that you’re much more laidback than your associates. 



I
ain't really got anything to hide. I pretty much say it how it is. Best way to
be I guess.





I concur. Honesty doesn’t tend to
get a person in as much trouble. You, however, are an exception. From what I’ve
learned, it’s hard for you to stay out of it. Although I suspect fraternizing
with humans for as long as you have would explain some of your behavior.



The
only reason honesty gets people in trouble is because they don't really want to
hear the truth. I lived with diminished powers for so long it was easy to
forget what I was. Humans are interesting creatures.





Correct me if I’m wrong, but I
get the sense that you would willingly return to that life if given the option.
Do you not consider yourself above them, as most nephilim do?



No,
I don't. I've made my fair share of mistakes, just like the humans. I've
actually made mistakes worse than some humans have. I'm no better than they
are. We are all flawed creatures. In fact, more times than not since we all
went our separate ways, I actually forget that I have powers.





Let’s be honest, shall we? You’re
powers were stripped from you. You failed to protect someone you cared for and
lost your powers as a result. You then spent more than two centuries as little
more than a peon stuck in the dregs of humanity. Isn’t that the honest truth of
it, Sable?



Boy,
you don't mess around do you?



Ummm,
yeah. That's pretty much the gist of it. . . . At first I thought living as a
human would be the most horrible thing on Earth, and at first I wanted to die. But
the more I was around them the more I saw how they lived; completely oblivious
to the evils that I had to fight. Living as a near human was humbling because
if they could live without powers so could I.





That’s a much more enlightened
response than I would expect from most. It sounds as though it was quite a
learning experience for you. Do you feel a sort of responsibility to your kind
to share that enlightenment?



**laughing**
You don't live for 600+ years and not pick up a thing or two. As for
responsibility . . . not really. It's not my job to babysit the others. I will
help those who ask for it. People (the nephs) know who I am and know if they
need help they can come to me. I have a life—a life I rather enjoy now that I
can live it in peace.





But you do, in fact, take it upon
yourself to mentor and care for others. Angie and Josh are a prime example.
What makes them different than all the rest?



I
don’t really know. I haven't taken any in since then nor do I allow any to get
that close. There was just something about them that pulled at my heart. Right
off the bat I see these two tough kids watching out for each other, not really
knowing what was going on. There was just something special about them.



I'll
mentor if I need to or when the situation calls for it. Theirs called for it.





You grew quite close to the
siblings over time, didn’t you? Would you consider yourself a surrogate father?



More
or less. . . . They needed some sort of guidance and I felt like I was supposed
to take care of them.





You weren’t using them to fill a
void left by the one person you were supposed to protect? Let’s talk about her,
shall we?



Hmmmm,
you're good. . . . and yes I suppose I was trying to make up for her.





For someone touted as open and
forthcoming, that a considerably curt answer.



You
didn't directly ask me a question about her. You only implied that we should
talk about her in an off-handed question way.





Forgive me then. Sable, why did
you choose to take a human woman as your mate?



I
really didn’t “choose” anything. I’d discovered that she was being hunted by Daemon
because she was pregnant. I’m not exactly sure where I was at this point. . . .
I think it was when I was running an inn somewhere in Romania that no
longer exists today. She quite literally stumbled into the inn. She was so
frantic her mind was screaming a hundred different things. At first I was going
to turn her away, but the one word that stuck out to me was Daemon. I knew if
she knew who he was and what he was doing then she was his target.



She
couldn't have been more than 16 and was so scared. So I took her and we
vanished. Started new. I'd lived long enough that I could pretty much stay
hidden, but Daemon was ruthless and he found us in the Alps.
We'd managed to stay off his radar for five years



He
forced us to watch as he killed the child and then he forced me to watch as he
killed her.  Against my better judgment I’d
fallen in love with her. Once he was finished with her I begged him to kill me.
But he's sick. He slashed me across the face and stripped my powers; told me
that I would live with and remember everything that happened that day. I did
and I still do. Is that the answer you were looking for?!





I can understand how difficult
something like that is to endure. Did finding Angie and connecting with her the
way you did ease some of the rough edges off those memories?



It
did. It felt like I was getting a second chance, if you will, to make up for
where I'd failed. Though I never once thought of Angelica that way.





Let’s back up just for a moment. One
would think given your age and, shall we say, penchant for mentoring that you would be the more appropriate
leader of The Chosen Seven. Why did you defer
to Angelo to take on that role instead? Was it this sense of failure that kept
you from taking the reins?



Honestly,
yes it probably was. I'm a big dude, but I'm not afraid to admit when I can't
handle something. I didn't want that responsibility. Angelo had been charged
with finding and protecting Erin. None of us
really knew how big this thing was going to get. It was better that I stepped
aside when it came to fighting Daemon. It's likely that I wouldn't have been able
to see past all the hurt. So it made sense that Angel just took the reins. Plus,
I think he needed to feel that sense of purpose. He'd been through so much in
his centuries.





That worked out well for him,
didn’t it? What about your own current love life? It’s no secret that plenty of
women find you attractive. For that particular audience’s benefit, how would
you classify your romantic status at the moment?



Yes,
so it would seem.  I’ve had my fair share
of interests in the past. Live as long as I do and you tend to get an
"itch" every once in a while. My romantic status . . . well, single
at the moment, but always looking for that perfect lady.





I think your female fans will be
quite pleased to hear that. It sounds as though you’re content with your path as
of now. Have you felt the need to help your friends with their current
difficulties, or have you taken a hands-off approach? Specifically speaking, I
understand that you’re one of the few who have direct contact with Thaddeus.



I
haven't really taken a hands-off approach per se. I just believe folks’
business is their business. If I see things getting out of hand then I may say
my piece, but otherwise how are people going to learn to stand on their own two
feet?



And
yes, I do continue to talk to him. We’re old friends and there were really no
strains on us.





I’m interested, as is my
audience, in speaking with him. I’ve been told that you are the one to
facilitate such a meeting. That seems to be your role in this whole dynamic.
You are the go-between and supplier of all things. Would you be capable of
arranging a meeting with him?



I
can't speak for him, but I will get a hold of him and see. I can't make any
promises though.





Thank you very much, Sable. It
has been a pleasure speaking with you. Your reputation in the community isn’t
exaggerated at all. One last question before we conclude. Having lived through
the difficulties you have, how hard do you think Angie will find it now that
she’s facing equally high hurdles?



I
can’t speak for my Angelica. She's got a long road ahead of her. She's very
prideful and stubborn. She doesn't like to depend on anyone nor does she want
people to wait on her hand-and-foot. This isn't going to be easy on her one
bit, but she's strong and I've no doubt she'll survive it. **laughing** Hell
who knows, she may be stronger as a human than we will with all of our powers
combined.

Raw Interview

Dr. Branton Church will be doing a seven week article on The Chosen seven.  Each week there will be an in depth interview to help everyone get a peak inside and see how the Nephilim tick.  Okay that is all you will hear from me.



xoxo

Christine

















Hello, Angelo. Have a seat. You
can call me Branton or Brant. Whichever you’re comfortable with.

I'd
rather call you Dr. Church if it's all the same.





Dr. Church is fine, albeit a bit
formal. You’re not always so stiff and proper though, are you? Tell me about Erin. You’ve lost your cool with her quite frequently.

 I
don't see how that is really any of your concern.  What happens between Erin
and I is not relevant to this interview.



This is an in-depth look. How would
the piece be complete without the Nephilim you claim completes you? Or is the
relationship not as serious as the community has been led to believe? Has she
left you again? She does have a flair for indecisiveness. Some might even say
she’s a bit too wishy-washy and that you deserve better.

First
of all, if you want to continue this interview you WILL NOT speak ill of Erin again. She has saved this world more times than you
will ever know and she deserves the respect that carries. As for the rest of
your "question" Erin is/was young
and confused. She was told that she had to have these feelings and wasn't
supposed to have feelings for anyone else. She's not had the centuries to
adjust to her powers and feels as the rest of us have. I do not feel that I deserve
better because, in my honest opinion, there is no better than Erin.



So you do love her.

Of
course I love her.



You say that so as to imply it
should be obvious to any on-looker. However, it was you who broke the link
between you, not Erin. How did that feel? Was it easy at the time?

Tell
me something, Dr. Church. Would it be easy for you to break your leg and not
feel the pain? Of course it wasn't easy, and it hurt like hell. I had to make
that choice to make it fair for her. It was the single hardest decision I had
to make in my entire existence, but it had to be done. She needed to figure out
her feelings for me, but she couldn't do that if she were linked to me.



Let’s change direction for a
moment, shall we? Tell me about your friendship with Blaze.

Blaze
has had my back from day one. Like any other friendship it has its ups and
downs, but we've made it through. He is still young by our standards and I've
had the chance to watch him grow into a pretty amazing man.



You speak of him like a proud
father would a son. In my estimation, you could have easily persuaded him into
giving up on Angie, yet you fought alongside him to save her. That can’t have
been an easy decision. Why didn’t you think killing her sooner, and therefore
getting rid of the evil within, was a better option?

Because,
in a sense, we are all family. I probably could have persuaded him to give up,
but it wasn't my place. It was his decision to make and I supported him. I've
known Angie for a long while, and I also saw the hope in his eyes. It was that
hope that helped him fight. If he had given up that hope, we were doomed to
fail.



Does it burden you to be the
father-figure to your “family”? That must carry an enormous sense of
responsibility. Do you ever feel like stepping aside, letting others take your
place?

No,
it's not a burden at all. It does have a certain amount of responsibility. As
for stepping aside, sure, what leader doesn't want to step aside every now and
then and let someone else take charge? If someone wanted to take on that part I
would let them. I'm not hungry for power.



Consider for a moment that you
are able to step aside. Now that the “epic battle” has been fought and won,
what kind of position would you rather have, were someone else to take your
place?

I
never really wanted the position in the first place. It was appointed to me
from the beginning. . . . I'd be content to be just me. I don't know, take up a
hobby or something. Fight when needed, but otherwise try to live my life as
normally as possible. . . .



And normal to a Nephilim would be
. . . ?

You
know as well as I do that Nephilim can blend in and live normal lives. Just
because the seven of us are a little more . . . ah . . . gifted, doesn't mean
we can't be normal. Go to movies, buy a house, read a book . . . things like
that.



Is Erin
in this “normal” picture as well? Does she share the same aspirations?

She's
involved in my picture. She never wanted this life. Before she was dragged into
it she was taking college classes. As for her aspirations, well, you're going
to have to ask her that. I can't speak for her.



One last thing before I let you
go, Angelo. It’s no secret that your friendship with Thaddeus was irretrievably
broken with his betrayal. If he were sitting in front of you right now, as we
are, what would you say to him?

What's
done is done. There is no need to bring up what  I could have, would have, should have said
because it does nothing but sate your need for a juicy story. It most certainly
won't fix what happened between Thad and myself. We've said our piece to one
another and it's done. And yes, the old friendship was broken beyond repair,
but I'm not saying that in the future a new one could not be formed.



So you’ve had contact. I was
under the impression that he had gone into hiding since giving up Erin.

He
didn’t go into hiding. We've talked briefly, but no, I do not know where he
is.  Sable is the only one that knows
that.



Then perhaps I should speak with
him next. Thank you very much for your time, Angelo. It was truly enlightening.

Thank
you.

Blaze

Erin and her freaking brilliant ideas.  I don’t know what made her think this is a
good idea for me, I tend to have an attention span of a two year old, or so she
seems to feel the need to tell me all the time. 
My mind wanders from one thing to another, and I have no clue about
proper grammar and stuff, so this may be fun.

Angie’s been so quiet lately.  I don’t know what to do.  I try to help her- be there for her- but
nothing seems to help.  It’s been five
months since I got her back, and at first, well I thought she was going to be back
to herself.  MY ANGIE., but now I’m not
so sure if I will ever get MY Angie back.  I don’t know what to do.  She keeps to herself on most days, and when
we go out with Josh and Lucy, or Angelo and Erin, she seems to withdraw
further.  Some days are better than
others but it seems like the only time we are connecting is when we are having
sex.   (which is still crazy good, man that girl is flexible)

But the sex isn’t the cure. 
She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and crying out.  I recognize some of the names, but there are
others I don’t, and when I asked her about them she refuses to tell me.  Those nights are especially rough, because
all she does is cry.  Sometimes she’ll
let me hold her, but most of the time she turns her back to me.  It’s in those moments I have no clue what to
do.  I don’t like leaving her alone at
nights, but sometimes I don’t have much of a choice.  We have to do routine runs for supplies or
take care of a few straggler demons. 
Even though she doesn’t go out and fight those demons, I think she is
fighting her own kind of demon.

In the evenings I will fly her to the top of the volcano and
she will just sit for hours, staring out at the ocean.  Part of me wonders if she is going to jump
and it scares me.  I’m scared she can’t
handle being a human.  She has no powers
and it’s devastating her.  I will admit,
however, she’s still one hell of a fighter and she’s gotten the best of me a
few times.  I’d honestly hate to see her
if she did have powers.  Holy crap.

That day, five months ago, was the worst and best day of my
entire life.  When that crazy Ira bitch
left Angie’s brain I saw it, the clarity and the love in her eyes, and in that
moment, she was my Angie again.  Then I
lost her.  I wish there was some way I
could make people understand how I felt in that moment, but then I really think
about it and realize I wouldn’t want anyone to feel that pain.

I swear if I had hair I would pull it out.  Erin has been helpful and the two of them
have begun to mend their friendship. 
That was a relief. 

Erin has been there for me more than anyone.  I can count on her advice.  When we’d had our ‘special time’ together
back on our island, in that moment, I wished I could love her like I needed
too.  It probably would have been so much
easier… well then again… probably not.  She
seems to understand what I’m going through. 
She talks to me a lot too.  Says
things between her and Angelo aren’t the greatest.  I’m not exactly sure what all is going on
with them.  Erin’s hinted at some trust
issues, and honestly I don’t blame Angelo one bit. But, if their love can’t
survive all the shit that they’d been through, well, there’s no hope for us.

Their relationship isn’t the only one that still needs a
little fixin.  Angelo and I have come a
long way, but what I did to him- what me and Erin did to him- will take some
time.  I know she and I were just lonely
and trying to figure crap out, but it still hurt him, and as bad as I hate to
admit it, a small part of me wanted him to hurt.  I know that’s terrible of me, but damn
it.  He was always in so much control,
and so damn perfect I just wanted to see if anything could get through that
armor of his.  Well, Thad proved Angelo’s
armor could be torn to shreds. 

I haven’t heard from Thad since he left.  None of us have.  I hope he is okay.

Here it is

Okay guys... I hope you like it. :-)



Also a little disclaimer... this teaser is subject to change because it is a work in process...











AND. . .












            The alley
was dark but she didn’t care.  She leaned
heavily against the cold brick wall and tried to control her shaking.  There had only been a few instances she’d
ever been so mad in her life, and this was one of them.  The nerve of a near stranger talking to her
like she was a common whore was beyond maddening.  She closed her eyes and tilted her head back
against the wall.  Slowly she began to
count, and with each number, her body began to relax and her fury begin to
recede.

. . . She’d lost track of how long she had been in the alley,
but when she opened her eyes something felt off.  The tiny hairs on the back of her neck began
to stand on end.

. . . At the end of the alley, a large form stepped into
view, launching her heart into her throat. Her hand fumbled behind her for the
door knob, but to her dismay it was locked. 
She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out in frustration.  Her eyes darted around, trying to find a
quick escape.  There was only one other
way out of the alley, and that was the way the stranger was coming from.  She was trapped and the only thing left for
her to do was fight. 




*  
*   *




            When Jerrick
looked up, Kyra’s friend was staring accusingly down at him from the side of
the table.  He assumed she was the one
appointed to take his order.  He looked
over her shoulder searching for Kyra but didn’t see her.  Tiny alarm bells sounded in his head.

            “Where’s
Kyra?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. 
His eyes began to search the room. 


            “What in the
hell did you say to her,” Alexa demanded.

            “Nothing.  Where is she?” he pressed.

            “She’s on
break out back.  What did you say?” she
snapped.

            “Out back?”

            “Yeah, she
probably went outside to take a beather because apparently you really
pissed her the hell off.”

            Jerrick
pushed away from his seat and moved past Alexa, bumping into her on his way.

            “Excuse you,”
she muttered.

            Casually but
quickly, he made his way to the front entrance. 
It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to use his speed and
run from the room.  As he reached the
front door and walked into the chilly night, he prayed that nothing had
happened to her.  He would never forgive
himself.

            As he made
his way down the sidewalk toward the corner of the building, an ear splitting
scream tore through the night.  His heart
plummeted as he bolted, full speed, toward the alley.  At this point he didn’t care if the humans
saw him.  His only concern was to get to
Kyra, and if she made it out alive, he would apologize until the end of time.




*  
*   *




            Kyra didn’t
know where her strength came from but she used it.  The man lunged for her, but she side-stepped
him easily and bolted down the alley. 
She didn’t make it three steps before a strong arm surrounded her waist
and dragged her back.  How in the hell
had he moved so quickly? 

            As he pulled
her back, she dug her heels into the pavement, trying to make it as difficult
as she could on him.  He was easily three
times her size, so she stood little or no chance of beating him.  That thought made her fight harder, but he
moved her as if she weighed no more than a bag of flour.

            “Kiernan wants to see you,” he whispered harshly in her
ear.  The overwhelming stench of rotting
flesh made bile rise in her throat. 

            “Kiernan?”  A feeling of déjà vu settled over her.  Where had she heard that before?  It didn’t matter.  She didn’t have time to ponder the
weirdness.  She needed to get free from
this goon and whatever “Kiernan” had planned for her.

            Leaning
forward and then throwing her head back as hard as she could, she smashed the
guy’s nose.  He cursed violently and
loosened his grip enough for her to twist away. 
The toe of her boot caught on a pothole and she pitched forward, landing
hard on her hands and knees, sending bone jarring pain through her body.  As she tried to regain her footing, a large
hand closed around her ankle.  She cried
out as the bones crunched beneath his grasp.

            Pain
threatened to envelope her, but she refused to let it.  Instead, she got mad, allowing the anger to
burn through her and the pain vanished. 
She rolled onto her back and planted a foot in his midsection.  He released a loud grunt and lost his balance
long enough for Kyra to climb to her feet. 
When he rushed her again, she was ready for him.

The first punch she landed between his eyes hurt her hand,
but the surge of adrenaline made her quickly forget it as she leaped up on the
dumpster with an agility that surprised even her.  She felt alive and so . . . strong!  The man grabbed at her ankle again, but she
stepped back.

            “I don’t
think so,” she said, stomping in his face with the bottom of her foot.  The loud crunching of his cheek bone should
have made her sick, but it didn’t.  It
made her want to hurt him more. 

            “You little
bitch,” he howled.

            She flipped
over his head and landed easily on the ground behind him.  The urge to kill surged through her like hot
lava.  She leapt onto his back and
wrapped her arm around his neck, and her legs around his thick waist.  She was crushing his windpipe beneath her
forearm, but it didn’t seem to phase him as he kept flailing and trying to get
her off his back.

            Throwing
himself backward, he rammed her into a wall, knocking the wind from her
lungs.  She lost her grip and slid from
his back.  He turned and clasped her by
the throat, lifting her completely from the ground.

            “Andreas wants
you alive, but he didn’t say you had to be in one piece.”  The moon shifted from behind the clouds and
she watched in horror as his lips curled back and his incisors elongated into
fangs.

            “Vampire?”
she hissed.  Somehow this didn’t surprise
her.  It was like it was something she
already knew.

            He lunged
for her neck but she jabbed him in the eye. 
She pushed her thumb as deep as it would go and felt it give with a
slight pop.  Then a breeze shifted and
the smell of blood reached her.  She lost
her grip on his face and looked down at her other hand.          His
dark blood dripped onto her shirt.  The
smell alone was enticing.  Her mouth
began to water and she felt something sharp press against her lip.

She traced the sharp point with her tongue, but had little
time to think about what was happening. 
As the scent of blood grew stronger, her head grew lighter.  She let out a feral scream and launched
herself at the man.  Everything went
black.




            When Jerrick
rounded the corner to the alley, he skidded to a stop.  Nothing could have prepared him for what he
saw.  Kyra was crouched low, tearing away
part of the man’s neck with her teeth. 
She sensed him watching and her head snapped up; she let loose a low
growl and crouched lower over her kill.

            He felt as
if he’d been punched in the gut.  Kyra
was a vampire?  He watched, never taking
his eyes off her as he reached for his phone. 
He pressed the speed dial and Ren answered after the second ring.

            “Yo, yo, yo.
What’s up dog?”

            “We have a
problem,” he said quietly. “I need you and Ericka down at the bar.  Now!”

            “What’s
wrong?”

            Jerrick
heard him tell Ericka and then sounds of moving around.  Seconds later a door closed.  “Just get to the alley beside the bar.  Bring your weapons and whatever you do, be
quiet.”







*******DON'T WORRY this isn't just another vampire book...  I promise....**** 



Thanks for looking guys... Also, the release date for UnderCity is still up in the air, but I am hoping to have it finished and ready for purchase by the end of March, early April.  

Friday

Friday I will be revealing the cover and title of my new book! I am stoked for you guys to see this! 





Also, I just want to take the time and say Thank You to everyone who has purchased any one of my books.  The support and kind words you have given me has been amazing.  When I decided to publish, I never thought they would have been accepted as well as they have been. 



Tell your friends and family.  I'm currently trying to come up with a few contests and giveaways for the new book(s).  You guys are so awesome.



xoxo

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year...

Hey guys,



I just wanted to drop in and let ya know I'm still here lol.  I've been crazy busy with the holidays, as I'm sure most everyone has been...  But now with all the holidays behind me, hopefully, I will be able to focus on my new book.  I am currently at the halfway point and am hoping that i will have it completely written and to my editor by mid Feb for a March release. (HOPEFULLY)  I finally got a new computer and that is really helping things move along as well.



I know I keep saying I'm going to release the title soon, and believe me I am, I'm just waiting for a few other surprises to go with it!!! :-)  So hang tight!!!!



I know it's a little late but i want to wish everyone a HAPPY and very BLESSED New Year.  I hope all your dreams, hopes, and aspirations come true.



xoxo

Christine



P.s.... A visitor to the Nephilim Diaries may be popping up soon, so stay tuned....

New Title release soon...

Hey guys, sorry I've not been getting around to the blog-o-sphere much lately.  The holidays really pinch my writing time. I've also got some other projects going as well.  But anyhow.  I'm really excited to be working on this new book. (when i get the chance)  It will be released early 2013. . . 



I'm still not revealing the title as of yet though... I want to keep you guessing :-) Hopefully, you will all fall in love with these characters!  I have!!!!  SO, stay tuned and keep checking back to catch a peak of what is to come... You never know.... Maybe, just MAYBE, there will be a little sneak peak of the story....



Stop by and visit me on facebook anytime... :-)



xoxo

Christine

HERE THEY ARE!!!!!

okay GUYS... HERE THEY ARE... The brand new covers for THE CHOSEN SERIES !!!! What do you think??? We may be making some more changes in the future, but as of right now, this is what we've got.






















Special thanks to my cover designer, Brandon, for the amazing work and putting up with my indecisiveness! Your Rock. :-) 

Thank you everyone, past and present, who has worked on this series with me; The original cover art designers, and idea makers, Babs!!! ;-) 


 

Leave comments and tell me what you think.!!!!

Covere Reveal!!!!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!! The new covers are finished and ready to be uncovered tomorrow!!!! :-) check back in to be the first to see them :D



Also... Today is the LAST day to get Heat and Murder for only $.99 . . . . . . so go get your copy... :-)



x o x o

Christine