New Release! Other Than by Mia Celeste
I’m so excited and beyond psyched to share with you a brand spankin’ new release by debut author Mia Celeste! Mia is one of my favorite writer people in the world, a lovely person and brilliant writer. Today, I’m sharing an interview with Mia, who was kind enough to answer all my snoopy questions, as well as an excerpt, and my review of Other Than. Isn’t the cover fabulous?
Gaslamp Fantasy/ Paranormal Historical Romance
It only takes one drink from the Water of Immortality to kill Evie Woods—halfway. Trapped in undead flesh, the world’s last skin-slider wakens on an island purgatory where a cursed spring bubbles with immortality, and zombie cannibals crave living flesh.
Her only hope of escape rests in the hands of the one man who would see her fail. Bound to her by cords stronger than death, Lord Victor Lowell is both the man of her dreams, and her darkest nightmares. Contrary and intractable, Victor preys on others to maintain his angelic charisma and preternatural prowess. Drawn to the compellingly gallant and vulnerable soul behind his mercurial humors, Evie can only watch as protecting her forces Victor to sacrifice yet more of himself to the ancient evil long tethered to his soul.
Trapped in an ever escalating war they can’t stop, Victor and Evie fight time for a cure, but as the long days pass blackness tears at Evie, ripping her thoughts from her one memory at a time. Victor will to do whatever it takes to prevent her from deteriorating into a rotting husk, even if it means dooming himself, but Evie won’t surrender his soul without a fight. Battle lines drawn, the soul mates resolve to find redemption or die trying.
Print Length: 309 pages * Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Publication Date: January 27, 2017
CJ: What inspired you to write such a unique, zombie-esque romance?
MIA: I was trying to think of a ginormous problem that would be big enough to require a novel’s worth of pages to solve. A fellow critique partner started a romance with the heroine dying. I thought that’s it! Too bad I didn’t think of that. When I found out that I’d actually read her story’s prologue, I started Other Than.
CJ: What scene from Other Than was the most fun to write?
MIA: My favorite scenes are the Howler attacks and the different ways the heroine and the hero manage to rescue each other.
CJ: Would you mind explaining to readers what a Howler is?
MIA: A Howler is a zombie who hungers for human flesh. As a Howler dines on more and more humans his/her cunning and strength grows.
CJ: Victor is a deliciously dark character—have you always leaned toward writing characters with an underlying darkness?
MIA: No, I’m actually fond of kind beta males. That said, Victor’s compelling, smoking hot and very redeemable. His behavior improves throughout the story.
CJ: Do you have a muse for Evie or Victor?
MIA: I used the Bronte sisters’ heroes, Heathcliff and Mr. Rochester, for inspiration.
CJ: If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
MIA: I’d like to have Green Lantern’s ring, so I could change things with my imagination.
CJ: Most life-changing moment?
MIA: My life-change wasn’t a moment. It was the two years I spent in Egypt as a Volunteer in Mission for the Presbyterian Church after I graduated from college that set my life. That’s where I discovered I loved teaching English.
CJ: What author do you love who doesn’t get a lot of hype?
MIA: You.
CJ: Awwww, shucks. I’m blushing right now. 
