Interview with author Azura Ice – Absinthe Dawn book tour with Sizzling PR
It gives me great pleasure to welcome fellow science fiction romance author, Azura Ice, to the blog today. So, Azura, let’s get right to business. Tell us about your new release.
AI: Absinthe Dawn is book 3 in The Crimson Bane Bane Battles. This is a post-apocalypse story—an unusual type of demon has infiltrated our world—full of paranormal elements, adventure, some mystery, and loads of suspense. Oh, and if you’re a fan of m/m romance, books 1 through 3 center on Skorpe, a Parallelan from an alternate dimension, and Ian, a human, or an Earthie as Parallelans call us.
In Absinthe Dawn, Skorpe and Ian have been separated and go through many trials of fire to find one another again. In the process, Skorpe discovers a clue to what is changing people into the Bane’s Converts.
What was your inspiration for this story?
AI: I have no idea on this one. My brain works in strange ways, lol, so one time something might inspire me and another time an idea just drops out of the clear blue. In this case, I was brainstorming about what I could write for a short story horror contest. An image came to me of a guy paralyzed in a street, but in his case, the ailment changes him so that he doesn’t have to breathe, so the recovery crews deem him dead and he goes through hell trying to somehow show someone he’s not dead. However, when I sat down to write the story, it turned into something totally different. The premise is the same, but the plot became romance.
Who is your favorite character from this book?
AI: Outside of the two heroes, my fave would be Regina“Reggi” Whitecash. She’s a complicated character who is neurotic at first, but starts to grow into a really cool woman. Reggi is Ian’s ex-fiance, and she causes turmoil in the stories because she wants Ian back even though he’s now with Skorpe. Regina will play half of the major role in book four.
What genres do you write in, and what appeals to you about those genres?
AI: Paranormal is my fave and has been for a while. I love anything that deals with paranormal. It fascinates me to no end and there’s so much a writer can do with the genre. Then there’s sci-fi romance, which is similar to paranormal due to the many avenues a writer can go down. I write some fantasy, whether high fantasy or contemporary, from time to time, too. Again, magic allows a writer do write anything. And then there’s horror. Sometimes I write traditional horror and other times it’s horror romance. I love a good, scary movie, and Halloween is my favorite holiday, too.
What other titles do you have published?
AI: Oh, wow. There are too many to list, but my most recent ones are Forever Across the Stars, the launch book for Decadent Publishing’s sci-fi romance Elatia series. There’s also Darkest Kiss, Darkest Bliss, also published by Decadent, and it’s a contemporary interracial fantasy/paranormal romance that’s super hot and has a noir flavor. {smiles} Every woman has a lover in her past who has hurt her so deeply she’d love to get revenge…
What are you working on now?
AI: I have a paranormal romance I’m about halfway through, but that one will be turned into my literary agent when I’m done. I’m also revising a how-to book for writers, plotting and brainstorming for Absinthe Kisses, book four of The Crimson Bane Battles, and I have a sequel started for a paranormal/fantasy ménage romance I’ve started.
What genres do you enjoy reading?
AI: Honestly? I will read just about anything as long as it’s well-written and grabs my attention in the first chapter. If you peruse my bookshelves or my iPad, you’ll find everything from a bit of military fiction (college assignments, but I loved the books) to Terry Brooks, Stephen King, independent authors and dozens upon dozens of non-fiction books that range from weaponry to ghosts.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?
AI: Do not go into publishing with stars in your eyes. Study the business and learn all you can about it. e-Publishing is easier and simpler than traditional publishing is, but it’s still really, really tough in many ways. Often, aspiring authors enter this business thinking h/she will make thousands of dollars, but sadly 99% of the time it doesn’t turn out that way.
Where can my readers find you?
AI: Right now I have three websites for my main pen names, but I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. www.FaithBicknell.com www.MollyDiamond.com And my Azura Ice site http://ablueice.wordpress.com Here are my social sites. www.Twitter.com/flbicknell www.Facebook.com/faithbicknellbrown and my fan page www.Facebook.com/flbicknell www.myspace.com/faith_zinnia Lastly, if you own a Kindle, you ask for a signed e-book here www.kindlegraph.com/authors/FLBicknell
Where can my readers find your books?
AI: My websites above are a great way to investigate my books, but if you want The Crimson Bane Battles you can get them at Decadent Publishing here http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?cPath=75_120&osCsid=rj7gh4t6kat67so3ahr3v6bvg0 and you can find the series at Are.com, Amazon.com, Bookstrand.com, Smashwords, and most other e-book distributors.
Thanks so much for visiting with us today! All the best!
Absinthe Dawn:When explosions at the Standoff Point separate Ian and Skorpe, one is left with a concussion and the other is forced to take command of a small group and flee north.
The two lovers vow to find one another a second time, but there’s only one problem…Regina, Ian’s old fiancée, is determined to mend fences and make him hers again.
Stuck in the mountains, and regardless of the Bane spreading across the countryside, Ian begins a long trek, making his way back to the man he loves. However, Skorpe has a problem, too—a very handsome one. Can Ian and Skorpe’s love survive distance and temptation?
Absinthe Dawn Excerpt:
Finally, he asked, “So, do you have any idea how we can protect ourselves from the mutated Bane?”
Shrugging, Regina stretched her legs out in front of her and kicked off her sneakers. “I guess the medical and science teams will have to collaborate on methods of detecting these things.”
“How long will it take for them to come up with something to do that?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, her tone grave. “We might not be able to come up with anything at all. We know very little about the mutations’ anatomy or their abilities. Total physicals will be necessary, but who knows if a Convert can hide their abnormalities?”
“Oh, this just gets better and better.”
“Look, the only things we can do are”—she held one hand up and ticked off her fingers—“to be extremely careful, question everything and everyone, and to watch for anything that seems even slightly suspicious.”
“Since you’re a pro at all that, you shouldn’t have a problem surviving.” The moment the words left Ian’s mouth, he winced. He hadn’t meant to voice his thoughts or for them to sound so mean. “Regina, I—”
She burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, Ian. Your honesty is one of the things I’ve always loved about you. Besides, you’re right. My suspicious nature will probably be one of my best survival assets.”
Their gazes met across the cargo hold. A pang of regret pierced Ian. Things might’ve been different if Regina hadn’t been so neurotic or unpredictable, her love of materialistic things overriding everything else during their long relationship. He loved Skorpe—there was no doubt about that—but regardless of his volatile love affair with Regina, a part of his heart still softened whenever he looked at her.
“Is there any chance you’ll leave Skorpe and take me back?” she asked abruptly.
He blinked, his thoughts scattering. Leave it to Regina to cut to the core of a matter.
“No.” He shook his head. “I love him, Regi, and we’re life partners now.”
A frown marred her pretty features. “I just don’t get it. How can you bang a dude?”
His eyebrows rose, and his mouth dropped open. Finally, he found his voice again. “Can’t we talk about something else?”
“I’m just trying to understand what made you switch sides.”
“I didn’t switch sides,” he protested. “I fell in love.”
“With a dude.”
Ian groaned and swiped one hand over his face. “This conversation is pointless.”
“Feminine wiles can be very difficult to fight off.”
“So can feminine teeth and claws.”
About the Author:
Azura Ice writes several subgenres of romance, which includes but is not limited to het, ménage, m/m and can be set in contemporary times or even in a far away world or another dimension. Azura’s muse leads her by the hand, and her fingers do the light-speed typing.
Who is Azura Ice? She’s a full-time author who is owned by two crazy felines of tabby descent (although they swear they’re of Egyptian lineage). Azura writes in an attic study that overlooks a beautiful valley, and enjoys her husband’s company when he’s permitted to enter her domain. However, if he brings offerings of coffee and an occasional chocolaty treat, she’s inclined to let him in her office more often.
Azura takes her writing seriously, so she doesn’t hang out on group loops (she tries to avoid shiny object syndrome), but if you’d like to contact her, interview her, etc., you can reach her at Azura.Ice@live.com,visit her at http://ablueice.wordpress.com,or you can visit her other pen name sites at www.FaithBicknell.com and www.MollyDiamond.com.
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