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Tuesday, September 29

Author Guest Post & Giveaway by Jocelynn Drake

I’m pleased to welcome a guest blog post from Jocelynn Drake who’s next Dark Days installment, Dawnbreaker, releases TODAY! She’s also graciously giving away 2 signed copies of Dawnbreaker! See below for entry details.

Dawnbreaker Large

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The History of the Dark Days Series


I never set out to write a series of books about a hot-tempered vampire and a narrow-minded vampire hunter. I never meant to take mankind of the edge of extinction with its only hope being the very race that fed off of it. I never meant to fall in love… but I did.
Close to five years have passed now since the birth of Mira and Danaus. The world has aged a little bit, we’ve grown a little more experienced and a little more jaded. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, children have been born, and loved ones have died. And in the midst of it all, I created two people that would become my best friends and nearly constant companions. I wish I could recall the exact date so that I could celebrate it like a birthday. I know that it was in the early fall, when the air was just beginning to grow crisp and full with the scent of dried leaves.


Prior to working on what would become Nightwalker, I had been reading a wide assortment of urban fantasy novels, which started to get my own creative mind working in that field. The urban fantasy genre was relatively new at the time, with authors that were still finding their voice, their world, and their direction. It was a veritable playground filled with new untouched toys. And there was plenty of room for everyone to play.


In the back of my mind, a character started to form by the name of Miranda. She was older, confident, experienced, powerful, and somewhat sarcastic and hot-tempered. In fact, she reminded me greatly of a character that I had been working on in a fantasy series I had started back in high school. During my free time, I would sit behind the computer, typing out scenes with her fighting battles, struggling with great odds and vicious villains, while struggling to overcome her own personal demons. I would type about twenty or thirty pages before I would finally grow bored with it. I would then close out the file, open a new one, and start a whole new story. This went on for more than a month. During that time, Miranda went from vampire to witch to elf. Her race changed with my whims, but her personality stayed relatively the same.


After my fourth extended scene with Miranda, I took a break. I was going nowhere with these little stories, even though I greatly enjoyed working on them. It was time to work on something that I knew I could write a beginning, middle, and end for. I decided that I wanted a new character. I wanted to expand my own creative endeavors and skills by working on a male character. Most of my stories centered on females simply because I was female, allowing me to feel comfortable that I was getting the voice correct.
This time I attacked what would become a short story from a different, more methodical direction. I decided that the short story would be about an experienced, skilled vampire hunter as he tracked down a vampire with a special ability. I didn’t know who the vampire hunter was and I didn’t know what the story was going to be about. I just knew what I wanted. Unfortunately, I had to wait for that final spark of creative genius.


danaus3 So, one day, being the avid gamer that I am, I was flipping through a video gaming magazine when I came across him – Danaus. He was brutal, and hard, and strong, and absolutely perfect. It was my Danaus with his beautiful blue eyes and cruel expression. Tearing the game advertisement out of the magazine, I hurried into the office and started typing. Immediately out came Miranda’s voice, but it was slightly different. Silky and confident, with just an edge of sex appeal, she watched Danaus as he moved, telling his story and hers. With the change in voice, came a change in name to Mira.


During the next few months, I just kept typing, filling my world with Mira and Danaus. I haunted magazine racks, looking for more pictures of my Danaus so that they covered my office wall and the desktop of my computer screen. He was my muse.


In less than four months, I created what would essentially become both Nightwalker and Dayhunter. I love writing about the Dark Days world. It’s dark and hard and frequently cruel, but it is also a place where friends are dependent upon each other for survival and that love struggles to find a perch in this harsh world.


I am just about to complete the fifth book in the Dark Days series, with the hope of many more to come. I am still in love with Mira and Danaus, my old friends. And I still keep a picture of Danaus with me when I travel as my talisman of creativity and hope.

line_separatorThank you so much Jocelynn for that awesome guest post!

How cool was that?

Did anyone else notice that she doesn’t say what game character depicted Danaus so well? Yeah, I noticed too! What the heck Jocelynn! Way to leave us hanging!

ETA

OMG! Thank you SciFiGuy for your awesome research! The picture above was found on his blog post of his recent interview of Jocelynn and he found it in her gallery! He’s right, the internet is awesome. Now, who the heck is that dude? Besides Danaus! He’s The Prince of Persia! Specially: Warrior Within. I’m slightly disappointed. Why? Because that game is currently being made into a movie and it’s starring Jake Gyllenhaal. And he’s not my perfect Danaus. But he’s not bad. ;)

I have to thank my buds at G4 Forums! They identified the game from the small pic above.

Giveaway

Jocelynn wants to give away 2 signed copies of Dawnbreaker! If only I could win a copy!

To enter please leave a comment below telling me you want to win a signed copy!

One entry per person. Include your email address and I’ll email you if you win.

Open to everyone!

Comment by 10/05 and the winners will be announced 10/06.

Connect with Jocelynn

ico_www blogger_iconlivejournal twiiter_icon facebook_icon myspaceamazon-icon_bigger_normal_normal

Series

Amazon.com slideshow below includes the Dark Days books and Unbound an anthology that includes a short story pre-Nightwalker.

 
Well, look forward to my review. I’m hoping to buy Dawnbreaker on my Kindle but I’m not paying $9.99 when I can pay $7.99 for the Mass Market Paperback.  I won a copy on SciFiGuy.Ca! WOOHOO!

Jess Sig




45 comments:

  1. I would like to win a copy please!!

    Lexie
    Lexie.Cenni(@)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. count me in please
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would love to win a signed copy please!

    lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love to win a copy! Please enter me.

    lynzajw[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm so in! Happy Release Day!

    lilibethramos@live.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Please enter me. I have purchased the first two and I need this one to complete my set. I wonder what her all time favorite game is?

    zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Jess and Jocelynn!

    Excellent guest post, thanks for letting us know how the series came about, because I think it's awesome!

    Please enter me!

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

    Dottie :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, I really enjoyed Jocelynn's guest post. I haven't started the series yet but I've been meaning to for quite some time. Reading this definitely made me even more eager!

    Please enter me in this giveaway Jess =)

    Thanks,

    mishtakes AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Count me in! I love this series!

    sararcummins at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'd love to enter!

    kristacole64(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Enter me please!

    This book sounds good^^


    silvia_pi(at)hotmail.es

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would gladly win a signet copy! Honestly, it would be fantastic and awesome and stunning an fabulous and and and ;)
    Greetings, Ina

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh so can't wait to read it. My TBR pile is pretty high now that school work is kicking into gear! Will get to it eventually though. Gotta have it! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I want to win a copy!

    I love this series and am so excited the next book is out.

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's really fun to discover how this world and the characters came to be. This is not really how i saw Danaus but it's damn sexy so that will do ;)

    Cound me in for the contest *grins*
    pattepoilueATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  16. Do I even need to say it after hearing about Danaus, lol? But I would love to win a signed copy.
    And thanks for the great guest post! I'll definitely be checking this series out. (:

    jenniferwang.usa@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would love to win this book. I have been meaning to start them and with this I would definitely have more motivation.

    Alex
    crazy_canadian_chick37(at)homtail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love this series,please count me in for the giveaway
    elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is a fabulous series, both the first two books are on my favorites shelf and I can't wait to read Dawnbreaker. Thanks for giving us a chance to win it.



    caity_mack(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'd love to enter the contest!
    I haven't hear much about the serie so I can't wait to read them!

    sheere.dry@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a great site! I'd love to win.


    I posted this in the Contests & Giveaways section on my blog

    http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

    AllThingsUrbanFantasy(at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  22. That was really interesting story. Its fascinating to me to hear how the story became to be. Thanks for the guest post.

    I would love to win.

    Casey
    paranormalfanatic@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a great post!!! It really made me think about all the little stories I have running around in my head. :) I'd love to win this book!!!

    heatwave96@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thanks to both Jocelynn and Jess for the giveaway. I like the cover for the book and would like to win a copy.

    jen4777[at]hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Would love to win a signed copy, please :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks for the contest! Count me in! res498[at]aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Aww, would love to read this one! b.karola@gmail.com :))

    ReplyDelete
  28. Please enter me, I would love a signed copy.

    Jess S.

    fudgeyoureself@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love Drake's books and can't wait to read Dawnbreaker! Please enter me!

    fantasticbookreview(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Jess! Tina at Fantastic Book Review just alerted me to how awesome this series is. I really want to read them now! I'd love to win a signed copy of this one for when I catch up!

    Kim
    bookbutterfly9@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I would love to win a copy of Dawnbreaker! Danaus is featuring heavily in my fantasies lately... lol

    Miranda
    mdwartistry at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Please enter me in the drawing.
    I am an international entrant.

    Thanks.

    Carol

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I would love to win a signed copy please!

    tehashley(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I would love to win a signed copy of the book. it sounds awesome,

    Ashley
    arudd908@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Me, me, me, me, me, me! I would LOVE to win a signed copy! Thanks! And thanks for the awesome interview! I love how the series came about unintentionally, and I especially love how the game is now going to be a movie with Jake! *drool* ;-)

    Thanks!
    ~bella

    b42bellaAT gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I would love to win a copy of Dawnbreaker. I enjoyed the interview and I'm looking forward to more books in the series.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Count me in, please. Sounds like a great series. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Great story! The books sound really good,so please enter me!

    Sara
    sosarora_11(AT)hotmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. HI! I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH IF YOU COULD PLEASE ENTER ME.
    i LOVE HOW JOCELYN BASED DANAUS ON THE GAME CHARACTER IN pRINCE OF PERSIA. I THINK HE IS SOOO SEXY AND MYSTERIOUS!!-CATHY (kayko118@yahoo.com)

    ReplyDelete
  40. I enjoyed the guest blog. I always like to hear from other authors. A signed book would also be a nice bonus.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Enter me please! This book looks interesting!

    paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Thanks for the info Jocelynn.
    I really want to win a copy of one of my favourite series'. Mira and Danaus Rock!

    ReplyDelete

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