Interview and Excerpt with Darynda Jones

 Sometimes being the grim reaper really is that. Grim. And since Charley’s last case went so awry, she has taken a couple months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above. Or at least get dressed. She quickly realizes something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she’s insane. The more they refute the woman’s story, the more Charley believes it. In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, has been cleared of all charges. He is out of prison and out of Charley’s life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may be involved. Just when life was returning to normal, Charley is thrust back into the world of crime, punishment, and the devil in blue jeans.
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EXCERPT:
With renewed energy, I pulled back onto Academy— after hitting a
drive- through for a mocha latte— and had just started for home when
my phone rang.
“Yes?” I said, illegally talking on the phone while driving within the
city limits. Scoping for cops, I waited for Uncle Bob to stop talking to
whomever he was talking to and get back to me.
My uncle Bob, or Ubie as I most often referred to him, was a detective
for APD, and I helped him on cases from time to time. He knew I
could see the departed and used that to his advantage. Not that I could
blame him.
“Get that to her, then call the ME ay- sap.”
“Okay,” I said, “but I’m not sure what calling the medical examiner
ay- sap is going to accomplish. I’m pretty sure his name is George.”
“Oh, hey, Charley.”
“Hey, Uncle Bob. What’s up?”
“Are you driving?”
“No.”
“Have you heard anything?”
Our conversations often went like this. Uncle Bob with his random
questions. Me with my trying to come up with answers just as random.
Not that I had to try very hard. “I heard that Tiff any Gorham, a girl I
knew in grade school, still stuff s her bra. But that’s just a rumor.”
“About the case,” he said through clenched teeth. I could tell his teeth
were clenched because his words were suddenly forced. That meant he
was frustrated. Too bad I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I wasn’t aware that we had a case.”
“Oh, didn’t Cookie call you?”
“She called me a doody- head once.”
“About the case.” His teeth were totally clenched again.
“We have a case?”
But I’d lost him. He was talking to another officer. Or a detective. Or
a hooker, depending on his location and accessibility to cash. Though I
doubted he would tell a hooker to check the status of the DOA’s autopsy
report. Unless he was way kinkier than I’d ever given him credit for.
I found his calling me only to talk to other people very challenging.
“I’ll call you right back,” he said. No idea to whom.
The call disconnected as I sat at a light, wondering what guacamole
would look like if avocados were orange.
I finally shifted my attention to the dead kid in my backseat. He had
shoulder- length blond hair and bright blue eyes and looked somewhere
between fifteen and seventeen.
“You come here often?” I asked him, but my phone rang before he
could say anything. That was okay. He had a vacant stare, so I doubted
he would have answered me anyway.
“Sorry about that,” Uncle Bob said. “Do you want to discuss the
case?”
“We have a case?” I said again, perking up.
“How are you?”
He asked me that every time he called now. “Peachy. Am I the case? If
so, I can solve this puppy in about three seconds. I’m heading down San
Mateo toward Central in a cherry red Jeep Wrangler with a questionable
exhaust system.”
“Charley.”
“Hurry, before I get away!"

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Wow! Sounds like another fantastic addition the The Charley Davidson series! After Dark was lucky enough to get an interview with the amazingly talented Author Darynda Jones. Hope you all enjoy it!

· I know some Authors do not like to read reviews of their books, where do you stand on this?
I’m with them, though I do read reviews that are sent directly to me. It is kind of a lose-lose situation. If they are praising, it will give us a false sense of security and a big head. LOL. If they are scathing, it will only slow us down. Those things are impossible not to absorb, and a writer needs to be looking to the future, not at something mean someone had to say about her work. Though I do learn a lot from reader feedback, even the negative kind, I try really hard not to read reviews. It’s almost impossible NOT to read a few here and there.
· Do you ever find inspiration for your book characters through real people you meet?
Absolutely, though it’s usually like a physical characteristic or a quirk of some kind. I rarely base a character completely on someone I know.
· Are you working on anything now that you can tell us about?
Right now I’m working on Fifth Grave Past the Light, the fifth installment of the Charley Davidson series. Here is a quick blurb:
Charley Davidson may not look like your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper, but she has vowed to reap grimness wherever she goes despite this unfortunate fact. Sadly, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. Since he is her main suspect in an arson case, she has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth. But when dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused and terrified beyond reason, Charley has no choice but to ask him for help, especially when it becomes apparent that her own sister Gemma is the serial killer’s next target. With Reyes’s ability to observe incorporeally, surely he can find out who’s responsible. Even if he can’t, arsonist or not, he is the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay.
· I know it's probably hard to choose but do you have a favorite character from one of your books?
I will have to go with Charley. She is so fun to write. I love her sassy personality, her spunkiness in the face of adversity, her ADD. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing her.
· Who was the easiest/hardest character to write?
Easiest, again, would be Charley. Maybe not at first, but now she just kind of flows out of me. The hardest? I’m not sure I really have a hardest. They are all difficult to a degree, but I’m so used to them now. If I had to choose, I’d say Reyes. Keeping him his usual cantankerous self while making him sexy as all get-out is not always easy.
· Are you attending any Conventions in the near future?
I’ll be at several conferences, including Authors After Dark, RWA, and RT Booklover’s Convention.
· Congratulations on being a featured Author for Authors After Dark convention in 2013! What's your favorite part about attending Cons?
Thank you! And most definitely the fans!!! I love meeting them and talking to them. If I could sit down and have lunch with each and every one of them, I would. There is nothing more enjoyable.
· You probably meet a large amount of fans, what's the craziest encounter you've had?
Nothing too crazy yet, thankfully. Readers are so enthusiastic, it’s quite humbling actually. It makes me even more grateful I get to do what I do everyday.
· Who is your favorite Author to read?
Oh, gosh, I love me some WARDen, and I will forever be enamored with Jeaniene Frost and Jacquelyn Frank. I also love Julia Quinn and several other historical romance authors along with Suzanne Collins. There are so many!

Thank you so much for having me, Brandy!!!

Anytime! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here with us today!

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a RITA®, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

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