The Qwillery

Please welcome the fabulous Linda Poitevin to The Qwillery as part of the Sins of the Son Blog Tour.





This may sound trite, but the truth is that all my characters have, at one time or another, surprised me in some way. Even those I bring into the story as secondary characters have a way of becoming more than I’d planned or anticipated, often extending the story in ways I hadn’t seen coming. I used to try and wrestle them into submission, insisting they follow the way chosen for them—I am, after all, their creator (insert diabolical chuckle here) and so they should listen to me, right?

Wrong. *sigh*

More often than not, the harder I work at getting a character to toe the imaginary line I’ve drawn for him/her, the more likely it is that I’ll find myself staring at a blank monitor day after day after day. Not only do my secondary characters suddenly become mute, but my main characters also turn ominously quiet. Stubbornly so. You’d think there was a conspiracy among them or something.

So what’s a writer to do? For me, I’ve learned to trust my characters because what are they, really, if not an extension of my own instincts? I’ve learned that if my fingers type something into a character—even a secondary one—that wasn’t my idea (you’ll just have to go along with me here, because I swear these people have minds of their own!), there’s always a reason for it. I may not see the reason at the time, but I know that at some point in the story (or in the series story arc), the little detail I consider superfluous will suddenly become a critical element of the plotline. A pivotal point.

Seth’s appearance in Sins of the Angels proved this to me in no uncertain terms.

Seth was intended to play a supporting role to Aramael—at most, he was to be a temporary sidekick. But from the moment he stood on Alexandra’s front porch, his presence was utterly overwhelming…for me as well as for poor Alex. No amount of effort on my part was enough to relegate him to a lesser place in the story. When I tried too hard, the voices—all of them—went quiet. It wasn’t until I began to fully explore Seth’s role in Heaven that I realized exactly who he was and what he was capable of…and to understand that he marked a turning point in the story.

One that ultimately turned a single title urban fantasy into an entire series.

Surprise! ;)


The Grigori Legacy

Sins of the Son
The Grigori Legacy 2
Ace (March 27, 2012)
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

A detective with a secret...

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven's plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal who knows of Seth's true nature, she's also the only one who can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin...

Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself--even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption...

As Alex's need to protect Seth sets her on a collision course with the determined Aramael, the conflict between them may push the world over the edge--and into the very chaos they're trying to prevent.

The Grigori Legacy 1
Ace, September 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

About Linda

Linda Poitevin was born and raised in B.C., Canada’s westernmost province. Growing up in an era when writing was “a nice hobby, dear, but what are you going to do for a living?”, Linda worked at a variety of secretarial jobs before applying to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Due to an error in measurement, however, she was turned down when she didn’t meet the height requirement of that time. Undeterred, Linda became a civilian member in the force and was a dispatcher for two and a half years, during which time she met her husband, a police officer.

Following their transfer to Ottawa, Linda went on to become a real estate agent and then a human resources consultant before starting a family and becoming a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler. Now that she has realized writing can be more than a nice hobby, she continues to vicariously live her dream of being a cop through her characters.

Linda currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, youngest of three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, a cat, two rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods.

In addition to her books, Linda also does freelance writing and editing. Information about her services can be found at www.lindapoitevin.ca. Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers' Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers' Association.

Linda's Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a copy of Sins of Son (The Grigori Legacy 2) - a Mass Market Paperback copy for a US/Canadian winner or an eBook for an International (non-US/Canada) winner.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)   Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)   Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3)   Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. You MUST leave a way to contact you.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.



But there's more: Winners from each the Sins of the Son Blog Tour stops will be entered for a special Grand Prize from Linda: the first-ever Wings of the Warrior necklace from Cemetery Cat Designs and a set of earrings that goes with the necklace!***

Necklace for the Grand Prize drawing

*** The Qwillery is not affiliated with the Grand Prize drawing at the end of the Sins of the Son Blog Tour  and is providing this for informational purposes only.

Earlier this week Linda Poitevin revealed the cover for Sins of the Sons, the 2nd book in The Grigori Legacy series. Yet again, a really nice cover!

The Grigori Legacy 2
Ace, March 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

A detective with a secret…

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven’s plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal aware of Seth’s true nature, only she can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin…

Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself—even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption…

As Alex’s need to protect Seth sets her on a fiery course with the determined Aramael, the coming conflict between them may push the world over the edge—and into the very chaos they’re trying to prevent.

Prior books in the series:

The Grigori Legacy 1
Ace, September 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis is assigned a new partner in Aramael, a Guardian Angel who doubles as a hit man, they have only one thing in common: a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse. Now they have no choice but to work together-relentlessly, fearlessly, intimately. Because only they can stop the rogue angel from ushering in the end of days.

Read my review of Sins of the Angels here.

and the winners are....


Infidel (Bel Dame Apochrypha Volume 2) by Kameron Hurley


The Question:  What woman or women inspire you?

bmb80 who said...

I’ve been anxiously awaiting Infidel (which has been forever) since I wrapped up God’s War.

Love the question.

It takes a special woman to inspire others and what’s more special then a mother? She was the person who made me embrace odd things about myself that others (even grown ups) said was not normal—she called them my gifts.

She taught me to be inspired by the people who offer you something of value without asking for anything in return, such as the florist who felt that I, a total stranger, was in need of a simple hug and a rose because she thought I looked sad when I walked by her stand. She was right.

The nurse that prayed over my mother years ago when she was sick in the hospital and told me everything will be all right.

My sixth grade teacher who gave me hard time who I believed hated my guts but pushed me because she cared, and although I didn’t know it at the time, she’s one of the reasons I’m a writer today and changed my life forever.

This is living proof that those we consider ordinary are absolutely extraordinary.




Blood Rights (House of Comarré 1) by Kristen Painter


The Question:  Who is your favorite Urban Fantasy heroine or hero?

SeaLionMama who said...

My favorite heroine of all time is Cat (AKA Catherine, Kitten) from Jeanine Frost Night Huntress series. She is about as real as a half vampire can get. Not only is she relatable in regards to her insecurities, she kicks A$$! In every book Cat gets better and better as a person, but still has the inate ability to care about someone else other than herself. She would sacrifice herself and her feelings to make sure the people she loves (or actually anyone that is the underdog or needs help) are not harmed. Her love for humanity is what makes her the most deadly heroine in my eyes. She doesn’t forget what brought her to that point in her life and she takes what she has learned and grows from it… That makes a hero a hero…




Debris (The Veiled Worlds 1) by Jo Anderton


The Question:  Science Fiction or Science Fantasy?

Sinnaye who said...

Science Fantasy for sure. I'm not too keen on the whole science fiction-idea, but the fantasy equivalent of it rather sparks my imterest.




Chosen By Blood (Para-Ops 1) by Virna DePaul


The Question:  What would you be doing if you worked for the Para-Ops team?

mommy0306 who said...

i'm good with computers, i could always be their tech support/research person. maybe a tech support that goes into the field on occasion for missions. :)




Sins of the Angels (The Grigori Legacy 1) by Linda Poitevin (2 copies)



The Question:  Angels or Fallen Angels? or ask Linda a question.

Sabrina who said...

Fallen angels! They keep things interesting :) I like imperfections in my characters.


and


Kristina who said...

I have to say im a fallen angels gal myself..something about them that makes me smile!




The winners have been notified and have until 11:59 pm US Eastern Time on Sunday, October 23, 2011 to respond or The Qwillery will very randomly choose a new winner or winners.

Please welcome Linda Poitevin to The Qwillery as part of the 2011 Debut Author Challenge interviews and Linda's Angels Gather Here Blog Tour. Sins of the Angels, Linda's debut, was published on September 27, 2011.

TQ:  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Linda:  I cannot write at home. Seriously. Over the last couple of years, between hiding from home renovations and kids, I’ve become so accustomed to writing in my local coffee shop that I just can’t get into the creative mindset at home. I have no problem doing my freelance/corporate stuff there, but when it comes to getting into the story and doing the whole world-building thing, I need my ‘usual’ little corner table. It’s so bad that if I don’t turn up for a few days, the staff wonders what’s wrong with me. I’m trying to change (paying for coffee out every day is expensive!) but it’s tough!

TQ:  Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Linda:  I have somewhat eclectic tastes and read widely outside my own genre. While I love Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Patricia Briggs, and Charlaine Harris, I’m also a huge fan of J.R. Tolkien, Alexandre Dumas, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Kathy Reichs, Bill Bryson, and many others. I’m a fickle reader, though (should I be admitting that?) – I won’t necessarily buy a book just because I like the author…the story needs to appeal, too.

As for who has influenced my writing, I would have to say I’ve been influenced by just about everything I’ve ever read. I’m not a literary take-it-apart-and-examine-it-to-death kind of girl, so I haven’t purposefully studied any particular writer. It’s been more a matter of just enjoying (or not) a novel and letting my subconscious take notes. :-)

TQ:  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Linda:  A bit of both, so I guess that makes me a proud plantser. :-) I plot out a lot of scenes inside my head in advance, but I won’t necessarily know how they fit together until I start writing them. II’m always happy to have a story take an unexpected twist—that’s what makes it exciting for me.

TQ:  Describe Sins of the Angels in 140 characters or less.

Linda:  Fallen Angel turns serial killer. Twin brother sent to hunt him. Cop comes between them. Blood spills. Chaos ensues. Apocalypse threatens. (138 characters)

TQ:  What inspired you to write Sins of the Angels?

Linda:  Short answer: A song sparked the idea, and a friend made it grow into a series. Long answer: when the song Angel came out from Sarah McLachlan, a line in it, “You’re in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here,” got the whole “what if?” questions flowing. Specifically, what if you didn’t find comfort in the arms of an angel, but something else entirely? I originally intended the story to be a paranormal romance, but then a friend of mine started telling me about Lucifer and the fallen angels and the ideas really started. Next thing I knew, I had ideas for an entire series and, while a love element still existed, the story was definitely no romance.

TQ:  What sort of research did you do to create the mythology in Sins of the Angels?

Linda:  I did a tremendous amount of research into angel mythology, both through books and on the Internet. Interestingly, however, I don’t think I found any two sources that agreed with one another. I had expected differences between the mythologies of various religions, of course—between Christian and Jewish, for example—but what surprised me were the discrepancies I found within the traditions of single religions. In the end, the variations actually made my job easier because I just borrowed bits and pieces of whatever worked best in order to construct my own world. Then, of course, I added my own twist on things. :-)

TQ:  Why did you set the novel in Toronto?

Linda:  Naiveté to begin with, lol, and also because it just made sense. When I started writing Sins of the Angels, I didn’t realized that Canadian settings could be an issue for American publishers. I wanted a big-city setting and it made sense for me to set it in Canada because my husband, a cop, is my built-in reference for Canadian police procedures. As Toronto is the largest city here, it kind of won by default. I was thrilled when my editor decided to leave the story there.

TQ:  Who was the easiest character to write and why? Hardest and why?

Linda:  Easiest was Alex. I’ve known so many cops over the years that writing a police character just felt really natural to me. Hardest was Aramael. He was so reactive…controlling him was kind of like juggling nitroglycerine at times, I swear.

TQ:  Without giving anything away, what is/are your favorite scene(s) in the novel?

Linda:  One of my favorite scenes is when Alex is facing down Aramael, whom she still knows only as her annoying new partner, Jacob Trent. Because she’s the senior detective, she gets to give the orders, and we can really see Aramael struggling with the idea that a mere human—and a Nephilim descendent, at that—dares tell him what to do. In that one standoff, we so much of both of them: his resentment, her determination and bravado, all edged with an awareness of one another that neither wants. I just love how they react to one another.

TQ:  How many books are planned for the Grigori Legacy series?

Linda:  The series story arc stretches over four books, but at the moment I’m contracted for just the two, Sins of the Angels and Sins of the Son. Whether or not my publisher will pick up the option for the remaining books will depend on sales (hint, hint, lol!).

TQ:  What's next?

Linda:  At the moment I’m in the copyedit/proofreading stage of Sins of the Son, which comes out March 27th, and doing my very best to share my excitement with readers about the release of Sins of the Angels on this blog tour. Also, because I’m an optimist, I’ve started working on book 3, Sins of the Righteous, and I’m doing some early research for a new series idea that’s brewing. :-)

TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

Linda:  Thank you for having me, Sally! I can’t tell you how honored I was to be here today. And if any of your readers have questions they’d like to ask, I would be thrilled to answer.


About Sins of the Angels

The Grigori Legacy 1
(Ace, September 27, 2011)

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis is assigned a new partner in Aramael, a Guardian Angel who doubles as a hit man, they have only one thing in common: a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse. Now they have no choice but to work together-relentlessly, fearlessly, intimately. Because only they can stop the rogue angel from ushering in the end of days.

Read an excerpt of Sins of the Angels:  http://www.lindapoitevin.com/excerpt.html
Read The Qwillery's Review of Sins of the Angels here.

About Linda

Linda Poitevin was born and raised in B.C., Canada’s westernmost province. Growing up in an era when writing was “a nice hobby, dear, but what are you going to do for a living?”, Linda worked at a variety of secretarial jobs before applying to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Due to an error in measurement, however, she was turned down when she didn’t meet the height requirement of that time. Undeterred, Linda became a civilian member in the force and was a dispatcher for two and a half years, during which time she met her husband, a police officer.

Following their transfer to Ottawa, Linda went on to become a real estate agent and then a human resources consultant before starting a family. She has been a stay-at-home mom ever since and has homeschooled her youngest daughter for the last nine years. Now that she has realized writing can be more than a nice hobby, she continues to live her dream of being a cop vicariously through her characters.

Linda currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, two cats, three rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods.
Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers' Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers' Association.

Linda's Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Linda's Blog Tour Schedule


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  Two commenters will each win a Mass Market Paperback copy of Sins of the Angels generously provided by Ace Books.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:  Angels or Fallen Angels? 

          or  You may ask Linda a question.

Please remember - if you don't answer the question or ask Linda a question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3)  Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Friday, October 14, 2011. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

Sins of the Angels
Author:  Linda Poitevin
Series:  The Grigori Legacy
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Publisher:  Ace (September 27, 2011)
Price:  $7.99
Language: English
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
ISBN:  9780441020911
Review Copy: E-Arc provided by publisher

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

My thoughts:

Sins of the Angels is the first book in The Grigori Legacy series and is Linda Poitevin’s a debut. The story takes place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and centers around Alexandra Jarvis, a homicide Detective for the Toronto Police. Horrific serial murders are taking place in Toronto and Alex is on the case. The murders dredge up awful memories for Alex. At the same time Alex is dealing with the murders and trying to tamp down those memories, she’s assigned a new partner – Jacob Trent. He has been sent to help solve the murders and may the only one who can do it.

Jacob is not who he seems, but is an angel named Aramael. When Alex senses this she thinks she is losing a long feared battle with a mental illness like her mother’s. Compounding this is a mutual attraction that neither Alex nor Aramael want to acknowledge. For reasons that become clear as the book progresses, Aramael is predisposed to not like Alex. He’s heaven bent on tracking down the murderer, but being near Alex has upset whatever equilibrium he possesses. When the murderer’s attention turns to Alex, Aramael and Alex are faced with life changing decisions. Alex must come to grips with her unknown heritage and who Aramael really is.

This is a wonderful debut novel. Sins of the Angels features two interwoven narratives - one involving the serial murders and an engrossing story of intrigue in heaven that is related to what is happening in Toronto.

Alex and Aramael are both substantial characters that I care about. I also really enjoy the very strong supporting cast. Both Alex’s and Aramael’s “co-workers” are well drawn though Aramael’s are a lot more mysterious. There is much, much more to be revealed about the heavenly contingent. There are two villains in Sins of the Angels both of whom evoke very strong negative feelings, but for different reasons.

The pacing in Sins of the Angels is excellent. The story pulls you in from the very first page and does not let go until the heart-wrenching ending. There is some graphic violence, but it fits the story well. Sins of the Angels is an Urban Fantasy deeply infused with a richly developed mythology, excellent world building, characters you’ll love, and villains you’ll love to hate. I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in The Grigori Legacy.

I give Sins of the Angels 4 ½ Qwills.

The Qwillery is delighted to announce that Linda Poitevin has joined the 2011 Debut Author Challenge. Linda's debut novel, Sins of the Angels (The Grigori Legacy 1) will be published in late September by Ace (Penguin).

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

I love this cover and not only because Alexandra Jarvis is not in midriff-baring leather! Look for an interview with Linda in October.