The Qwillery

Please welcome E.S. Moore to The Qwillery.  Tainted Night, Tainted Blood (Kat Redding 2) was published in July 2012. Blessed by a Demon's Mark (Kat Redding 3) will be published in December 2012.






TQ:  Welcome back to The Qwillery!

ESM:  Thank you! So glad to be back.


TQ:   Tainted Night, Tainted Blood (Kat Redding 2) was published in July. How has Kat changed from the first novel, To Walk the Night?

ESM:  In the first book, she was focused on one thing really. Now, she has more on her plate and she is succumbing more and more to the vampire part of her brain. It's messing with her, causing her to make mistakes and fly into a rage so much easier than before. While she might be growing more accepting of new people, she struggles with it as well. It's not easy having a part of you that wants to kill and eat everyone around you.


TQ:  The third novel in the series, Blessed by a Demon's Mark, will be published in late December. Tell us something about the novel that is not in the book description.

ESM:   This is the book where I wanted Kat to finally reorient herself. So much has gone so wrong and the vampire part of her has been driving her to the brink, making her do things that aren't smart, that she wouldn't do if she had a clear head. I want her to find a sort of peace with herself and her situation. It won't be complete, of course. Her life is too crazy for everything to fall into place, but as things crumble around her more than ever before, she will finally see what she is doing to those around her...and to herself.


TQ:  Now for a difficult request - describe each of the 3 novels in the Kat Redding series in 140 characters or less:

ESM:  Yikes! Difficult? More like impossible! But I'll give it a try...

To Walk the Night: A dark world. A tormented heroine. Put them together with a troubling development for action! This is Kat's discovery that there are more people out there than just those that need to die and those that need to be saved.

Tainted Night, Tainted Blood: Kat further falls into the traps of what she is and what she is becoming. She can't escape her past, can't escape who she is now, and struggles to cope with new feelings for those who could be her friends if she would simply let them in.

Blessed by a Demon's Mark: Kat's return to her life. She has to face up to what she's become and who she really does care for. She must make a choice. Could she walk away from it all or will she let those around her finally help her discover who she really is beneath the violent exterior.


TQ:  Which character has surprised you the most in the Kat Redding series?

ESM:  I think Nathan is the most surprising for me. He was originally a throwaway character who was there in book one to offset Gregory. He's sort of grown into someone far more important and will continue to be important throughout.


TQ:  Barring paranormality, which character in the series is most like you?

ESM:  Ethan. I don't summon demons or craft weapons or anything, but I do tend to keep to myself and work alone a lot. We both have similar senses of humor, though his doesn't really get to shine through. We both rarely, if ever, curse. I kind of need a grounding character like that, one that is so familiar, he practically writes himself.


TQ:  What do you wish you'd known when the 1st book came out that you know now?

ESM:  Not to get too bogged down with sales numbers or reviews. It was my first book. I'll get better. I knew to keep writing, to keep focusing ahead, yet it was often hard, especially when someone would come out and tear me into tiny little bits. I knew not to take it too personally, but it isn't always easy. Now, I just let them pass right over me, but I do sometimes read reviews just to see if there is a common thread between them. I figure if everyone hates a certain aspect of the book, then maybe I really do need to improve that part of my writing for the next one.


TQ:  Are there any other genres in which you would like to write in addition to urban fantasy?

ESM:  Too many! Most of my short stories tend to be sci-fi with quite a few horror and fantasy stories thrown in. I'm am thinking of attempting an epic fantasy here soon if I can wrap my brain around the idea. And at some point in my career, I'd love to write a mystery or two to go along with the other genre stories. So...a little bit of everything, I think!


TQ:  What's next?

ESM:  Well, I am planning an e-book special called Little David Lost. It is a standalone YA horror that I really wanted to get out there because it is so different than what I've done before. Keep an eye out on my website for a release date!


TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

ESM:  No problem! I hope you invite me back!

TQ:  Absolutely!




About Kat Redding

Blessed by a Demon's Mark
Kat Redding 3
Kensington, December 31, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

In a job like this, there’s no retirement plan

Kat Redding’s life is dangerous enough when she’s hunting the rogue vampires who prey on Pureblood humans. But now that Kat is thinking of getting out of the killing business, she’s faced with a slew of new problems. Like the demon Beligral, who offers help at an escalating cost, and the werewolf cult with whom she’s entwined professionally and personally. And then there’s Countess Baset—the terrifying vampire who wants Kat to become her personal assassin.

It’s no wonder that Kat has been seeking refuge in the mysterious town known as Delai, a place where she can shed her Lady Death persona and live a life that’s as close to normal as she’s ever known. But even in this haven, something feels askew. Delai is a little too serene. And the more she discovers, the more Kat realizes that the only choice left to her is not whether to do battle, but which side she’ll risk her life to defend…

Tainted Night, Tainted Blood
Kat Redding 2
Kensington, July 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 320 pages

In the darkness, it’s easy to lose your way…

Kat Redding is a vampire with a job to do—wiping out the vamps and werewolves who prey on Pureblood humans. Someone has to do it…as long as that someone is her. But suddenly Kat, also known as Lady Death, has competition, and it’s causing problems. Vampire houses and werewolf clans alike are blaming her for a spate of gruesome murders, and Kat needs to figure out who’s really responsible before she becomes the next target…

On the hunt, she forms an uneasy alliance with both the Luna Cult and a powerful rogue werewolf. But the truths Kat’s uncovering—about her enemies and her few remaining confidantes—are far from comforting. And when the chance comes to leave her life of vengeance behind, Kat must decide whether her real motive lies in protecting the innocent, or sating her own fierce hungers…

Kat Redding 1
Kensington, January 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Even a vampire has to face her inner demons…

Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She’s good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death—and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power.

Kat can’t allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she’s encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface—and costs her whatever is left of her humanity…

About E.S. Moore

From childhood, E.S. Moore wanted to be a writer. His first book, To Walk the Night, the first in the Kat Redding series, was released by Kensington in January 2012. The third book in the series - Blessed by a Demon’s Mark – will be released in January 2013. E.S. Moore is also a reader and video gamer. He currently lives in Ohio with his wife and son.

He is represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.



Website : Facebook : Twitter : Goodreads

As part of this year's Debut Author Challenge I thought it would be fun to choose a favorite cover from each month's debut novels. At the end of the year the 12 monthly winners will be pitted against each other to choose the 2012 Debut Novel Cover of the Year.

But I'm not going to choose the winning covers - you are. Welcome to the 2012 Debut Author Challenge Cover Wars!

Here are your choices for January 2012:

Please welcome E.S. Moore to The Qwillery as the first of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge interviews. To Walk the Night (Kat Redding 1) is published today.  Happy Release Day to E.S. Moore!

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

ESM:  Not sure it's interesting, but I'd have to say my biggest quirk would have to be my near obsessiveness when it comes to when and how I write. I follow nearly the same pattern every single day and if I veer from it in the slightest, the day is usually wasted. I literally have to get up, get ready for the day, eat breakfast, and then sit down to write right away or I struggle to get into it. And then I have to write at my desk, with my laptop, with no music or sound, with hazelnut coffee first, followed by a root beer, or I struggle. I can sometimes work at night, but it is rare because I want to follow my morning routine beforehand.

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

ESM:  Some of my favorites are: Stephen King, Brian Lumley, Kathy Reichs, Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Simon R. Green, George R. R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson. All of them have influenced my writing in some way. And there are so many other authors in so many different genres, it would be impossible to list them all here. I'd like to think that everything I read makes me a little better in my own writing. You can learn something from everyone.

TQ:  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

ESM:  Depends. I used to be a 100% pantser, but that slowly evolved over time. To Walk the Night is actually the first book I plotted beforehand. I still do a lot of writing without plotting, and even then, the plotting is usually no more than two or three lines per chapter of what I think should happen. I still like to let the story guide me more than trying to force it down a certain path just because I plotted it one way. There are still stories I am working on that have no pre-plotted elements and others where I plotted it out, wrote a first draft, and then totally changed everything in the second go round.

TQ:  What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

ESM:  Deciding what to work on! I have so many ideas, it will be impossible for me to ever write all the stories. While I love coming up with new ideas, it makes it hard to focus sometimes. I've had weeks where I've desperately wanted to work on book A, but book B kept demanding to be written. By the time I was ready for book B, book C and D were jumping up and down, waving their arms, asking for a little love. I sometimes have to force myself to stay focused because I want to get to them all!

TQ:  Describe To Walk the Night in 140 words or less.

ESM:  To Walk the Night is a gritty urban fantasy novel where the vampires and werewolves rule the night. Kat Redding, a vampire herself, hunts the monsters, earning herself the nickname Lady Death. She reluctantly teams up with the Luna Cult, a group of werewolf worshipers, to take down a vampire House who is looking to increase their power. The story is dark with quite a bit of bloody action.

TQ:  What inspired you to write To Walk the Night?

ESM:  It was one of those freak idea flashes that came out of nowhere. I had a fleeting thought about what my next project should be, thinking it would be urban fantasy, but wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go. Then it just sort of came to me and I plotted it out in a day. Oddly, I never once thought of the movie Underworld when plotting or writing the book. It wasn't until after people started reading it and comparing them that I even thought about the movie.

TQ:  What sort of research did you do for To Walk the Night?

ESM:  There were a few location things I researched, but I live near enough to Columbus, Ohio, I didn't have to look much up. Kat's motorcycle and gun were my biggest research problems. I knew absolutely nothing about either of those things. I did most of my research online because I can't stand to be around guns and would rather just get what information I could online or talking to some people rather than actually seeing them in action. Some day I'll probably need to get hands on experience, but for now, I'm happy with what I have.

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

ESM:  I think Ethan is the answer to both questions! I struggled early on to come up with his personality and even age and skill sets. In the first draft, he was completely different than he ended up by the time the book was ready to submit. His first incarnation didn't work with the rest of the story and only added to the dark tone, rather than add a little relief from it. Once I stopped trying to force him into something he obviously wasn't, it went so much better. He is a lot closer to me in his personality, which makes him easier to write. He's sort of my anchor when it comes to characters who are reserved and have clean mouths. I need him so I can get away from all the cursing!

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

ESM:  The scenes between Kat and Ethan are my favorites. I love their interactions. They can be intense, but also have a little comic relief that I think is important to any book that has a lot of bloody scenes. You've gotta sit back and breathe every now and again, right?

TQ:  What's next?

ESM:  Book 2, Tainted Night, Tainted Blood will be released July 3, 2012. I'm also putting the final touches on book 3, Blessed by a Demon's Mark, which will come out sometime later.

TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

ESM:  Thank you for having me!


About To Walk the Night

Kat Redding 1
Kensington, January 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Even a vampire has to face her inner demons…

Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She’s good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death—and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power.

Kat can’t allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she’s encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface—and costs her whatever is left of her humanity…

About E.S. Moore

E.S. Moore is the author of the Kat Redding urban fantasy series, starting with To Walk the Night due January 3rd, 2012 and continuing with Tainted Night, Tainted Blood in July. He lives in Ohio with his wife and son. You can find him on the web at www.esmoore.net.

E.S. Moore's Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads





The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  Two commenters will each win a Mass Market Papberback copy of To Walk the Night (Kat Redding 1) from The Qwillery.

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. 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 Tuesday, January 10, 2012. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

Please welcome E.S. Moore to The Qwillery as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge guest blogs. To Walk the Night, his debut novel, will be published in January 2012 by Kensington.



Book covers. They are both a blessing and a curse. A good cover can help a book succeed. A bad one can kill it before it ever has a chance.

Of course, that might be exaggerating things a little bit. We’re supposed to avoid judging books by their covers, right? Even if the cover is so bad it makes your eyes bleed, you should still pick it up and at least read the back cover copy or the first few pages to see if it might be something you’d be interested in, right? Right!?

But sometimes, that just doesn’t happen. A brilliant book might get overlooked because the cover art turns people away for one reason or another. And while some people might pick a book up and give it a try despite an eyesore of a cover, others might walk right by it and try something else, something a little less painful to look at.

There are all sorts of reasons why a book cover might fail to capture readers. It could be so bland and boring, readers don’t even notice it sitting on the shelves next to much livelier books. It could be ugly, something that causes people to cringe in sympathy as they walk by. It could simply be that the cover itself doesn’t accurately represent what’s inside. There are so many ways a cover can go wrong, it can be pretty frightening for an author waiting to see what their own cover might look like.

Personally, I try not to let covers sway my judgment on what to read, but it isn’t as easy as it sounds. I refused to read Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series for the longest time because I didn’t like the cover art for any of the books. To me, it looked like the characters all had dumpy, short legs and the clothing they wore felt off somehow. When I finally did break down and buy the first book, I was surprised how different the story was to what was represented on the cover. It was far, far better.

But that was only my opinion. There are probably quite a few people who love the covers just the way they are. I just happen not to be one of them.

While I might have avoided The Wheel of Time books for a little while because of their covers, there were other books I did pick up solely based on the cover art.

Wait. Did I say books? I meant book.

I’ve only ever picked up one book because I liked its cover. I might not have ever read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss if I hadn’t seen the cover first. The back copy didn’t really interest me and when I opened the book and glanced at a few pages, I didn’t think it anything special. And even then, I wasn’t sure I was going to buy it because I doubted I’d even like it.

Boy, I’m glad I did.

What does that tell me? To me, a good cover is nice and all, but a bad cover can cause a bigger impact on a book. I’ve passed on more books than I’ve picked up because of personal prejudices against what I think a cover should look like. There are books I actually want to read that I have yet to buy simply because the cover bothers me for one reason or another.

And sometimes, it’s not even a bad cover that can turn a reader away. One example that stands out in my mind is The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines. It’s not a bad cover. In fact, I actually kind of like it. You get a good idea of what you are about to read when you look at it.

Unfortunately, some people will pass on the book simply because the cover is colorful and has a couple of girls on the front, even if they are armed. Some guys, especially at ages in which image seems to count more than anything else, wouldn’t want anyone to see them reading a book that has pink of all colors on it. What would their friends think?!

So even a good cover can hinder a book depending on who is looking at it. Is a cover too scary? Too cheesy? Too pink or girly? Targeted towards men only?

Should it even matter?

When I saw the cover of To Walk the Night, I was thrilled and scared at the same time. Was it too different? Too similar to other books? Would it drive people away? Or would it draw them in?

Personally, I like the cover. It’s different enough that I hope it doesn’t blend in with the other books of the same genre. It still has similarities, of course. It would probably be a bad thing if it didn’t. But overall, I think it is eye-catching. It should draw a potential reader’s eye.

And in the end, isn’t that what matters most?

I’d love to hear what others have to say about their favorite covers or ones that didn’t work for them and why. Feel free to comment here or find me on Facebook or Twitter and let me know what you think!

And maybe the next time you are about to pass on a book because you don’t like its cover, pick it up instead. Give it a chance. You might find yourself to be pleasantly surprised.


About To Walk The Night 

Kensington, January 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Even a vampire has to face her inner demons…

Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She’s good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death—and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power.

Kat can’t allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she’s encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface—and costs her whatever is left of her humanity…

About E.S. Moore

E.S. Moore is the author of TO WALK THE NIGHT, the first in an urban fantasy series due out from Kensington Publishing in January 2012. He is represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

E.S. Moore's Links

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Google +
Goodreads


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a Lady Caroline necklace from Cemetery Cat Jewelery.



How:  Leave a comment below answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted. Answers left anywhere else don't count for the giveaway.

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 Tuesday, November 15, 2011. Void where prohibited by law. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.