Saying Goodbye to Old Friends

The second hardest thing to do when it comes to working on a book series ... is saying goodbye. (The first hardest thing is creating the series in the first place.)

Counting both published and unpublished books that I've completed, I think I've now topped 20.  Most of those books have been part of a series.  It's gotten me in the habit of becoming close to the characters.  We don't spend a few months together, but years.  In the case of Mira and Danaus from my Dark Days series, I had those two running through my head for nearly a decade.  I saw parts of the U.S. because of the Dark Days books.  There were years where I was so intent on the stories that I'd have Mira giving a running commentary through my head as I shopped for Christmas gifts (and let me tell you, that vampire does not like to shop).

But the truth is that in all those months and years, you learn that series world as well as your own home.  You know the parts of town you don't wander down after sunset and the parts of town you don't go to regardless of the hour. You know your character's favorite food even if it never comes up in a story. In fact, you know tons of things that never make it to the books but they are there, running through your head, shaping little decisions all the time.

And after three novels, two novellas, and a short story, it's time to say goodbye to another set of characters.  This Tuesday, Demon's Vengeance hits the shelves, signaling the end of the Asylum Tales series.  And it's hard to let them go.  Warlock-turned-tattoo-artist Gage Powell is special to me.  He's like a best friend that's moving away, and deep down, you know you're not going to keep in contact. Gage was on the run from a dark force and he managed to carve out a life that made him happy.  He found family, friendship, love, and a greater purpose.

Gage's books became about sacrifice and learning that there are things out there worth fighting for that are so much bigger than ourselves.  And in those moments, you have to be willing to risk everything.  I'm proud of him and his choices... even the bad ones.

But I'm still going to miss him and his world.  I'm going to miss hanging out at  the Asylum Tattoo Parlor and never knowing what was going to step through the front door next.  Maybe it was going to be an incubus, an elf, or a werewolf.  Maybe a set of vampires from TAPSS stopping by to harass him.  Or maybe it was just Bronx or Trixie showing up for their shift.  The Asylum Tales inhabit a world of endless possibilities and that's what made it so much fun.

If you would like to take a step into a crazy world of witches, vampires, shifters, elves, trolls, goblins, incubus, sirens, and soooo much more, I invite you into the Asylum Tales.  Below is the reading order for the entire series.

The Asylum Interviews: Bronx
The Asylum Interviews: Trixie
Angel's Ink
Dead Man's Deal
"Of Monsters and Men" -- short story found in Blood By Moonlight anthology
Demon's Vengeance

And if you happen to run into Gage and the gang, tell them that Jocelynn misses them.

Time for a Birthday Book Giveaway

[UPDATE: Winners are Melissa and Infinitieh. Please email me at JocelynnDOTdrakeATgmailDOTcom your address so I can ship your books to you!]

October is my favorite month of the year.  It's a time of cooler weather, colored leaves, Halloween costumes, and my birthday! Yes, today is my birthday, but I'm the one who's going to be giving away the presents.

I would like you to help me celebrate my birthday.  And the timing is particularly perfect since I've got a new book that is coming out next week!  The Final Asylum Tales book is being released in three parts starting on October 14 for e-book.  Demon's Fury will be released on October 14. Demon's Vow will be released on October 21. And Inner Demon will be out on October 28.  (If you're not a fan of e-books, the final story will be released as a single book later this year.)

But maybe you're not acquainted with warlock-turned-tattoo artist Gage Powell, his elf girlfriend Trixie, or his best friend, a troll named Bronx.  That's okay because I'm giving away two sets of the first two books -- Angel's Ink and Dead Man's Deal -- to celebrate my birthday!

The Asylum Tales follows the adventures of tattoo artist Gage as he tries to balance having a girlfriend who's hiding from the Summer Court while he's trying to escape the warlocks of the Ivory Towers.  Not an easy task when the poor man finds trouble as easily as he does.  His escapades has seen him dealing with vampires, shifters, ogres, elves, sirens, pixies, hobgoblins, minotaurs, incubi, and even the Grim Reaper.

For more information and the reading order of the series, click here.

If you would like to win one of the two prize packs (a signed Angel's Ink and a signed Dead Man's Deal), leave me a comment telling me what you would like to be for Halloween if you could dress up as anything in the whole wide word.  The contest is open to both domestic and international readers.  Please come back on Saturday, October 11 when I will announce my two winners.

Also, I've got another giveaway running on my website through this week. Don't forget to stop by and enter my different contest there. To see my other birthday giveaway, please click here.

New Home, New Book, & New Giveaway

WINNER ANNOUNCED: The Winner is Melissa (Books and Things)! Melissa, please email me your mailing address to JocelynnDOTdrakeATgmailDOTcom so I can get you a signed copy of ANGEL's INK!

 So... I've been MIA for a couple of months, but I've got a very good reason, I swear.  In the middle of December I started a new day job, which required somewhat of a big move.  As in, I was moving from Wisconsin (in the far north) to South Florida (in the far south).  I had a month to find a place to live, hire movers, pack up my house, and get myself south -- and I'm talking far south to a region where people have no idea what snow is.

In the past few months, there's been moving, unpacking, fighting to locate boxes that were lost, fighting to get reimbursed for boxes that were never found, settling into a new job, and finding some good places to eat in my new hometown.  My husband and I have taken the time to wander around town, try some wonderful restaurants, sneak up to Walt Disney World for a day, and lounge at the beach.

Oh... and did I mention that I finished writing a book and handed it in to my editor.  Yeah, I did that too.

I have completed the final book in the Asylum Tales series! It has been handed into my publisher.  It still has to go through several rounds of edits before it's released to the world, but it has at least started down that road.  Of course, we also have to come up with a title.  I'm still thinking on that one.  We're looking at a release in mid-October.

To celebrate the upcoming conclusion to the Asylum Tales (and me finally completing my move), I am giving away a signed copy of ANGEL'S INK, the first book in the Asylum Tales series.  With the final book coming out this fall, now is a great time to start the series.  Just leave me a comment below telling me what you're most looking forward to this summer.  I will announce a winner on Sunday, March 9. (Sorry, this is a US-only giveaway.  I promise that I'll do an international giveaway closer to the new book release.)

In the meantime, I am working on a brand new world with a brand new set of characters.  I am really excited to start writing on this one.  I wish I could tell you more... but it's still too early.  I want to keep it to myself for a little while longer.  Don't worry.  You'll meet my new friend soon enough.

Finding the center

There are days when the bills have to be paid, the dog needs to be taken to the vet, the laundry is threatening to overtake the bedroom, and there isn’t a clean dish in the house.  No matter how hard you try, reality keeps dragging you out of the fantasy world of your creation, and keeping words from hitting the page.  I’ve been having this problem a lot recently.  Stress and frustration are disturbing my peace of mind, which is so needed when it comes to creating.

But when I can string together a few undisturbed minutes to hunch over my keyboard or notebook, I have found that music is often the best and quickest way for me to return to the world of my own creation and the characters that I love. 

I was startled recently at how quickly I can be submerged in a world – even one that I haven’t visited in a while.  I turned on my iTunes a few days back and just left it play while I tinkered with other random things before getting to work. I was drawn from my research when the song “Gabriel” by Lamb came on.  I hadn’t listened to it in a long time and I had played it most frequently when I was writing the Dark Days series. 

With the first few haunting strains of music, I was zipped to Mira’s world.  It was like being dropped naked in icy water, the emotional response had been so strong.  In an instant, I could recall the rhythm of Mira’s speech, her know-it-all smirk, and her love of Danaus and Tristan.  I could see her dark world spread before me and all its players, standing frozen as if only waiting for my command.  In that moment, I think I could have picked up writing that series without batting an eye. 

It has been roughly two years since I last wrote a Dark Days novel, so some of the songs have faded from my mind.  “Gabriel” has a special place in my heart, as well as “I Remember” by Stabbing Westward.  That one has always made me think of Danaus and Mira.

Gage and the Asylum Tales have been a little harder to peg.  Gage’s moods have been a little more mercurial and there are a wide variety of personalities that pass through the tattoo parlor.  For large sections of the series, I’ve relied on Shaman’s Harvest, particularly “Say the Same,” while Pink Floyd tends to invoke Bronx’s personality in my mind.   Gage is also a fan of “Sound of Madness” by Shinedown.  That one always gets me in the mood for a good fight scene.

Dead Man's Deal Is Out!

****CONTEST WINNER: Heidi Reinhardt is the winner of the signed copies of Angel's Ink and Dead Man's Deal.  Please email me your address at Jocelynn DOT drake AT gmail DOT com so I can drop the books in the mail for you.  Congratulations****


Is there anything better in this world than new book Tuesday?  Sometimes I think it's the only thing that makes the week tolerable.  In an effort to help make the week pass enjoyably, I am making my own donation to the bookshelves of the world.  Yes, the second book in the Asylum Tales series, Dead Man's Deal, is now out!

Do you like magic?
Do you like tattoos?
Do you like elves, vampires, werewolves, trolls, incubi, hobgoblins, warlocks, and talking cats?
Do you like weird and crazy stuff happening at every turn?

The Asylum Tales series could be for you.

With the second book hitting shelves today, it's a good time to start reading about Gage and his friends at Asylum Tattoo Parlor.

Here is a brief description of Dead Man's Deal:

In a gritty urban fantasy world where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires swim free in a sea of humanity, sometimes you need an edge. 

Looking for a little love? 
Need some luck? 
Desperate for revenge? 

Gage can give you what you need. The most talented tattoo artist in town, he knows the right symbol and the right mix of ingredients and ink to achieve your heart's desire. One tattoo is all it takes. But remember, everything has its price. 

The wizards know Gage is using forbidden magic, and they intend to punish him for his  transgressions. Too bad if innocent humans and monsters—entire cities—get in the way. They will quell a nascent magical uprising and Gage will be the sacrifice they need. First, though, they have to find him.

Here is the reading order for the Asylum Tales:

The Asylum Interviews: Bronx (prequel novella)
The Asylum Interviews: Trixie (prequel novella)
Angel's Ink
Dead Man's Deal
"Of Monsters and Men" (short story in Blood by Moonlight anthology)

Contest

To celebrate the release of Dead Man's Deal, let's have a contest.  In the comments below, tell me your favorite supernatural creature (vampire, werewolf, elf, etc...).  I will give away a signed copy of Angel's Ink and Dead Man's Deal.  If I get over 100 entries to the contest, I will give away 2 sets of books.  The contest ends on Friday, May 10 at midnight Eastern time.  The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 11.

Dark Days & Asylum Tales Stories on Sale

In celebration of the upcoming release of Dead Man's Deal (book 2 in the Asylum Tales) on May 7, my publisher is running a killer deal that you don't want to miss.  From now until April 30, all my Dark Days stories and the three novellas for the Asylum Tales are on sale for only $0.99 each on e-book.  That's a whole lot of reading for a very small price!

What are we talking about?

The Asylum Tales

For the Asylum Tales, you can get The Asylum Interviews: Bronx and The Asylum Interviews: Trixie novellas for $0.99 each.  These prequel novellas are over 25,000 words each (or about 100 pages in Microsoft Word) and help to introduce readers to the world of the Asylum Tales. 

In Bronx, you will meet Gage Powell's co-worker, fellow tattoo artist, and all around great guy ... er troll, Bronx.  The story follows the interesting meeting of Gage and Bronx and you learn the circumstances that led Gage to hire Bronx on at Asylum.  The novella also teaches a very valuable lesson:  Don't tattoo an incubus. Ever.  The consequences are ... unexpected and messy.

In Trixie, you will meet elf-in-hiding Trixie, who convinces Gage that he needs to help his ex-girlfriend and vampire Jo escape from her vampire master (even if she hasn't actually asked for his help).  You will also meet the gargoyles and learn about their love of breakfast cereal.

A third story is also available in the Blood By Moonlight anthology.  "Of Monsters and Men" is set after Angel's Ink and follows Trixie and Gage as they try to help out the local werewolf pack on Halloween.  The anthology also includes stories from Terri Garey and Caris Roane.  That's three stories for only $0.99!

Dark Days Series

Does your e-reader need more vampires?  I've got just the thing to fill that void. 

The Dark Days series follows nightwalker Mira, also known as the Fire Starter, and nightwalker hunter Danaus, as they fight to stop an evil race of creatures from destroying both nightwalkers and all humans.  The series travels the globe, stopping in England, Egypt, Italy, Peru, and Hungary when Mira isn't trying to keep peace in her own city of Savannah, Georgia.

The series is filled with violence, intrigue, betrayal, secrets, heartache, and romance. 

And now you can get all the stories for the Dark Days series for less than $8.  That's six novels and two novellas that follow the adventures of Mira, Danaus, Knox, Valerio, and Rowe.

The reading order is:

Bound to Me (novella)
The Dead, the Damned, and the Forgotten (novella)
Nightwalker
Dayhunter
Dawnbreaker
Pray for Dawn
Wait for Dusk
Burn the Night

To pick up the e-books, please follow the links below:

Jocelynn Drake's books on Amazon

Jocelynn Drake's book on Barnes & Noble

Jocelynn Drake's books on Kobo.

If you love these books or you just love great deals on books, please share these links with your friends.  Happy Reading!

Road Trip: Low Town

Pack your bags, kids.  We're heading into Low Town.

With the end of the Dark Days series, I turned my attention to one of the most beautiful and frightening things for an author, or maybe any artist -- the blank page.  In the Dark Days series, I tackled vampires living in the shadows and working in the dark.  I tackled mythical races; dark, brooding characters; and star-crossed love.  As the blank page glared at me, and I inevitably glared back, I knew I wanted to head into a totally different direction.

I let my imagination off its leash and it ran to all the strange ideas that I had bottled up because they simply wouldn't work within the constraints of the Dark Days series.  In the new series, I didn't want powerful species hiding and working in the shadows while humans remained blissfully unaware.  I didn't want a dark, grumpy main character haunted by her past and unable to form a healthy relationship with anyone.

As I started making notes on the series, I found myself throwing off more and more shackles, letting my imagination run wild and naked through the woods and fields until she finally returned to me mud-splattered, breathless, and smiling.  (She also picked up a new tattoo or two along the way that she won't discuss with me.) She had found the path and we knew where we were going.  We were going to Low Town.

Low Town is where my main character Gage has a tattoo parlor called Asylum.  In Low Town, and just about every where in this world, all creatures live together and know about each other.  Yes, that nice human family down the street also lives next to a family of werewolves, while on the other side is a divorced siren and her incubus boyfriend.  And just across the street is that nice, old goblin couple, who just celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary.  Not to mention vampires, trolls, minotaurs, faeries, ogres, pixies, drakes, and many more creatures that will dance across the page.

Living with so many creatures with innate magical abilities, sometimes a person needs a little hand in life.  That's where the tattoo artists come in.  They are also the local potion stirrers in this world.  If you need a little help, they can put a potion in the ink of your tattoo to help improve your luck or your love life.

Does Low Town sound like a place you'd like to visit?  A bit overwhelmed?  Sure, I understand.  My first time there I nearly ran into an ogre coming out of a dark alley.  Not an enjoyable experience.  But Gage and I can see you through the city with few problems. 

On July 3, the first tour through the city will take place in the form of THE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: BRONX  short story, which will be released as an e-book.  This short story is a prequel to the first novel (ANGEL'S INK) and tells how Gage met his first employee, Bronx the troll, and tried to help Gage's friend Parker with his love life.  (Let's just say that things don't quite work out how Gage and Bronx expect for the poor incubus.  Parker is still mad at Gage and me for laughing.)   

So, are you brave enough to wander through Low Town with me?

Taking A Break

Breathe, Jocelynn.  Breathe.  It’s over.  You’re safe.  The book is over.

No, I wasn’t reading a scary book.  I was finishing up the second book in the Asylum Tales series.  The race to the end shifted to a break-neck, screaming run as if the hounds of Hell had been let loose from their chains and were foaming on my heels.  As I push through the last 100 pages of a book, it becomes harder and harder for me to step away from the computer to do things like eat, sleep, shower, laundry, and other basics of life.  My mind never drifts far from my main character as I desperately try to maneuver him through this wicked, tight maze of dangers that I’ve set before him.  As we near the end of the book, I’m cursing him, myself, and the lack of more hours in the day.  My husband and the animals have learned to keep their distance as if some feral wolf has somehow gotten trapped in the house with them.

On the last day of writing, I finished two chapters, wrote more than 10,000 words over 11 hours.  When I walked away from the computer late that night, I was shaking, laughing, and crying with joy and relief.  Writing books is a love unlike any other.  It’s frustrating, confusing, funny, surprising, and so all-consuming, but I love it.  I can’t imagine not doing it. 

But it’s done now.  The second book of my new series is finished at over 110,000 words and 349 pages.  I got to spend time with several characters that I’ve grown to love over the past year and got to meet many new ones that are trying very hard to creep into my heart as well.   The world is becoming so familiar to me now.  I feel like I can walk down the street and wave to the people as if I had been living among them for years.

I’m completing a quick revision now before turning it into my editor.  What’s next after that?  Will I be lounging by the pool, basking in the summer sun while I wait for my revision letter?  Ha.  Not likely.  No, my new main character Gage and I will be huddled around my desk, arguing about plans for another book.  He’s asking me to take it easy this time.  He’s still a little bruised and sore from his last adventure.  I wish I could, but it isn’t going to happen.  In another month, he’ll be fully recovered and ready for action.  Poor guy.

Looking forward, I’ve got several stories coming out, introducing you to a new world of warlocks, elves, trolls, and my own unique brand of chaos and madness.  The fun kicks off when my first novella, The Asylum Interviews: Bronx is released on July 3.  The story introduces you to my main character Gage and tells how he met his coworker Bronx.  The second novella, The Asylum Interviews: Trixie, will be released on September 4, telling the tale of how Gage met Trixie.  And finally, on October 16, readers will be able to get the first novel, Angel’s Ink.

Get ready.  It’s going to be a crazy year.