Please
share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
I’m a librarian by background so I love to dig in
and do research and I’m always reading something. My experience as a law
librarian in a large law firm gave me a true feel for life as an associate
attorney as my main character, Casey Sloane, must experience it. It also gave
me an insider understanding of the vibe and rhythm inherent to that
environment. I do work full time now in a job where I spend lots of quality
time with librarians, attorneys, and all kinds of interesting Washington, D.C.
types. Working full time and writing does create a bit of a life balance issue
but also provides many rewards. Sleep is probably not one of them though.
We just added a new member to our family this summer.
She’s a rescue dog and she came to us with the name Lucy Lu. She’s part
American Eskimo and part Chihuahua. Of course, she’s the cutest, smartest part
of both and a wonderful companion for me when I’m writing away. She’s helping
me with the life balance thing too.
My
genre is paranormal romance/urban fantasy. I love reading mysteries, YA, and
regencies as well. However, when it comes time to sit down and write, it’s paranormal
all the way. I have a sense of humor and I try to let that shine through in my
writing.
Tell
us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
My
latest release is my debut novel, Bespoken: A Nightangel and Daydreamer Novel.
It’s a paranormal romance/urban fantasy set in Washington, D.C. Casey Sloane is
a young, driven attorney fighting her way up the ladder to a law firm
partnership. She doesn’t have time for hobbies, just a few daydreams. When the beautiful
and mesmerizing nightangel Gabriel arrives in her daydreams, she’s taken by
surprise. When he steps out of her secret daydreams and turns up on her
doorstep, she’s not surprised anymore, she’s stunned. The nightangel is looking
for a real life, real-time relationship with her. All she’s looking for is a
way to shut down the nightangel before she does something stupid – like say yes
to every one of his demands. It turns out a little daydreaming can be
dangerous.
Are
you a mom?
I’m
a mom with kids who are out of college now.
They are both awesome and have been a huge support to me as a writer. A
while back, my son actually let me read him an early version of my entire
novel, chapter by chapter over a period of about a month. Today, he’s a great
sounding board and I often bounce ideas for my books off him. Whether it’s book
titles or an intriguing secondary character, my daughter is always willing to
listen and give me her opinion as well. Between the two of them I have a
trusted team of advisors always available for consultation. The most important
thing my kids have done for me as a writer is to believe in me with an absolute
unshakable faith. They’ve helped me keep a positive attitude and push past the fear
that is inherent in putting yourself out there. They inspire me to be brave and
trust in myself.
Is there a theme or message in your
work that you would like readers to connect to?
Yes.
Be open to change and be willing to step past fear toward understanding. This
is something Casey Sloane grapples with as she gets to know the nightangel Gabriel
on the other side of the daydreams. Stepping out of our comfort zone isn’t easy
but it’s an important part of living a fulfilling life. Casey’s stubborn desire
not to budge from what has worked for her up to the point of Gabriel’s arrival
on her doorstep doesn’t really serve either of them but it’s hard for her to
let it go. Pushing aside fear for love is difficult but not impossible.
What would your readers be
surprised to learn about you?
Before
I wrote about angels and vampires, I blogged about the sunny side of life. My
blog chronicled my life as a working mom living in suburbia with all the
inherent challenges that two kids, a husband, an excruciating commute, a
demanding job, and a busy household to maintain can supply. I like to laugh and
this blog helped me keep my sense of humor. One of my goals in writing it was
to remind people (and myself) that sometimes stuff that’s not so funny when
it’s happening is pretty funny later on. My blog helped me realize that writing
my paranormal romance without some flashes of humor in it wasn’t being true to
my writing voice. Bespoken is a much better book for that insight.
If
this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?
I’m
working on book 2 and 3 of the Nightangel and Daydreamer series
now. In Book 2, Casey and Gabriel will pick up right where they left off in Bespoken
and they’ll be joined by some characters I’m pretty sure readers will be
excited to see again. Uber cool librarian, Mira, and Casey’s take-no-prisoners
best friend, Ricki, will definitely be back. Phillips & Row will continue
to be the perfect toxic environment for the ambitious young attorney. Of
course, the arrogant Derek Rider will be stirring up some trouble. He just
can’t help himself. Readers can expect to get a glimpse of the extended
paranormal community hidden in plain sight in the Washington, D.C. area in the
next books.
What book are you reading now?
I’m
reading Lethal Outlook by Victoria Laurie right now. I’m a fan of both
her Psychic
Eye and Ghost Hunter Mystery series.
What is in your to read pile?
I’ve
always got a huge To Read pile going. Here are some of the books sitting on the
top of the stack right now:
· Hounded
(Iron Druid Chronicles) by Kevin Hearne
· Dark
Currents: Agent of Hel by Jacqueline Carey
· Moon
Island (Vampire for Hire series) by
J.R. Rain
· Mind
Games by Kiersten White
· Sorcery
and the Single Girl (Jane Madison series) by
Mindy Klasky
· Danger in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday
Bespoken
A Nightangel and Daydreamer Novel
Book One
Marie Michelle Coleman
Genre: paranormal romance/urban fantasy
Publisher: Suburban Island Publishing
ISBN: 978-0991146628
ASIN: B00IXA9UKK
395 pages on Kindle
368 pages in paperback
Word Count: 92,000
Cover Artist: Doug Pecht
Book Description:
Nobody ever told Casey how dangerous a little daydreaming could be.
Casey Sloane appreciates the power of a good daydream. It’s the perfect antidote to the pressures of her hectic life as an associate attorney at a high-powered Washington, D.C. law firm. When the nightangel Gabriel takes up residence in those dreams, Casey is more delighted than surprised. Gabriel is the perfect mixture of danger, otherworldly beauty, and out-and-out temptation required to throw her daydreams into a state of perpetual overdrive.
But when the nightangel sheds his wings and arrives in the real world for a real-time relationship with Casey, she gets a quick education on the unforeseen consequences of secret daydreams.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/4YeTJQqJy_g
Available at Amazon BN Smashwords ARe Txtr iTunes
EXCERPT
TWO:
The music rose
in her ears. She turned from it. She let it ebb until all she could hear was
its echo. She was drifting toward Gabriel and the flame-light. Where she wanted
to be was with him—right or not. She didn’t care if it was perilous. Bring it on, angel. And then let’s call it a
night.
She approached
the arched window of rough gray stone draped in white. She yanked back the
curtain, compelled to have at least one glance into the landscape of the dream
before leaving. A cry escaped her lips before she could stop it. She could not
believe what was spread out before her. The sky was the color of cold mud. The
garden below was barren, as if settled into the dead of winter. The roses were
blooming though, on leafless stems, mostly prickle and nothing green about
them. The flowers themselves were washed out and papery. The wind was a low
moan and it flung itself on her now that it was unrestrained by the heavy
draperies. She stood there a long time taking it in. She did not see Gabriel
but she knew he was nearby. His closeness made her weak and breathless. She
wished she were back under his cold wings now—safe and sound, safe with him—but
it was too late for that. She laid her hands on the window ledge. She held it
tight. She waited for him.
The rough-hewn
stone was jagged beneath her fingers. The sky was darker now—rust-red with no
light underneath. Sharp little snowflakes began to fly through the air, they
cut at the flesh where they touched and began to cover the garden over. The
wind smelled of nothing but the cold heart of winter. The blood began to roar
in her veins, her pulse to race. She did not have to look. She knew he was
there. Draw back, her reason said. Stay a bit longer, her heart responded.
She closed her
eyes as he came beside her and when she opened them again it was to a sky a
shade of dark lavender she had never seen before. It faded into a crisp,
starless black; the wind grew lower and swept the snow away. Now that the scent
of rain, green grass, and roses clung to the air, it was warmer. The roses were
in full bloom and calling out to her as flowers do in dreams. She glimpsed
Gabriel beside her through the veil of her lowered lashes.
“Just a while
longer, Casey,” he murmured through lips of hungry red. “Let us come to an
understanding. It is important.” He cast a coaxing smile her way; a white,
sharp secret lay behind it. The harsh rustle of his transparent wings
reverberated in the quiet room.
Yes, there was definitely more of the bloodangel
than dreamangel about Gabriel now.
Marie Michelle Coleman is a paranormal romance and urban fantasy author whose book, Bespoken, is the first in the Nightangel and Daydreamer series. She's been in love with the written word since she was old enough to turn the pages of her first book. She's always had a fascination with vampires and angels. Sitting down at the keyboard and turning on the paranormal blender was a natural next step.
Marie lives in the Washington D.C. area. She believes in the power of a compelling dream, the therapeutic merits of loud music, and the benefits of always being in the middle of reading a great book. Marie has a soft spot for a good romance and likes to laugh. Jane Austen is her favorite author. She'll probably always be a little in love with Mr. Darcy.
She grows roses in her garden but no matter how hard she tries, they don't look anything like the ones in Casey Sloane's daydreams.
Website: http://www.mariemichellecoleman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/M_M_Coleman
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MarieMColeman/
3 comments:
What a great interview with the author. I've added this book to my reading list now.
Thanks for adding Bespoken to your reading list, Barbara Ann. I'm so happy you liked the interview!
Wenona - Thanks so much for being part of the Bespoken virtual book tour!
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