A Note:

6/2/13

I once told myself: IF I am accepted into grad school, this blog would no longer be updated. As it turns out, in April, I received news of my acceptance for the Fall 2013 semester, where I will attain a Master's degree of Science in Nutrition.

Running a blog, as many of you may already know, is a demanding side job once the excitement wears off. And once I fell out of the blogging community's loop (have you SEEN how many blogs there are now? Wow!), it was like the kiss of death. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into a blogging routine once this happened due to the disconnect I felt from the community.

So I took a break. I struggled with the loss and with missing my blog. And then I realized I didn't have to run Book Faery to still be a book reviewer; I could read my books and post reviews online. I'm still a book review blogger, just not in the traditional sense.

I'll still be online. You can chat with me on Twitter, where I'll be posting links to my reviews and talking books. I'll also be posting links to nutrition articles. And if you'd like to connect with me where I guarantee I will post reviews, just add me as a friend on Goodreads.

So that's all, folks! It's been a fun and amazing journey, and I thank you all for listening to my thoughts about books. I hope we all can keep in touch elsewhere :)

Tori

Thursday, May 3, 2012

AAD NOLA Author Spotlight: Jae Lynne Davies



The Challenges of Writing from the Antagonist’s POV
by Jae Lynne Davies


While I wrap up final edits on Blood Moon, the second installment in my Mythic series, I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting.

I’ll begin this post by stating a hard fact: Writing a story isn’t easy. Sure we can outline to our heart’s content, but once the process begins, the creative muse might just have a few tricks up her sleeve. The story often takes a few different paths on the way to completion and there are days where creativity doesn’t flow as well as others. But what I found most exciting during my process, were the challenges I faced while writing my villains.

I enjoy villains, maybe a smidge more than the hero or heroine because of the character complexities and the fact I can make him or her as diabolical as I’d like. The canvas for my villains is clear. There are little rules or boundaries, provided the character fits the storyline, and with no rules…Game on.

Throughout the process, I explored a wicked side of life where inhibitions aren’t a factor and a conscience is practically obsolete, but not without challenges. Once you cross a line with the villain, where is the point of no return? Did I make him evil enough? These are questions I asked myself constantly throughout the story. This is where I trust the reader.

The antagonists that really heat my blood are those redeemable bad boys or the anti-hero. There’s something irresistible and incredibly sexy about bad boys who are evil for a reason, a conflict of epic proportion that can be overcome in a subsequent story with a heroine that suits him and makes him want to be a better man. But the fact remains clear that he’ll always have an edge about him, regardless of the HEA. And I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in my attraction to villains.

In my own personal writing experience, the antagonist’s passion is conveyed through a massive display of power and undeniably hot love scenes. At every turn, I’ve experienced a good amount of difficulty creating a villain who couldn’t be redeemed. I feel they all deserve a chance to be heard, for the layers to be peeled away to unveil a glorious revelation with a ‘wow’ factor that’s out of this world.

For example, in my latest novel, Blood Moon, we see vampire Dante Diakos rise to power and claim his birthright by invoking the power of the Greek pantheon on the summit of Mount Olympus. Once the ritual is complete, Dante will be the most powerful being on earth. Tunnel vision drives him to the brink of madness and while his motivation seems irrational to others, he has his reasons that lead to some of the most passionate moments I’ve ever penned.

Dante has been an absolute pleasure to write as I explore the depths of what makes the villain tick and I certainly hope to explore the matter further as my craft continues to improve and I grow as an author.

My question to all of you, is how evil do you like your villains? Do you enjoy those irreprehensible characters who deserve to be blasted into the outer reaches of the universe, never to be heard from again? Or do you prefer the redeemable bad boy with a large heart and a huge…attitude?

I want to thank the lovely, Tori for inviting me to her blog today. I had a wonderful time being here and hope to see a few of you at AAD in August. Happy Reading!


Jae Lynne Davies is a wife, mother and author who wishes there were more hours in a day to balance all three and her full-time job, but whenever she finds a spare moment, you’ll find her sitting in front of her laptop typing the next chapter! Jae Lynne currently resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

To learn more about Jae Lynne and her work, please visit her website: http://www.jaelynnedavies.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Jae-Lynne-Davies/100001587731488

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JaeLynneDavies

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jaelynnedavies

Mythic is available online at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jae+lynne+davies&sprefix=jae+lynne%2Caps%2C181








Centuries after the death of her family, human/vampire hybrid, Gianna Marino is determined to shed the blood of the vampire responsible.

Disguising herself as a human wanting to be turned, she infiltrates the enemy’s coven with the hope of bending him to her will and destroying him from the inside.

But when a handsome stranger enters the scene and is lured into their seductive game that results in a heated love triangle, she discovers a secret that blurs the lines between good and evil, forever changing the course of her existence, and destiny will soon determine on which side she’ll stand.

Giveaway

Want to win an e-book copy of Mythic? All you have to do is leave a comment answering Jae's question at the end of her guest post!


  • Open internationally.
  • Leave an email address so we can contact you if you win.

6 comments:

  1. Don't enter me please, I just wanted to comment :) I do like bad boys and really evil heroes. Have you read the Fallen Angel series by JR Ward? Talk about anti-hero!
    And ofcourse I love to hate a villain in a book as well. How about Lothaire by Kresley Cole? He really has nothing going for him in the previous books, and in his own she makes me fall for him! Did no see that coming!
    The real villains can make you think, what if ... like Christine Feehan's Ghostwalkers. That evil scientist, what if that was real? I do think America is crazy enough to try it if they could.

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  2. I like my evil heroes both ways. It makes for very interesting reading. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. It sounds very good. Tore923@aol.com

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  3. Hi Aurian! Thanks for stopping by.

    You know, I feel an author really shows her talent when she has you falling for a character you've loathed in previous books. I'll have to check out JR Ward's Fallen Angel series. I'm such a sucker for the anti-hero.

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  4. Hi Tore,

    I agree with you completely. The villain really adds undeniable appeal to a story. Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the giveaway!

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  5. Jaime,
    I like them both, but there is something about redeemable bad boy with a large heart...

    Good Luck with Blood Moon.

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  6. I just like boys LOL! When it comes to villains I like if they can be redeemed but there has to be a moment of self sacrifice that helps make penance for some of what they've done and yes that usually means a significant other that can help them find their HEA!

    Don't enter me in the contest just had to comment.

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