Today, Everlyn C Thompson is visiting to talk about her new book, marketing, and more.
What kind of research did you do for Grave-Reaping Hermit? Did you travel, use the Internet, speak with experts on a topic, etc?
I mostly relied on my imagination. I had to search the internet for a few random facts – like what size of ammo would be able to shoot a hole in Theo’s living room wall.
How did you pick your characters’ names for Grave-Reaping Hermit?
I usually surf baby name websites. Sometimes nothing is quite right so I make up my own. I came up with the name for the MMC, Farranen, when I found the name Farran.
I do the same thing!! Are your characters based on anyone you know?
No, with the exception of the heroine in my book. She’s like a cooler version of me, with a lot of my own physical and personality traits. All the snarky thoughts in her head are things that I’ve always wanted to say out loud but was never brave enough to.
Haha! Do any of your characters take over and write the book themselves? Who?
No, my characters just do their own thing and I do the writing. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with them.
What do you prefer: ebook, print, or audiobook? Why?
I like ebooks because I never know when I’m going to have a spare minute to read. It’s easier to keep my phone in my back pocket instead of paperback novel.
You got a good point. How long have you been writing? When did you decide to become an author?
I started writing during the pandemic lockdown. Once my first book was written, I decided it would be cool to get it published so I started querying publishers.
Most of the authors I’ve talked to say they’ve been writing since childhood, so it’s nice to meet someone who’s found the calling later in life. What did you do when you received your first Acceptance Letter?
A happy dance in my kitchen.
All writers suffer from writer’s block at least once in their career. What’s your go-to cure?
I don’t worry about it. If I can’t write something today, I put my laptop away and find something else to do. The writing will come tomorrow.
Sometimes the romance genre gets a bad reputation for being cliché and full of Fabios. How do you respond to that?
I’ve got nothing against Fabio, or the readers that want stories that are considered cliché. I personally like books that are heavy on magical plots with a charming romance woven in. There are so many different tropes within the “romance” label, so the stereotypical clichés don’t seem as prevalent as they used to.
I like to think that, too. We all need a little inspiration in our lives. What’s your favorite quote and why?
Anna: Can I say something crazy?
Hans: I love crazy!
This is my favorite quote because it makes me smile every single time I hear it.
And I love that movie! (It’s from Disney’s Frozen, for those of you who have been living under a rock. 😉 Just kidding!) Any advice for the aspiring authors out there? Particularly those who are feeling a little discouraged?
If you enjoy writing, then keep writing. You can always edit something mediocre, but you can’t fix something that doesn’t exist.
So true! How do you market your books? What do you find more effective?
I’m still figuring out the marking side of being an author. Social media is constantly changing, so right now I’m focused on connecting with bookstagrammers on Instagram, as well as urban fantasy/PNR fan groups on Facebook.
That’s a good idea. What is your favorite book? Favorite author?
I love the Sam Quinn Series by Seana Kelly, as well as J. R. Ward’s writing style in the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
Sweet! Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?
I like to spend time outdoors. Fishing, hiking, swimming. I also like to knit, paint and cook.
Thank you for sharing your insights with my readers!
Book Blurb:
When self-professed hermit Theodora Edwards is attacked by a dark fae and infected with his magic, she finds herself thrust into the supernatural spotlight as the first possible changeling in centuries. As if surviving the transition isn’t hard enough, Theo has to deal with an attempted abduction by her newly turned vampire ex-husband, unwanted courting offers from salacious fae suitors, and her growing attraction to the guardian of the gate to Fairie. Caught in a cruel tug of war between the queen of the fae and a surly law-enforcement agent, Theo must find a way to free herself before she loses her hard-earned independence for good.
Tag Line:
Homicidal vampires, homeless werewolves, and hot fae guardians are no match for one sarcastic hermit.
Excerpt:
I can’t say I knew what it was like to wake up in bed with a stranger.
I’d never done it, so up until then, I’d always imagined it would be somewhat of a romantic scene. You know, with our clothing littered across the floor leading to our entwined bodies, tangled in rumpled sheets. There’d be some sort of awkward “good morning” conversation that would quickly morph into us making slow passionate love while looking into each other’s eyes, followed by breakfast and hastily made plans to see each other the following night.
Just to set the record straight, it doesn’t happen like that to girls like me.
“The fuck?” I cracked one heavy eyelid and peered around.
My living room was dark and smelled like cheap wine and good coffee. The pounding in my head increased when I tried to sit up, and the whole room tilted. Strong hands grabbed my shoulders and helped guide me into a sitting position.
“Here, this will help,” a man’s deep voice advised me, and a mug pressed into my hands. It was still warm, and a tentative sip revealed it was coffee. Deliciously sweet but not too strong, just the way I liked it. I took another gulp, hoping a large dose of caffeine would silence the marching band that had taken up residence in my head.
“Go slow. I’m not carrying you into the bathroom if you throw up again.”
Well, that explained why the inside of my mouth tasted like a public toilet that hadn’t been cleaned in six months. Ugh, I would have literally killed my own grandmother for a toothbrush and some mouthwash right then.
Prying my eyelids open felt like acquiring a new superpower, and my head felt sixty pounds heavier than it should. The outline of a broad set of shoulders came into focus directly in front of me, and I yelped in surprise. The mug of hot coffee slipped from my fingers, but his hand shot out to catch it before it landed in my lap.
“Careful!” The sharp word was barked from a voice far deeper than Joey’s, and the realization slapped sobriety into me faster than the coffee ever could have. I barely felt the hot liquid scalding its way down my chest and into my bra.
“What the hell?” I stared in absolute disbelief at the stranger sitting next to me on the couch. Even in the semi-darkness, I could tell I’d never met this man before. He was a freaking giant.
Red hair, the kind that came from genetics and couldn’t be replicated in a salon, stood up in messy tufts on his head. A strong jaw and slightly crooked, angular nose tipped him from handsome into dangerously-beautiful-but-able-to-kick-your-ass-if-you-mention-it territory. He was wearing a black leather coat that hugged shoulders twice as wide as mine. He made me think if he’d had a big bushy beard and plaid shirt, he’d look like a lumberjack.
Buy Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Grave-Reaping-Hermit-Grave-Reaper-Book-ebook/dp/B0BTCG9CV7/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1681410420&refinements=p_27%3AEverlyn+Thompson&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Everlyn+Thompson
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-reaping-hermit-everlyn-c-thompson/1142982713?ean=9781509248087
Author Bio:
Born and raised on the beautiful Canadian prairies, Everlyn prefers to spend her time outdoors with her family kayaking, skating, fishing, and hunting. She loves reading and writing about vampires, witches, fae and zombies that get to find their own version of happily ever after.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/everlyncthompsonauthor/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24009324.Everlyn_C_Thompson