Welcome Michelle Clay to the blog!
Thank you for having me on your blog today! J
Tell us about
your current release. I’d love to! Of A Darker Nature released June 1st
with Crescent Moon Press. It’s about a necro-telepath who is being hunted by an
evil witch and falls in love with the vampire sent to protect her. To date,
it’s my favorite novel and I do plan on writing a sequel.
Do you believe
in ghosts? Yes,
I do, sort of. I believe remnants of those we love and lost cling to us and
manifest in the form of memories or wishful thinking. Last summer I was very,
very ill. I’m talking about I seriously thought I was going to die. My mom who
had been gone about three years at that time was there, touched my hip, said my
name in that calming mom way and I knew everything was going to be okay. I
didn’t see her, but the touch and voice was so haunting. How’s that for a
rambling, roundabout answer? J
Plotter or
Pantser? Why? Ha. I begin with a half-cooked idea
and it may or may not be the beginning. From there, I just fly by the seat of
my pants. I’ve tried plotting and while I can adhere to it fairly well,
eventually I veer off the path and go in a different direction. Pantser, for
sure!!
How do you
develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula? I do actually develop and think out my characters. This
is going to sound a bit crazy, but the leads are usually already bumping around
my head for a bit, making themselves known. I make up a character sheet with
everything from physical and emotional attributes down to what their fave color
is. Plotting, is a whole ‘nother story… I just let the characters tell me where
they want to go.
What hobbies do
you actively pursue? I make OOAK (one of a
kind)horror art dolls and “normal” crafty things. The dolls I make can be found
here: http://darklingdolls.blogspot.com/p/about-darkling-dolls.html
With just one touch, Emily Cross can read the
memories of the deceased. Working at a funeral home might not be the logical
choice, but for Emily, it is a natural one. When she and her boss are attacked,
the creatures she once thought were only folklore become all too real. Just as
she’s about to be drained of life, the cadaver on the next table rises and
fights them off. Feeling a connection to the man who saved her life, she makes
it her mission to find him. As she delves deeper, she discovers a dark
underworld full of vampires, magic and shape shifters.
Marcus Dane doesn’t know how he ended up in a mortuary. As an Enforcer for the Mistress of the City, he has been following leads regarding a powerful witch who wants to exterminate his blood-clan. His fear that the witch has recruited some of his fellow Enforcers is confirmed and now it looks as though the witch will make her threats real. He counts himself lucky to escape the mortician, because someone in the mortuary business disposes of vampires who are unfortunate enough to cross his table.
When it all comes down to it, Emily now has a vampire she’s romantically entangled with, a very angry Mistress who doesn’t like other people playing with her toys, and an incredibly powerful witch who realizes killing Emily is the gateway to what she wants. By the end, Emily will have to figure out who she can trust, who she has to align with even if she doesn’t trust them, and just who has the darkest nature of all.
Marcus Dane doesn’t know how he ended up in a mortuary. As an Enforcer for the Mistress of the City, he has been following leads regarding a powerful witch who wants to exterminate his blood-clan. His fear that the witch has recruited some of his fellow Enforcers is confirmed and now it looks as though the witch will make her threats real. He counts himself lucky to escape the mortician, because someone in the mortuary business disposes of vampires who are unfortunate enough to cross his table.
When it all comes down to it, Emily now has a vampire she’s romantically entangled with, a very angry Mistress who doesn’t like other people playing with her toys, and an incredibly powerful witch who realizes killing Emily is the gateway to what she wants. By the end, Emily will have to figure out who she can trust, who she has to align with even if she doesn’t trust them, and just who has the darkest nature of all.
Excerpt:
Marcus turned his gaze up to her, eyes dark
pools of midnight. The points of his fangs dimpled the tender flesh and blood
welled just below the surface. Panic took over and she shoved him backward. She
scooted off the counter, pulling the shirt back over her shoulders.
"Things are moving way too fast. I shouldn't have let you go that
far."
He watched her with scary, dark eyes.
"Why don't I run to town and get you some more blood?"
He grinned, fangs in full view. "I'm more interested in yours."
She shrieked then darted past him. A piece of glass crunched beneath her heel and sent her stumbling.
Marcus gripped her shoulders, drew her against him and pinned her against the refrigerator. He didn't seem to notice or care that she pushed against his chest in an effort to escape.
His mouth lingered just inches from her neck. The tips of his teeth grazed her throat and his breath tickled across her skin. Fangs pinched the delicate area, forcing a low moan from her.
"Please, Marcus." She struggled to be heard over the roaring fear in her head. "Don't do this."
"Why must you torment me?" His lips tickled her skin.
Emily swallowed hard, afraid to move. Marcus's desire still pressed against her and her own swirled low in her belly. His fingers deftly unbuttoned her shorts. She was tempted to throw caution to the wind and let him ravage her. But she had no assurances that he wouldn't bleed her dry.
His hands were at her hips, pushing the denim lower. Next, his fingers hooked her panties. She shuddered against his cool skin and held her breath. He hadn't backed away and his mouth was still at her throat.
"Marcus?" She was afraid to move or do more than whisper. This was unfamiliar territory and she didn't know what might set him off. Sex she could handle, but the fangs at her throat were terrifying.
He surprised her by drawing back. Doubt surfaced behind his darkened eyes, but he didn't take his gaze from her. In a roughened voice he said, "Walk away, don't run."
He watched her with scary, dark eyes.
"Why don't I run to town and get you some more blood?"
He grinned, fangs in full view. "I'm more interested in yours."
She shrieked then darted past him. A piece of glass crunched beneath her heel and sent her stumbling.
Marcus gripped her shoulders, drew her against him and pinned her against the refrigerator. He didn't seem to notice or care that she pushed against his chest in an effort to escape.
His mouth lingered just inches from her neck. The tips of his teeth grazed her throat and his breath tickled across her skin. Fangs pinched the delicate area, forcing a low moan from her.
"Please, Marcus." She struggled to be heard over the roaring fear in her head. "Don't do this."
"Why must you torment me?" His lips tickled her skin.
Emily swallowed hard, afraid to move. Marcus's desire still pressed against her and her own swirled low in her belly. His fingers deftly unbuttoned her shorts. She was tempted to throw caution to the wind and let him ravage her. But she had no assurances that he wouldn't bleed her dry.
His hands were at her hips, pushing the denim lower. Next, his fingers hooked her panties. She shuddered against his cool skin and held her breath. He hadn't backed away and his mouth was still at her throat.
"Marcus?" She was afraid to move or do more than whisper. This was unfamiliar territory and she didn't know what might set him off. Sex she could handle, but the fangs at her throat were terrifying.
He surprised her by drawing back. Doubt surfaced behind his darkened eyes, but he didn't take his gaze from her. In a roughened voice he said, "Walk away, don't run."
Buy Links:
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/of-a-darker-nature-michelle-clay/1111207460?ean=9781937254537
Bio:
Even as a child, Michelle wasn’t
afraid of the things that went bump in the night. In fact, the thought of a
world where werewolves roamed and Dracula reigned king may seem like an
eldritch dream to most, but was exciting to Michelle. Instead of turning on a
light for comfort, she reveled in the dark, imagining the lives of what was out
there roaming the night and frightening those who didn’t truly appreciate how
interesting the supernatural really were.
Nowadays,
her visions continuously take shape as she brings life to the worlds she has
imagined since childhood. The wild imaginings that often got Michelle out of,
or more often into, trouble as a young girl have informed and enriched her
storytelling as an adult, bringing a fresh new voice to the paranormal romance
genre.
3 comments:
Wow, very cool. Reading memories of the deceased is a new twist on things - I like it!
Emily: It can be, depending on what kind of life they've lived. Recently, since I've been hanging with vampires... the "gift" isn't so much of a blessing.
Excellent Michelle And thanks for your time! I'm really excited to read your book as this is my favorite genre!!!
linda_bass@sbcglobal.net
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