~Interviews From Another Realm~

 -Author Zoe Winters-

Zoe Winters is an independent paranormal romance author. Discovering a passion for both writing and publishing and wanting full creative control of her work, she decided to pursue both passions and publish independently.

Her fiction is both quirky and dark, heavy on the sarcasm with a rich undercurrent of angst. Her love scenes aren't overly graphic but she's been told by readers that the whole affair seemed much more graphic than it was.

Zoe's favorite colors are rainbow and clear. Just in case anyone asks.

Zoe's goal as a writer? "I want to write a book that makes you almost pee your pants because you dont want to put it down long enough to go to the bathroom. I want to write a book that you miss meals for. I want to write a book you miss bathing for. I want to grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page, where you crumble to the floor in a blissful heap, ask for a cigarette, and say: "Damn, was it good for you too," then tell 300 of your closest friends about it on Twitter."

Zoe Winter's Website

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zoe's latest Release: 'Blood Lust'

It's all about the blood...

Comprised of three novellas (Available now individually at Amazon), Blood Lust gives readers a snapshot look at the world of the Preternaturals Series. (Future installments of the series will be novels.)

KEPT: [Read 'Kept' for free Here]

As a cat therian (shifter), Greta's blood is already sought after to enhance spells and potions, but due to a quirk of her birth, her blood is potent enough to kill for. When her tribe plans to sacrifice her, Greta must ally herself with Dayne, the dangerous local sorcerer, and the only person strong enough to protect her.

CLAIMED:

For a vampire, Anthony isn't a picky eater, but he's drawn to Charlee's blood more than any other. Like a fine wine saved for a special occasion, he's denied himself this pleasure. But one night, high from the potent magical blood of another, he claims his prize and loses control. Ashamed of almost killing the one woman who means anything to him, he wipes her memory of the event. When Charlee awakens with complete amnesia, Anthony is the only one who can clean up the mess he's made.

MATED:

Because of the vampiric blood that has run through her veins since birth, Jane has been a target for vampires who resent a human being "kindred." She's forced to disguise herself as a vampire groupie to appease them and safeguard her life. When she's abruptly given to Cole, the leader of the werewolf pack, to satisfy a gambling debt, she discovers the blood running through her veins has a far greater impact on her destiny than she ever imagined.

~Q & A~

 

CT: Hi Zoe, thanks for doing the interview! How have things been going lately? Is there anything specific that you are working on now?

ZW: Thanks for having me! Right now I'm working on edits for the next book in my series, Save My Soul. It's about an incubus who has been trapped in the heroine's house for fifty years by a curse.

CT: How about giving the readers into what "Blood Lust" is all about?

ZW: Blood Lust is a series of three novellas that introduce readers to a larger series called The Preternaturals Series. Here are the descriptions for the novellas [Read the blurb above]

CT: What first inspired you to write the stories in "Blood Lust"? Have you always been interested in the paranormal genre, or did someone inspire you?

ZW: I discovered the show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when I couldn't find my remote control. I thought it would be stupid because of the name. But then I figured out they were being campy on purpose and I ended up becoming obsessed with the show. When I got through the DVDs I read fanfic like an obsessive fangirl. Then when I got bored with that I wanted something "the same" but different, which is how I discovered the paranormal romance genre.

CT: While reading through 'Kept', 'Claimed', and 'Mated', I enjoyed the different characters introducing each story. Are there certain people in your life that have influenced those characters?

ZW: There is probably a little bit of some of my friends in some of the characters. My husband has noticed that a lot of the smartass guys and villains seem to sound eerily similar to him. LOL

CT: After "Blood Lust", what are your plans for future books and series?

ZW: Right now I intend for everything I write as Zoe Winters to be in this one series/world. Blood Lust isn't the end. It's just the beginning. I have about 10 books planned so far but because this world has many different species and lots of different stuff going on, I don't anticipate running out of characters or stories to tell anytime soon.

CT: Can you recall for me, what it was like to have your first story introduced to the masses?

ZW: I know you probably want to hear some kind of ooooh aaaah moment here, but it really wasn't a big deal. I just clicked publish in the Amazon DTP system to put it up on the Kindle. I do get a rush during release week because I'm finally getting feedback for a work, but I don't think I get as excited about these things as everybody else. When I first held the print copy of Blood Lust in my hands I found errors in it and sent it back to be fixed. Probably the normal reaction would have been to be super excited first. Later I felt accomplished when I got the fixed proof, but it still wasn't earth shattering. It was cool, but I had to get back to work.

CT: Is there any other profession you saw yourself in before becoming author took precedence?

ZW: At one time I wanted to be an actress, but I don't like the celebrity culture. And you don't really make a living at it unless you get sucked into the celebrity of it.

CT: Are there any authors who have influenced or inspired you?

ZW: Probably my biggest influence/inspiration was Joss Whedon because his shows opened me up to a lot of stories and types of stories I was missing out on. Beyond that I'm a fan of J.R. Ward, Kresley Cole, Cynthia Eden, Larissa Ione, and several others.

CT: Do you have a favorite book? If you can't choose just one, are there a few you hold dear?

ZW: I've read "A Hunger Like No Other" by Kresley Cole to the point that the book is probably about to fall apart. I really really loved "Pleasure Unbound" by Larissa Ione. She hadn't hit the NYT list yet when I read it, but it was so fabulous I knew she would! I also really love "Private Arangements" by Sherry Thomas (historical), "The Price of Desire" by Jo Goodman (also historical), and "Lucifera's Pet" by M. T. Murphy (a fellow indie author.) I really love the Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine, though I'm WAY behind. I have so little time to read. Most of my reading now gets done via audio book.

CT: Many novelists have their own "rituals" of writing. What are some of the things you do that help you get into the mood to write?

ZW: I just sit down and open the word processing document. I don't believe in writing rituals because it's too much like Dumbo's magic feather. You start thinking you "can't" write unless you have these perfect conditions. It's a little too OCD for me. I know that no matter what little rituals one does or doesn't do, the only way words will happen is if you just open the document and start typing. I try not to be too precious about it.

CT: Is there something interesting or intriguing about you that readers may not know?

ZW: I wish. I'm sure there would be something interesting and intriguing about me if I did something besides just write. A lot of us (writers) are pretty unglamorous. We apply our butts to chairs, and we type words. Some writers manage to find time to do something exciting or interesting that makes them look more interesting in interviews. I should probably make something up for the PR value. :P

CT: Final Question; Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

ZW: NY isn't the only way. Small press isn't the only way. If you want to share your stories with the world, just share them. Publishing is really changing right now so before deciding whether to seek an agent, a NY publisher, a small press, or self-publishing, do your research. Figure out what your temperament is and what path you'll thrive on. Then pick that one. Also, for awhile at least, your first drafts are really really really going to suck. But you won't know that. Find honest, talented writers who will tell you the truth so you can grow.

CT: Thanks for answering my questions Zoe, I had a lot of fun reading 'Blood Lust' and I know the readers will too.