Joy Nash's The Crossing free giveaway!


1. Joy, welcome to Fierce Romance, and thanks so much for being here with us today! I love your IMMORTALS series. Can you tell our readers how you came up with the idea for the series?

The talented Jennifer Ashley came up with the overall concept for the original four books—Immortals warriors and the human witches that call them back to their roles as the Earths protectors--and pitched it as a series to Dorchester. Robin Popp and I were approached by our editors at Dorchester and invited to participate in the series.

2. Why did you decide to tell Demigod ManannĂ¡n mac Lir (Mac)’s story this time?

Because Mac, a seven hundred year old Celtic/Sidhe demigod with an eternally young take on life, was such a fun character from Immortals: The Awakening. I received a lot of reader email asking Mac would get his own book. I was really glad to get the opportunity to write Mac’s story, and to create a heroine worthy of him. Artemis Black is a witch who’s both a worthy adversary and a worthy ally for an immortal demigod.

I’ve got an excerpt and a cool new book trailer on my website! I’d love for everyone to stop by and take a look J

3. What inspires you while you’re writing?

I get really wrapped up in my characters and their drama. I think all of us who love to read love that fantastic feeling when you’re in the middle of a good book and you don’t want it to end. When my writing is flowing, I get that fantastic feeling times a thousand. Of course, there are off days, too, but the great ones keep me writing.

4. When I asked you to read Heart of the Wolf for an endorsement, you hadn’t yet made USA Today National Best Selling author status, but then it was like only a week later, you were in that phenomenal group! I was so excited for you, but I can just imagine how you felt. How many books had you written before this happened? How did you learn of it? And what was your initial response?

Immortals: The Awakening was my third book with Dorchester. I’d had several small press releases before my first Dorchester mass market. We were all hoping that The Awakening would make the USA Today Top 150, since the two Immortals books preceding it had listed, and the whole series was getting a phenomenal reader response. The day the list came out, my editor got wind of it before it was officially posted and she called me. I was so excited! But it didn’t seem real until I saw it myself on the USA Today website.


5. For writers who are just starting out, or who have been working at this a while and might feel discouraged, what did you do to keep on submitting until you sold?

I got kind of obsessed. I have a somewhat obsessive, detail oriented personality, which I think is common among writers. When the rejections came, I pretty much tried to forget them as soon as possible, after I’d learned whatever I needed to from them. But it was the enjoyment I get from the act of writing itself that really kept me going. If I didn’t love it, I would have given up long before I got The Call. Another common trait of novelists I know is that they write first for themselves.

6. What genres have you written in? What makes this work different from all your others?
I’ve written historical fantasy (my Druids of Avalon series), futuristic fantasy (my novellas with New Concept Publishing), ‘otherworld’ fantasy (my Ellora’s Cave novel), and contemporary urban fantasy (Immortals), all with strong romantic and sensual themes. I have a contemporary romance coming out next year, A Little Light Magic, under a new pen name, Joy Rizza. The Immortals series was different for me mainly for the experience of working so closely with Jennifer and Robin on the series. Immortals: The Crossing was my first book with a hero who cracked jokes the whole way through the book. I love Mac’s sense of humor, but it was a challenge! I had to give him a bit of angst to provide some gravitas to the story, but Mac kept his wry sense of humor intact through some very dark places and events.

7. What is the next project you’re working on?
I turned in my novella in the Immortals: The Reckoning Anthology (March09) at the beginning of the summer. Right now I’m doing the final edits on A Little Light Magic, out in June 09 under the name Joy Rizza. After that, it’s back to the Druids of Avalon. The third book in the series, Silver Silence, will be out in Oct 09.

Does this series have an end? If so, have you got another series in mind?
I think the anthology Immortals: The Reckoning will be the end of the Immortals series, but I could be wrong about that. It’s all up to Dorchester. My Druids of Avalon series is open ended, so there will most likely be more books after Silver Silence. And then, there’s always the next series! As a reader, I love series, so I’m always thinking in terms of continuing stories and characters when I get a new idea.J

9. Can you tell us a little bit about your contest?

Yes! Immortals: The Crossing hits the bookshelves on September 30. But 50 lucky readers will win autographed copies on or before that date!During my 50 Days, 50 Books contest, 50 copies of The Crossing will be given away on 50 participating websites and blogs (including this one!), which means readers will have 50 online chances to win this hot new paranormal romance during the 50 days between August 12 and September 30. Each participating website has its own rules for entry, so readers should read each site’s rules carefully. The winners will be announced continually online as the prizes are awarded, here on my blog and on the participating sites. I’ll ship out the autographed books to the winners as soon as I receive them from the printers, around the middle of September.
Just comment on the Fierce Romance blog and you'll have a chance to win!

Thanks so much for sharing something of your work with us today, Joy! I look forward to your next books as well!
Terry Spear
Heart of the Wolf

27 comments:

LadyVampire2u said...

Congratulations on the upcoming release of "The Crossing"!! I'm sure looking forward to when it hits shelves as I so enjoyed the first few books of this series.

Anonymous said...

Looks like a great book. Thank you for the chance to win.

Susan B.

DawnM said...

Congrats on the release. I was wondering how closely you needed to collaberate with the other authors. Do issues from their books impact on how you write?

Dannyfiredragon said...

Big congrats to the new release. Sounds like another keeper!

Unknown said...

I totally agree when you talk about getting all wrapped up in the characters of a book. I am the same way when I am reading a book, I just cant put it down until I finish it. You rock and I am looking forward to reading your series.

Rebekah E. said...

Congrats on your release. I just love your books.

Joy Nash said...

Hey, everyone, thanks for stopping by at Fierce Romance!

The Immortals series is my first multi-author collaboration and it's been a wild experience. Jennifer, Robin and I worked together very closely while writing the first four inter-connected books. The first draft of The Awakening was particularly challenging. Since Jenn and Robin both write faster than I do, I'd started my draft while they were finishing up other projects. We'd nailed down a lot of the world-building elements, but just about every day some detail of magic or plot would pop up in my story that I worried would contradict something in theirs. And once we were all going full steam, we were emailing constantly. So it was a challenge, but definitely worth it. Our collective brainstorming, and collective promo efforts once the books were written, really paid off.

This second round of Immortals books are not as interconnected as the first ones were. All this year's books bring back popular characters from last year's books in stories that are set in the Immortals world, but the plot of each book isn't interdependent with the others.

Joy

Chesh said...

This looks like an awesome book. I hope your release goes soo well.

Anonymous said...

hi! I LOVED all the other immortals books...amazing and the fact that each author wrote a diff one was def. unique :) can't wait for the new one!

Cathy M said...

I am really enjoying this series and can't wait to read Mac's story.

tetewa said...

Looking forward to this one! Good luck on the release!

Anonymous said...

I was unfamiliar with the series until I saw this. I'd love to read the Crossing and see what I've been missing!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Raonaid Luckwell said...

Hi! Yup, it's me again. Shows my tenaciousness and determination to win eh? But then I absolutely enjoy this series.

Daelith said...

Looking forward to the new release.

Debby said...

Great interview. The book looks great!!

Caffey said...

Hi Joy! So excited about this book! I loved the original series and so thrilled they are doing more!!! Thinking about more again in the future of this series! I hope so! So to looking forward to A LITTLE MAGIC and more Druids Of Avalon! Thanks so much for updating us on whats to come! Loved the interview!

Mahaira said...

Loved the interview, Joy! I really enjoy the tid bits that surround an author's life. They just make the books that I read extra special. Your work is wonderful and I wish you luck and amazing sales!!

May you keep on crafting stories!!

Anonymous said...

This series sounds so good. I hadn't heard about it until I joined a group that mentioned it. Now, after following your contest and reading so much about it, I am going to have to hit the bookstore soon!

Melissa

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Coming in late, but just wanted to congratulate you on the new Immortalis book and I'm looking forward to it!!!!

Hugs,

Valerie

Dina said...

Hi Joy,

Your books look so interesting. Deep Magic is another 1 I'd like to read, hopefully soon.

Thanks,
Dina

Shari C said...

Welcome, Joy. I had the pleasure of reading the first four books in this series of the Immortals and am anxiously looking forward to this new one.

CrystalGB said...

Sounds like an awesome book. I love Joy's books.

Ruth Schaller said...

I'd love to read one Joy's books!

Count me in for this one!

Cherie J said...

Awesome interview! Sounds like a great book!

Paige Maddison said...

Grate Job,
I can't wait to read the Redeeming... I've been very excited about Mac, as soon as I read him in the Awakeing...

windycindy said...

Fantastic interview and book. Please enter me in your marvelous book drawing. Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I'd love to read this

luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net