Monday, August 5, 2013

Welcome to the Darkness Book Blitz with Interview!

 
Welcome to the Darkness by L.M. Justus
Series: Darkness Trilogy, #1
Publication date: August 5th 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal

 
A typical teenager, seventeen-year-old Reed Hennessy doesn’t realize how lucky he is to lead a normal life until he loses everything, including his humanity. The attacker who slaughters his family and destroys their home turns out to be a vampire, a creature Reed had considered a myth.

Now a vampire himself, but with the unique ability to walk in sunlight, Reed struggles in the dark underworld he didn’t even know existed. His only two allies in his fight to stay alive are his reluctant mentor, Nathaniel, a vampire with over two hundred years’ worth of emotional baggage, and Sarah, a rookie cop with a secret ability of her own.

Together, Reed and his companions face a harrowing, cross-country journey before stumbling into a plot which could mean the end of everything for humans and vampires alike.


Purchase (amazon):


 


Lisa Justus' path to becoming an author took a circuitous route through the University of Waterloo where she earned a Bachelor of Mathematics, followed by jobs in quality assurance and technical writing at a high-tech company. With a keen interest in creative fiction, she wrote her first fantasy novel as part of NaNoWriMo as well as an early chapter book for her kids when they were younger.  Her YA paranormal fantasy novel Welcome to the Darkness is the first book in the Darkness Trilogy.

These days Lisa is busy writing her fourth novel, reading, finishing her basement, doing volunteer work, and trying to stay in shape by running somewhat regularly. She, her husband, and their three children live in Ottawa, Ontario.


1.) What would you like for readers to take away from your novel/novels?

My main goal is to provide entertainment; my novels aren’t meant to be deep, life-altering reads. It’s important to be able to escape the stresses of everyday life at times, whether by doing exercise, relaxing in front of the TV, or delving into a good book. Having said that, there are still lessons to be learned from my stories; for example, in Welcome to the Darkness there’s a lesson to appreciate the good things in life and make the best of your current situation.

2.) Who do you feel is your most unique character?

Of the three main characters, Nathaniel is probably the most unique. He’s over 200 years old, which is obviously a rare thing. No human has ever lived anywhere close to that long, so it’s hard to imagine all the things he would have seen and experienced during such a lifetime. Those experiences have hardened Nathaniel because he’s afraid to let himself care about anyone and risk more heartache, yet he’s a sensitive individual by nature, so it’s a constant struggle for him.

3.) What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?

Reading for sure! I read about two books per week on average. My secret guilty pleasure is playing hidden object adventure games by Big Fish.

4.) Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I started running a couple of years ago, so I try to do that three times a week. I also volunteer regularly at my kids’ school. Finishing the basement is a project I’ve been working on for a while – it’s quite satisfying to see tangible results after installing the electrical and drywall, etc.

5.) Is there one book that has had an impact on not only your writing, but on you personally?

I thought about this for a good amount of time, and I’m going to have to say no, there isn’t one book in particular. Because I read so much, many different authors and books have influenced my writing. Also, not only are my own books meant to be light entertainment, but those are the types of books I read as well. So I couldn’t say any book I’ve ever read affected me deeply on a personal level. The greatest impact to my writing and personal life comes from my interaction with friends and family. 
Thank you for stopping by!
 
 

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the interview, Emma! I'm only a little embarrassed admitting to my secret pastime. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. A pleasure to meet you, Lisa.

    Excellent answers!

    ReplyDelete