a look at Naomi Clark & 'Night and Chaos' @naomi_jay @evernightpub #UrbanFantasy

I love a good reunited lovers story. There's so much scope for drama and emotion, misunderstandings, rediscovery, and good old-fashioned lust. NIGHT AND CHAOS has all those things, as Ryan is thrown back together with Jackson, the man she abandoned six years ago. You'll learn her reasons for doing so...Whether she can convince herself and Jackson that she made the right choice is another story!

Ryan and Jackson's journey is only just beginning, and I've got two more books to write before they get their ending (happy or otherwise...), but I hope this first book will persuade you to come on that journey with them.

Ryan's past isn't just haunting her. It's trying to kill her.

Ryan McCarthy fled Kimberlyn Island, her father, and her lover six years ago, desperate to build a life away from the weird science and supernatural experiments of her childhood. But everything she hoped to escape comes back with a vengeance when she's kidnapped and tortured by a possessed madman out for revenge on the man responsible for his possession: Ryan's father.

Now, reunited with the lover she abandoned, Ryan is forced back into a world of danger and darkness she no longer understands, pursued by enemies with powers she can't fathom. But Ryan's not entirely powerless herself. She'll have to use every trick she knows—as well as the mystic gift she hates—to stay ahead of those enemies. And that will be easier said than done.

Jackson’s eyes shone in the dark when he turned to look at me. “You awake?” he asked.

I considered pretending to be asleep, decided it wouldn’t achieve anything. “Yes.”

“You okay?”

I considered that too, not sure of the answer. “I don’t know. I’m exhausted. That’s all I can really say for sure right now.”

He was quiet for a while, just breathing softly again, and I wondered if he’d fallen asleep. Then he said, “I didn’t mean to bully you into coming to London, you know. If you want to stay here...”

“No, I want to come,” I cut in. “I can’t stay here.” Alright, that probably didn’t spin it in the best light, but Jackson didn’t seem to notice the back-handed compliment.

“I’m glad you’re coming. I’m glad you’re here. It’s not exactly how I imagined our reunion, but I’m still glad.”

I couldn’t be sure, but I thought he was smiling. Despite myself, I had to smile back. “And how did you imagine it? Us running across flower-filled meadows to kiss in the rain?”

“I don’t know, really.” There was a rustle of material and he pulled himself out of his makeshift bed of bundled-up towels and clothes and sat up, arms resting on his knees. He stared away from me now. “I guess I always figured you’d come home eventually.”

I twisted onto my side, propping my head up on my hand and tangling my fingers in my hair. “I wouldn’t have,” I whispered, heart aching for him. Why did he wait? Had he really believed I’d come back, knowing how much I hated Kimberlyn and APTT? Surely not. Guilt lanced me, like I’d stolen something from him. I suppose I had, in a way. Six years of his life, wasted on waiting for me.

“Didn’t I make you happy enough?” he asked.

My throat closed up and tears stung my eyes. “Jackson, don’t.”

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About the Author

Naomi likes writing, perfume, fancy tea, and unfathomable monsters from the dark spaces between the stars, not necessarily in that order. She has been writing stories ever since she learned how to write, but is still trying to master the art of biography writing. When she's not dealing with werewolves, demons, or sea monsters, she's hanging out with her cat and probably watching a documentary about Bigfoot. If the cat isn't available, she's with her fiancé watching cookery shows and silently plotting her next book.

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A look at Naomi Clark & COLD NIGHT MOON @naomi_jay @evernightpub #LGBT #paranormal

Thanks for having me here on your blog today! I'm really excited to be sharing my latest release, COLD NIGHT MOON - book five in my Urban Wolf Series. This is a series that's really so close to my heart for a lot of reasons, and it's great to be back in Ayla and Shannon's world. I've been with these characters for six years now, and I like to think that each installment, whether it's a short story like this or a full-length novel, has expanded the world and see my werewolf ladies grow. In COLD NIGHT MOON, I get to play with some British folklore (always fun!) and give Ayla and Shannon a romantic break in the woods...well, a sort of romantic break, anyway. I hope you'll love it!

Excerpt

“We’re going home,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t sound as shaky as I thought it did.

“No! Can’t you hear her! It’s so beautiful, Ayla, I have to see… I have to find her…” She slapped uselessly at my arms.

I had to change position. I couldn’t really see past her head and if she started kicking, she could take out my knees with those heavy hiking boots. But I didn’t want to let her go to try and put her in a better hold. With a groan, I sort of rolled her in my arms so we were face to face. Her expression was one of angry hunger, nothing like the Shannon I knew. She slapped me, her gloves stinging my cheek.

“Let me go!”

I growled and hauled her over my shoulder. She kneed me in the stomach and pummeled my back, shouting now.

“Put me down! I have to see her!”

"There's nobody there!" I cried, frustration boiling over into anger of my own. "Please, Shannon—"

She kneed me again, knocking the breathe from me, and I stumbled. Her weight overbalanced me, pitching us both into the snow, with Shannon landing on top of me. While I wheezed for air, she tried to scramble off me, but I grabbed her wrists and clung on. The sheer panic on her face scared me. It was the intense, mindless panic of an animal fleeing a wildfire, a human watching a friend die. You couldn't reason with that, couldn't snap someone out of it.

She twisted and thrashed, trying to free herself, while snow soaked through my jeans and slid into my boots, sending chills through me. I was fighting the elements as well as Shannon, and whilst I could outfight Shannon if I wanted, I couldn't hold off the cold forever.

I gritted my teeth. "I'm so sorry," I said, and then I headbutted her.

Buy Links

Evernight

All Romance Ebooks

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author

Naomi likes writing, perfume, fancy tea, and unfathomable monsters from the dark spaces between the stars, not necessarily in that order. She has been writing stories ever since she learned how to write, but is still trying to master the art of biography writing. When she's not dealing with werewolves, demons, or sea monsters, she's hanging out with her cat and probably watching a documentary about Bigfoot. If the cat isn't available, she's with her fiancé watching cookery shows and silently plotting her next book.

Fine Me Online

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A Look At Naomi Clark & 'The Sea Wife' @naomi_jay @evernightpub #ROTG #GLBT #shifters

Today we have author Naomi Clark visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Naomi likes writing, perfume, fancy tea, and unfathomable monsters from the dark spaces between the stars, not necessarily in that order. She has been writing stories ever since she learned how to write, but is still trying to master the art of biography writing. When she's not dealing with werewolves, demons, or sea monsters, she's hanging out with her cat and probably watching a documentary about Bigfoot. If the cat isn't available, she's with her fiancé watching cookery shows and silently plotting her next book.

What are you going to tell us about today?

* It's probably no secret that I love shapeshifters, but normally I stick with werewolves. What can I say, I'm a traditionalist when it comes to these things! For THE SEA WIFE though, I branched out. It's impossible to be a fan of folklore and mythology and not know about selkies. There are loads of different stories surrounding these seal shifters, but I think probably the best-known is the idea that, if a man steals a seal-woman's skin, she's trapped and forced to become his wife. It's a sad story, but then, romantic tragedy seems to be a key element of selkie lore.
* In THE SEA WIFE, I wanted to play on that element, but hopefully you won't find Charley and Nessa's story too sad! I like a little hope and happiness in my love stories after all!
~ Blurb ~ * Charley and Nessa are from two different worlds. Nessa is a selkie and Charley is all too human. When selkies and humans fall in love,

Sinfully Sexy Saturday w. Naomi Clark @naomi_jay @evernightpub #SSS #UrbanFantasy

It's Saturday! Yay! Here's a sinfully good treat by author, Naomi Clark, to add to a great day. Welcome, Naomi Clark!

First, what would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Naomi likes writing, perfume, fancy tea, and unfathomable monsters from the dark spaces between the stars, not necessarily in that order. She has been writing stories ever since she learned how to write, but is still trying to master the art of biography writing. When she's not dealing with werewolves, demons, or sea monsters, she's hanging out with her cat and probably watching a documentary about Bigfoot. If the cat isn't available, she's with her fiancé watching cookery shows and silently plotting her next book.

What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Blood Witch.
* I think one of the fun and frustrating parts of being a writer is that the idea you start out with is often not the story you end up with (or is that just me?). BLOOD WITCH is a prime example.
* This novella started out as a way to keep myself occupied during my Christmas break last year, and turned into a labour of love. It's also turned out to be a bit of an exquisite corpse, in the sense that it's a patchwork of ideas and characters from other projects I started and abandoned in the past. Some facts:
* 1. The opening scene is an adaptation of something I scribbled in a notepad before work one morning. A witch (then called Lilah) was being interviewed by the police. At that point I had no idea why and I never wrote any more. I did steal that opening and turn Lilah into Lola for BLOOD WITCH.
* 2. The start of chapter two, where Lola visits her ex-girlfriend, Rowan, started life as an urban fantasy parody I was writing to amuse myself. It was supposed to be part of a really OTT cliched UF story, but I ended up taking it too seriously (as I am prone to do) and decided to make it part of BLOOD WITCH.
* 3. One of the side characters, Caleb, was originally a secondary character in a paranormal romance I was writing a few years back. I got about 20k in before realising I didn't really know what I was doing, but I liked Caleb and decided to work him in somewhere else.
* BLOOD WITCH has come a long way from my initial idea of a short story about a witch falsely accused of murder. That core idea is still a big part of the story, but the world has grown beyond my plans and I now see this as the start of a series instead of a stand-alone mini project. I'm so glad my original plan changed so much because now I get to explore and share a whole new bunch of ideas and characters with you! A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ * Lola Guntram is used to being an outcast. She's the only blood witch in Fort Rosser, mistrusted by other witches and happier working solo. But when her dark practices make her the prime suspect in a brutal murder investigation, she's forced to turn to others for help. Not that she has many allies – her ex-girlfriend thinks Lola is the killer, and the local coven leader thinks Lola will corrupt them all if she gets too close.
* Help comes in an expected – and alluring – form. Tristesse is a demon on the run, beautiful, enigmatic, and suspiciously keen to assist Lola while she chases down the real killer. How can Lola refuse? With the police breathing down her neck, accusations flying, and inhuman monsters on the streets, Lola needs all the help she can get. The killer is angry, desperate, and determined. But so is Lola Guntram. And she doesn't care how dark or bloody the magic has to get – she's going to stop them. ~ Excerpt ~ * Once home, she returned to her books. Now she had a definite symbol to look for, she was able to narrow down the search of her considerable library. In a battered tome called Symbols, Sigils, Signs and Seals, she finally found it. She barely remembered buying the book; most likely she'd picked it up secondhand somewhere, mentally added it to her “to-read” pile and forgotten about it. She'd always bought far more books than she'd ever get round to reading.
* Still, there it was in plain black ink on the yellowed page. The same sigil she'd seen on Isako's floor. It wasn't alchemical, as she'd first thought, although it shared the typical sparse lines and deceptive simplicity. The language of alchemy was really just a form of shorthand, indicating herbs, liquids, and equipment. This sigil, according to the text, could be broken down into several smaller ones, but combined together like this, it meant just one thing. A word. A name.
* Gehenna.
* Hell.
* Lola rubbed her scars, tracing the lines of countless spells cast, immeasurable energy drained and used. She'd cast spells for self-confidence, spells of attraction. Spells for good luck, spells for decision-making. Once she'd spent almost twenty-four hours casting a spell that wove together blood and fire magic to help a client take revenge on her rapist. That was dark magic, made of dark intent no matter how worthy the cause. That was the only time she'd broken the “harm none” rule, and she didn't regret it. That was the kind of magic the Choir thought was just the tip of the iceberg with Lola. It was the hardest spell she'd ever worked, the grayest, and absolutely the most satisfying.
* It was nothing compared to this sigil and what it meant.
* Gehenna. There was only one reason, the book stated, that you would write this symbol as part of a spell, and that was to open a doorway. Write it in freshly-spilled blood and you weren't just opening it, you were kicking it down. With someone else's freshly-spilled blood...
* Lola set the book down, stomach churning. She had to tell Yvette.
* But what could Yvette do? This was way outside the Choir's comfort zone. Fuck that, it was outside Lola's comfort zone. This was bigger than elemental magic, bigger than blood magic, and bigger than motive Lola could have guessed at.
* This was demonology.
* Murder was just the beginning. Buy Blood Witch here... All Romance eBooks | Amazon - UK | Amazon - US | Evernight Publishing Find Naomi Clark here... Blog | Facebook | Twitter Thank you for joining us here today, Naomi Clark. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story. Have a sinfully good week everyone!

Saucy Saturday ~ A Look At Naomi Clark & 'Silver Kiss' ( @naomi_jay @evernightpub #erom #shifters #LGBT )

Today we have author Naomi Clark visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Oh, such an open question! I guess we'll go with the basics – I'm a British urban fantasy and paranormal romance writer based in Cambridge. I live with my fiance (who is probably sick of werewolves!), my cat, and two snakes. When I'm not writing, I'm working as a PA and making a lot of perfume. When I'm not doing that, you can usually find me curled up somewhere with a good book and a cup of tea.

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?

* I'm here today with Silver Kiss. It's the first full-length novel in my Urban Wolf series, but the first chronological story is Wolf Strap, a Free Read from Evernight Publishing. The Urban Wolf series tells the adventures of former outcast werewolf, Ayla and her girlfriend, Shannon, a human private investigator. If you love werewolves, mystery, a pinch of romance and a dash of danger, Urban Wolf is perfect for you!

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
* Silver Kiss was easy enough – I'd already written Wolf Strap and that short story left one or two loose plot threads for me to pick up. I've always had a passion for shape shifters and werewolf folklore, and wove that into both stories. You'll find plenty of references to werewolf myth and legend in Silver Kiss, and I've done my best to put my own, modern twist on the old tales.

Describe the heroine in five words.
* Ayla Hammond – fierce, passionate, brave, independent, impulsive

Describe the other heroine in five words.
* Shannon Ryan – caring, logical, clever, witty, grounded.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
* Glory, my drag queen werewolf! She's so glamorous and fun, and she knows how to use a pair of high heels as a weapon. What more could you ask for in a friend?

What's your favorite line in the story?
* So, so hard to pick just one, but I'll go with this: A pair of amber eyes glowing like hot coals in the shadows ahead of us. The feral.
* (I know that's technically two lines, but I just love the tension!)

A look into the story

~ Blurb ~ Ayla Hammond has come home. After years as a lone wolf in a self-imposed exile she's rejoining the pack and trying to mend fences with her parents. She's convinced them to accept her girlfriend, but can a lone wolf change her ways? As if homecoming wasn't hard enough, Ayla also can't help getting involved in a missing person case. With pressure to solve the case mounting from the pack alphas, Ayla is starting to question where her loyalties lie - and if a return to the pack she left behind is really what she wants.
~ Excerpt ~ * There was something different about this wolf. He didn’t smell like Pack, but wildly foreign, an odor that both excited and scared me. I crouched low, ears flat, tail tucked between my legs as I watched. When he released his grip on the younger wolf with a snarl, the cub flopped to the snowy ground, exposing his belly with a whine. The dominant wolf nudged at his flanks, tail held erect in a classic posture of strength and the youngster scrambled back to his feet and shot off into the park with a yelp.
* For a second I thought the dominant wolf would chase after him, ignoring me. I stayed low, hoping to avoid notice, but the breeze was going the wrong way, carrying my scent straight to him. He swung his great head straight towards me, hackles high. I held my own submissive position, quivering with a cocktail of nerves and energy. He was a feral, there was no doubt about that. In all my years as a lone wolf, I’d never met a feral. They were almost mythical; werewolves who chose to live as wolves, cutting away their humanity in favor of the wilderness that lurked in us all.

Buy Silver Kiss here...
Evernight Publishing | Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Bookstrand

Find Naomi Clark here...
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thank you for joining us here today, Naomi Clark! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.

A Look At Naomi Clark & her 0.00 read ( #FF @naomi_jay @evernightpub )

Today we have author Naomi Clark visiting. Welcome!

What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
What to say? I live in Cambridge in the UK (currently lovely and sunny, but usually not!) with my fiancé, two snakes, and a very needy cat. When I'm not writing, I make perfume and try to pay attention at my day job. I love B-movies and MMA and I own far too many books.

What book are you going to tell us about today? Is it part of a series? If so, what's the order the books should be read in?
Today I'm here to talk about my short story, BOUND BY NIGHT. It's the third in my Brides of Darkness series, but the series can be read in any order. I love this series – it's a mix of gothic historical and erotic romance, and has been a lot of fun to write. It's a bit of a change for me; usually I write urban fantasy, where the romance is never the focus. I've loved switching it up a bit and trying something different!

How'd you/your muse come up with this story?
It all started with the hero's name. I was watching a documentary and noticed one of the film-makers was called Daghan. I thought it was too cool a name not to use, and since my Brides of Darkness books draw on some Germanic influences in terms of names, it was a perfect fit. Once I had Daghan in my head, the rest of the story fell into place very quickly.

Describe the hero in five words.
Cursed, lonely, strong, commanding, tender.

Describe the heroine in five words.
Brave, vulnerable, generous, trusting, innocent.

Who's your favorite character in the book & why?
The hero, of course! I love a good tortured hero and I adore a redemption story – Daghan has both bases covered, so he works for me :)

What's your favorite line in the story?
That's a hard one, but I'll go with this: “There was no way to retrieve her honor, so why not give into her desire?”

A look into the story
BOUND BY NIGHT will be available from Evernight Publishing as a Free Read on June 8th. (Evernight Publishing). You can find out more about me at my blog. The blurb for BOUND BY NIGHT is here:
Fleeing her arranged marriage, Adeline seeks sanctuary in Geistheim Abbey. Within its cursed walls she finds the beautiful, scarred monk, Daghan, who offers her shelter - for a price. Daghan needs a pure soul to break his curse. Adeline isn't sure how pure she can be when she lusts after this stranger so badly. But before they can find out, Adeline's cruel fiancé arrives at Geistheim to reclaim her. And he won't leave without a fight.
~ Excerpt ~
   “Turn.”
   She obeyed Daghan’s command and when she did, she saw he’d pushed his hood back. She couldn’t restrain her gasp. He was angelically beautiful: golden-haired and blue eyed. His face was perfection – except for one thing. A vicious scar branded his left cheek, a jagged cross that ran from the corner of his eye down to his lip. She couldn’t help raising her fingers to touch it. Pain filled his eyes as she did, but she didn’t stop. Adeline traced the lines of the scar, and felt the smoothness of his skin contrasted by the roughness of the cross. It didn’t ruin his beauty, she thought, nor did it enhance it. It was simply part of him, as much as those soft lips and sky-coloured eyes. It must have hurt though, and her heart bled for his pain. She wanted to ask how it happened but remembered to bite her tongue just in time. 
  “You have so many questions in your eyes.” He sounded amused. He ran his fingers over her cheek as she’d done to him, smoothing the pad of his thumb over her lips. She parted her mouth instinctively at his touch, and he slid his thumb inside. Adeline kissed it, trailing her tongue around it. He tasted of rosewood and spice. When he pulled his thumb back, she felt at a loss, but then he trailed his hands down her throat to cup her breasts and she sighed in relief.
   “I was a good man,” he said, drawing delicate circles round her ready nipples. “A devout man, like all the monks here. I sought knowledge of our religion and our God, wanting new ways to understand and communicate with the divine. That was my undoing. I delved too deeply into the esoteric and occult. I learned too much and I wanted more. I discovered there was not just a divine realm, but an infernal one too. I found beings of dark power, found them willing to offer that power to men, for a price.” His voice turned bitter. “I didn’t understand the forces I played with. I didn’t think I needed to fear.”
  His words sank into Adeline, and she knew she ought to be afraid. She ought to pull away, run away even. But his voice, that beautiful rich voice, kept her pinned. And his touch, so worshipful and full of promise, burned away her fear.
   “I made a bargain and corrupted my soul. My brothers fled, knowing me to be cursed. I have waited here for years, Adeline, for a chance to undo my mistakes and now, as I am on the verge of giving up, you come to me.” He gazed at her as though she was a miracle, a divine gift, and it took her breath away. “My corruption can be cleansed, if a pure-hearted soul will save me. Would you save me, Adeline?”
   She almost laughed. He had already seduced her. That he would ask her now seemed ridiculous. She was naked in his arms, ready and willing to give her body to him. How pure could she really be? “May I ask one question?”
   He smiled and inclined his head.
   “What is the nature of your curse?”
   “I am shadow. I am darkness. When the sun rises, I am a wraith. I exist only when night falls.” He stared out the window at the storm raging in the black night. “I have prayed to feel the sun on my skin again.”
   She kissed him then. She didn’t know if she was pure, or if their union could lift his curse. She didn’t know if it mattered. They were here together, two lost souls seeking sanctuary, and she wanted to offer him all she had to give. So she kissed him deeply, pressing her bare body to his, feeling the strength of him beneath his robes. He slid his hands down her back to cup her rear and lift her to her tiptoes, flexing his hips so his shaft pressed against her. Adeline felt herself grow hot and slick with desire, and she fumbled to pull his heavy robes away.
  He laughed roughly and stepped away from her to do it himself. Beneath the discarded robe he wore a simple shirt and breeches, but before Adeline could reach for them, he gripped her hips and dropped to his knees. Holding her firm, he kissed his way up her inner thighs, gentle and slow. He drew patterns on her hips and across her buttocks with his fingers, lazy trails that sparked a desperate need in Adeline for something fiercer. She tangled her fingers in his silky hair, throwing her head back in pleasure as he made his way up to the juncture of her thighs. He licked and kissed at the sensitive skin there, shying away from her aching core but teasing, promising wicked pleasures to come. He traced the curve and crease of her buttocks, one finger slipping over her delicate rear entrance and making her gasp in surprise, before he found her clit. He swept his finger over that pulsing place, increasing the pressure little by little, until Adeline was sure her legs would give out.
   Just as she thought she would have to beg him for more, a thunderous sound cut through her bliss. Not thunder itself, but a hammering and a shouting that echoed through the storm and turned her blood cold. "Falken," she whispered. She stumbled away from Daghan, sitting down hard on the bed, her heart racing. "He's found me."
You can also find Naomi here:
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Tuesday Tea with Naomi Clark ~ Finding Focus ( #SO @naomi_jay @evernightpub )

Hi all! Grab a cup of tea – or whatever it is you like to drink – and join in the discussion. Today we have Naomi Clark giving us a look into her writing process. Welcome Naomi!

I was about thirteen when I first got serious about novel-writing (as opposed to short stories and poetry, which I had been writing), I was the most disciplined writer you can imagine. I had a thick notebook that I took everywhere with me and every free second I had was spent working on my epic fantasy novel. Lunch breaks at school, on the bus, in bed at night...I was a fiend. And I was single-minded. I worked on that novel and nothing else. No poems, no short stories. Just that novel. I wasn't going to be distracted until it was finished.
    Some fifteen years later I'm a published author (although that fantasy novel is long buried and best forgotten!). So you'd think I'd be even more disciplined and focused than I was when I first started. And yet somehow, I've gone from focused to scatty. I'm usually working on at least two projects, sometimes more, as well as various freelance editing assignments. So how does that work?
    I think the answer is, when I was thirteen and scribbling away in my notepad way past my bedtime, I was afraid. I was afraid I'd never finish anything so big as an actual novel, and I was afraid I'd never be able to write anything else after that, that all I had was this one idea. Now I know I can finish an entire novel and – if I'm lucky – have other people read it. I know I've got more ideas than I'll ever have time for, and I want to write every single one of them! That makes it nearly impossible for me to stick with just one project at a time. I want to explore my imagination to the limits and every new idea demands my time immediately.
    Of course, you can't afford to be completely unfocused if you want to finish a novel, so I've learned to corral my enthusiasm somewhat. My week nights are usually spent on whichever project is calling me the loudest, whereas my weekends are dedicated to editing. I set myself a minimum daily word count each day and a minimum number of hours for editing. If I hit those goals I can reward myself by working on whatever takes my fancy. It's taken a while to get the rhythm right – I've started and abandoned so many projects that seemed like the most amazing idea ever at the time – but it's been worth working at. I've had to learn which ideas are actually worth turning into a full novel.
    Working this way, I've managed to find a balance between the single-minded determination of my teenage self (which meant I was disciplined but also terrified to try anything new) and the more fancy-free self I was a few years ago (which meant I was trying everything and finishing nothing). Every writer's way of working is totally individual and you'll never find the right method for you if you don't experiment!

Her book Shadow Cursed is available at Evernight Publishing! Click ---> Blurb/Excerpt/Purchase <--- for info!

Author bio:
Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once.

***Find Naomi here***
I'm all over the web. You can find me at the following places:
Blog - http://naomijay.blogspot.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/naomi_jay
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/naomijclark
I love to hear from people, so feel free to find me and say hello!

Welcome special guest: author Naomi Clark ( #FF @naomi_jay @evernightpub )

Today we have author Naomi Clark visiting. She's an urban fantasy and paranormal romance writer, werewolf aficionado, snake-charmer, Mega Shark fangirl.

So, Naomi, what inspired you to become a writer?
I honestly can't pinpoint one thing, because I've always written. As soon as I was old enough to write, I wrote stories. I used to buy stickers (mostly of ponies) and write stories about them! It's impossible for me to remember what triggered the desire to tell stories, but it's always been a part of me.

When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
I was very young – primary school age – and I wrote a book about stars. It was about five pages long and very badly illustrated (drawing has never been a skill of mine!), and my teacher made it into a proper little book for me, complete with starry wrapping paper as a cover. What happened to it? I have no idea! I wish I still had it.

How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
Countless short stories – I did creative writing as a degree and spent three years writing short stories – and nine novels. I sold my tenth novel in 2009, four years after graduating university. Of the previous nine, only one has been published since, after about five years of rewriting! The others are really not fit to see the light of day...

What genre(s) do you write in? What drew you to write in it/them? What’s your favorite genre of all to write in?
Urban fantasy and, with the release of SHADOW CURSED, paranormal romance. I occasionally dip into horror and crime for short stories, but my novels so far have all been in these genres. I have a lifelong fascination with the supernatural, unexplained, and paranormal, so when I started writing seriously, these were the topics I wanted to explore. I love the idea of magic and fantasy in the real world, with all the complications and benefits it would bring!

What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
The best is “get it written, then get it right,” and I wish I could remember where I read that! I used to struggle to finish projects because I worried so much about making them perfect on the first draft. That piece of wisdom encouraged me to let go and just write.
*The worst, I think, was “write what you know.” On the surface it's good advice, but sometimes I think it can be stifling and move people away from writing what they want to. It's advice to be taken with a pinch of salt.

How do you celebrate/deal with acceptance/rejection letters?
For acceptances, the only way to celebrate is tell everyone you know, open the chocolate, and indulge! For rejection, I've learned to just keep moving. I used to take writing rejections very personally and assume they meant I was a terrible writer, but over the years I've learnt how subjective this business is, and that one person's “no way” is another person's “yes please!” And if you want to succeed as a writer, you need to have a thick enough skin to keep trying after a rejection.

In regard to the book you’re promoting, which actor and actress do you envision playing the roles of your hero and heroine? If there’s a villain or other characters who are pertinent to the story, who would play those parts?
Ooh, that's a hard one! I think for Emmeline, SHADOW CURSED's heroine, I'd love to see someone like Emilie de Ravin – she's beautiful, ethereal, and spirited, just how I see Emmeline. For the hero, Rainart, maybe Christian Bale (not just because I have a massive crush on him, of course...). He's charming, sexy, and a bit dangerous, just like Rainart.

The book you’re promoting, is it a stand-alone story or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, please list the order the books need to be read in for maximum reading enjoyment.
SHADOW CURSED is the first in an interconnected series of novellas called The Brides of Darkness. They'll all be gothic, erotic romances, set in a fantasy-edged world. I'm working on the second at the moment. The inspiration came from two places – one call for submissions for an anthology about virgins, the other from an anthology looking for gothic flash fiction. I loved both concepts, but couldn't write anything that fit either! My flash fiction turned into a short story, the short story turned into a novella, and the novella became SHADOW CURSED. I've always enjoyed gothic fiction, but the kind I read is rarely romantic. I liked the idea of combining the romantic elements with the darkness and mystery of traditional gothic fiction.

*** Now for some fun info… ***
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
I'm a sucker for Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, but really, in a pinch, any ice cream will do for me!

Are you a cat, dog or both kind of person?
Both, although I only own a cat at the moment. He's lovely, but very noisy – especially in the early hours of the morning!

Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
I already do – I have two snakes, a four year old California king snake called Remic and a three year old corn snake called Ket. They make great pets – easy to care for, very inquisitive and lively.

*** About Naomi’s book… ***

SHADOW CURSED is released by Evernight Publishing on 17th February. (http://www.evernightpublishing.com/)
*Released from Ottevar Asylum after eight hard years, Lady Emmeline returns to Nachtholm Manor to reclaim her birthright. But she has a battle on her hands - Rainart Eckhard refuses to give up his position as lord of manor, and whilst his cold attitude enrages Emmeline, his smouldering kisses leave her weak at the knees. Who is this dangerous, enticing stranger, and what secrets does he hide? Caught in a web of desire, curses, and self-doubt, Emmeline is not only fighting Rainart for Nachtholm Manor, but for her own heart as well.
*Interesting fact – I wrote most of it at work whilst my boss was in meetings, sneaking in a few thousand words here and there and emailing it all back to myself. I'm sure if my boss knew, she'd be pretty unimpressed, so shush!

***Find Naomi here***
I'm all over the web. You can find me at the following places:
Blog - http://naomijay.blogspot.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/naomi_jay
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/naomijclark
I love to hear from people, so feel free to find me and say hello!

Thank you for joining us here today, Naomi! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your work.