Author Spotlight - Lindsay J. Pryor

We're very happy to welcome Lindsay J. Pryor to the minxes spotlight today, so without further ado, here's her answers to the minx questions!

Tell our readers a little something about yourself. 
I’m the author of the dark paranormal romance series, Blackthorn. I was discovered by my publisher through Harlequin Mills & Boon’s New Voices Competition after I was a finalist in both 2010 (Blood Roses) and 2011 (Blood Shadows, then known as Beguiling The Enemy). Blood Shadows has recently gone on to become a No. 1 Best Seller in Gothic Romance on Amazon.com and Paranormal Vampire Romance on Amazon UK. As well as being an author, I’m a special needs teacher and I live in the South West of England with my husband and our rescue bunny.

What number book is this? First? 100^th? 200^th? (Nora only!) 
Blood Torn is the third in the Blackthorn series. I’ve got several books outside of Blackthorn locked safely away in my bottom door – but most won’t ever be granted bail, let alone release. I’m currently writing the fourth book in the series, Blood Deep, which was signed a few weeks ago.

What inspired this book? 
The series started as a concept over 16 years ago with the ‘third species’ (vampires, lycans etc) forced into an oppressive human-ruled system that they need to somehow break out of. It was inspired by me getting lost in an isolated and run-down part of the city I had just moved to. The forbidden romances that evolved within that world became inevitable because I’m a romance writer at heart. I soon found that those romances were the driving force for the change this world was going to face. So, after deciding on the series ending and working backwards in loops, each book became inspired by the catalysts that needed to happen for this change to take place.

Who or what was the inspiration for your hero? 
Jask (leader of the lycans in Blackthorn) is an integral component in the eventual outcome of the series. But if you mean a physical inspiration, there wasn’t one. I’ve never used images or real people to inspire. When I needed to help the cover designer out though, I sent through an image of Josh Holloway. He’d make a perfect Jask.

Have you any burning ambitions to write a story in a different genre? 
I think I’ll always slant to either paranormal or psychological thrillers – in Blackthorn’s case, both. 

Outside of romance, I’ve got a supernatural crime thriller (though with romantic elements admittedly!) I’ve had underway for a number of years that I’m aiming to polish in the forthcoming months. Away from paranormal completely, I’ve also got a romantic psychological thriller I’m writing. It’s very dark, of course, as that type of hero has become something of a trademark now.

What was the most fun part of writing this book? 
I love it when the characters take over – when they write their own dialogue, turn left instead or right, reveal things I hadn’t worked out for myself yet, anything like that. I’m quite stringent with how I want a story to turn out because I can’t unravel too many plot threads in the series, but I always enjoy it when characters take things into their own hands (within reason!). Phia, the heroine of Blood Torn, was real handful and the most unpredictable character I’ve had to manage – but a fun challenge. I’m just glad she walked into Jask and not Kane or Caleb.

How long does it take you to complete a book?
With the first three in the Blackthorn series, which range between 115-140,000 words, they each took me about 3 months to write the first draft then maybe another two-three months of redrafts or edits. This is bearing in mind though that Blackthorn has been under construction for years with lots of groundwork in the background in terms of characterisation, world-building and plotting, so it’s not like starting a novel completely from scratch.

In general, I think it depends on the complexity and length as well as how clear a story is in my head before I start. I’ve always found my standalones quicker to write because I can focus on one book rather than write back and forth between books to ensure everything fits together.

Where do you write?
In terms of planning, I have a notebook with me wherever I go (except on my teaching days). As for actual writing, I’ve not quite mastered writing outside of my house yet – mainly because I have a habit of talking aloud when I’m absorbed! Any first drafts are written on my laptop because it doesn’t have any internet connection, thus no temptation to surf! I’m often sat in my lounge keeping my house bunny company during that stage. When it comes to redrafts, edits and polishing, I sit at my desk in my study. Before all of that happens, in the very early stages of devising a book, I’ve always had a habit of pacing around the house as I mull. I’ve now invested in a treadmill to avoid the floors wearing out.

Do you connect with your readers at all, and if so which is your favourite platform for reaching them? 
I connect with my readers regularly, mostly via Twitter and Facebook or through my website. A lot of my readers like to connect with me through email too, especially those who don’t like chatting in an open forum – which I totally get that having avoided it for so long myself. The main thing for me is enabling readers to contact me whichever way they prefer. There’s nothing quite like hearing from someone enjoying the series.

Book Blurb for Blood Torn

‘Vampires might bite, honey, but lycans tear.’

Jask Tao, lycan leader, rules his pack with absolute dedication and demands the same loyalty in return. In the world of Blackthorn, where respect is a rare commodity, Jask has earned his – few dare to cross him, and fewer survive to tell the tale.
When he captures Sophia, a rare serryn witch – whose blood is lethal to vampires – Jask knows just how valuable she can be. Despite her fiery nature, he also can’t shake the feelings that she rouses in him – feelings that he thought died along with Ellen, his mate.
Sophia knows she has to escape from Jask’s lycan compound – and fast. Inheriting her sister’s serryn powers can only mean one thing – that her family is at risk. She’ll have to get past the dangerously attractive Jask first but, scarred by memories of her mother’s murder, Sophia won’t ever give up.
Sparks fly between Jask and Sophia but, as both her family and the pack come under threat, they might just need each other if they, and their loved ones, are going to stay alive…

In this thrillingly sensual novel, Lindsay J. Pryor returns to the shadowy dystopian world of Blackthorn, where tensions are rising, the risks are high, and the most powerful loves are formed in the face of great danger.

‘DARK, SEXY AND THRILLING.’ ~ The Demon Librarian

‘MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE SERIES, SO FAR.’ ~ Moonrise Book Blog 

 Buy Links

http://ow.ly/tZllT      Amazon.co.uk/Kindle 
http://ow.ly/tZlA8    Amazon.co.uk/Paperback 
http://ow.ly/tZlRt     Amazon.com/Kindle 
http://ow.ly/tZm9Y  Amazon.com/Paperback

Thanks for going minxy for the day, Lindsay!

Author Spotlight - Lindsay Pryor

Welcome back into the spotlight to Lindsay Pryor. Lindsay appeared in our spotlight in February, talking about her debut novel Blood Shadows, and today we're featuring her follow-up book, Blood Roses.

Since she's already answered our Minxy questions, she's doing something a little different for us today, and chatting to us about...

Dark Heroes of Romance by Lindsay J. Pryor

What constitutes a hero in romantic fiction? I’ve always found this an interesting topic for discussion amongst writers and readers. Does the hero always have to be the good guy? Does he need to shine as such from the very beginning? Is there any set ideal or formula?

Fortunately not. There are readers and writers alike who readily embrace the amazingly diverse and eclectic genre that is romance – and that includes its heroes too.

I write the Blackthorn dark paranormal romance series. I began my journey into romance with the classics. My first romantic hero was Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. At the age of 17, I remember participating in discussions in my English Literature classes about what could constitute him as a hero. We had many a debate as to whether Heathcliff could be referred to as such, and not least because his behaviour was so despicable at times. That’s not how they were supposed to behave! They’re supposed to be good and kind and self-sacrificing, let alone gentle and tender with the heroine and those she cares about. Heroes have to be almost super-human, even better than everyone else – that’s the whole point, surely?

I guess it was those types of debates that first made literary characters so fascinating for me – not least the influence of reader perceptions and belief systems on how a hero is received.

I’ve always veered towards the darker heroes because, as characters, they intrigue me the most. I love flawed characters. I want my hero to work for his title. I don’t want him to come ready made to save the day. For me, characters need to develop and evolve, no matter how subtly. I like glimpses into their pasts, to appreciate how they present themselves in the present and also see their potential in the future. I want to be able to understand them, not necessarily agree with them.

It was inevitable I’d write my own dark heroes. Kane Malloy (Blood Shadows) was risky enough, but Caleb Dehain (Blood Roses) is being deemed even darker. But they have to be to survive in the cruel world that has been inflicted upon them. They have to battle their hearts and their beliefs, let alone the system they live in, to justify their feelings for their heroine. My heroines pose huge risks to my heroes not just because of what they are but who they are – heroines who make them question the very nature of what they are.

I don’t want my heroes and heroines to have an easy time. I want them to fight external and, more importantly, internal conflict to be with the one they love. I find it even more powerful when there is every reason for them not to be together, but they still manage to pull through. The higher the stakes, the better. There’s nothing like falling in love, let alone staying in love, against the odds.

Each Blackthorn romance is part of a series, a bigger picture, which allows all my characters to grow at different rates. Some of my heroes are just too much pleasurable hard work for anything less. But, of course, I have the advantage of having glimpsed into their futures and knowing they’re worth it.


If you enjoy the sound of thes ebooks, you can find Blood Shadows on Amazon and Amazon UK, and Blood Roses on Amazon and Amazon UK.

Looking for a real paperback version? Blood Shadows is also available on paper from Amazon and Amazon UK, and Blood Roses here from Amazon and Amazon UK.

You can find out more about Lindsay on her website, Facebook, or chat to her on Twitter.

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The winner of Urgent: One Nanny Required by Olivia Logan is Alexia Adams. Congratulations and thanks for your awesome answer! Please email the minxes (link at top right column) with your email address and format preference :).

Author Spotlight - Lindsay Pryor

We've hosted a lot of authors on this blog in the nearly three years we've been running, and I have to confess I've read very few of the books we spotlight. Occasionally the interview might intrigue me enough to buy the book. Even more occasionally I might get around to reading it. Almost never do I read the book before the Spotlight appears.

The book in today's Spotlight hit my Kindle the day it released. And I've read it. And I loved it. So I'm super chuffed that I get to host the author here today.

Lindsay Pryor has the amazing distinction of being a finalist in Mills & Boon's New Voices contest not once but twice. I fell in love with Lindsay's voice and her stories when I read her very first chapter of Blood Roses on the New Voices site in 2010, and her 2011 entry was even more electric. That entry has now become her debut book, Blood Shadows, a gripping read with a dark, dangerous hero (the ultimate bad boy), some really snappy dialogue ... and it's hot!

Thanks for joining us here today, Lindsay.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I’m a British paranormal romance author who writes dark, intense, multi-layered stories set in the dystopian world of Blackthorn. My first three books in the series have been signed by Bookouture (founded by ex-Harlequin marketing controller, Oliver Rhodes). The series was launched in November with Blood Shadows. Blood Roses will be released in April and the third book in the Autumn.

My writing was discovered through Harlequin Mills & Boon’s New Voices competition, where I finished as a runner-up in both 2010 (with Blood Roses) and 2011 (with Blood Shadows, formerly known as Beguiling The Enemy). I’d been writing for over twenty-five years by the time I’d built up the courage to get my work out there

As well as being an author, I’m a part-time special needs teacher. I live in the South West of England with my husband, our rescue bunny and a plethora of woodland creatures.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora only!)
Blood Shadows is my first published book. I’ve just finished polishing Blood Roses and am underway with book 3. I have all sorts of other work outside of the Blackthorn series stashed away in my writing cave, but most of it will never see the light of day.

3. Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
Writing has always been an indulgence to me so I’ve never found it an effort to pin myself to my desk and work. It’s more of a challenge finding other things that can sustain my interest or motivate me enough to peel myself away. Shoe shopping sometimes works! So does The Vampire Diaries, Being Human and Supernatural.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?
Get yourself on social media – Twitter, a blog, Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook. I’m new to social media but it has made a huge difference to me in terms of reaching people, meeting readers and making friends. Before New Voices, I was very reclusive when it came to my writing. I’d never even spoken to another writer. Getting on social media was the best thing I ever did. I now have amazingly supportive readers and fellow writers who I couldn’t do without in terms of getting word of my books out there.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
My day fits around my writing and I’ve always been the same. I only eat, sleep and take breaks when it fits in with whatever stage I’m at in plotting, drafting or revising. It’s a terrible habit, but after so many years it’s too instilled to change now. There are days when I’ve missed meals, realised I’m still in my pyjamas at four in the afternoon, or started writing in the dark in the morning only to look up and see it’s the evening. My husband is amazing at making sure I’m fed, watered and get some sleep. We’ve been married fourteen years through all that, so he totally deserves a certificate of dedication.

6. Do you write every day?
I don’t write on the days that I teach, because I work long hours and have prep to do when I get home. Every other day, yes. Aside from when I’m at the day job, I very rarely take a day off from writing. Even if I’m not technically writing, I’m making notes.

7. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
Most definitely. My heroines all have characteristics that I really admire and would appreciate in a friend. They’re compassionate, honest, reliable and stand up for what they believe in as well as those they care about. They also have traits that drive me to distraction, but I think that’s essential for well-rounded characters.

8. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
Despite how badly behaved my heroes are and the fact I’d run a mile from them if I ever met them in real life, I can’t deny I find them intoxicatingly appealing. I’ve been told many times that Kane (Blood Shadows) skirts dangerously close to the edge, but that readers have fallen for him anyway. I was no different when I wrote him. There were times when I convinced myself I’d never get away with the way he is, but I still developed a soft spot for him and I’m thrilled readers have too. Caleb (Blood Roses) is exactly the same. They might be dark heroes, but they’re heroes all the same in their own unique way. You’ve just got to have the insight and desire to scrape beneath the surface sometimes to see it.

9. Any craft books you recommend?
I’ve not read any craft books. I’ve bought them in the past, flicked through them and found myself becoming too over-analytical about how and what I write. I’ve subscribed to Writing Magazine for years though and love their tips and articles.

10. At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?
I’ve never not felt like a writer because I can’t ever remember a time when I didn’t have a writing project underway. Blackthorn itself has been under construction for sixteen years, so I’ve lived with these stories a very long time. I think it’s more a case of me pinching myself enough into believing my work is finally out there.

When I think back, my first conversation with my publisher and then my editor were pivotal moments for me in feeling like a professional author. I was so unbelievably nervous about saying or doing the wrong thing because, having never spoken to a publisher or editor before, I had no idea of the protocol. They were both amazing though. Holding my book for the first time and reading my first review were also significant moments in convincing me it was all real. I cried over both. I still have days when I find it hard to get my head around the fact my book is in readers’ hands. And I certainly don’t think I’ll ever stop appreciating readers who email me or tweet me just to let me know they’ve enjoyed what I’ve created.

Blood Shadows (Blackthorn Series Book One)

For vengeance - would you trust a vampire?
For justice - could you betray your family?
For love - are you ready to question everything you believe in?

Gifted with the ability to read the shadows of ‘third species’ beings, Caitlin Parish is the Vampire Control Unit’s most powerful agent. Despite that, her mission to hunt down Kane Malloy – a master vampire – comes with a death wish. Many have tried, but few have survived.

For Caitlin, tracking Kane is about more than just professional reputation. With her parents both mysteriously killed 7 years apart to the day, Caitlin knows that without Kane’s help she is next.

She has four days to make a deal with the wicked, the irresistible, the treacherous Kane Malloy. The vampire who despises everything she stands for.

Blood Shadows is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony eBooks and Apple. And there's a trailer!

You can follow Lindsay on her blog, Goodreads, or on Twitter.