Talking with Emma Mills, Author of Witchblood

Emma:)  Welcome to Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf!!

1. Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.  

Okay, Hi I’m Emma! I’m a married, mum of two kiddies, Lottie age 7 and Oliver aged 4. Oliver has just started school so I can write everyday now which is great. I live near Manchester in the UK where the weather is pretty wet and horrible and I am constantly dreaming of emigrating somewhere hot and lovely!

2. When did you know that you wanted to write professionally and how did you take the leap to get into the business?  

I have always wanted to write, but never got past a first chapter! I took the leap when I wanted to begin a new career and couldn’t face the idea of going back to an office job.

3. Can you tell me a little bit about Witchblood and what inspired it? 

I became inspired to write Witchblood after reading the Twilight Saga, and then developing an addiction to paranormal fiction, mainly YA. I thought there would be a niche in the market for a YA series set in the UK. I wanted to meld my favorite paranormal genres and have both witches and vampires in my series!

4. What do you hope that readers take way with them after reading your book?  

I am not trying to write award winning, literary fiction, all I want is for my readers to enjoy my books, to be able to escape and loose themselves in a new world. I hope my readers will connect with Jess and empathise with her struggles.

5. I find it interesting to know what environment authors find most productive… Do you use a pen and paper or laptop? Quiet room at home or bustling café? Basically, what gets your creative juices flowing? 

I have a laptop and I need peace & quiet. My best ideas generally come to me in bed when I am struggling with insomnia, and I have a desk set up in our conservatory to catch the small amount of sunshine we get!

6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

So far I have been lucky and only received one 2 star review for Witchblood, but it was tough reading it. Even though I disagreed and felt like she hadn’t read the book properly, I tried to find something constructive that I can use to grow with. I always read my reviews and try and take on board how readers are feeling. Sometimes they make really useful points.

I have many amazing reviews I could choose for compliments and they surprise and motivate me every day, but recently another author said that, ‘I think this book contained one of the best vampire transformations I've ever read!’ That, made me very happy!

7. What book is currently on your nightstand? And who are some of your favorite authors? 

Currently I am just reading the final chapters of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I didn’t think I’d like it, as it isn’t my normal genre and was a book club pick, and it did take me a bit to get sucked in…but wow! I’ve been completely taken over by it.

8. What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

When I’m not writing I like to hang out with my family, plan holidays, bake cakes and of course read!

9. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

My advice would be… just write! If you get an idea then just start writing. Don’t worry about planning and character analysis, you can do all that later, but just get going and see where the story takes you.

10. What can we expect from you next? 

Well, I have just finished writing Witchcraft, the sequel to Witchblood. Next I will be proof reading and editing and it will be published on 25^th June. After that I will be writing the remaining story in the trilogy, WitchLove.

And now for a little bit of fun:)  This or That?  

Coffee or Tea?   Tea always. I detest coffee yuk!

Sweet or Salty?   Ooo both!

Beach or Lake?   Beach every time

Winter or Summer?  Summer

Cats or Dogs?   Cats (but I have 1 of each!)

Zombies or Vampires?  Vampires naturally!

Country or City?   Country

Shower or Bath?   Bath

Morning or Evening?  Evening

M&Ms or Skittles?  Skittles

Trains or Planes? Planes

Comedy or Drama? Drama… ideally with a romance!

Thank you so much for being here with us today Emma!

Connect with Emma: Blog | Facebook | Twitter

The Book:

When Jess steals a glance at a gorgeous guy in a Manchester nightclub, little does she realise how he is going to change her life…or should that be death? Yet, the vampire clan could never have predicted what they were taking on. 
With Luke pronounced ‘off-limits’ and the blood of a vampire simmering in Jess’s body, can she forget the love of her life and move on? If not, she will risk exposing the entire Northern vampire clan to untold dangers, in order to live her life the way she wants.

Can Jess be sure that Luke is all he appears to be? Will she succumb to the attraction she desperately tries not to feel for Daniel? And why does she still crave a packet of crisps more than a tasty teenage boy’s blood?

Find Witchblood: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

COMING SOON:

Jess is no ordinary vampire. Protected by the Manchester vampire clan, and initiated by her family’s east coast American coven, she is sought after by every dark witch and warring vampire faction. Jess must fight if she wants to keep hold of her friends, her sanity and finally her existence. 

As the dead bodies of human girls begin to stack up, and her recently accepted vampire boyfriend, Daniel, finds himself in prison, Jess goes on a crazy, forbidden trip to London, racing against time to save an old friend and solve the mystery behind Daniel’s incarceration. In battling new enemies and finding new friends, Jess’s confidence finds room to grow, but who will she lose along the way?

The Trailer: