HP Mallory talks about the Paranormal and Witches!

1. Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I live in Southern CA with my husband, son and Tootsie, our little black cat who is an expert hunter!! I've always been enthralled by anything paranormal and Jane Austen died on my birthday! I love to garden and bake!

2. When did you first discover your interest in magick & witchcraft and how/when did you decide to incorporate it into your writing?
It wasn't so much that I was interested in witchcraft so much as that I was interested in witches. I loved the idea of taking an ordinary girl (Jolie Wilkins) and leading her through a voyage whereby she learns she is a witch. And for me, I wanted to shape my own meaning of what a witch is and made it more about psychic powers than chants and charms.

3. Do you believe in magick?
I don't know. I believe in things bigger than us but I haven't really decided just what those things are. I believe in spirits but not sure about witchcraft.

4. What do you hope that readers take way with them after reading your books?
I hope readers will enjoy Jolie's journey and I really hope to give them an avenue to escape the oftentimes dull and arduous monotony of day to day living!

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?
Desktop in my office and it needs to be quiet. Sometimes I'll listen to music if I really want to influence a scene. Usually I shape a scene in my mind before I put it to paper.

6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Authors deal with criticism and compliments everyday and after a while, you come to the realization that you just have to write the story that you want to write. At the end of the day, some people will hate it and others will love it so, for me, I don't really pay attention to either. I just write the story that I want to write.

7a. What book is currently on your nightstand? And who are some of your favorite authors?
Fav author: Jane Austen. Current book on my nightstand: The Lion In the North--all about Scotland's history--in preparation for my next series!

7b.  Now to get more specific: What are some of your favorite Witchy reads?
I haven't really read a lot of witchy books, to be honest with you. I just loved the idea of Jolie being a witch and went with it!

8.   Do you have any favorite Witchy Movies?

I liked The Craft, when the girls were changing their appearances. I wrote something similar in Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble.

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

Currently everything I've been doing has revolved around my house remodel. Sigh!

10. What can we expect from you next?
I'm currently working on the first book in a new series about a woman who dies before her time and is offered the chance to live again, on one condition: She must become a soul retriever and travel into the guts of hell to retrieve souls who were placed there by mistake!  It's a really funny fantasy series that I'm very excited about!

11.  Do any animals share your life? Please tell us about them. 

I have a black cat named Tootsie who I rescued from the pound and who I adore! She catches some unfortunate creature daily, often leaving gifts of furry rodent torsos or heads outside my door!

12.  If you were a witch, what one power would you really want to have and what power would frighten you?
I think any power can be frightening but I would love to be able to know what people are really thinking! Course, I think that would frighten me too! LOL

Title:  Something Witchy This Way Comes
Series:  Jolie Wilkins #5

Author:  H.P. Mallory
Reading Level:  Adult
Genre: Paranormal

Release Date: September 25th 2012
Publisher: Random House/Bantam

Size:  336 pages

Find the book: Goodreads   | Amazon   | Barnes & Noble 

A witch’s work is never done, and in bestselling author H. P. Mallory’s mesmerizing new novel, Jolie Wilkins finds that the real magic is only just beginning.

For smart and sexy witch Jolie Wilkins, being Queen of the Underworld is a royal pain. Back from a round of time travel, Jolie must now protect her realm from the sinister Lurkers—a powerful breed of half-humans bent on conquering the undead. And if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that the supernatural never go down without a fight.

At least Jolie has her soul mate (and finally official boyfriend), warlock Rand Balfour, by her side. Honorable, brave, and unbelievably handsome, Rand is everything Jolie wants in a man. So why can’t she forget the dangerously alluring vampire, Sinjin Sinclair? With her private life heating up and a battle boiling over, Jolie sets out to prove that in matters of love and war, the fairer hex has its own set of charms.

Other Books in the series:

I started my writing career as a self-published author and was lucky enough to hit both the Amazon and the Barnes and Noble bestseller’s lists with my two series, the Jolie Wilkins series and the Dulcie O’Neil series. Most recently I hit the New York Times and the USA Today lists with books in the Jolie series.

I signed with Random House (Bantam imprint) to write  the Jolie Wilkins series.Now I love the fact that I’m both a traditionally published author as well as a self-published one (with my Dulcie O’Neil series).

I’m a huge fan of anything paranormal and I always have been. I get super excited whenever they have those Twilight Zone Marathon days and anything ghost or vampire related will always attract my attention.

My interests are varied but aside from writing, I’m most excited about traveling. I’m extremely fortunate to have been able to live in England and Scotland, both places really having a profound effect on my books.

Thanks for checking out my books and I hope you enjoy them! Happy Haunting!

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