Darynda Jones!!!

Get Lost in This Story…

So many people have been dying to get their hands on this book.  Now you can!

From the publisher:

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.  Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light."  But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (like murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice.  Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all.  In fact, he might be something else entirely.   But what does he want with Charley?  And why can’t she seem to resist him?  And what does she have to lose by giving in?

With scorching-hot tension and high-octane humor, FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT is your signpost to paranormal suspense of the highest order. 

It’s my pleasure to host my friend Darynda Jones at Get Lost in A Story today!  Not only is she superbly talented, but wickedly funny and one of the nicest people I know. 

Darynda is the winner of the 2009 Golden Heart® for Best Paranormal Romance for her manuscript FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT.  She was born spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. After the Golden Heart final, she pimped herself as best she could, landed an amazing agent and sold to St. Martin’s Press in a three-book deal.

Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, aka the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

Heather:  How often to you get lost in a story? 

Darynda: Every chance I get. Reading is an integral part of writing, and I so very much love to read, so that’s a plus. I try to read everyday.

Heather:  What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Darynda: I’m a very eclectic reader. I pick up anything from Nora to Stephen and everything in between. Love me some JR Ward, Julia Quinn, Stephen Hunter, Terry Pratchett….I could go on and on. Still, romance trumps all.

Heather:  What’s the first book you remember reading?

Darynda: The first book I ever read that didn’t have pictures in it was a horror for teens called Grandma’s House or Grandma’s Ghost. Something like that. I remember it vividly. It was very disturbing and it fascinated me that I could be so bone-chillingly scared from a book. Little did I know….

Heather:  What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Darynda: I’m a Beauty and the Beast kinda gal, though I do love Cinderella. The best part is, in our society I get to read and watch new versions of these stories over and over. It’s like Heaven when someone takes these tales and reworks them. I can’t get enough of it. A friend of mine, Gabi Stevens, has a book coming out in April that does just that. It’s called As You Wish and let me tell you, I got completely lost in that story. Could not put it down. That’s the joy of reading. That’s what it’s all about.

Heather:  What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Darynda: Bugs Bunny! I always wanted to be him growing up because he was so smart and so clever and he had the cutest smile. I try to emulate him in my books, getting my heroine into a mess of trouble and asking myself, “What would Bugs do?”

Heather:  What turns you off like nothing else?

Darynda: Arrogance.

Heather:  Be honest, when reading 1^st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

Darynda: Surprisingly, no. While I love the hero’s POV, I think not having it lends a certain air of mystery to him. We wonder what he’s thinking, what he’ll do next. And if the writer is very good, she can give us clues into his thought process with subtle words and actions that speak volumes.

Heather:  If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

Darynda: I would probably go back to my day job as a sign language interpreter. I absolutely love interpreting and I get to learn so much in the process. Even, yes, in kindergarten! I have been humbled by the fact that we are never too old to learn from children. And my new knowledge often finds its way into my books. In Second Grave, there is line that was a direct result of learning to read in a classroom I was working in. “When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking and it says its name.” I giggle every time I hear that.

Heather:  What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Darynda: Start outlining another.

Heather:  What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

Darynda: Getting to spin tales of romance and intrigue full time. Honestly, what could be better? I feel like I’ve died and gone to Heaven. Hopefully, that won’t actually happen for a while yet.

Heather:  Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

Darynda: Coffee! With lots of fake cream and fake sugar. And sometimes artificial (okay, fake) flavors.

Heather:  What color would you make the sky if it wasn’t going to be blue anymore and why?

Darynda: Blood red, because it would be creepy and cool at the same time.

Heather’s GOTTA ASK – Darynda’s GOTTA ANSWER  J

What is the most fascinating thing you learned while researching or writing this particular book?

Darynda: Probably that the grim reaper doesn’t actually “kill” like most people believe. In almost all mythology, the grim reaper, and/or various versions of it, either escorts the dead to their final destination or “takes” the dying while they are making the final transition. So the person is either already dead or is already dying. This works well for me. I hardly wanted my heroine grim reaper to be a serial killer, running amok, taking lives willy-nilly. That wouldn’t make her very likable.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Who or what is your favorite paranormal character? Do you like vampires best? Werewolves? Ghosts? And if you are so inclined to answer, why? (Burning curiosity here.)

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?**

One commenter will win his or her choice of a signed hardcover or an audiobook.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Darynda!  Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

www.darynda.com

http://www.facebook.com/darynda.jones.official

http://twitter.com/Darynda

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Be sure to join us tomorrow, when Heather hosts historical romance author Courtney Milan!