Impromptu Contest

I recently received a few copies of Eternity and a Day in print and thought...why not do a giveaway? Do you want to enter? It's not difficult. Go to my Facebook author page and leave a comment (you'll see the post -- it's on the top):

https://www.facebook.com/JASaare.AlineHunter

I'll pick a winner on Monday using Random.org.

Hope you're enjoying a great weekend!

Visiting Dakota Cassidy!

Me and the fabulous author Dakota Cassidy are chatting over on her Facebook page tomorrow! I'll be giving away a signed copy of Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between OR The Renfield Syndrome (in the event someone is new to the series or has the first and would like the second). Stop by and say hello. All it takes to enter is a comment.

https://www.facebook.com/DakotaCassidyFanPage

Also, she's going to list the winner of the contest on her blog, since Facebook says "No Contests" on their site:

http://www.dakotacassidy.net/

I'll be back on Wednesday since No Strings releases at Ellora's Cave and I need to do the promotional/information thing. *g* Hope you're having a fantastic week!

Rhiannon Interview

I'm just dropping in to let you know Rhiannon recently did an interview. If you've read her books, you know what to expect, but if you'd like to see what she had to see about Halloween, demons and her love life head on over. There is also a contest to win an ebook copy of Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between OR The Renfield Syndrome.

CLICK ME TO REDIRECT.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Release Day & Contest Results

Release day is technically tomorrow, but due to circumstances beyond my control I'm posting about the book today. It will be available in all formats at Ellora's Cave and costs $6.99. Not bad for an 85k book. If you'd like to purchase a copy CLICK HERE and redirect to the publisher website. Thank you in advance for your support. I hope you like the story. Just remember -- there's a lot of smexing goin' on!

Now, for the winner of an e-copy of Eternity and a Day...

Random.org chose #1...That's Scott!! Congrats! I'll be in contact soon to see which format of the book you'd like. :)

With that out of the way, onto other pressing matters.

I recently received bad news about my father. This means I will be away from my computer and the internet. I plan to answer emails and such but as far as networking you won't see me very much. I plan to Tweet and do a Facebook message about the release of Omega Mine but otherwise I'll be missing in action. This is a very difficult time and I'd like to thank you in advance for your patience in the event I don't respond to emails and the like. Cross your fingers that things take a turn for the better. I appreciate any and all well-wishes.

As always, thanks for purchasing my work, promoting it, and spreading the word. Each and every one of you are the reason I am able to do this. I can't thank you enough.

Much Love,

Jaime

Release Day Celebration & Giveaway

Hiya, peeps!

I'm sorry I haven't been on the blog. Trust me when I say things have been crazy.

Our youngest child is on the mend from an infection that sent her to the hospital, I'm dealing with school issues for our special needs son, and I've been doing my best to write, edit, and revise when I have time.

It's been busy, busy, and BUSY. Meaning I haven't been able to promote upcoming releases and the like.


Which brings me to the topic of this entry.

On Friday Omega Mine releases at Ellora's Cave. I'm extremely excited and hella nervous. I completed the book last year, right before I ventured to Lori Foster's Reader and Author Get Together. It was unlike anything I'd ever written. For starters, the smex is smoking. Diskant (the hero) is unapologetic and takes what he wants. The instant I heard him in my head, I knew I was going on a wild ride. From start to finish, I followed the characters and let them guide me through their story. The result is a book that features shifters, vampires, hunters, and all sorts of dark, unexpected things. I hope that you enjoy it.

As you may recall the second book in the Desires of the Otherworld series, Darkest Hunger, released last Tuesday at Loose Id. This was a story I really enjoyed writing. The characters are ones I love to revisit, and it's very easy to slip back into their heads. I can't wait to return and start writing Elizabeth and Alucard's book. After that, I'll dive into the story most of you want to read -- Byron and Elsa's. There are several installments planned, if only I can find the time to write them.

So, why am I bothering you with all of this information? Of course it's to let you know where the books will be available, but it's also because I've decided to have one last contest before I fall off the radar. Soon I have to get to work, meaning I won't be around. Curious about the prize? Check out the image below...

Up for grabs is an e-book copy of Eternity and a Day, the first book in the Desires of the Otherworld series (click image to read the blurb and an excerpt). If you'd like to put your name in the hat, leave a comment with a valid email address and I'll enter you. I'm going to run the giveaway until Friday, when Omega Mine releases. It's my way of saying thanks for all your support and generosity. The winner will be able to choose the e-book format of their choice.

Have a wonderful week! I'll be back to announce the winner Friday morning. Just in time for the weekend!

**PS. Books at Loose Id and Ellora's Cave do not go to third party distributors right away. I apologize in advance. If you'd like to purchase a copy of any of my works from these publishers the only way to do so is to purchase directly from the publisher website. If you'd prefer to wait, it will be two or three months before the books appear on Amazon and other resellers.**

Contest Winner

As usual, I went to Random.org to chose a winning number for the contest.

The winner is #12: YzhaBella's Bookshelf

Congrats YzhaBella! I'll be in touch shortly to get your information.

This weekend is going to be a busy one. If you don't see me around (I know I've been absent on Twitter the last few weeks) please forgive me. I have edits, revisions, and writing to do. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Another Contest!

As promised, I have a couple of books from AAD I'm going to give away. Check out the images and blurbs to see if you're interested.

Beyond The Night Blurb:

A man with no future . . .

When Dr. Elliott Drake wakes from a mysterious fifty-year sleep, the world as he knew it is gone. Cities are now desolate, and civilization is controlled by deadly immortals. Stranger still is Elliott's extraordinary new "gift"—he has the power to heal, but it comes with fatal consequences.

A woman with a past . . .

Jade barely escaped the immortals and is now hell-bent on revenge. She trusts no one . . . until Elliott. His piercing gaze and tempting touch shatter her defenses, but the handsome doctor seems to have dangerous secrets of his own. Is it safe to trust him with her heart?

If they are to survive in this dark new world, Jade and Elliott must work together to fight the forces that take them beyond danger.

Beyond desire.

Tempest Rising Blurb:

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie's lamp. 

Want to enter? Leave a comment (with an email address). I'll use Random.org to choose a winner on Saturday and announce the the lucky duck! The contest is international. Have a wonderful weekend!

Rhiannon/Smackdown/Winner

Talk about crazy! For some reason I was confused about the way the smackdown worked. I thought it was done character to character. Turns out it was the overall number votes to determine the winner. Thanks to you Rhiannon took the prize!

See smackdown results here.

As promised, I wrote down all the names of those who voted on Twitter, Goodreads, the blog and Facebook. I put them in order of when I received them and used Random.org to find out who would receive the Amazon gift card.

And the winner is...

Number 47: Mamakitty

Congo-rats! I'll be getting in touch to get your Amazon GC to you! Next week starts a new round. I'm not sure how the smackdown will work, but I'll be sure to post here when I do. Also, I've been going through the books I received at AAD. Since I have a few doubles and some swag, I'm going to be giving those away next week. Be sure to swing by and see if you'd like to enter your name in the hat.

Okay, that's about it. I'm off to the Death Star. There's nothing like one stop shopping.

Bloodlines Winner!!

Thanks to everyone who entered! The winner of the copy of Bloodlines, chosen by Random.org, is...

Commenter #8: Robin K!

Congrats, Robin! I'll be in touch shortly.

Guest Blog & Contest: Rugby and Romance by Shelley Munro

Today I have the super talented, multi-published author Shelley Munro on the blog. She's going to talk about one of her favorite sports and how it fit into her latest release, Wanna Do Bad Things To You (a story I loved, by the way). She's been kind enough to offer an e-book of your choice -- either Best Man or Issy's Infatuation (click titles to be directed to a blurb with story information).

Contest info: Answer the question posed after her guest blog, leave a comment and tell her which story you'd like to win (please include an email address -- no email address means I'll move to the next commenter in line). I'll use Random.org to draw a winner and will announce the lucky duck on Monday.

Without further ado, take it away, Shelley!

Rugby and Romance

Mention the subject of rugby in New Zealand, and you’re likely to get wide-ranging reactions. Some people live and breathe the sport and go into mourning when our national team loses a match. Others just can’t understand our nation’s obsession with a game where grown men chase around an odd-shaped ball.

I remember, as a child, getting out of bed at two or three on a winter’s morning to watch a televised test match between New Zealand’s All Blacks and the South Africa Springboks. My grandparents, uncles and I would all sit around the telly, wrapped in blankets to keep warm, and cheer on our home team. I used to enjoy running and kicking around a football outside and practicing kicking goals at school. Yep, I was a bit of a tomboy. *g*

These days girls can and do play rugby. It’s always fun watching the teams in the beginning grades. I think they allow girls to play on the same team as boys until around the age of 10. Often the young girls are much better than the boys, and they run and tackle in a very determined manner.

I played netball during my teen years, the main sport for girls/women, and even represented my county, but given the opportunity to play rugby, I would have embraced it. Running. Tackling. Scrapping for the ball. I could do that! Our women’s national team, known as the Black Ferns, is the current world champion, beating out England to take the title.

As a writer and a New Zealander, it was inevitable that rugby would find its way into at least some of my books. In fact, Playing to Win, the very first book I wrote featured a rugby hero. The following of my books feature rugby:

Playing to Win, a romantic suspense, has one scene at a rugby match.

Issy’s Infatuation, a contemporary is set in the world of women’s rugby.

Best Man, a gay romance features two rugby playing heroes, but the rugby is very much in the background.

My recent release, Wanna Do Bad Things to You is set in the world of rugby and both main characters are rugby players. There are several rugby scenes, but I think I’ve managed to write them to hold the attention of readers who aren’t as sports mad as me.

Here’s the blurb:

Tyson Hamlin lives and breathes rugby. With loads of natural talent, he’s destined for the big time. But Tyson has a secret—his perfect life, complete with doting girlfriend—is a lie. While he loves the game, he’s not quite as driven as he used to be, and his girlfriend is a beard he hides behind because the truth is—he prefers men.

Darcy Nichols transfers from Dunedin to pursue his dream to make the national team. He’s giving his all this one last season and intends to focus on his goal. Openly gay, he arrives in Auckland to suspicion and hostility.

One look and Ty is smitten. He wants the sexy Darcy to do all sorts of bad things with him. Game on. The sparks fly in private as they burn up the sheets, but they can’t live in seclusion forever. They’re under public scrutiny, and one wrong step could derail their rugby careers and end their dreams forever.

Contains sexy rugby players with their eye on the ball.

To finish my post, I thought I’d introduce you to the world of rugby through a video. The New Zealand All Blacks do a traditional Maori war dance called the haka at the start of each match. This clip shows parts of the haka plus actual game footage. There are two additional clips of the haka and some rugby facts at my website: http://www.shelleymunro.com/for-readers/behind-the-scenes-rugbys-the-game/



Do you like romances featuring sport? <~~ Answer this question to enter the contest!

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes spicy romances for Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. Her latest release is Wanna Do Bad Things With You (a rugby romance) while her next release is a paranormal werewolf story called Lone Wolf. Lone Wolf is due out at Samhain Publishing on 23 August.

You can visit Shelley and learn more about her books on her website: http://www.shelleymunro.com

Buy Links:

Wanna Do Bad Things With You

Lone Wolf

Thanks again for stopping by and sharing, Shelley. If you haven't read her work, be sure to enter the contest. You won't regret it. :-)

Vampire Queen Series Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. I'll be having more soon in the future. ;-) And thank you to Joey for stopping by. Now, using Random.org, I took the number of individual comments (28) and allowed the computer to select a winner. And the number it chose was...

Number ONE

Congrats, Scott!! I'll be in touch to get your shipping information soon.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Interview with Joey W. Hill & Contest!!!!

Today I'm positively thrilled to have one of my favorite authors on the blog. After reading one of her books, I purchased her entire backlist. Trust me, she's that good. I contacted Joey to tell her about a contest I wanted to have and she was kind enough to answer a few questions to go along with the giveaway. So please, welcome her to the blog, say hello, and keep reading to find out how you can win the first six books in her Vampire Queen series! **Which she has offered to send signed book plates for, so the winner can have them personalized!**

Hi Joey!  Thank you so much for visiting. As a longtime fan, I think everyone who loves vampires has to read the Vampire Queen series, which is why I’m eager to spread the word.

Jaime, I’m all for that! Honestly, I love writing about vampires, so I would have written the books even if they never saw the light of day outside my nightstand drawer. Though of course I’m glad they have reached a bit wider audience than that (wink). Thank you for spreading the love for the series.

Q: Let’s start with writing. Can you tell us a bit about your process? Do you have a word count you have to meet each day?

You may be sorry you asked this question. JJ The Vampire Queen books work out to anywhere from 150k-175k (that’s due to my story development, not a publisher mandate – they’d probably prefer closer to 100k – lol), so I take the mathematical approach. If I have four months, I break it down to five writing days a week, first draft plus three full edit rounds. I give the first draft about ½ of that time, and divide the three edit rounds between the rest of the time, with each subsequent round getting a smaller slice of time, under the assumption the book is needing less tweaking with each round. So I just divide the word count up among those time slices to know how much I need to accomplish each day... Zzzzz…okay, I hear that person snoring in the back! Yeah, it’s not hugely exciting in theory, but the creative process itself, seeing the book come together over each round, getting drawn into the characters and seeing them take unexpected turns, evolving into more than I first envisioned – that is exciting.

Long and short, it’s a balance between knowing how much progress I have to make to meet the publisher’s deadline and trying not to let that practical schedule stifle the creative flow. An author’s job is a curious mix of those two things – you have to deliver the work, like any job, but it also requires a creative spark that doesn’t always come on command, so you learn little tricks to keep that spark fanned and alive amid all the nose-to-the-grindstone stuff. I’m a firm believer in the “keep writing until it loosens up” method, rather than waiting for that creative spark to go from a sputter to a steady burn. That seems to work for me.

And of course, no talk about process is complete without mentioning the days where the writing takes a backseat to the unexpected family and domestic issues. For instance, I just realized my car registration is three months overdue (grimace), so valuable writing time will be sacrificed tomorrow to the inspection and other tweaks the car needs to pass. Of course, I’m doing the copy edit round on Bound by the Vampire Queen, so I have that loaded on my e-reader to review while waiting for the car – I try to make the most of every scrap of time I have to stay as close to “on schedule” as possible with current first drafts, edit rounds, copy edits/final galleys from the publisher, etc.

As you can probably tell, once you’re writing on contract deadlines, those deadlines establish the parameters of your process – you basically set aside the time you need to get it done, and scramble to stay on schedule with all the other demands on your time (grin).

Q: Most authors have a place the muse strikes (for me it’s when I’m driving). When do your best ideas come to you?

When I’m working on the last edit round for the current WIP, I turn my mind to brainstorming for the next one. Like you, that works best for me in the car, specifically on road trips. I take my recorder along, and just start ruminating. Anything that comes into my head, I put down on the recorder. It could be story progression, specific bits of dialogue, narration, etc. Then I load those snippets into MS Notes, organize them into a rough outline, and I’m good to go. Once I start that brainstorming process, it seems to heighten my senses, such that I’m more likely to notice things around me that will feed the story. For example, there was a storm the other night, and the way the wind was swirling across the ground, picking up items and drawing my gaze to follow their path made me think about the opening scene to the next Arcane Shot series book. Raina, my heroine, is going to wake in the middle of the night, go out on her tower balcony porch to watch a storm building. She’ll feel the currents of danger and magic in the air, know something is about to happen, to change…and then all hell breaks loose, with our hero, Mikhael, right in the middle of it!

Q: You had to divide Vampire Mistress and Vampire Trinity into two books. When it comes to editing and revisions, what is your approach?  

I curse profusely and wonder why my publisher won’t let me publish 1000-page books. LOL That’s Step One of the process. Every time one of these two-part books happens, it starts out as one book that grows far beyond the publisher’s word count limit. Often there’s not a really good breaking point, so a new opening has to be reworked and backstory has to be loaded into it. The backstory part gives me migraines, because I don’t want to put in too much and bore the reader who’s read the previous book, or put in too little and leave the new reader clueless. I’d almost prefer to do it the 1950s movie way – have this lovely webcam with a man in a suit and a neat white handkerchief, who explains in a radio-quality voice: “Here’s what’s happened so far….now, on to the rest of the story.”

However, until the publisher is willing to try out my retro idea, I basically figure out where to break the book in half, tear up the first half of the new Book Two, send a prayer up to the literary gods that I haven’t zapped a key fact that needed to be in the second book, and check in with my editor to see if she thinks the new opening will work. If she says “No”, I beat my head against the wall to give the sheetrock a nice marbleized look, and work on it some more. All while getting perilously behind on the next contracted work.

Yet another reason being insane and a writer go hand-in-hand, as you well know! (laughter) The trade-off is getting to spend time with wonderful characters and having the chance to be pulled into their journey, which is worth every aggravating moment.

Q: The authors I speak to love to read. Can you share a few of your favorite books?

I read mostly on vacation now, because it’s the only time 1) I can somewhat turn off the internal editor and 2) find time to read for my own pleasure. I need to prioritize it more, consider it more a requirement than an indulgence, because it’s actually pretty vital to keeping writing style fresh. At least that’s what I tell myself, every time I go by my book shelf or e-reader and look at the 40 some books there that I haven’t had a chance to read yet. Lover Mine, by JR Ward, is one I’ve been itching to read for some time! However, in terms of old and not-so-old favorites, these are the ones I consider absolutely awe inspiring craft work and wonderful must-read stories – Lover Awakened (Zsadist’s story) by JR Ward, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (first three particularly), Audrey Niffenegger’s Time Traveler’s Wife, Laura Kinsale’s For My Lady’s Heart (actually, pretty much everything she did in the 80s-90s was awesome), The Black Lyon by Jude Devereaux, Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss, Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson. The JD Robb In Death series is my candy – love to just hop on the ride with Eve and Roarke and see where we go. Denise Rossetti’s Phoenix Rising series with Ellora’s Cave, Daniel’s Surrender by Violet Summers, Bound Odyssey by Michelle Polaris, Roarke’s Prisoner by Angela Knight and Exit to Eden by Anne Rice are some of my favorite erotic work to date. I’m sure I’ve left out some important ones, but that’s a snapshot of my reading taste.

Q: Last but not least: Can you tell us a bit about the Vampire Queen series and its conception? 

I love the idea of the vampire as a romantic dominant hero/heroine, versus the horror movie version. Years ago, when I watched Fright Night with Chris Sarandon, I was mesmerized by the scene where he “took over” and danced with Charlie’s girlfriend. It kind of annoyed me when he turned out to be this horrid, monstrous beast. Likewise, I was intrigued by Laurell K. Hamilton’s portrayal of Richard as Jean Claude’s blood apple in the early book of the Anita series. As an erotic romance author who integrates BDSM in most of my work, I felt the vampire-servant relationship possessed huge potential. A bound, eternal Dominant/submissive relationship, where the vampire considers himself/herself a superior being, yet is dependent emotionally and physically on the servant in some vital ways? Wow – that’s a power exchange relationship that could stretch way beyond the usual limits, due to the paranormal setting.

When I started off the series with Lyssa, a thousand-year-old vampire queen, and Jacob, the former vampire hunter and alpha male who has been trained to serve her, it was a continuation of my interest in the “palace guard” form of male submissive. He submits to her sexually, but there’s a strong, protective element to him that won’t be subjugated in the slightest. Jacob wasn’t a natural submissive, but he was a male with an overwhelming code of chivalry and service to his chosen lady. Of course I had to explore both sides of that coin, so Beloved Vampire, another book in the series, has a male vampire, Mason – one of your favorites, Jaime! – who has to protect a female servant from his world who has killed her vampire master. Then of course, the latest two books, Vampire Mistress and Vampire Trinity, feature a ménage, with two vampires, a male and female, who become involved with Gideon, a hardcore vampire hunter who happens to be Jacob’s brother. So the series has so many possibilities and pairings (or triplings – grin). 

Like the newest one you’ve mentioned/discussed – Vampire Instinct. Mal is my first “made” vampire hero (all the other have been older, “born” vampires), who was a Cherokee born right before the Trail of Tears. Since the heroine, Elisa, is an Irish maid, and the story takes place in the 1950s, it has a different tone than the other books. I think the different perspectives help keep the stories fresh and interesting, and of course I hope the readers agree!

Thank you so much for stopping by, Joey! I’ve already devoured Vampire Instinct (Malachi is to die for -- no pun intended), and I’m eagerly awaiting Bound by a Vampire Queen. The months can’t go by fast enough. By the way… Give Lord Mason my love, will you? *grin* I hope you decide to give him and Jessica another story (when I saw you mention this on your site I was ecstatic)!

Jaime, I’m glad you enjoyed VI, and thanks for having me here. Yes, there’s definitely enough material to write another book about Mason and Jessica down the line, so I’ll look forward to sharing that with you sometime in the future! And I’ll pass your message to Lord Mason if I can manage to get it out without stammering – he’s pretty overwhelming, even to me (wink). Best wishes to you and everyone!

Now, for the contest. Check out the image below...

Those are the first six books in the Vampire Queen series that I owned prior to getting signed copies from Joey (LOVE). Interested in owning them? All you have to do is be a follower of the blog and leave a comment with a valid email address (the contest is international). No email means I'll move to the next commenter in line. Like before, I'll use random generator to choose a winner. I'll announce the lucky duck on Friday when Vampire Instinct, the newest in the series, releases. The book isn't included in the contest because I'd love you to show Joey your support by purchasing the latest installment. I had the good fortune of reading the book and it is AMAZING. So do yourself a favor, don't miss out!

Joey has been kind enough to offer to drop by and answer any questions, so feel free to leave a comment to enter and chat with her if you'd like. She doesn't bite -- much. *smile*

New Contracts & An Amazing Contest

As I mentioned a while back, my story Omega Mine as contracted at Ellora's Cave. Now I have more contract news! I've recently been contracted for an Ellora's Cave Exotika Quickie. No Strings is a sizzling hot contemporary short with emotion. I wasn't sure I could pull it off, so I hope you enjoy it. You can read more about the story by clicking HERE. I've also gotten a release date for Dark Hunger on a Killing Moon (September 13th), a release date for The Renfield Syndrome (August 23rd), and I'm wrapping up edits on Crimson Sunrise and Omega Mine so I should have release dates for those stories soon.

I've received a few emails about The Ripple Effect. I had planned to finish up the book by the end of June. Now it's looking like it might be August. With the children home for the summer, it's difficult to find time to write. Compounding this issue is my father is sick again. His other foot is now infected due to diabetes and he's having a difficult time moving around. I'm very concerned for him, so I'm not in the proper head space to write at the moment. Hopefully things will resolve and I can get back to my usual routine.

Now for the contest I mentioned...

I spoke to my absolute favorite author Joey W. Hill. I wanted to do a contest giving away all of her Vampire Queen books with the exception of her new release on July 15th, Vampire Instinct. Why? Because I want you to go out and buy the new book! Her writing is amazing and any BDSM/Vampire fan should read them. On Monday, she'll be stopping by to answer a few questions. On that day I'll have all the contest details (the contest will run through Friday -- her release day). So if you're interested in owning the first six books, be sure to swing by.

With that, I'm off. It's been an extremely draining day. I hope tomorrow is a bit better.

Contest Winner Announced

First -- Happy Release Day Fwah!! I know you have to be extremely excited to see Jericho go live. For those of you who didn't win, please consider purchasing a copy HERE. Proceeds do go to cancer research, so you get to enjoy a great comic and help a worthy cause. I numbered people according to the order of their comments on blogger and Facebook. Random generator chose number four. So the winner is...

Sharon!!! Congrats. I have your email and will be in contact shortly.

Thanks again for stopping by, leaving a comment, and supporting a dear friend. I have a contest coming in a couple of weeks that I think you'll like so stay tuned.  Happy 4th of July!

Interview with Fwah Storm Part 2 and Contest!!!

Today is the second part of my interview with comic book artist and musician (just two of his many talents) Fwah Storm. If you missed the previous post just scroll down to read the entry below. Fwah has generously offered a signed copy of Jericho to a winning commenter -- but wait -- this one is incredibly special. On Jericho's release day (Tuesday July 4th) I'll use random generator to choose a number. The lucky duck chosen will receive, get this:

Copy 1/100 (yes, the one and only) of the first edition of Jericho.

Sound good? Fantastic. Check out the contest information below.

Now, back to the interview.

**All images belong to and are the copyright of Fwah Storm.**

Q. All authors go through editing. What sort of executive decisions do you have to make, or what changes are necessary, during the process?

A: It's surprising because every decision that is made, no matter how small, has a huge effect on the story. This is one reason why early on I try to make as many decisions as possible like what is this characters sexuality, what is their star sign, what is their religious beliefs, what is their political point of view, what is their favourite color, what is their passion in life, were they raised by one parent or two......all of these things may seem a little unimportant to some, but to quote Brandon Lee: 'Everything is trivial. If you think that only certain things are trivial then you are missing out on some of the most beautiful and important things in life'.

So these need to be changed until everything fits in place. Then along the line decisions can range from how many panels are on a page, what shade of red should be used for Jericho's hair, should we reveal this fact about her this early on, is she left handed or right handed.....like I said, there is so much to be thought about when it comes to a story like this.

Q. I know people receive work differently, depending on the source material. As Jericho deals with a touchy subject (cancer) do you receive any sort of prejudice or negative reactions to your work?

A: So far it has been received well, but you do get the occasional person that seems to think I'm a bad person because I want to not only do what I can to help find a cure, but because I want readers to understand what it's like to not only go through suffering with cancer, but what it's like to have someone you care for suffer with it.

Everyone has the right to be offended, butI don't fully understand the offence that people take to the issue of cancer. It comes across to me that because a lot of people still don't know a lot about the illness, they tend to hear it mentioned and then decide to run away from the issue which doesn't help at all. And I've had to remind people before that some people have survived, so there is hope, and the more we do to help cancer research, the closer we are to finding a cure, but once again, some people take offence to this. But if I'm brutally honest, taking offence towards the subject doesn't help in anyway what so ever. Becoming educated on what cancer does not only to the patient but to those who care for that patient the most can help. Donating proceeds to help cancer research helps mankind get a little closer to finding the cure.

If the people who take offence at the subject matter, and take offence at the fact that I want to do what I can to help those with cancer. If they just take the time to realise that this desease effects not only adults, but children as well, then maybe they'll see how important it is to talk about this subject. A child shouldn't have to spend their few years wired to a machine and being pumped with chemicals while they lay in bed. Children should be out there climbing trees and playing with their friends. If they think about that, then they'll realise, there is no point in taking offence towards the subject of cancer. I'm proud that not only myself, but one of my characters might, just might make a difference. And if it doesn't make a difference, then at least I tried.

Q. I started writing as a hobby, but I know that's not the case for some authors. When did you know that you wanted to create comic books? Was it something you were aware of early on? Or was it something that just happened one day?

A: I always wanted to write, and even though I have been a huge fan of comic books since I was very young, it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I knew I wanted to create comics. However, I didn't want to create super hero comics. I enjoy reading stories about super heroes, but there are so many different styles of stories that can be told through the medium that cover all types of heroes. So I really enjoy the fact that if I get the opportunity with Jericho to write and illustrate what seems and looks like a superhero, but really isn't. I mean, she doesn't have any superpowers. She has her intelligence that leads her down the path of life that she chooses.


Q: I think every author can see a version of their work on the big screen. If your comic became a movie, who could you see playing Jericho?

A: That's the sort of thing that often plays on my mind with every project I have ever worked on. I knew before the script was complete that I wanted Doctor Foster (one of the antagonists of the story) to be played by Jason Statham who starred in Snatch, Crank and The transporter. I just think that he could not only pull off that pissed off villain with a grudge against the world, but I also think that he could pull off the sleazier side of that character.

As for Jericho herself there are a few actresses who would be too old for the part, but they would be able to nail the character without trying. If scarlett Johansen was younger then she could really pull it off. But I would probably have to go with Jennifer Lawrence who recently starred in X-Men: First Class. I think she has the look and the skills to play an emotionally complex character like Jerry.

Q: Writing takes up a lot of time. Since creating a comic is so much more involved, what are the sacrifices you have to make to get the job done? Have you seen a significant change in your life and lack of free time as a result?

A: Absolutely. When I work on a project like Jericho I have to sacrifice a lot of things due to the fact that the work is labor intensive. I normally work six days a week. On the one day off I have I help take care of my brother who is severley autistic. On the days I work it is pretty much wake up and shower say around 8, or if I'm feeling lazy, around 10, and then I work right through until about midnight because sometimes it can take a day or two just to get one page of artwork done depending on details and coloring and inking. If I'm lucky I might get an hour and a half to watch a movie or a TV show, so a lot of sacrifices do have to be made, but it's worth it. Plus, at the end of the job I can take a week or two off.

Q. I'm a huge fan of your music (Along Came A Spider is AMAZING).Can you tell us about your band and what you do when you're not working on Jericho?

A: Abuse was formed back in 2002, and during our time we recorded an album, played various shows all through the UK, and got to play with some great bands like Skindred, Esoterica, Breed 77 and Stampin' Ground who are all well known in the metal scene. We had our music played on various radio stations and podcasts all over the US, and sadly, we split back in 2006.

Since then there have been several rumors that we are getting back together and so forth, but I cannot deny nor clarify those rumors at this stage. All I can say is, myself and the guys have been meeting up regularly to talk, and if something happens then great. If not, then nevermind.

Q. As a teen, I was an enormous fan of comic books. Do you have any favorites that you would like to share?

A: Oh, absolutely. There are quite a few titles out there, some of which don't get enough credit. Growing up as a kid, I loved reading Fantastic Four, Spider-man, Batman and 2000 A.D. But as I got older I steped away from more of the conventional super hero comic books and discovered some incredible titles. Preacher by Garth Ennis is just pure twisted genius. Watchmen by Alan Moore really does go to show that there is something more to comic books past the typical stereotype. Death Note is probably one of the best Manga series since Akira. Frank Miller's Sin City was beautifully written and helped put the noir style back on the map. The Crow by James o'barr speaks for itself. The Walking Dead, Y The Last Man, Nemesis, Kick-Ass, The Losers, Alan Moores The Lost Girls (which is still Banned in The UK)...........there are just so many great titles out there.

Q. Your work is currently based in the UK. Can we expect to see more of your work in the US in the future?

A: I hope so. The US is the homeland of the comic book, and I think it would be a shame if Jericho never made it over there. I constantly hear from people in the states who want to read Jericho after hearing about the concept, and I honestly think there are more fans in the states than there are in the UK. We've made it so that US readers can order from the Reload Comics website, however, because of currency differences it does work out that US readers are paying a little extra for the title which I think is very unfair. So we're gonna keep our fingers crossed, and hope that one day Jericho makes it's way to the US

Q: Speaking of the future, what can we expect following Jericho? Do you have any other projects in the works?

A: At present there are a long line of projects that I want to do, and a lot of projects that I have been asked to do, and there is one exciting opportunity that I was approached for by a film studio. However, during the early creative process I have realised that I am left in a difficult position. I can either take the offer and make a book that I would not be proud of making in return for some recognition and money, or I politely decline, work on titles that I am hugely proud of, and keep fingers crossed that those projects get the recognition and following that I believe they deserve.

It's a difficult position to be in, and sadly, I cannot reveal who the studio is or the book that they have asked me to work on, and the situation is alot more complex than how I have described it so far, but at present I am leaning towards declining the project.

However, on the plus side, there are plans for another story arch of Jericho, but this is still in talks and won't be confirmed till nearer the end of the first story arch.

Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to mention the other projects until Reload has confirmed them.

Q: When you're not working, what do you do to relax and unwind?

A: As little as possible, but it's not always easy to unwind until the whole project is done. I enjoy many things. Playing music, bowling, playing pool, origami, performing magic, watching movies, so I find that any combination of those things help me to unwind, but they also make me think which means that somewhere along the line one of those thoughts could turn into more work.

Q. My best ideas come when I'm driving. When does your muse normally strike?

A: I find that my muse can just strike anywhere at anytime. Sometimes someone could say something like, "I was watching a documentary on submarines the other day," and there might be something in that statement that intrigues me and starts the gears in my brain. But if I had to name one place that does seem to help me with creative ideas it would either be my office because that's where my computer is and my books and my music and my movies, or it would be in the bath.

Q. I know what inspires me and turns me on when I need to create fresh ideas. What is it that 'clicks' for you? What do you turn to when you are having a difficult time deciding what to write next?

A: I really like unatural situations that take unforseen turns. I once wrote a short story about a man who was laid on the floor of a mall and wasn't moving, but he wasn't hurt. This simple situation turned into something quite sinister. I also like the stories that come from what if situations like: What if the grim reaper felt guilt for taking a soul? What if making a deal with god was actually worse than making a deal with the devil? Or What if England became a complete no mans land, and martial law was declared? These sort of things appeal to me as well as concepts that could have a political or moral undertone to them.

If I have trouble coming up with ideas then I just simply force myself to just relax and not think and just take a little time for myself because normally this leads to an unforseen moment that will inspire me some how some way.


Q. Playlists are vital to my work. If you could create a soundtrack for Jericho, what songs would you include?

A: That is a fantastic question! Music is very important when I write, and it really helps getting the creative juices flowing, so I do try to come up with play lists for certain stories, and the songs involved in the playlist have to move me in a way that I can see scenes of the stories play in my mind like a movie trailer.

The first song I would pick is 'Call To Arms' by English Metal act The Defilied. Their use of Drop B tuning really helps create a certain atmosphere that gives the song an epic sound even in the sludgy verses, and the chorus just reminds me of an anthem. When I hear that song it doesn't just make me think of the first story arch of Jericho, it reminds me of some of the plans I have for future archs.

I would also pick 'What have you done now' by Within Temptation because of their orchestral backing in that song. Thier music always reminds me of a movie.

I would also pick some songs that remind me of certain characteristics of characters, and some of the hardships they will have to go through in the story, so for that side of things I would pick 'Goth Girl' by my good friends Esoterica, '9 Crimes' by Damien Rice, 'Rose of Sharyn' by Killswitch Engage, 'Parasites' by A Beautiful Nothing, 'A Decent Cup Of Tea' by Frank Turner, 'This Will Make you love again' by I Am X and 'Hurt' by Nine Inch Nails.

And obviously with any comic book , there are a few action sequences, so for those I would probably choose 'Switchback' by Celldweller, 'Won't back down' by Fuel, 'Kill The Headlights' by Adema, and 'Through My Eyes' by Threat Signal.

Q. Of all my characters, only one is always there to talk to me. Do you have have characters you have a difficult time hearing? If so, how do you get past that?

A: I do indeed. Infact a certain character in Jericho who shall remain nameless, otherwise I will give too much away, is never talking to me. I think this is because I decided very early on that they weren't going to survive this story, which I have to admit made me feel really bad for a while. But that character has nothing to say to me. I worried at first and then realised that if this character was a real person then they are the sort of person that would take one look at me and judge me before even trying to get to know me. Because I realized that, it suddenly became easier to write that character because I just had to look back at all those types of people I had met in my life and it just became easier.

Q. I know I can't be alone here (at least I hope not). Do you have a night when you'll wake up and get to work because you get an idea and it just won't wait?

A: Absolutely. Every now and then, insomnia and I become friends. When I have an idea that I'm so passionate about, it just cannot wait, and it has to be done there and then. And those moments will happen without warning.

Q. Of everything you have created, what is the one thing you are most proud of?

A: Well, I am my own worst critic, but if I had to choose, then I would say that my short story 'Pegasus' is something I'm very proud of, and I'm extremley proud of a script I have for a graphic novel that I hope to make in thefuture called 'The Paperchase'.


Q: Are there any books or movies you've enjoyed recently that you would like to make into a comic?

A: Well I had the pleasure of watching 'Source Code' recently, and it was an incredible experience that left me in awe. I think it's the perfect style of story that could make a revolutionary comic title. I also watched 'Brick' for the one hundreth time recently, and I think that it's a great noir story, and in general I think noir stories do translate well in the medium of comics.

Book wise I think that anything by Edgar Allen Poe could work as a comic, and I think that Jeff Lindsay's 'Dexter' series. Even though the TV show is amazing, I think it could also benefit from a comic book audience.

Q. You donate proceeds of Jericho to Marie Curie cancer care. I know finding a cure is very important to you. Can you tell us why?

A: Unfortunately, many people in my life have passed away due to cancer. My father passed away after a ten year battle with cancer. When he was first diagnosed he was given six weeks to live, and it didn't just put a lot of pressure on my family, but it caused a lot of disaster and hurt as well.

I also lost my cousin, Emma, to cancer just before Christmas last year. She was the same age as me, and she was a teacher who was married and had a whole life ahead of her, but it was cut short due to this heinous desease. And I went through my own cancer scare as well.

I have an autistic brother who the doctors have said will die because of cancer at some point in the future. Luickily, he hasn't been diagnosed as yet, but it's only a matter of time.

I've lost pets to cancer as well, which is also heartbreaking, and I know many people who have lost their children at young ages because of this desease, and it's just fucking terrible how it destroys lives. It does more than just slowly devour a person from the inside, it effects so many people, so it's extremley important to me that a cure is found, and hopefully that will be one day soon. So to anyone who has picked themselves up a Jericho T-shirt, then wear it as a sign of hope for finding the cure!

Q. Okay, you're a horror movie fan. I'm a horror movie fan. Give the blog a list of your favourites.

A: Hahaha, I love horror movies, and I love all the different sub-genres of Horror movies, so I warn you this could be a very long list, and there will probably be a few titles on there that some may think I'm a disturbed individual for putting them on this list.

I would have to say that my first ever horror movie experience was 'The Monster Squad'. To me this movie is like the family horror version of 'The Goonies'.

In the more commercial side of horror I would have to mention Hellraiser, Child's Play, The Exorcist, Saw 1-4 (I did not enjoy Saw 7, but that is one hell of a rant that no-one wants to hear), Paranormal Activity 1 & 2, Nosferatu, Dracula, Dawn Of The Dead, The Evil Dead, Black Christmas....infact, If I keep listing commercial horror movies we could be here for a while.

Foreign horror, or horror related movies I would have to Say Tenebrae, A Serbian Film, Cannibal Holocaust, Sleepless, The House On The Edge Of The Park, Zombie Flesh Eaters and Bad Taste (which I count as Foreign considering it's an australian movie...i think).

Then there is the underatted movies, and also the underground movies. For that I would probably say Prince Of Darkness (very underatted John Carpenter movie), They Live, Sella Turcica, The Redsin Tower, Untraceable, Brainscan, S&man, Vulgar, The Poughkeepsie tapes and a documentary called Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide.

Q. How long does it usually take to complete a comic book from start to finish?

A: Depending on the amount of pages per issue, the style of art, and the size of the team you work with, it can take anywhere between 6-8 weeks to complete one issue.

Q. Finally, What advice can you give to aspiring comic book authors?

A: I think if you want to become a comic book writer, then the most important thing you can do to help your career is learn how to draw. It doesn't have to be perfect, but when you start out it is very hard to find an artist that will do the work for you without you having to chase them up on the progress of the pages. Also, everyone who wants to work in comics shares the same common first thought of 'Everyone wants to be an artist, so they are not in short supply, but writers are' and it's actually the other way round.

For anyone who wants to be an artist, then I suggest you take your time and have fun with the project. Don't make it a chore, and learn how to write. This will definitely help you along the way.

And the most important piece of advice I can give to any writer of any genre or style is to spend time developing their idea and characters, but don't over develop it. I have witnissed several times writers who get a great idea, they develop it and it becomes better, and when they develop it to the point of it being a masterpiece, they end up saying to themselves 'There is still more to add to this' and all of a sudden a masterpiece that is absolutely flawless becomes a complete disaster.

CONTEST TIME!!!

Entering to win isn't difficult. All you have to do is be a subscriber to the blog and leave a comment. For those of you who are interested in entering but don't have blogger, you can enter by leaving a comment on the post I'll make in regard to our Q & A session on Facebook. The contest is international. I will write the names in the order I receive them (via  blogger and Facebook) and announce the winner on Tuesday July 4th (in one week). In order to be entered you must provide me with a valid email address in which to contact you. Failure to provide an email address will mean I'll move on to the next commenter in line.

Thank you so much, Fwah! I can't wait for the next issue of Jericho!

Interview With Fwah Storm Part 1

Please welcome comic book creator, musician, and all around talented artist Fwah Storm to the blog. His comic, Jericho, releases next week. I had the pleasure of reading the first issue and it's fantastic. The atmosphere is dark, and the story is just beginning to unravel.

Q. Readers want to know -- who and what is Jericho? Can you tell us a bit about the story?

A: Jericho is the story of Jerry Collins, a young , shy and very intelligent young woman who suffers with depression and low self esteem. She tries to just get on with life while she is studying medical science at university, but like a lot of us find, there are always little complications and incidents that are out of our control that change our course in life, and Jerry is definitely experiencing that. She receives a letter from her father who has spent the last five years or so in jail, The local authorities are up in arms because there is a serial killer on the loose who is targeting Terminally ill patients, and Jerry has to deal with possible expulsion from the university because a project she has been working on to make an ultrsound glove for use with cancer patients has gone wrong. In fact, her first experiment with the glove puts a lot of people at risk, because rather than creating a safer alternative for chemotherapy, she has accidentally created an acoustic weapon.

Now, if that wasn't enough to bring her down, there is her best friends brother, Carl, a guy who is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Jerry and Carl have been friends for years, but Carl is the only guy Jerry has ever felt anything for. She secretly loves him, but she would rather keep their friendship than possibly ruining everything they have by dating each other. However, once he diagnosed with the tumor she is filled with a lot of anxieties and worries.

She has no money to perfect the glove, but she knows full well that if anything can save Carl it's the glove. But even if she did have the money to continue the project, there is also this killer on the loose who could possibly target Carl as a victim. So she has to make a huge choice. Does she become a bad guy and go against her own morals and ethics to save Carl's life, Does she stand back and allow any of the millions of possibilities to happen, or should she listen to that voice in her head, and become the anti-hero.

Q. First and Foremost -- Most don't know the difference between Noir Comics and colorized comics. Can you clear the air and explain the difference?

A: There are many different art styles that are used for comic books, and my preferred art style, or should I say my expertise when it comes to comic art, is noir comics. Now, a Noir comic doesn't just utilize a similar style of writing that was founded from pulp crime novels and film noir. Normally the noir art style makes use of negative space in a scene, and focuses solely on the two elements of dynamic lighting and shadow. This means that there are only two colors. Pitch Black and Stark White. Even though flat colors can be used with noir style art, adding such color pushes it into more neo-noir. There are some comics that also use grey along with the black and white. These comics are neither noir or colorised. They sit in a league of their own. Then pretty much all other comics that utilise more than just black, white and grey and use a lot of different rendering techniques are refereed to as colorised comic books.

Q. Most comics take place in their own 'World'. Is this the case with Jericho? If so, how did you create the environment?

A: The environment of the story is a very important element in my eyes. I took time to think about the advantages of a fictional universe versus a real world scenario, and to me I could only see fault in a fictional environment. Also, I have always been a fan of stories that take place in a real world setting, and find that it helps add to a sense of relateability, which is another factor I find important in a story. So after much thought, I decided it would be best for this story and any future stories and characters I plan to work on should take place in the very real town of Bournemouth. By doing this I can have characters cross over in titles, or they can all have their own universe and still be set in a real location.

Q: What inspired you to become a comic book artist and creator?

A: Ever since I was young, I enjoyed writing, and I also enjoyed drawing. I must admit, as I got older certain events stopped me at first from following that dream, but then I started to meet a few like minded people.

At first I thought my ideas were stupid, and that no-one would be interested in them. However, once I started talking to various people about my ideas, I noticed that they became very passionate about encouraging me to create them as they really wanted to read them. So eventually I thought 'Why not give it a try'? And the rest is history.

Q. Where did the idea for Jericho come from?

A: I use to work for 8mm Comics with Callum Bowler (the man in charge of the lettering for Jericho) and Tom 'Wez' Dorrington. We were getting ready for the release of two comics, Morlock and The Fallen. During this time we began to plan out other titles and characters that we wanted to release, so there were many creative meetings.

During one of those creative meetings, myself and Tom were waiting for Callum as he was running late, and when he arrived he said to us 'I think I'm being stalked by a word...it seems to be everywhere that I'm going'.

I was confused at first, and asked him what the word was, which he replied 'Jericho...everywhere I go, this word seems to appear, however, I don't know where it originates from, and what it means'. So I explained to him that it comes from a bible story called the walls of Jericho.

Callum then came up with the idea that both of us should go home, read that particular story, and see if we could come up with our own story that some how related to the word Jericho.

At the time my late father was going through chemotherapy, and I got to see first hand how it effected him, so that was a factor that was already on my mind. After re-reading the walls of Jericho I became fascinated with how in the story it was the sound of the trumpets and horns that brought the walls down, and from that I came up with the idea of using ultrasound as an alternative to chemotherapy.

So I researched Ultrasound, and even spoke to a few people who had gone through ultrasound treatment on muscle and ligament damage to make sure that at least the theory of using ultrasound could possibly work in a real world scenario, and then I pitched it to the guys, and they loved the idea. In fact, Callum asked what the character of the story would be called and when I said 'Jericho' his jaw hit the ground and he just started ranting and saying 'That's amazing! The word that has been stalking me has proved to be of great use....this story needs to happen'!

And then 3 years later I'm here making that story happen.

Q. Titles for books can be made early on. Was this the case with Jericho? Since it's an adult comic with sensitive material, did that have any bearing on what you chose to name your work?

A: Well, I found that most comic book titles are focused on the protagonist of the story. for Example: Batman, Spider-Man, Spawn etc.

Originally, I wanted to stay away from naming the book after the anti-hero of the story, but then I realised that the only title that could work was 'Jericho'.

At first I feared that this could encourage readers of a young age to try the book, which didn't please me, but then I realised that the majority of comic book readers are aged between 25 - 50 years of age. So I realised that the chance of children reading this story was extremely minimal, and most fears surrounding that particular problem dissappeared.

Q. Male comic book heroes are popular. What made you decide to go with a female protagonist?

A: Originally Jericho was a male protagonist, and during the first year of hording the story idea in my brain and slowly developing it, I found that there was something that didn't quite click, so I found that I was slowly losing interest in the project. This lasted until I was doing volunteer work for a children's charity, and during my time there I met all different walks of life, but one in particular caught my attention.

She was a fellow volunteer who was incredibly shy, and we got on as friends, and before long she really opened up and I discovered very quickly that she was a fascinating and intelligent person who had such little confidence in herself because of a tough life growing up. Once I had discovered this it really made me think in depth about what sort of characteristics a hero should have.

later on, I sat down to watch an animated Wonder Woman movie and the thought of 'There are so little strong female leads in the comic book industry' came into my head. It didn't take long before that fact and thoughts about the girl I worked with collided and for some reason I thought of Jericho and realised that the reason why the story wasn't working for me was because Jericho was perfect as a female character, and severely flawed and uninteresting as a male character. So the decision was made, and I haven't looked back since.

8. So far you've managed to keep the identities of the antagonists and protagonists secret. What can you tell us about the antagonists versus what we've seen so far?

A: I have a lot of fun creating the antagonists of Jericho, and originally I only wanted there to be one, but as the writing process went on, I found that more and more antagonists were making their way into the story.

The first antagonist is the youthanasia killer, a sadistic and extremely self-righteous and narcissistic serial killer. I would love to say more about this character, but one of the fun elements of reading Jericho is that whole murder mystery thing of 'Who could the killer be'?

Then we have Doctor Foster who later on takes the name of Sound Shock, although, that alias for him may change. He's Jerry's tutor at the university. He thinks very highly of Jerry because he has spent the best part of his life trying to not only help progress medical science in order to help others, but he wants to be remembered. He see's Jerry as his most intelligent student, and that if he is to get his name into the medical journals it will be because of her. However, because he has focused so hard on his job his marriage has failed, and he has taken to dating students and younger women, until one tries to frame him for rape, which in turn ruins every thing he has ever worked towards. So he takes Jerry's project, and adapts it for his own use, and takes on the attitude of 'Screw or be screwed'.

There is also Wreckage who has a small but important part to play if I want there to be a second story arch. So we don't get to see much of him yet, but the best way to describe him is he makes Satan look like a girl scout. If he calls you a name, he laughs. If you call him a name, he burns your house down with you in it and sends the ashes to your family.

Then there is the most important one, which I never thought about till half way through writing the story, but the main antagonist of the story is actually the desease of Cancer itself. Many villains or nemesis' in comic books are more powerful than the hero, and they can be stopped. Only temporarily, but they can be stopped and the hero knows this. However, having a disease as the arch nemesis actually puts an interesting perspective on the story. Jericho will never be able to defeat this abomination. This disease is not human and does not have a brain but will always be able to stay ten steps ahead of her, and even though she knows this, she is determined to stop it's reign of terror, which I think also shows us some of the more primal but heroic qualities in Jerry as well.

Q. Authors who visit my blog know how the creative process works. How is this different for you?

A: Well, from experience of writing short stories, I pretty much take the same development process, and then I just write it, and let it take however many pages it takes. With a comic book, the development stage takes place with plenty of research and making executive decisions about the characters and their idiosyncrasies. Then the story is bullet pointed so we can see how many pages of art are necessary. Then it either has to be condensed, edited or changed to fit a specific amount of pages with out hurting the pacing of the story. After that, the first draft script can be written, followed by a second and third draft so that the dialogue can come across as naturally as possible. Then the art stage is next

With the art we start with several character designs, and then this is followed by thumbnailing. Thumbnailing is where very sketchy and rough layouts for the pages are decided, and also rough idea's of what should be on the cover and how to represent that cover image.

Then the mapping takes place, which is where we decide the angle of the shot, and draw in basic shapes to represent objects, and draw what I like to call mannequins which are similar to stick figures so that we now what positions the characters should be in, where they will be looking and so forth. Then the details of the landscape and environment are penciled along with the details of each character. This part of the process includes 'spotting blacks' which is where we decide where the shadows are to be placed, and fill those areas in with pure black. However, that's only with a noir comic, but with Jericho I wanted to keep as much of the noir element in the artwork as possible.

Then we move on to the inking, which is then followed by lettering, which is then followed by the coloring process, which is also an in-depth process with many steps to take.

Q. What sort of tools do you have to use when you're creating? not just drawing, but actual tools involved?
 
A: There are so many vital things needed that don't always come across as important tools, but they are, especially for the writing side of things.

Whenever I write I do my best to use the same materials. The obvious ones being pen, pencil, paper, ruler, computer and of course, my imagination. But I also have to have a full pack of smokes and a deck of playing cards. These help me to keep relaxed as I find it is very important both for the story and the art work. Also, music is very essential. some scenes I need silence, but others I need a soundtrack.

So that I stay focused on what I am doing I like to have a candy bar and large supply of soda (preferably Diet Pepsi or Mountain Dew). That way I wont loose focus because of hunger or thirst.

For research I need the internet, a digital camera, and plenty of books. These books don't just need to be on the subject matters that I wish to deal with, but also photography books so that I have pictures of places and people to help me set the scene.

For Drawing I need a lot of A4 and A3 paper. the thicker the better. A decent and smooth drawing board, a butt load of mechanical pencils and various grades of regular pencils, gel pens, Copic fine liners, markers, sharpies, indian inks, steel nib calegraphy pens, sponge brushes, short haired brushes, modeling brushes, spray adhesive, latex gloves, basic shape stencils, erasers, sculpting knives and blades, cutting boards, tracing paper (you would actually be surprised how many of the pro's use this and what exactly they use it for), white out in a bottle, white out pens, blue tack, low adhesive sticky tape, ruler, compass, triangle, french curves......the list is almost endless.

Before I forget, at all stages, no matter how experienced an artist you are, you always need how to draw books of all kinds. These are great refference books.

Then for coloring and lettering and so forth, I use an A3 Scanner, an A3 printer, good computer, Adobe Photoshop (I actually use two versions of photoshop. Photoshop 7 and CS5) and the most important tool for coloring, A Wacom proffesional tablet.

Q. How do you work dialogue? Is there a story and you condense?

A: Dialogue is tricky. When a movie is being written most of the dialogue has to stay short and to the point, and that's pretty much the same with comic books, but if you want to make the characters more three dimensional then sometimes you have to ignore that rule. Especially if you have so much that a character needs to say before you can move on to the next scene, but you only have two, maybe three pages to do that in. Sometimes it's even one page of art work, but you have to get a large amount of dialogue in there so that you don't miss any set ups for future events in the story.

So what I try to do is bullet point the scene, and then write it exactly how I want it before I go back over it and make any changes. I'm lucky because sometimes it works out fine, but other times I have to re-word so much, or cut huge chunks of dialogue. I've even had to cut a few scenes out before.

Q. Do you have a general idea of what characters look like? do you draw inspiration from movies, music, people, or television?

A: Some characters I see what they should look like as I develop them in my head, so I have had the pleasure of sitting down and being able to draw the character exactly how I want them straight away. However, this is very rare, and normally if that happens it is with the protaganist of the story.

But in General I find that for the writing side of developing a character I tend to draw inspiration from people I have met in my life as well as characters from movies.

When it comes to drawing the characters I always start with how I want their facial features to look. So I quite happily sift through movies and try to find inspiration form their. Depending on the time setting of the story I will sift through fashion photo's and history books to try and piece together the characters costume and then, slowly things fall into place.

Q. How do you develop characters? Do you keep character sheets?

A: Sometimes I do keep character sheets, but this is rare for me to do. More often than not I keep the details in my head until the very last moment. Sometimes I find the best way to develop a character is to imagine that I am that character. It's similar to a method acting approach, and I try to spend some time being that character so that the development happens naturally.

Q. Some authors pants their way through stories. I imagine with a comic you have to plot. How extensive is that?

A: I would like to say that I just let it happen and hope for the best, but at the end of the day, I have only signed on to do one story arch of Jericho. We are in talks about a second and third, however, these cannot be guaranteed. But that doesn't matter, I still have to plot all three arcs just to be able to write the first one because there are so many revelations and twists and little set ups and hints at future story arcs that they have to be planned now rather than just throwing stuff together in the next arch and hoping it will make sense. I even have to plan and plot so many events they may never be seen in any of the issues, but I have to take them into consideration just in case they are referenced. In fact, there is a character that doesn't appear in this story arch, but he is referenced to once in issue two, and I have already had to do so much research and plotting just so that the reference is spot on.

Q. I know you have editors and such. How important are they in creating your work?

A: I think it is vital to have an editor for so many reasons. Luckily I was able to get Chicago Poet, Dina Darling, to be the editor for Jericho, and her work really does bring to light exactly what Jericho is able to accomplish.

However, we've taken a very different editing approach to this title. Usually the editor would receive the script and make corrections before the script goes to the artist and to who ever is in charge of lettering.

But the way we do it with Jericho is to complete the artwork, place temporary lettering and then the page is e-mailed to Dina. This way she can not only correct spelling and grammar, but she can read the story as if she was a comic book reader and let myself know what she has noticed in the artwork as well as the story, and gives us an early indication of what the reader might experience.

Q. Marketing can be tough. can you give us a rough idea of how you approach promotion?

A: Marketing is extremely tough with a comic book because the sad fact is that with so many characters who have been established for decades it's hard to convince comic book readers that they will not only experience a new and interesting character, but that they will be able to get something from this title that they won't find in any other title.

So we've been trying to push poster placement in a lot of places where they can be constantly seen, and sponsoring bands has also been an option. Apart from that, there is the internet, which is a great tool to use for marketing and promotion. Sadly, the budget we received was not enough to put together a viral video campaign that we had planned, but we can save that for future titles and story arcs.

Q. What inspires you when you create? I know your band, Abuse, has to play a role. Can you tell us a bit about that?

A: Lots of different things inspire me when it comes to writing. I wrote a story that was inspired by a counting crows song, a story that was inspired by origami, several stories that were inspired by dreams I had , and I have even been inspired because of something that someone might have said.

With Abuse I 'm normally inspired by moments in my life, or situations that have taken place in my life, and find that my work with Abuse never interferes with my work in comics.

Q. So you have an idea for a comic. Can you tell us what it's like to create your work from start to finish?
A: Creating, developing and writing a comic can be an emotional roller coaster ride for me. I find that when I start the process and I have the basic idea or concept for a story ,which normally starts with a 'what if?' question, there is this great feeling of excitement and other emotions that are very hard to describe. Then the more in depth I get with developing both the protagonist(s) and Antagonist(s) and coming up with little idea's for the scenes the more I feel this sense of importance not only in myself, but in my work as well.

Unfortunately, because I have suffered with depression since a young age there is always the occasional moment of feeling defeat. There is always an unpredictable moment when I question not only my writing but my art work as well, and I have to remind myself that imperfection is perfection. Besides, almost every comic book artist has admitted that there is always pages and panels in each issue that they do where they know they could have done it a million times better. However, it's good to show progression through each issue.

I look back at Issue One of Jericho, and there is a large amount of artwork that I know I could have done better, but it just means that I have the opportunity to not only learn from it, but I get to step things up in the next issue. And I have to remind myself that Jericho is a project where I have completely pushed myself right out of my comfort zone.

But all in all, I kind of enjoy the ride it takes me on because if I get to a point where I feel something for the characters and what they have to go through, then I think I have done a good job. There has been several times where I have felt Jerry's pain and disappointment. There have been times where I have felt Doctor Fosters anger towards the world, and I think that if I can feel those things when I'm reading the story back, then there is more chance of the reader not only connecting with the characters and the story, but of them being able to find something relateable in the story.

Q. I know how people react when I tell them I'm an author, but I imagine it's different for you. What is the general reaction when you tell someone that you're a comic book author?

A: It's very different. I started working in comics because I wanted to write them, and after having such troubles with some artists I began to re-teach myself how to draw. But during the time of being a writer, if I told someone I was a comic book writer they would for some reason interpret that as 'This guy draws comic books'.

But I find I get mixed reactions when I say that I write and illustrate comics. I find that the majority of women find it scary yet fascinating, and they normally ask a lot of questions about it because their fear is that you draw Hentai (a.k.a Manga Porn). But once they realise that it's not smut they seem okay.

With guys, especially where I live, I find there is a minority who end up saying 'That's awesome'! There is then a smaller minority that normally say 'Well, I've got this idea for a story', which I find amazing because an hour before I told them about my job they had nothing.

Then you get the majority. At this point I have to make it clear that the majority makes up 99% of the male population of where I live. These people say one of two things. The first being 'You're an idiot. Don't you know that comic books are for kids!...why don't you get a real job'!

These are the same testosterone fueled morons who think that real men must like football and don't cry and have just met you for the first time after coming out of a cinema where they have just watched a batman movie or 300 or Watchmen. I usually reply with 'Go read the first three issues of Preacher and then come back to me with that statement. If you would allow your kid to read a book like preacher at a very young age, then your parenting needs to be questioned'.

And then comes the age old statement that really shows how judgmental and ill-informend some people can be. 'Comics? ... it's not like they're Shakespeare is it'?.....this one really gets to me.....my usual reply is 'She shivers in the wind like the last leaf on a dying tree'. which for those who are not avid comic readers, that is a beautiful sentence from Frank Miller's Sin City story 'The Customer is always right'. This usually stops them in their tracks. Alan Moore quotes have the same effect, however, sometimes the ignorance of some people gets in the way and they stop listening because even though there is no evidence to support their ill-informed decision, they're going to stick with it anyway.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't expect to everyone to like comic books, and I wouldn't force someone into liking them, but when that sort of prejudice and mentality is displayed i have to question why I'm called the idiot.

Q. All authors go through editing. What sort of executive decisions do you have to make, or what changes are necessary, during the process?

A: It's surprising because every decision that is made, no matter how small, has a huge effect on the story. This is one reason why early on I try to make as many decisions as possible like what is this characters sexuality, what is their star sign, what is their religious beliefs, what is there political point of view, what is their favourite color, what is their passion in life, were they raised by one parent or two......all of these things may seem a little unimportant to some, but to quote Brandon Lee: 'Everything is trivial. If you think that only certain things are trivial then you are missing out on some of the most beautiful and important things in life'.

So these need to be changed until everything fits in place. Then along the line decisions can range from how many panels are on a page, what shade of red should be used for Jericho's hair, should we reveal this fact about her this early on, is she left handed or right handed.....like I said, there is so much to be thought about when it comes to a story like this.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Fwah. Learning about the comic process is fascinating. Be sure to come back tomorrow to read more and enter for a chance to win a signed first edition of Jericho!  (Just like my pretty signed copy below -- only yours will be number 1/100!!!) The contest will be international.