INTERVIEW
The Soul Stealer
by Maureen
Willett
The Soul Stealer is currently on tour with Bewitching Book Tours. The tour stops here
today for my interview with the author. You can also enter the author's giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
Hunter Blackthorne
has almost all he needs: powerful magic and the seductive art of deception.
Now, all he needs is her soul.
In the dark,
twisting world of The Soul Stealer, half-human Hunter Blackthorne embarks on a quest to
vanquish the heir of his father's enemy by stealing her soul. Though his father
would settle for her mere death, Hunter is determined to pilfer Malia Smalls'
very essence in hopes of obtaining supreme power. The Soul Stealer is a story of questioned loyalties, power struggles, and
decidedly unconventional romance.
Since his target is
a mere human, Hunter's mission seems laughably straightforward. However, upon
meeting Malia, Hunter realizes that this task is anything but uncomplicated.
Hunter starts to waver between commitment to his father's cause and an
unshakable feeling of foreboding guilt over his mission. Hunter thought he knew
everything there was to know about his identity and his family, but signs of a
darker truth lurk below, threatening to overturn everything.
A story of alternate
realities and twisting complications set in exotic Hawaii, The Soul Stealer is a story of fantasy, magic and mysticism, but also a
story about humanity and the moral and emotional conflicts that we all face. The Soul Stealer transports the reader to an exciting, dangerous, and
captivating world that won't be easily forgotten.
Excerpt
Hunter Blackthorne
had seen the face of death on others and now wondered how it might look on him.
The journey through the abyss to another reality proved more difficult than
before. Loud, torturous screams filled the silence as he churned around and
around. It didn’t matter if he closed
his eyes or not, because the bleak darkness made it impossible to see. Maybe the screams belonged to him. Hunter wasn’t sure. He was in an often-used wormhole and anyone
could be in there.
The journey ended
with a gut-wrenching fall as he dropped through layers of atmosphere to reach
the portal - the one place where the wormhole was soft enough to get
through. Wind whipped around and
penetrated his body with sharp force. Then, light increased and the ground
pulled at him, getting closer and closer, until he could no longer refuse his
destination. The twirling before his eyes stopped just in time to gain control
and ease the point of impact.
As he touched down,
he gulped in warm, moist air, but he was too dizzy to maintain footing and fell
flat on his back. Life-ending pain
seeped into his pores like poison, but he was pretty sure he hadn’t died.
He never landed in
the same place on the island but, even so, he felt more disoriented than
usual. The soothing coconut tree palms
swaying in the breeze overhead were not an unexpected sight but much too serene
for the way he felt. Even the scent of gardenias couldn’t ease the pounding in
his head. Souls cried out in anguish all around him.
The toxins of the
abyss mixed with the pollution of this reality were already affecting his
ability to focus. He needed to purify in
a quiet place; gather his thoughts and feelings in meditation. Whenever he
traveled here, Hunter marveled at how much the humans in this reality had
snuffed out their ability to live harmoniously, even in the most remote place
on the planet, one heralded as “paradise.”
Hawaii was one of
the few places that was still forming, spitting fire and rocks from the belly
of volcanoes. And with that new life came all sorts of mystical creatures,
attracted to the power and magic of the heart of Earth. The strong magnetic
field around the active volcanoes pulled the portal out of the clouds and
toward the land, but the unsuspecting people inhabiting the islands had no idea
that all sorts - good and bad - came through the funnel from inner space.
Hunter had been to Hawaii
many times and had seen it disintegrate over the years - an unfortunate thing,
for soon the portal between the two realities would be clogged with all the
crap they let seep into their air, and no one would be able to get
through. It was of the utmost importance
he capture her this time, because he might not have access to this world in the
future.
That would
heartbreaking; he liked it here despite all the flaws. It was so easy to fool everyone into
believing he was human. In this
tarnished, stale world, unlike that of his own reality, no one believed in
magic anymore. It was quite freeing. No
one got suspicious of him the way they did at home.
Hunter got to his
knees and brushed off the dust from his clothes but then looked around to make
sure no one was there to see the glittery sparkles flying all around a man who
had just fallen from the sky. It was
then he noticed all the broken and faded headstones with barely discernible
engravings. Some were written in Chinese
or Japanese characters, but most were in English. None had flowers by them. Green moss and ferns overwhelmed each plot.
Hunter smiled as he ran his fingers over the smooth headstone he had hit on the
way down. This particular spirit was no
longer around. Not even remnants still existed.
A crack of thunder
made him look up. The air felt heavy
with moisture as black clouds roiled overhead, and the pungent smell of rain
hitting hot pavement somehow seemed real even though the squall wouldn’t hit
for a few more minutes. As with most island storms, it would pass quickly, but
the downpour would be harsh while it lasted.
The small square
cemetery was enclosed with a wrought-iron, spiky fence that was discolored and
mossy. Outside cars whizzed by. Indeed, no one noticed him standing there,
looking as disheveled and worn as the gravestones, surrounded by death in the
bustling city of Honolulu.
Another crack of
thunder made Hunter grab his leather satchel and vault over the fence. He ran
to the nearest awning, stumbling toward the doorway of a nearby electronics
store to wait for the storm to pass. It
was then he checked the front pocket of his leather bag to make sure he still
had it. As his fingers grasped the cool,
smooth emerald and ivory handle of the dagger, Hunter wondered if he would find
her this time. He almost hoped she’d be
able to resist him.
Most of the time, he
hated inflicting pain, but this time there would be pleasure, too. The taste of
her lips played heavily on his imagination, and he anticipated being captivated
by the slanted green eyes and golden hair he had seen so many times in his
visions. Yes, he would find selfish
pleasure in this particular task. His
father had devised the plan well, but even he didn’t understand what it truly
meant to Hunter - the power it would give him to capture their enemy’s only
heir.
Review
Hunter Blackthorne
is half-faery, half-human. He wants to embark on a mission to steal the soul of
the heir of his Fathers enemy. But he does not realize what he is in for when
he meets the lovely Malia Smalls. He is torn between loyalties, love and power
struggles.
Set in Hawaii with
vivid details, the reader fees as if they are there, in the middle of the story
watching it unfold. Filled with emotions, romance, and secrets The Soul Stealer is a page turner that fantasy/romance lovers will enjoy.
Interview with the
Author
Hi Maureen, thanks for joining me today to discuss
your book, The Soul Stealer.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
As a young girl, I
loved Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and especially The Mummy, which has a more romantic twist. Those books started me down the
paranormal path, both as a fan and a writer. She really created the basis for
the genre and was unparalleled for many years.
What age group do you recommend your book for?
18+
What sparked the idea for this book?
Actually, I saw a
good-looking young man dressed in the same clothes every morning while I
commuted to downtown Honolulu. No matter what time I drove down the hill into
the city, he was walking up the hill. But there’s no businesses up that hill,
so he caught my attention. I began to create scenarios for his purpose for
going that way dressed in jeans and a white linen shirt every morning. Eventually,
I had concocted an entire story about a guy from an alternate reality coming to
Honolulu to murder a young woman, only he falls in love with her instead and
uses his supernatural powers to keep her safe from his rather violent family.
Which comes first? The character's story or the
idea for the novel?
They rush at me all
together, but it’s usually the idea for the novel that builds into an actual
plot and outline. The characters naturally develop from that.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
My novel is set in
real cities that I’ve lived in: Los Angeles and Honolulu. But that made it
difficult because I wanted to make sure I reflected the very different
lifestyles and cultures of both places. And I also didn’t want to include any
actual establishments in my book, so I had to make them up and fit them into
that city appropriately. Malia’s dress shop doesn’t exist, but the street it’s
on does, so I had to imagine what a dress shop on that particular street in
downtown Honolulu would look like, without copying any existing businesses.
It’s a fine line to walk.
How do you hope this book affects its readers?
I want readers to
tell me it’s a page-turner, they couldn’t put it down. That’s the experience I
want when I make the time to read a novel and that’s what I want to give
readers as a writer. Also, the story is an allegory for what happens when two
people meet and fall in love. Most of the time, each person is on their best
behavior, afraid the other won’t love them if they reveal all their dark
secrets. The same happens with my two main characters, but their secrets are a
bit more fantastic.
How long did it take you to write this book?
About a year, and
then six months for rewrite.
What is your writing routine?
I work full-time and
am a mother, so I tend to write on the weekend mornings or at night when things
have quietened down. Once I start, I can go for hours, so sleep can be minimal
when I’m working on a first draft.
How did you get your book published?
I published it
myself through a digital publisher. After going to various writing conferences,
I realized the paradigm for the publishing industry is shifting to digital. We
don’t even have any more major brick and mortar bookstores in Hawaii. The last
one just closed.
What advice do you have for someone who would like
to become a published writer?
Take the time to
learn how to write in terms of grammar and creating sentences that mean
something. Every writer should strive to perfect their craft by knowing
language. Then, rewrite, rewrite your manuscript. Then pay a professional copy
editor to edit your piece. Once that’s all done, decide if you want to go the
traditional route and be frustrated by all the rejection slips, or publish it
yourself. There are some good digital publishers that do all the work for you
at a nominal cost. But whether your novel is successful or not all comes down
to the story, characters, and quality of writing.
Great advice , Maureen. What do you like to do when
you're not writing?
My family is
involved with outrigger canoe racing, which is the biggest sport in Hawaii. Although
I don’t race competitively anymore, I still enjoy getting out on my one-person
canoe on the ocean. Clears my head, too.
What does your family think of your writing?
They’re supportive,
and my 10-year-old son is now writing a novel about dragons.
That's great! Please tell us a bit about your
childhood.
I had a somewhat
traumatic childhood. My mother had cancer from the time I was little and
finally passed away on Father’s Day when I was 11. It’s shaped my life and my
writing. Guess that’s why many of my characters are traumatized by their
childhood for one reason or another.
Sorry to hear that, Maureen. Did you enjoy school?
Not really. I was
easily bored. But I did well, especially in English and writing classes. It
wasn’t until college that I realized it was my calling.
Did you like reading when you were a child?
Yes, I read
constantly. I was the stereotypical child with a flashlight reading all night
in bed.
Me too! What was your favorite book as a child?
Black Beauty made me cry. The first novel that really got to me, though, was The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton.
I loved The
Outsiders as well. Who were your favorite authors as a child?
The first author I
really followed and read all her books was Anne Rice, but that wasn’t until high school.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a
writer?
In third grade when
I had to write a Halloween story for a class assignment. It turned out pretty
well, and my mother and I decided I should write more stories.
Did your childhood experiences influence your
writing?
Definitely. Your
childhood shapes who you are, and that always comes out in my writing. My
characters all have a reflection of me in them in some way. How could they not?
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of
things do they say?
They say The Soul Stealer is a page-turner and that they couldn’t put it down. That
makes me smile.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m currently
working on a paranormal historical novel about a family from Ireland who
immigrates to Kansas in 1870 because they are about to be accused of witchcraft
in their home village. A leprechaun/faery follows them to the New World. I was
doing my family tree last summer and came across some interesting anecdotes
about my ancestors’ journeys to America and have incorporated those stories
into this novel. Of course, I had to put a supernatural twist on it, too.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by today,
Maureen. Best of luck with your current project. It sounds fascinating.
About the Author
Since she was in grade school, Maureen Willett has been a writer of
fiction that pushes the boundaries of what is and isn’t. At that time, she
twisted class writing assignments into stories about witches, tricksters in the
night, and sparkling faery dust. And, participating in the art of levitation
every time her family gathered at holidays made Maureen feel more than
qualified to write fantastic tales. Magic had always been a secret part of her
family’s legacy - toyed with but never spoken about.
But life got in the way. A successful career in automotive journalism and
public relations in Los Angeles took her places in the corporate world she had
dreamed of while majoring in communications in college. Climbing the corporate
ladder to vice president of a prestigious public relations agency was
engrossing, but did she really want to spend her days writing about cars and
monster trucks, and trying to break through the thick glass ceiling of the
automotive world?
Then one day, she was offered a transfer to the Honolulu, Hawaii, office
of her agency. She jumped at the chance to change her predictable and stressful
existence for one of soaking up the sun on a white, sandy beach. Or so she
thought.
Hawaii didn’t prove to be as stress-free as Maureen had hoped, but it did
offer a fresh perspective. After two uncertain years of trying to blend into
the foreign island culture, Maureen fell in love with Oahu and vowed never to
leave. The tropical paradise held a soft yet powerful mysticism that inspired
her to set pen to paper once again.
Even the office buildings in downtown Honolulu were haunted. Maureen
often saw ethereal beings in the halls of the radio station where she was the
manager of local and national sales. These pesky pieces of grey mist didn’t
bother her, though. Maureen thought of them more as interesting topics for
urban fantasy tales than scary apparitions.
Magical creatures pop off the pages of her novels, but at the core of
each story are great characters in very human conflicts that anyone will find
compelling. Very often, Maureen writes about angels, faeries, and even
leprechauns, but they are always woven through an authentic story.
As an avid reader herself, Maureen wants a page-turner that keeps her up
until the wee hours of morning. She strives to create that same experience for
her own readers. Each novel is carefully crafted as an exciting, mind-bending
experience that will take readers beyond their day-to-day lives.
But don’t expect to think too hard, or contemplate the meaning of life. Pure
fun and page-turning entertainment is what you’ll find in a novel by Maureen
Willett. It’s almost a magical experience.
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