Check out J.A. Kazimer’s guest post here. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
What 5 things should readers know about you?
I’d like people to know that I love what I do. I’m excited and rewarded every day. Most of what I put in my books as far as the investigation aspects I learned while working as a private investigator as well as when I obtained my master’s degree in forensic psychology. Now, having said that, I have to say, though I do love the show Criminal Minds, it is far from factual. Though it would be very cool if it was. However, often times, too often in fact, crimes remain unsolved even with the best investigations.
What am I up to now? Four, I think…Hmmm…I’d like readers to finally know that I’d love to hear from them. Writing is a lonely job (yes, please cue the tiny violin music), so if anyone wants to chat about books, TV shows, movies, or writing/publishing in general, I’d love it. You can find me, most often on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JulieAKazimer, on twitter at @jakazimer, or feel free to email me through my website at jakazimer.com.
Forensic psychology? Awesome!
Tell us all about your main characters—who are they? What makes them tick? Most importantly, what one thing would they need to have with them if stranded on a desert isle? 😉
My most recent novel, The Fairyland Murders, has a great cast of characters. The main ones are Blue Reynolds, PI, the reluctant hero and the woman/tooth fairy he’s been hired to save from a serial killer, Izzy Davis.
What makes Blue tick? That’s easy, he’s electrostatically charged, and anything or anyone he touches receives fifty thousand volts. His main motivation is to end whatever electrical curse has been placed on him. As for the desert isle question, as long as Blue had a couple of cases of whiskey he’d be a happy guy.
Izzy Davis is harder to define. Most tooth fairies would answer the question what makes them tick with one word – dentin. But Izzy is more than the reluctant tooth fairy. She is half human, always a part of Fairyland, but never quite short enough to fit in. She wants what every woman wants, to be happy, loved, and respected for more than the size of her wings. If she was stranded on a desert isle, I have a feeling she’s do just fine with only her brains and wings at hand. Though she’d enjoy having Blue for company. Heck, chances are they are both stranded there because Izzy didn’t want to be stuck there alone.
LOL—I’m with her there! Company would be nice 🙂
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
I can’t seem to get enough of blending mystery, romance and fairytales in a truly messed sort of way. I’m not sure what that says about me. Maybe my mom read Cinderella to me one too many times? My inspiration for this book in particular came from my love of His Girl Friday with Cary Grant. I love that fast talking, noir feel, but with a humorous edge. I want my books to entertain the reader. To make them laugh. To let go of the outside world and lose themselves in another, albeit, messed up fairytale world.
Sounds great!
How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?
I started writing in 2001, but I didn’t get serious about a writing career until 2007. My first book was published in 2010. The inspiration to start writing was one of the worst moments in history for many of us. I started writing on September 12, 2001. The day after the towers fell. I couldn’t fathom what had happened, and found the only way for me to make sense (if there was any sense in what happened) was to write. I started journaling, which eventually led to finishing my first novel six years later.
Turning a negative into a positive—I like it!
What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?
Typing THE END on a manuscript is pretty amazing. I also like to help others on the publication path. Telling my readers about a book that I’ve recently finished, or learning about one they’ve read is great too. The biggest challenge for me is ME. I will do anything, and I mean anything including laundry, to keep from writing. The act of writing can be torturous, like ripping out your hair piece by piece. So I avoid it like the plague. Then when I’m at my computer, all laundry neatly folded and put in its place, the words flow and I wonder why I avoided doing it at all. But the next day, I’m at it again, washing the pups to avoid my job.
I hear you! I do some crazy stuff during NaNo to avoid writing…
What are you working on right now? What can readers look for from you in the next year?
Currently I’m in the final revision stage of The Lady in Pink, book 2 in the Deadly Ever After series (The Fairyland Murders is book 1), after that’s done, I will start on book 2 in The Assassin’s series, The Assassin’s Kiss (The Assassin’s Heart was book 1). Both of those books should hit the shelves in late 2015.
Great!
What authors and/or books have inspired you?
I don’t think your blog is long enough…but I’ll give it a shot. I am a HUGE romance reader, so I’ll keep that list to three authors I love. They are Julie Garwood, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Jayne Krentz. I also read a ton of mysteries. My top three authors are Tim Dorsey, Harlan Coben and Sparkle Hayter. Then you have my top all-time favorites like Christopher Moore, Harper Lee, and Luke Davies. I could go on and on about books and authors. So many great ones, so many I sadly will never have the chance to read. There just isn’t enough minutes in my life for the amount of books I would love to read.
Tell me about it! I’m right there with you…
What are you currently reading? What are your thoughts about it so far?
I’m currently reading Lamentation by a great writer named Joe Clifford. This is not a novel for the faint of heart. It’s edgy, dark, and so beautiful it makes me wish I could write like that. I am really enjoying it.
If you had to “sell” your book in a single Tweet, what would you say?
The Fairyland Murders: Save a Tooth Fairy, read this book. #dentinfix #LongLiveToothFairy
Author Bio:
J.A. Kazimer is a writer living in Denver, CO. Her books include The Junkie Tales, The Body Dwellers, CURSES! A F***ed-Up Fairy Tale, Holy Socks & Dirtier Demons, Dope Sick: A Love Story, SHANK, Froggy Style: A F***ed Up Fairy Tale, The Assassin’s Heart, and The Fairyland Murders. Forthcoming novels include The Lady in Pink and The Assassin’s Kiss.
When Kazimer isn’t looking for the perfect place to hide the bodies, she spends her time surrounded by cats with attitude and a little puppy named Killer. Other hobbies include murdering houseplants, kayaking, snowboarding, reading and theater. After years of slacking, she received a master’s degree in forensic psychology, which she promptly ignored and started writing novels for little to no money.
In addition to studying the criminal mind, Kazimer spent a few years spilling drinks on people as a bartender and then wasted another few years stalking people while working as a private investigator in the Denver area. You can find her online at jakazimer.com.
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Blurb:
Not all endings are happy…
Blue Reynolds knows the darker side of New Never City–the side that’s hopped-up on fairy dust and doesn’t care if your house gets blown down. Rent’s due and his PI business is all but make believe. But even Blue shudders at having to chase after Isabella Davis, a freckle-nosed redhead five feet tall on her tip-toes…if you don’t count the pretty pink wings.
Izzy is tough, and sneaky, and not too thrilled with the idea of being the new tooth fairy. The last six have been most gruesomely extracted. But Blue has a feeling that whoever is killing the tooth fairies is worse than your standard big bad psycho. The fairy council is hiding something. The Shadows are moving out into the light. And Blue is saddled with a shocking power that could take out half of New Never City…
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