Inkwell Guest: Ceci Dahl

Hey, everyone! Today I’m excited to have fellow author, Ceci Dahl here with me. She’s here to talk about her latest release, The Prelude.

UPDATE: Ceci is giving away a copy of her latest so be sure to leave a comment with your email address. If your comment doesn’t show up right away, it’s held up in moderation. Fear not. I will approve as soon as I can. 🙂

So sit back, relax, and read!

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When did you know you wanted to be a writer? And how did you get your start?

I have always had stories in my head, even as a small child. But I never wrote them down. I went to a reader’s conference, and decided I wanted to be one of the authors! So I took a number of online courses and gave it a shot.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Discovery Channel. Really. I’m a big science geek, so most of the Odyssey of Nakhla series was inspired from various science shows on the various Discovery Channels.

What is the one writer’s tool you can’t live without?

I love my MacBook Pro and Scribner.

How many words/pages do you do in a day/week/month? And how do you keep yourself motivated to do them?

For better or worse, I write pretty fast. It might not be good writing, but quantity is not my problem. I get bored almost as soon as I write something (even in draft), so I have to stay focused and disciplined to get to the finish line.

I NEVER read a book twice…no matter how good the author, so I have to struggle to do the necessary rewriting and editing on my own work.

Whose work has influenced you the most?

I’m a big fan of Laurel K. Hamilton and some of the early Paranormal writers. But I also like early Historicals! Julie Garwood, Stella Cameron, Joanna Lindsay. Go figure.

I like Urban Fantasy and I like Erotic Romance. I decided to mix the two together, hopefully to satisfy readers like myself who like the Fantasy genres but are tired of books where the characters have sex behind closed doors.

This month is the release of your novel, THE PRELUDE: Odyssey of Nakhla: Book One. Where did you get the idea for that?

It started with the idea of : What would you do if you knew the world was ending in the next fifteen minutes. (hint…hint…) Then, of course I needed a reason for the world to end. But I can’t tell you that yet!

Overall, this book is about coming to terms with yourself and your responsibilities, especially when things start going a little wonky. It is an Urban Fantasy, so there isn’t a HEA right away. Even so, Angus does meet someone special, but the time is not right. He’s got important things to do before he can get his happy ever after.

Tell us a little about the book. How about a blurb?

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Angus MacNell doesn’t have time for end of the world prophesies, or his Grandmother’s ravings about fairies. His hands are full, saving the family business and priceless Clan heirlooms.

But the universe has other plans for Angus. Thea Duffy, of West Virginia, arrives in London and sets off a series of events that changes the course of their lives forever. The stakes are higher than anyone knows; is this the beginning of the end?

I understand this is part of a series. Can you tell us about the future books?

There are two more books under contract.

The next, The Interlude will come out in May as part of an Anthology for Bonaparte Press. The Interlude tells the story of Magdalena delRosa and Yuri Razin. Magdalena has made an extraordinary discovery about the Eye of Nakhla and Lucy Gilliano will do anything to find out about it.

She’s hired Yuri Razin to get the information using any means necessary. As you can expect, things go down hill for the couple from there.

The Tribe of Eve is the last book in this trilogy and it starts on the Last Day of the World. Thea Duffy, Angus, Magdalena and Yuri and a number of other characters are going about their business when the world literally stops turning. Unfortunately, that day is one of the best their going to have in a long while.

What other things are you working on?

I have been consumed by this series for over a year. I don’t have anything else in the works at the moment. Just trying to meet my deadlines!

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Unfortunately, I do have another job. As I said, I’m a science geek and work in a male dominated, technical industry. How’s that for vague! I’m hoping to one day make enough money to write full time and come out of the closet!

What’s your favorite genre to read? What’s your favorite genre to write?

I love Erotic Romance and Urban Fantasy. Mixed together is even better!

Where can we find you on the web?

Here’s the link to the book from my Publisher’s site. It’s also available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, etc by searching for Ceci Dahl or The Prelude: http://www.auroraheat.com/shop/?q=content/prelude

I also have a blog and website. You can follow my writing at: www.cecidahl.com