Q&A Session with new author Rachel Raithby on her debut book "Lexia" !!!

Well, it's almost release time for Rachel's first book "Lexia"!!!!

 

July 27, 2013

BLURB:

Lexia thought she was normal, ordinary...

Lincoln thought he’d spend the rest of his life seeking revenge...

Find out what happens, when the one you love is your enemy...

When Lexia sneaks out one night to go to a party, she hardly expects to be attacked by vampires. Much less be able to kill them with her bare hands.

That night triggers events Lexia can't escape and soon she struggles to keep up a facade around her friends and family.

And then there's Lincoln; she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But Lexia senses he wants something more dangerous than a simple romance.

Lincoln has secrets and what she learns changes her life forever.

A story of love, loss, and, betrayal.

Lexia and Lincoln’s lives will never be the same again.

 

 

EXTRACT

 ~ From chapter 2 ~

As she turned up the drive a sickening chill set in the pit of her stomach. Lexia lengthened her strides, each crunch of gravel making her cringe. There was movement up ahead in the shadows. She stopped while her eyes adjusted to the dark and then took a step back as she saw what waited for her.

 A woman stood ten yards ahead blocking her path to safety, only she wasn’t a human woman; she had blood red eyes that glowed in the darkness and ghostly white skin pulled sharp over her bony face. Her clothes were torn and dirty, clinging tight to bones that seemed to jut from her skin. She held her hands by her side, each long nail curled and ready to strike.

“What do you want?” she called, surprised how strong her voice sounded even though she was shaking with fear.

“You killed my mate, bitch!” the woman spat, leaping for her with lightning-fast speed, closing the space between them in seconds. Lexia had no time to think over the woman’s answer or even time to draw breath and scream. She felt cold, hard steel grip her arms and then cool air rushing past her face. When she hit a tree, pain exploded throughout her body. She gasped as she connected with the hard, ungiving surface, all the air rushing from her lungs. For a second Lexia just laid there, stunned, unable to move even a finger; tears pricked at her eyes as she tried to deal with the pain. A voice screamed in her head, get up, it told her, you can’t just lay here and be killed! FIGHT.

 

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We're so excited for your debut release “Lexia”, what do you plan to do on release day? Are your friends/family throwing a party for you?

Hey thanks for having me here! I’m having a launch party and giveaway on Facebook/Twitter and my family and friends are coming over for a few drinks. I will probably need a few for my nerves lol. Over the last few weeks of receiving reviews, I’ve had quite a few glasses of wine! So far they’ve all been good so I’ve been celebrating not drowning my sorrows ha ha!

When and what inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always been the type of person that daydreams and I’ve always thought how nice it would be to be a writer but until I read Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series I never really considered it seriously. One morning I woke up with this urge to write and I haven’t looked back! I finished most of Lexia’s first draft when I was on holiday last year, lying about all day in the sun with nothing to think about, had my imagination in over drive.

Which authors have influenced you the most?

Well I’ve already mentioned Nalini, I also followed Kitty French through her experiences as she self-published, knowing that it wasn’t just me who struggled with formatting and twitter! Made me feel a lot better and I decided to give it a go.

Are there any special childhood books you kept near and dear that encouraged you to further your career as an author?

There are two books I still have from when I was young and I read them now to my children. Enid Blyton’s, Snowball The Pony and Magdalen Nabb’s The Enchanted Horse, as you can see I was pony mad as a child and still am! I read anything that involved horses and my favorite childhood fantasy was dreaming about running away on my pony Penny.

Which genre do you prefer to read?

Fantasy, Paranormal, I read a lot of YA books but I’m also getting into erotic romance.

If “Lexia” went to the big screen, who would you cast for your characters? :)

 

Lincoln - Tyler Hoechlin

Lexia – Megan Fox

Alice – Candice Accola

What sort of process takes place when you write? Do you make up an outline beforehand or do you just begin writing?

With Lexia I just woke up with a scene in my head and I decided to write it down, it was a scene from about half way through and Lexia jumps from her bedroom window after something! Then I’d just write bits and pieces that popped into my head. I then started to really think about the story and joined everything up.

But I have started another story (Fantasy) I just had an idea and decided to write out a basic plotline and with this book I’ve easily wrote from chapter one – two and so on.

So with Book 2 of The Deadwood Hunter series I tried to write a plot but just couldn’t do it, I’ve ended up doing like I did with book one and writing random chapters, I even have a few for book 3!

So as you can see my minds a bit random and does what it likes!

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Editing! When you know something has to go but it’s so difficult to hit delete. Also I find it hard sometimes keeping track of what the reader knows and not what I know; I already know most of the secrets so it’s hard making sure I let them out at the right time.

Do you have the T.V. Or radio on for background noise while you write, or is it too distracting?

I have no choice with one child home all day and another home after school. I’ve become very good at shutting out the sounds of cartoons and children’s screams, but if I had a choice I’d just have some quite music on in the background and have no interruptions. Sometimes I just need to be alone to make sure the story is as best as it can be.

How many books will there be in the “Deadwood Hunter Series”?

Three I think, I have an ending in mind but I’m not sure how many words it will take to get there!

What are some of your ideas for future books after the “Deadwood Hunter Series”?

I’ve already started a fantasy novel, it’s about a Seer and a Dragon shifter, and the books set in a completely different world with lots of magic and people that can control the elements. This book will be a YA book I think so far there is no steamy sex in it ha ha.

What did you enjoy most about writing “Lexia”? World Building, Romance, Character Building, etc...

I loved writing Lincolns POV, he’s so confident and cheeky, and I’m always smiling when I write him. I liked writing Lexia’s fighting scenes too; I’m a sucker for a good action movie.

Do you discuss your characters/ideas with your friends or husband to gain any insight from them?

I gave the first draft of Lexia to my mum to read, she read’s paranormal romance all the time and I knew she’d give me insight into what needed working on. I know what people think when I say my mum thinks it’s good, but if I’d wrote a load of crap she’d have told me lol And I love her for it!

I also talk through my ideas with my Hubby and he’s even more honest then my mum! If I need someone to make me feel better, I’d have to go to my grandma ha ha.

Who is your Book Boyfriend?

Wow! It’s so hard to choose one! Okay from YA it has to be Richelle Mead’s Dimitri belikov from Vampire Academy, and for a man that knows all kinds of wicked treats, Lucian Knight from Kitty French’s Knight & Play books.

What sorts of hobbies do you busy yourself with when you're not focused on writing?

When I’m not writing or running about after my kids, I like to go see my horse and if I ever have time I love to paint or draw.

Thank you so much for having me on Booknatic’s girls! I hope you love ‘LEXIA’ as much as I do!

 

Thank you for hanging out with us Rach! =)

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Author Bio

Rachel was born and raised in N.E, England and then moved to New Zealand in 2008.  She now lives in Queensland, Australia with her husband, two children and the family dog and horse.  LEXIA is her debut novel, and she is currently working on the next book in The Deadwood Hunter series and also a YA Fantasy novel. 

Rachel would love to hear from you, you can find her at www.facebook.com/RachelMRaithby or email rachelmraithby@gmail.com  or visit her website at www.rachelmraithby.com