Of
Fear and Faith
Death
and Destiny Trilogy
Book
1
N.D.
Jones
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand
Publishing
Date of Publication: July 22, 2014
ISBN: 1632583747
ASIN: B00MTW85Q8
Number of pages: 288
Word Count: 101,566 words
Cover Artist: Harris Channing
Book Description:
Before trust and love can take
hold, grow solid roots, and blossom into a reality larger than self, fear must
be conquered and faith embraced. Yet fear of an ancient prophecy, of burning
magical power, and a broken heart, Sanura Williams, psychology professor, is
unprepared when Special Agent Assefa Berber enters her life, hunting a
preternatural serial killer. Assefa's intelligent, chocolate eyes and
intoxicating aura signature stirs her fire spirit but frightens the woman.
In a world where all is not as it
seems, Sanura and Assefa must battle the gods' first creations - vile predators
who threaten the safety of humans. Each confrontation, each bloody clash, will
bring Sanura and Assefa closer to fulfilling the prophecy of being the Fire
Witch and Cat of Legend - the ones who will save humanity from the Water Witch
of Legend. Death, godly magic, and physical attraction draw Sanura and Assefa
to each other, but fear and faith will determine their destiny.
Book
Trailer: https://youtu.be/g_QvkLjHEIo
Excerpt:
Sanura rushed off
the elevator and down a bright corridor with pink, blue, and yellow balloons
decorating the walls of the children’s wing, bordering a mural of happy
children in a park, the sun above affirming their special place in the world.
An illusion, she thought, a beautiful illusion of how life should be for
children. The truth, however, rested behind the closed hospital doors, where
reality had long since claimed their innocence.
About
the Author:
N. D. Jones lives in Maryland with
her husband and two children. Having earned a M.A. in Political Science, she is
a dedicated educator. She taught high school social studies for nine years.
Currently, she is a professional development specialist with a local Maryland
school system, working on increasing student achievement through teacher and
administrator efficacy. N.D. is also a continuing education student who is
pursuing her doctorate in education in Community College Leadership.
A desire to see more novels with
positive, sexy, and three-dimensional African American characters as soul
mates, friends, and lovers, inspired the author to take on the challenge of
penning such romantic reads. She is the author of two paranormal romance
series: Winged Warriors and Death and Destiny. N.D. likes to read historical
and paranormal romance novels, as well as comics and manga.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NDJones
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NDJones11
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ndjones001
Interview
Where
are you from?
I’m from Baltimore, Maryland, the largest city in the
state. Baltimore is home of the Orioles, Ravens, and Blast. There’s plenty of
great tourist attractions in Baltimore, such as the Inner Harbor, The Great
Blacks and Wax Museum, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Walters Art Museum, Johns
Hopkins University, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, the
Maryland Science Center, etc.
Tell
us your latest news?
My latest news is the founding of Kuumba Publishing. Kuumba is a Swahili word that means creativity. Kuumba is
also the Sixth Principle of Kwanzaa, an African American cultural holiday
created by Maulana Karenga in 1966. The principle of Kuumba encourages people
“to do always as much as [they] can in the way that [they] can in order to leave
[their] community more beautiful and beneficial than when [they] inherited it.
(Karenga, 1988).” Thus, I created Kuumba Publishing as a forum for
creativity in its various expressions, with a special commitment to promoting
and encouraging creative works of authors and artists of African descent.
My future novels will be published by
Kuumba Publishing, as well as my fourteen-year-old daughter’s fun and fantasy
drawings. She’s a young talent, who enjoys drawing and jewelry making, which
are available for purchase at kuumbapublishing.com.
When
and why did you begin writing?
I
began writing because no matter how many romance novels I read or listened to,
paranormal or otherwise, I was often left with the feeling of being left out.
What do I mean by that? What I mean is that African American love, even in the
21st century, isn’t a part of the popular social media complex. It’s
evident in most of the novels in bookstores and libraries, as well as books
turned into movies. So I asked myself: Where is my story? Who’s going to tell
my story? Then I stopped complaining and decided to write the stories I wanted
to read. And maybe, just maybe, people will read my stories and see a bit of
themselves and their special love between the pages of my books.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
What
inspired you to write your first book?
I read a lot of paranormal romance novels and comic
books. I also read fanfiction. The quality of those stories run the gambit, but
fanfiction writers love the characters they write about and are a loyal fan
base, which I respect. For a while, I also wrote fanfiction, which was pretty
cool. One of the stories I brainstormed had to do with witches, shapeshifters,
and African gods. I considered writing an alternate universe story with one of
my favorite comic book couples as the hero and heroine of my paranormal
romance. This is the thing, I owned none of the characters I so loved crafting
stories about and I was spending a lot of time on a hobby that could so easily
be turned into something more productive and personal. So I decided to create
my own characters, using my brainstormed idea of a witch-were-cat romance and
an ancient prophecy as the starting point for my first full-length novel. From
there, the story evolved into a mammoth manuscript that I eventually divided
into three parts. Hence, the Death and Destiny Trilogy.
Do
you have a specific writing style?
I don’t know if it’s considered a “writing style,” but I’m a
linear thinker, so I write the same way. I don’t skip a scene I don’t feel like
writing and come back to it later. I write in the order in which each scene
takes place. In fact, I think in terms of sections of chapters. Because I’m a
detailed person, taking a chapter section by section, I’m able to manage my
writing and my sanity. I set short
writing goals for myself. If I finish a section, then I’m happy because I
accomplished my goal. If I view my novel from a big picture perspective mainly,
then I’m more focused on how much is left to write instead of how much I’ve already
written.
How
did you come up with the title?
Thus far, all the titles for my books have been based
on the theme(s) of the story. I’m big on themes, grounding the novels in one or
more overarching idea that takes the reader from the beginning of the story to
the end. “Of Fear and Faith” describes the most important emotional issues and
concerns for the hero and heroine, as well as the supporting characters. Fear
and faith, depending on the situation, can be a benefit or a barrier.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I don’t write with the intent to express a particular
message, although I’m quite deliberate in how I portray my characters. “Black
love,” if you will, is evident in all my novels. If there is a message to be
gleamed from my writing, it’s that African/African American love and
relationships are complex, beautiful, and worth fighting for.
How
much of the book is realistic?
Although I write paranormal and fantasy novels, the
realism enters with the characters and their interpersonal relationships. No
matter whether I write about a witch, shape-shifter, demon, or angel, in the
end, these supernatural beings have brains, hearts, and life experiences -
humanizing them. More, I set my novels in real national and international
locales, bringing the paranormal and fantastical to settings familiar to
readers.
Are
experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I’ve placed my stories during various historical and
contemporary time periods. For example, “Fire, Fury, Faith” begins in West
Africa during the Transatlantic Slave Trade and fast forwards to when Barack
Obama is president. “Heat, Hunt, Hope” covers the time period right after 9/11,
twining that devastating event into a story of demons, angels, and love. Like
many people, I recall where I was and what I was doing when the Twin Towers
were attacked, as well as the mood of the nation when Barack Obama was elected
President of the United States. Such real-life events serve as good backdrops
for my stories, grounding the novels in the known.
What
books have most influenced your life most?
I’ve always read a lot of non-fiction, mainly African
American history/politics and books on education. I have an MA in Political
Science, with a concentration in Black Politics and a minor in American
Government and International Relations. In addition, I have an advanced
professional teaching certificate, which means most of my reading is
discipline-specific and/or work related. So, works like Carter G. Woodson’s
“The Mis-education of the Negro” and Lisa Delpit’s “Other People’s Children”
have influenced my life.
What
book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “Coal” by Constance Burris.
She’s one of many fellow Goodreads authors whose book I’ve had the pleasure of
reading.
Are
there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Currently, I’m a member of #Romance4u, a Facebook
group of romance authors who support each other through social media. From this
group, I’ve met several wonderful and diverse authors. If you don’t mind, I’ll
give them a quick plug. They are Jackie Williams, Sonia Parin, Natalie Brock,
Lynn Cooper, Bobi Sextun, and Rowena Tisdale.
What
are your current projects?
I’m putting the final touches on “Of Beasts and
Bonds.” This novel is the second book in my Death and Destiny Trilogy. It is my
intention to have the book published by summer 2016. I’m very excited about
this upcoming novel. It’s longer than “Of Fear and Faith,” which gave me the
latitude to let loose with some awesome magical, emotional, and sensual scenes.
What
would you like my readers to know?
I would like your readers to know, first and foremost,
that I appreciate them taking the time to read this interview. Time is a
valuable commodity that should never be taken for granted or squandered. So I
appreciate your readers choosing to spend time getting to know a new author.
Second, in a show of appreciation, I invite your readers to visit my website, (http://www.ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com),
register on my homepage and receive a complimentary MP3 copy of my audiobook
“Fire, Fury, Faith,” a fantasy romance novella with angels and demons.
Tour
giveaway:
3 Novels with Soul Gift Boxes
The gift boxes will each include an
autographed copy of “Of Fear and Faith,” an Amazon gift certificate for an
ebook copy of “Heat, Hunt, Hope,” a Dropbox gift certificate for a MP3 download
of the audiobook version of “Fire, Fury, Faith,” and two swag items.
Thank you very much for hosting "Of Fear and Faith." The interview was great, and I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself and my novel to your readers.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
N.D. Jones