Monday, May 9, 2016

Of Fear and Faith by N.D. Jones Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway

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.


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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.








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.




1 comment:

  1. 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.

    Sincerely,
    N.D. Jones

    ReplyDelete