Author Interview Coming Darkness

How long have you been writing?

I wrote poems on and off since college, but it wasn’t until about 10 or 12 years ago that I started writing stories.

What is your favorite genre to write?

Urban Fantasy/Fantasy. I like writing about the fantastic. I like not having to be constrained by anything other than my imagination.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?

Maybe Romance? Just to prove that I could do it!

Please tell us about your book.

Kai is thrown off balance when Lucifer disappears, and his life begins to spiral out of control. In the past, he never cared that he was looked down upon and called Lucifer’s pet. But with Lucifer absent, he’s left to navigate a world that doesn’t respect him. Since the only true currency is respect, he must gain it the only way his enemies will understand, through blood.

Archangel Lucifer has lived in a pleasant bubble of spoiled excess with his vampire lover, Kai, for centuries. When the other Archangels come to him with a problem — Heaven is gone and their Father is missing — he refuses to get involved because not only is it not his problem, but it’s probably some elaborate ruse they’ve cooked up to lure him back into the fold. When he’s personally attacked, he finds that he’s wrong on both counts. There are other powerful gods at work, gods who believe the current creation is flawed and must be destroyed.

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?

I love writing Lucifer. I love exploring his character. I love finding three dimensions and creating a character out of a cultural figure that is entirely one-dimensional. I love Kai and exploring the nuances in his character. I don’t have least favorite characters. I even love my villains! I have characters that are more challenging to write, and I think they stretch me as an author, but none are my “least favorite”. I can find something to love about each and every one.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

I started out with three characters: Kai, Lucifer and Roberta. The hardest part was finding which story I wanted to tell. I had more than one false start, and took the story in different directions until I solidified the current story line.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?

My routine is pretty much “butt-in-chair”. There’s nothing more to it than sitting down and writing. I prefer to write in a quiet room, I’ve tried writing to music but it’s distracting. Sometimes I can get away with the TV being on, but the preference is silence.

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?

From conception to “The End” about ten years give or take. It wasn’t every day for ten years however. I wrote a bit, put it down for months, wrote some more, put it down etc. Also during much of that time I had no idea where it was going or what the themes were etc. It wasn’t until the last 5 years or so did I get serious.

Can you tell us about your editing process?

I have my character arcs and the overall theme/arc. When I start editing I’m checking to make sure I’ve followed those arcs and solidified the theme. I’m also checking for continuity, making sure the physical characteristics of a character are the same throughout. If I’ve left a species name or a place name TBA, during the editing I make sure to fill that in. At this point I’m also filling out scenes for clarity, looking at sentence structure and word choice, and adding description if necessary. Once that’s done, and I’ve read it a few times looking for errors and checking for cohesion, I send it off to betas to see how the story reads. The next steps depend on their feedback.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?

Yes. Right now I’m looking at three books for the foundation story and then stories within the universe.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

In no particular order: believe in your story; write what you love; read what you love; educate yourself in the art of storytelling; learn about the pros and cons of indie vs traditional publishing and do what’s best for you.

Why should everyone read your book?

In general, Coming Darkness is a grand story with no easy resolutions, which I think makes it an intriguing read. It’s a story about free will and what that means. How life is a series of choices, some big some small, and how the characters are defined by those choices. I believe people will enjoy getting to know characters with more shades of grey than black or white. I think they’ll also enjoy a different Lucifer with different motivations. He was so much fun to write, and writing him that way it gave the story a more sinister villain, which I believe they’ll find interesting as well.

If you could meet three authors, dead or alive, which authors would you choose?

Lee Childs, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman

What inspired you to write your book?

I wanted to tell a different Lucifer story. I didn’t know what until I hit upon the idea that he’d never been to Hell which became the basis for my story and the character.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it?

Yes, the second book in the series tentatively named: Dreaming in Shadow.

There are dark things moving in dreams, no one is safe.
The Rendering is approaching, and Kai doubts he will survive.
Roberta is both more comfortable in her life as a slave but also less stable.
Lucifer chafes against a prophecy that claims he has come to Hell to rule and to lead the charge of demons back to earth.

Coming Darkness

Archangel Lucifer lives a comfortable life of self-imposed exile with his vampire lover, Kai. When the other Archangels come to him with a problem — Heaven is gone and their Father is missing — he refuses to get involved because not only is it not his problem, but it’s probably some elaborate ruse they’ve cooked up to lure him back into the fold. When he’s personally attacked, he finds that he’s wrong on both counts. There are other powerful gods at work, gods who believe the current creation is flawed and must be destroyed.

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Author Bio

They say it’s never too late to find and pursue your passion. Turns out they’re right. Although Susan loved to read, she didn’t start writing until she was in her late 40’s. A stint in grad school helped her hone her craft, and now she happily spends her days making up stories and figuring out how best to emotionally (and sometimes physically) torture her characters.