Last week, I sat down with thriller/mystery author Angel Haze for a mutual interview. You can find my interview here. Now I turn the spotlight over to Angel as she talks about her passion for writing. As a bonus, she’s also giving away two e-book copies of her debut novel, Bloodletter!
Thou shalt not kill.
A contradictory message written in blood at the scene of a young woman’s murder. Within days, another body surfaces with a similar calling card and, to Detective Ramon Faust and Criminalist Kelly Garret, it’s clear a deadly game is underfoot.
As the rash of horrific crimes continue, a phone call unearths a shocking revelation: Nakeita isn?t the first city the elusive killer has left his mark. The Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, has played his deadly game before.
Delving deep into the most terrifying case of Kelly’s career, threatening phone calls and flashbacks of a forgotten near-death experience challenge her sanity and the lives of everyone she loves.
About the author.
I’m a Canadian author who is an avid reader of thriller, mystery, horror, and fantasy novels. My lighter side loves the beach, massages, and fitness training. My darker side loves forensics, delving into the criminal mind, and chocolate. My first book, Bloodletter, was published on Amazon and Smashwords in June 2011. I also write YA fantasy books with my husband. Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch will be published by the end of June 2011.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing stories since I was a little girl. When I was seven or eight, I wrote stories about a little girl running away from home. ( I don’t remember why, but she had a bedroom the size of a closet.) She met up with wolves, whales and other animals that helped her through her journey.
When I was fourteen, I knew I wanted to be a writer. My horror stories had many false starts, but I still have them. Some are really cool ideas that I may develop one day. Others not so much. It wasn’t until I was done high school that I actually finished my first draft and, once I had committed to that, I soon wrote another four.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Dean Koontz and Tess Gerritsen. Hands down. Tess Gerritsen’s medical thrillers are what spawned my inspiration for my thrillers. Because of my passion for forensics, I thought about going through for a medical examiner, but found that I could have more fun with this profession through my books. These two authors have a beautiful style that hook you from the first page and don’t let go until the end.
Why did you choose this genre and the title of your book?
I love the suspense of a thriller and the twisted minds of the villains. Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, is the name of the killer in the book. I wanted something chilling and catchy with multiple meanings.
What inspired you to write your book?
A very twisted mind. I love thinking about all the what if’s and researching anything to do with forensics from the chemistry of death to the police investigation.
Where do you get your ideas for your books?
From watching too many movies and reading too many books. Books on serial killers, anthropology, criminology and growing up watching CSI contributed to my madness–sorry–inspiration. When it comes to my YA fantasy books, my husband plays a major role. He is the “idea guy.” He can’t put his thoughts down on paper but his ideas are borderline genius. I take his ideas, add to them and twist them.
What was your favourite chapter to write and why?
I don’t know if I could pick out a single chapter. (I know that’s cheating.) I love the crime scene investigations and the chapters from the point of view of Kelly’s deranged stalker.
Why do you feel you had to tell this story?
I couldn’t stop writing if I tried. I’m drawn to murder and mayhem and I love sharing this twisted passion. Winston Churchill says it best. “Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.”
Is there a second book in the works?
Bloodletter II (still untitled) has already been through several revisions and is due to be out in the Fall of 2011.
Bonus question: What would you do if you had $1 million?
Pack my bags and be on the next flight to a Caribbean island! I loved Jamaica and the Bahamas. One week isn’t enough time to lie on the beach, sipping the bartender’s special fruity drinks, especially when there’s a snowstorm back home. (Apparently, my wedding in Jamaica couldn’t have been timed any better. Of course, we did have to dig ourselves out when we got back to the car.) I want to visit Aruba, Costa Rica and Hawaii . . . and take my friends and family with me. My husband and I are both adrenalin junkies so I would love to be able to have the funds to fulfil our passions.
Find Angel online at: Twitter | Facebook | Her Website
Grab Bloodletter at: Amazon (US)| Amazon (UK) | Amazon (DE) | Smashwords
Want a free copy of Bloodletter? Let us know in the comments. We’ll choose the winner on Tuesday, 5 July 2011.
