Pick Six Author Interviews are occasional features on A Slice of Orange. We send a bunch of questions to the author who then picks just six of the questions to answer. This month we are featuring a Pick Six Author Interview with debut author Jenna Barwin.
Jenna Barwin is an author of the Hill Vampire Novels, which blend mystery, wine, and romantic spice into a heady combination. She has degrees in sound engineering, theology, the law, and if a degree was offered, she’d have one in the school of love. She believes in changing careers frequently enough to keep life interesting. She has worked as a circus magician, news video editor, and public law attorney (but not all at the same time). She brings those varied experiences to her writing. When not writing, she enjoys both land and underwater nature photography and is known to occasionally attend a Victorian dance in full regalia right down to pantaloons and a hoop skirt.
Dark Wine at Midnight, the first book in her first urban fantasy Hill Vampire series, was released on April 25, 2017. It’s equal parts mystery, political intrigue, and romance. She’s currently working with an editor on the next book in her series, Dark Wine at Sunrise. You can sign up for Jenna’s newsletter at https://jennabarwin.com/jenna-barwins-newsletter/ or find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
One: What’s the best thing about being an author?
The best? Getting paid to fantasize! I love escaping into the fantasy and watching the story unfold. But I also love connecting with readers, learning about them, and why they read. So making connections with readers is also at the top of my list.
Two: What are you currently working on and when can we read it?
I just finished writing Dark Wine at Midnight, and you can read it right now. It’s an urban fantasy romance, and combines mystery and political intrigue with a love story. It’s book 1 in a series, and is set in an exclusive winemaking community of vampires. Here’s the elevator pitch: A research scientist is forced by her people to spy on the vampires she’s trying to help. One of those vampires is an expert winemaker with eyes the color of dark bourbon—and just as intoxicating—who’s hiding his own deep secrets. To succeed, she must convince him to trust her, despite the dark secrets each carries, and the mutual attraction they can’t resist.
I’m currently working on book 2 in the Hill Vampire series, Dark Wine at Sunrise, and it’s due out in late 2017 or early 2018.
Three: In your books, who is your favorite character and why?
Enrique “Henry” Bautista Vasquez is my favorite character. I enjoy writing him. He’s the first character I created in the Hill Vampire series, and I just loved the process of discovery—peeling back the layers to find out who he is. He’s originally from Mexico. He came to California in the early 1800s, where he was turned vampire, and founded the fictional town of Sierra Escondida. So he has a deep backstory, entwined with California’s history, and I like weaving the two together. He’s also an expert winemaker, with dark brown eyes and long black hair, but he’s a bit moody. Because of a dark secret he carries, he’s been unsuccessful at relationships. He’s also very protective of the town he founded. So when Dr. Cerissa Patel arrives in town, he’s suspicious of her, but also attracted to her, and his suspicion is fighting with the feelings she’s stirred up in him.
Four: If a spaceship landed in your backyard and the aliens on board offered to take you for a ride, would you go? Why or why not?
Absolutely, I’d go. I grew up watching Star Trek, and always wanted to go where no one had gone before, but with one exception. If the aliens had really long, scary-looking, meat-eating teeth, I might reconsider. I don’t want to be the next item on the dinner menu. But then again, if they wanted me as dinner, or for a science experiment, I doubt they’d offer. They’d just snatch me up. So offering a ride puts them in the “likely to be friendly” category.
Five: Where can we get your books?
Dark Wine at Midnight is available right now in Kindle Unlimited, and in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon.
DARK WINE AT MIDNIGHT
To save humanity, a reluctant spy must convince a handsome vampire to trust her, despite the dark secrets each carries, and the mutual attraction they can’t resist.
More info →
Six: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
I love to connect with readers. To get all the latest scoop, they can sign up for my newsletter at: https://jennabarwin.com/jenna-barwins-newsletter/ Or find me and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And if you want to see some of the visual inspirations for Henry’s home and Sierra Escondida, I’m on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/jennabarwin/).
Thank you, Jenna for doing the Pick Six Author Interview.
If you would like to be featured in a Pick Six Author Interview, please send us your information through the Contact Form.
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Wow! I’m intrigued. All the best to you Jenna
Thanks Jena! I hope you enjoy it.
Jenna, I feel I have to warn you. An invitation to go for an spaceship ride could very well be a trick! Don’t trust them too quickly! If you get bamboozled into a hostage situation in outer space, WHAT will your readers do????? What will Enrique “Henry” and all of his fans do? You better just stay here and keep writing 🙂