Category: Darynda Jones

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Interview & Giveaway with Darynda Jones

*Squeeeekkk* Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!!!  Welcome Darynda to Books-n-Kisses.  I am so beyond excited to have you here.  Thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule to stop by and answer a few questions.  *Squeeekkk*
 
Winner of the 2009 Golden Heart® for Best Paranormal Romance for her manuscript FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT, Darynda was born spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. After the Golden Heart final, she pimped herself as best she could, landed an amazing agent and sold to St. Martin’s Press in a three-book deal. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, aka the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.
 
Okay, I am fine now really
 
Darynda Jones: HAHAHA!!! I was just commenting the other day how much I sound like a dolphin when I get excited. Thank you so much for such a wonderful welcome!
 

 

*GASP* YYyyyyoooooouuuuuuu have the same shoes on as me!!!!  We are shoe TWINS!!!!
 
Okay, really I think I am okay to start now…….. 
 
BK:Where to start, hhmmm…… Let’s start with how did you come up with the idea for Charley and her story.
 
DJ: Charley was born in a dark alley with a group of magical elves watching over her.
Just kidding. She was born out of desperation. Simple truth is, I wanted to get noticed. So I thought, what would happen if I took Buffy, threw in a little bit of Stephanie Plum and tossed in a hefty dose of Lorelei Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls? And voila! Charley was born.
And let’s face it, with a combination like that, she’s bound to get into any number of disastrous situations. Being a magnet for trouble, both eliciting it and causing it, she often has to use her smarts and sarcastic wit to get out of the plethora of binds in which she finds herself.
 
BK:Have you ever sat down with Charley and asked her how she feels about you telling her story?
 
DJ: Oh, my gosh, I have! It turns out, she had NO IDEA.
I was like, really? And she was like, yeah, really, I had no idea. It was weird.
But she seems to be coping with it well. The death threats have stopped and she hardly ever calls and pants into the receiver anymore. That part’s kind of sad actually. I was getting used to it. Even looked forward to it after a long day of writing. But it’s all good.
 
*GASP* Why can I see Charley doing that….. 
 

BK: Would Charley say you are telling the true story or leaving parts out?

 
DJ: Well, she did get upset that I left out her romp with the chess club when she was in high school. Apparently, “it was a night that will live in infamy.” (Her words.) But I told her I’m not writing erotica. I can only keep so much of her story. Sheesh.
There are some other parts of her life that I really want to bring in someday. Can you imagine what it would be like to grow up the grim reaper? She got herself into many a bind, let me tell ya. Some of the stories are hilarious and some are heart-wrenching. I hope she lets me tell them someday.
 
Art work by Picky Me
BK: So the Uber-Talented Tricia “Picky Me” has created a picture of the Super-hot Reyes. Do you think that she did him justice?  Was this how you pictured Reyes?
 
DJ: Hold on while I wipe off the drool. (That was embarrassing.) I think Tricia did an AMAZING job. I picture him very much like her rendition, so much so it’s a little eerie. The build. The lines. So, so hot.
 
BK: Speaking of Reyes –Are there any deep dark secrets you want us to know about him that he doesn’t want us to know?  Like does he have fuzzy slippers or love bunnies?
 
DJ: Reyes has so many secrets, it’s unreal, and I am hoping to bring more and more of them in as his story progresses. Most of them are about his tragic past, both on and off this plane. But he does have a favorite pair of sneakers he refuses to part with. I’m dying to find out why. And of course, he loves silk (the feel of Charley’s hair), he loves gold (the color of Charley’s eyes) and he loves chocolate (the taste on Charley’s tongue…for obvious reasons).
 
BK: So for those who may have been living under a rock.  Tell us a little about your series.
 
DJ: Well, as you’ve probably guessed, the series is about a female PI who was born the grim reaper. She solves mysteries for both the living and the dead. She has a best friend-slash-receptionist who is the coolest sidekick a grim reaper could ever hope for, a dark and mysterious lover who gives her more trouble than he’s probably worth, and an associate in the form of a skip tracer who once tried to have her committed. Along with the rest of her circle—some alive, some not so much—she attracts trouble like a wet floor attracts a lawsuit. But she does it with style.
            
BK: You also have a short story on your website titled ‘For I Have Sinned’ (add cover pix at posting) Tell us a little about this short story and where people can find it.
 
DJ: I love For I Have Sinned because it is from another person’s POV, a woman who recently passed away. We get to see Charley (and several other characters, namely Reyes) through someone else’s eyes. The idea was actually my agent’s. She’s somewhat of a genius. And I think it turned out really well, especially since short stories are not my forte.
You can either get it for your ereader at pretty much any online store or you can read it on your computer absolutely free at the Heroes and Heartbreakers website.
 
BK: What is up next for Charley & Reyes after Third Grave Dead Ahead?  More books?  Please say there will be more books….. *Big Grin*
 
DJ: There will be more books! Woohoo! My amazing editor wants the series to continue, as do I, so I am working on the outlines for the next three in the series as we speak. So excited!
 
BK: I read that you will have a Young Adult book titled Grimsight.  Can you tell us a little about this book and when it will be released?
 
DJ: Yes! The first YA in the trilogy will be out in April of 2012. It is about a girl whose life is irrevocably changed when Death starts high school in her small town. Sadly, it will not be called Grimsight. *insert sad face* I rewrote so much of the story that Grimsight really doesn’t fit anymore, so my editor and I are currently brainstorming titles. And, yes, I am open to suggestions! J
 
BK: Darynda, Thank you so much for stopping by Books-n-Kisses
 
DJ: Thank YOU!!! I am thrilled and honored to be here.
 
BK: Oh Wait!!!
 
DJ: Okay.
 
BK: I forgot I have this lonely little book thong created by the super crafty Mandy over as Shiny Stupid Designs. 
 
DJ: KEWL!!! Isn’t it beautiful???
 
 
 
 
BK: Darynda, what do you say we do a giveaway of Second Grave on the Right to go with this book thong?
 
DJ: Absolutely! I would love to give away a signed hardcover of Second Grave to go with Mandy’s gorgeous creation!
 
 
 
BK: Again Darynda, THANK YOU so much for stopping by.  I had a great time sitting down and talking with you.  Let’s do it again for Third Grave Dead Ahead.
 
DJ: I would love to! Thank you again!
 
BK: It’s a date!!!
Giveaway Rules:
 
+Leave a comment 
Leave your Email (no email, no entry)
 
 
Extra Points
+1 Be a follower of my blog

 

 

+1 Follow Shiny Stupid Blog 
+1 Like Shiny Stupid’s FB page 
+1 Like PickyMe’s FB page 
+1 Like Books-n-Kisses FB page 
Giveaway will be open until August 26th.
Winner announce August 29th.
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HAPPY RELEASE DAY Darynda!!!!!!!! My review of Second Grave on the Left

Second Grave on the Left 
by Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire, is back in this sexy, suspenseful novel of supernatural shenanigans
When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously? Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. Mimi’s husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.
Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven…well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?


My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this second installment of Charley Davidson’s adventure. I struggled writing this review because I didn’t want to give too much away so I will keep this spoiler free while teasing you. 

Charley finds herself trying to solve multiple cases at one time… Trying not to get killed by multiple people… and trying to hold on to everything dear to her.   But in the end Charley loses. Loses in a very big way…which Charley many never recover from. *sniff, sniff*

I love Charley.  I can’t wait for Third Grave Dead Ahead.  Let’s just say that the dear sweet Darynda has made me so antsy by the time I finished Second Grave I am not sure I will be able to wait for Third Grave Dead Ahead…… 

D, I am not sure I love you more or hate you after reading this book… Okay, fine you got me… I love you more….  *wink, wink*


If you have not started this series you must.. Charley is kick@$$ girl.. Reyes is a Super-Hot bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks and Darynda is a FREAKIN FABULOUS author. 


You will laugh, cry, curse and wonder in the famous words of Cee Lo Green… *WHY, WWWHHHYYY, WWWWHHHHHHYYYYY DARYNDA?*


Watch on August 18th with my interview with Darynda and we have a little something special planned…… 
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Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson Series


First Grave on the Right

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an entity who has been following her all her life…and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.
Second Grave on the Left
***WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!***
*If you have not read book one, stop now!*
When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously?
After dragging Charley out the door and trying unsuccessfully to stuff her into a trunk—mostly ‘cause Charley pitches a fit—Cookie finally explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. After a brief investigation, Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. They head to the parking lot only to be accosted by a frantic husband with a gun. After some soothing words and a few deep breathing exercises, the husband, aka Warren Jacobs, hires Charley to find his wife. He explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.
Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven…well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?
Third Grave Dead Ahead
***WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!***
*If you have not read book one, stop now!*
Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.
In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.
While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.