Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome
the wonderful Donna Grant to the blog today.
Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance—Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Sword, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.
To learn more about Donna and her books, please visit www.donnagrant.com.
Donna, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. I am so excited to have you here today. Thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule to sit down with me and talk about your books.
Donna: Thank you, Kelly! It’s great to be here.
BK: First, I have to know how was your trip to Scotland?
Donna: It was spectacular. I’ve been wanting to go for as long as I can remember, and to finally see the place that holds such a special place in my heart was amazing. Words cannot express the untamed beauty of the land. I will be going back the first chance I get. J
BK: Did you get some great inspiration for new books?
Donna: I did, actually. How could I not driving amid the Highlands and visiting castles and lochs? lol
BK: Speaking of books tell us a little about your Dark Sword series:
{Bk1 Dangerous Highlander, Bk2 Forbidden Highlander, Bk3 Wicked Highlander, Bk4 Untamed Highlander, Bk5 Shadow Highlander & Bk6 Darkest Highlander}
Donna: The Dark Sword series is a historical paranormal series set in Medieval Scotland. I created my own mythology when I put together this series starting with one simple question: Why did Rome really leave Britain?
So, I took my own spin on things and used Druids. Since no one really knows what the Druids were (evil or good or a mixture), I used them, both good and evil, to put the basis of my mythology. IOW, I used the droughs, or evil Druids, who used their black magic to call up ancient gods long buried in Hell.
Those gods used the strongest man in each family as a host, and they won against the Romans. But the gods wouldn’t leave the Warriors, so it took the droughs as well as the mies (good Druids) to bind the gods inside the men.
Yet the gods traveled through the bloodline through generations until a drough was able to unbind them, thereby giving us Warriors once more.
Some Warriors fought back against the villain, and together with other Druids fight to keep her from ruling the world.
BK: I know the extremely talented Pickyme (aka Tricia Schmitt) did the cover art for Untamed Highlander, Shadow Highlander & Darkest Highlander, which I have to say that I love. How do you think they turned out?
Donna: I think they turned out brilliantly. I’d been wanting the covers to show more paranormal, but my publisher was hesitant to do it. I’m so pleased they went ahead and did it with these three books .
BK: Shadow Highlander release date is tomorrow (Aug 30th) and Darkest Highlander will be released January 2012. Can you tell us what is next in the Dark Sword Series after Darkest Highlander?
Donna: The series will spin off. I hate to call it that because it is the same characters and a continuing storyline, but something huge happens at the end of DARKEST HIGHLANDER that there’s a massive change. So they opted to call it a spin off. The new series will be called Dark Warriors, and the titles will be different, but I’ll have two sets of back to back releases.
MIDNIGHT’S MASTER – June 2012
MIDNIGHT’S LOVER – July 2012
MIDNIGHT’S SEDUTION – Nov 2012
MIDNIGHT’S WARRIOR – Dec 2012
BK: Do you know how many books you are going to have in the Dark Swords series or is it open-ended at this time?
Donna: Ah, I know how many, but I can’t say right now. It would ruin some things in the coming books. I just turned in book 10, so there will be more after that. J
BK: Can you share with us a little about the Dark Warrior Series coming in 2012.
Donna: Sure! I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want any spoilers out there, but it’ll be a bit different. I love where the books have taken me and where the characters are going, and I hope the readers do as well.
The stakes get raised with each book, and each Warrior has a lot more to lose – and gain. Sometimes I even wonder how they’re going to get out of a situation. J
BK: Do you have any cover art for these books yet? Is Pickyme (aka Tricia Schmitt) designing these for you?
Donna: I’m supposed to see a cover soon, but unfortunately I have no idea if Tricia is doing the covers or not.
BK: Let’s learn a little more about your Donna. Tell us 10 fun facts about yourself.
Donna: I love going to the movies. I get motion sickness.
I hate spiders.
I love a good glass of wine.
My favorite color is burgundy with black running a close second.
I wear a size 3 in kids shoes.
I used to work in accounting.
I have an extensive movie and TV series collection
I’m not a fan of cold weather.
I believe in ghosts.
BK: Who is your all-time favorite author and why?
Donna: Oh, I don’t think I can narrow it down to one. So many authors have influenced me over the years. One of my earlier favorites was Johanna Lindsey. I devoured everything she wrote.
I loved Julie Garwood’s historicals. Shana Abe has such a unique flow to her writing that just sucks me right into the pages. I love how Lara Adrian develops her characters and her series.
And I could go on and on. J
BK: Have you ever thought about co-writing a book? If yes, with who and why?
Donna: I don’t ever say never to anything, but this is one thing I’m not sure I would pursue. For one, I’m a panster, meaning I have no idea where my story is going when I sit down each day to write.
And to co-write a book, both authors have to have the same idea for the story. That’s not easy to achieve.
BK: Are you a plotter or panster?
Donna: lol. Panster
BK: Do you ever get writers block? If yes, what do you do to move past it?
Donna: Not really. Some days are harder to write than others and paying bills, going to the mail box, or even answering emails will give my mind the break it needs so that I can get back into the story.
BK: How has your family been supportive of your writing?
Donna: Definitely! My husband was the one to push me to try writing. I wrote my first book while pregnant with my oldest, so both my kids have grown up with me at the keyboard.
BK: Tell me about your Druids Glen Series?
Donna: My Druids Glen series was the first series published. I love writing about Druids and Scotland, and I had such fun researching Druids. The series centers around three sisters who hold magic to control elements. It will take special Highlanders to hold their hearts and protect them as only a Highlander can.
BK: Do you foresee writing anymore books in this series?
Donna: No. It was just supposed to be three books, but then I wrote Lugus’ story because he just wouldn’t leave me alone. Then, I had so many requests for Frang to have his own story that I gave him one as well.
After that, I just couldn’t leave poor Aimery out there without his story. JBK: It looks like you are going to have a few re-releases coming up starting late summer. Can you tell us a little about these books? Any one you are extremely excited to re-release?
Donna: I’ve been hesitant to re-release these older books. For one, my writing has changed since they were first written. I had intended to go back and revise them, but my schedule just wouldn’t permit it.
I was very excited about DRAGONFYRE, which was Aimery’s story. I loved writing his book. I’m also really excited to release the first contemporary paranormal I ever wrote – PRIMAL HEAT. It’s a Halloween novella featuring werewolves. It was fun to write, and has actually outsold many of my earlier books.
BK: Do you have a favorite character out of all your books? Who & Why?
Donna: Whatever character I happen to be writing at the time is my favorite. I think because I’m so deep in their heads that they cannot help but become my favorite.
BK: Do you prefer writing series over stand-alone books. If yes, why?
Donna: I love writing series. I love seeing characters from previous books and looking in on their lives once more. Plus, as a reader, I get more invested in series than I do stand alone books.
BK: What is the best piece of advice you ever got about becoming an author that you would pass on to someone wanting to become an author?
Donna: Keep writing. Stop revising and just finish the damned book.
It was invaluable advice.
Books-n-Kisses: Donna, Thank you so very much for taking the time to stop by my blog. I have really enjoyed learning more about you and your books.
What do you say we do a giveaway to one of your fans?
Thanks so much for having me, Kelly. Yes, I’d love to give away a signed copy of UNTAMED HIGHLANDER!
Giveaway Time:
For a chance to win Untamed Highlander
Please tell me the one place you are dying to visit.
Please leave you email (I need away to contact you)
+1 Be a follower of my blog
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Giveaway will be open until September 2nd.
Winner will be announced Septemeber 5th.
