Giveaway and Interview with Amber Belldene, author of Bloodvine

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Aubrie, thanks so much for having me as a guest today!

1. You are a Christian minister and a writer of vampire romance. Do your two jobs ever conflict, or do they work together in harmony?

Personally, I find them to be very harmonious. I write about love, and romance, and even sex in a way that is true to my religious and spiritual values.  And, I find writing in the paranormal genre is a great way to explore the human condition and the mysterious unknowns in our world.  I have lots of support from my colleagues in the church, but I also know not everyone in my church life would feel that way, so I do write with a pen name.  

2. Did you plan the gorgeous cover for Blood Vine? What did you think when you first saw it complete?

I adore the cover for Blood Vine, and the art department at Omnific gets all the credit for it.  All my ideas were terrible compared to what they came up with, and it fits the story so perfectly.  I feel very lucky that my debut novel is SO beautiful--my mom had it printed and framed for me :-)

3. Why are some of the vampires in Blood Vine exiled? 

In Blood Vine, the vampires are systematically hunted by an ancient tribe of vampire slayers.  Even though the Hunters don't always succeed, they are content to drive the vampires away from their homeland because they will suffer a wasting disease in exile, the result of mystical bonds to the place where they were turned into vampires.  It's a strange idea that evolved from one of my favorite seminary classes: a preaching seminar based on Homer's Odyssey.  

4. You are so lucky to grow up in Florida! I've visited many times and it's a beautiful place to live. What are some of your favorite memories of your childhood?

Not surprisingly, they all involve water.  I grew up on the panhandle and spent a lot of time on the Gulf of Mexico and the spring-fed rivers that flow into it: canoeing, fishing, swimming with alligators.  I do love California; it's been my home for more than a decade.  But it's always chilly in San Francisco, so I really miss swimming in a the warm ocean and the hot Florida nights on the beach.

5. What do you have in the works? Are you planning to write more books? Do you have a WIP?

Blood Entangled, the sequel to Blood Vine will release in July, and I just typed "the end" to my first draft of the final (I think) book in the series, which is scheduled to release in December.  Before I start serious editing on that draft, I decided to write out a little novella that's been dancing around in my head.  It's not a paranormal, but a contemporary, so we'll see how that goes!
6. What is your experience with Omnific Publishing? 

I've loved working with Omnific.  They have some of the most beautiful book covers, as you see with Blood Vine, and my editors and the publicist are a dream.  I was drawn to them for their tagline--Romance Without Rules--because I knew Blood Vine broke some rules.  I wanted to work with a publisher that gave me room to write something different, and that has certainly been the case with Omnific.    

7. What is your advice to writers who want to be published someday?

This is such an amazing time in publishing, and that dream is more accessible than ever.  My advice is to know what you really want--what are your goals?  And then be patient and give them time to happen. But, certainly don't give up.  Everything you write is a chance to connect with more people, whether its teachers, writing friends, or readers, and so writing is a joyful way to develop connections!

8. Where can people find you on the web?

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

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