Dana Davis is an author of paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction. Her newest work Desert Magick: Day of the Dead (Book 3) is available from SynergEbooks Publishing.
What is the name of your latest book? And how did you come up with the title?
Hi, Clare. Thank you for having me back. My latest book is Desert Magick: Day of the Dead (Book 3). The title of the series is Desert Magick because the books take place in the Arizona desert. The subtitle Day of the Dead refers to the Mexican holiday, as well as the plot of this particular book.
What is this book about? And what genre is this book in?
Day of the Dead is the third book in a bestselling paranormal/urban fantasy series. But there are a lot of mystery and suspense elements in it, too. The series takes place in the modern Metro-Phoenix area of Arizona and incorporates Irish, Celtic, Greek, and Native mythologies. When you mention paranormal, a lot of readers immediately think of werewolves and vampires. While I’m a fan of those types of characters, this series focuses on witches, magick, ghosts, mediums, telepaths, and the like. I like the intangible and readers will see that in this series.
How long have you been writing in this genre?
I’ve been making up fantasy stories since I was a kid, even before I could write. I worked in the entertainment business for many years so my writing was focused on stage adaptations and scripts. Even then, I gravitated toward children’s fairytales. When I first started writing for publication, I began with fantasy and science fiction stories, because those are my favorite genres. But I also love ghost stories and various types of mythology.
So, about 4 years ago, I decided to try my hand at paranormal fantasy, which combines genres. I absolutely love it! I’m also a paranormal investigator and the family genealogist, so I tend to use real-life incidents, family lore, and stories that others have told me. I change them up, of course. This is fantasy after all. But most of the ghostly aspects in the books were sparked to life in some way from my personal experiences.
Who is/are the main characters? And why did you choose them?
Characters choose me, not the other way around. No matter how hard I try, if a character wants to be in the story, I have to accommodate. Otherwise, it just doesn’t work. Daisy Hammel-Kavanaugh and Bridgette McDougal both chose me. In fact, Bridgette demanded I put her in the book to help her cousin. <grin>
Daisy is the main character throughout the Desert Magick series. Bridgette, a prominent figure in the books, gets part of her story told in Day of the Dead. Noah Kavanaugh, Daisy’s husband, is an increasingly important character. As well as Scarlet Mendoza, a medium and cousin by marriage to Daisy and Bridgette.
In the second book, Dream Catcher, I focused on Zoey Vega, a younger cousin to Daisy and Bridgette. Zoey plays a vital part in both the paranormal and mortal worlds and makes appearances throughout the rest of the series. Not to sound morbid, but the dead play important roles, too.
Where did the idea for your book come from?
Once I decided to try my hand at paranormal fantasy, I pondered where to begin, but I knew I didn’t want to go the vampire and werewolf route. One day, as I was sitting at my computer working on another book, Daisy popped up. She announced that she was a witch living in Arizona, where I live now, and that she was having problems with what she suspected was an evil ghost. Her story developed from there.
In your opinion, what makes a good story?
For me personally, I like character driven stories with suspense and humor. I tend to gravitate toward stories with strong female characters. As a sci-fi/fantasy fan, I read the old stuff from the 1930s through the 1960s, but a lot of those seemed to be plot-driven. I love the science and the ideas they present but sometimes the characters are secondary or just don’t appeal to me. Not to mention women are pretty much nonexistent in those books, since the majority of writers back then were male.
Can you give us a quick taste of what’s inside?
After struggling with ghostly visits and several paranormal nasties the past few months, Daisy Hammel-Kavanaugh wants nothing more than a normal life with her husband, Noah. But the Day of the Dead is more than just a holiday for this Arizona witch. Disturbing things are going on in the afterlife and Daisy is the focus.
As she helps her cousin hunt for a mysterious person who can control the dead, Bridgette grapples with guilt over a secret that’s haunted her for twenty-two years. A secret that could be related to Daisy’s current problem. But Daisy has a secret of her own. One that just might send her to an early grave.
Is this book a part of a series? And if so what can we look for in the future?
Yes, Day of the Dead is the third book in the Desert Magick series. Right now, I’m under contract for five books. I’m working on the fourth now. Readers can look forward to more magickal and ghostly adventures in the Arizona desert.
Do you have anything specific you would like to say to your readers?
For me, reading fiction means escapism and entertainment. So, I write what I like to read. I hope you all enjoy reading the adventures as much as I enjoy creating them. And right now, in honor of spring and my birthday month, my publisher is offering all of my eBooks for just $2.99 throughout the month of April, when purchased through their site. http://www.synergebooks.com/index.html
Where can we find you on the web?
Website: http://www.danadaviswriting.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danadaviswriting
Blog: http://danadaviswriting.blogspot.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AZnovelist?feature=mhum
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/DanaDavis
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/danadaviswriting
Where to buy Dana’s books:
SynergEbooks Publishing:
http://www.synergebooks.com/ebook_dayofthedead.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0033HDLVC
Barnes and Noble:
http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?store=EBOOK&WRD=dana+davis&page=index&prod=univ&choice=ebooks&query=dana+davis&flag=False&ugrp=2
I hope everyone is having a great time here today. =)
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