Join us today with Shannon Butcher as she tells us about her upcoming release of FALLING BLIND

1.The Sentinel Wars series is amazing. Tell us how it all began. Where did the inspiration come from, and how the story develop?
Thanks so much! When I was planning the Sentinels, I was aiming to create a specific emotional landscape that made people feel like I did while reading my favorite books. I wanted the stakes to be high, the relationships to be real, and the world to be complex and rich with detail. Basically, I started from there and reverse-engineered a world that fit the bill. The characters came next, and they are the ones who shaped the stories, since I prefer character-driven plots. And boy, did those characters give me some fun plots to play with.
The whole series is one big story to me, with a definite end in sight, rather than a series that will go on and on. Once I’m done playing in that world, I have so many others just waiting for me to dive into them.

2.Book seven, FALLING BLIND, will be released in just a few weeks. Would you tell us about it?
FALLING BLIND is Cain and Rory’s story. I tortured poor Cain through a couple of earlier books and decided it was his time for a little lovin’. He’s one of the old school Theronai, so when he meets the feisty, irreverent, pink-haired Rory, he’s not exactly sure what to think of her. The one thing he is sure of is that she’s one of his kind—a Theronai—and he’s not letting her slip away when she has the power to save him or one of his brothers. He’s going to see to it that she does her duty whether she likes it or not.
Rory, on the other hand, is more worried about finding a cure for her visions, which are becoming increasingly intense. If she doesn’t find a way to stop them soon, they will completely blind her and destroy the life she’s created. While she hates the idea of accepting help from anyone, she realizes that a man as powerful as Cain would be a potent ally in finding the person who can cure her.
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3. The cover for this installment is absolutely drooling. In fact all the Sentinel War books have eye candy covers. Do you have any input as to how the cover will be done?
Thanks! I absolutely LOVE the covers for the Sentinel Wars! I’m asked for a few details for each book, but I’m careful to keep that input to a bare minimum. The art department is fantastic, and if I back off and let them do their thing, they always amaze me. They are true artists!

4. Not only do you write paranormal but you have several romantic suspense novels. Do you have a genre writing that you favor?
I really like being able to switch between series. It gives me a chance to refresh my brain and move forward without any one series growing stale or tired. I think the two genres work well together, complimenting each other in a way that helps me grow my skill. The paranormals become more suspenseful and the suspense become more creative. That’s a win-win.
 
5. Do you work on more than one book at a time?
Kind of. I often switch between projects, but I try to do that in long intervals, rather than working a little on two different stories each day or even each week. I’d rather focus on one story for a few weeks before switching over to something else. Often, I’m working on a new series, doing world building or character development while I’m between revisions on a project that’s contracted. It allows me to keep moving forward while waiting for feedback from beta readers or my editor.

6. Tell us about a typical working day.
I’m an early riser, so I’m frequently up at 4 or 5 in the morning. After the recommended morning allowance of coffee, I’ll start working. If I’m in rough draft mode, I’ll usually do two or three multi-hour sessions in a day, taking breaks to clear my head. If I’m in planning or revision mode, then I tend to work in shorter bursts, catching up on all the things I put off while in rough draft mode. Even though I spend less time at the keyboard during this phase, my mind is almost always on the work, even when I’m asleep. Because I get so engrossed, I usually have to force myself to take a couple of days a month off, just to recharge my batteries. On those days, I throw myself into my crafts, usually playing with tiny bits of colored glass and beads. The results of those days off are often the prizes for the monthly contest that I run through my website.

7. We don’t want it to ever end but, how many books in all are planned for the Sentinel Wars?
My hope is that I’ll get the chance to write between 12 and 15 total, with a few shorter stories thrown in. If I get to do that, then I’ll have told all the stories I planned to tell and be able to finish off the series the way I envisioned when I started working on this series years ago. I built the series with a little wiggle room, giving me space to expand or contract as needed, but I’m currently on track to finish as planned.

8.Do you plan on anymore novellas for this series?
There’s certainly room for more novellas. And I love writing them, since they give me a chance to tell the stories of characters that wouldn’t otherwise get one. I guess we’ll have to see how things work out, but I’m always looking for chances to give every character a chance to shine.

9. Have you thought about your writing plans after you finish the Sentinel War Series?
Absolutely! I’ve already started work on three other series that are tons of fun. They’re in various stages of development and will not all make the cut. Those that don’t will never be read by anyone but me. Long story short, I definitely have other ideas—more than I’ll ever be able to write. That’s why I try to be picky about what I share with the world.

10. Now is the time to start planning that relaxing summer vacation that is just a few months away. Do you have plans for a special getaway for some fun this summer?
Mostly, I’m going to spend this summer working on some pet projects that might not otherwise make their way into my writing schedule. I might also take off some time for one of the big bead conventions or cruises I’ve always wanted to attend. They look like so much sparkly fun! My theory is that one can never have too many beads, and if I keep going the way I have been, I’ll be able to prove it.

Since launching her career in 2007, award-winning author 
Shannon K. Butcher has penned more than eighteen titles, including the paranormal romance series, the Sentinel Wars; the action-romance series, the Edge; and a handful of romantic suspense novels and works of short fiction. Being a former engineer and current nerd, she frequently uses charts, graphs and tables to aid her in the mechanics of story design and to keep track of all those pesky characters and magical powers. An avid beader and glass artist, she spends her free time playing with colored glass and beads.

Shannon's sites:  Website  Facebook   Google+  Twitter

Shannon is having a fabulous giveaway for us!

One follower will recieve a signed copy of

DYING WISH

And one lucky follower will win one of Shannon's handmade bracelet. (SO PRETTY!!!)

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