Jessica McHugh is a talented author which I had the pleasure of interviewing. I would also like to take the time to showcase two of her current books....
Song of Eidolons:
Delaney Lortal is a unique breed of girl. She is well spoken, extremely well read, and highly ambitious for love, but it is not those qualities that make her so unique. It's not even because in twenty-two years of life, she has never set foot outside of her grandfather's house. What makes her so unique is the truth behind a mysterious secret that has made her the target of a clandestine Order called the Orisanima.
As wondrous as it is heartbreaking, Song of Eidolons follows Delaney's journey of enlightenment as she struggles to peel back the layers of deceit to discover the amazing truth about her origins.
The Sky: The World:
Who is Doctor Azaz?
It is the 19th Century, and Azazian England is at it's pinnacle. Aeroplanes rule the sky and crystalline technology has transformed life itself. But for stunt pilot Jack Racine, life is little more than an endless tailspin into liquor, laudanum, and loose women.
All that is about to change.
Jack Racine is about to have an audience with the architect of the age: the mysterious Doctor Azaz...
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a 29 year old who’s spent the majority of her adult life playing with pens. I’m a novelist, poet, playwright, and flash fictionalist, and I’ve had 11 books published by small presses in the past 4 years. My 12th book, PINS, will be released by Post Mortem Press in October 2012.
How did you get into writing and did you know you always know you wanted to be a writer?
I always loved using my imagination—whether I was writing down those stories or not—and when assigned to write one for school, I tackled the project with gusto. I still have some of those tales, going as far back as 2ndgrade.
I didn’t start writing seriously until I was 19. While work at a mall perfume kiosk for 11 hours a day (one that sold little perfume), so I didn’t have much to do but read and write. At that time, I was struck by a huge wave of inspiration, and, thankfully, that deluge has never stopped. There is nothing in this world I love more than writing, but I could never write as well as I do without having people in my life I love just as much.
Tell us a little about your book?
“The Sky: The World” is a neo-Victorian adventure (or steampunk, if you prefer) that follows Captain Jack Racine’s life after the untimely death of his brother. In Azazian England, planes own the sky and children are born through picofertilization, all thanks to the architect of the age, the mysterious man known as Doctor Azaz. When Jack Racine is tapped by Doctor Azaz to finish his brother’s secret mission, he is hesitant—mostly because he’d rather smoke opium and sleep with his co-pilot, Harlow Haddix. But behind Jack’s rough exterior…well, there’s a rough interior, too. Can Doctor Azaz change his mind about the mission, or will Jack disappear into despair, drugs, and dames?
“Song of Eidolons” is a slipstream fantasy tale. Slivers of otherworldliness are inserted into a story about a girl named Delaney who is kept inside her grandfather’s house for 22 years. At first, she thinks this is normal for everyone, but when she when she figures out it isn’t, her adventure to discover the secrets of her imprisonment really begins. This is a story I try to not to spill too much about—it is also my favorite story I’ve yet written. It will be re-released in October by eTreasures Publishing with a new cover and new revisions.
How did you come up with the concept for your book?
“The Sky: The World” was somewhat inspired by an idea my husband had. He gave me the idea to play with, but after a few days of brainstorming, it evolved into something completely different. I actually forgot to submit a dedication for that book, so I’d like to take this time to thank my husband Dave McHugh for inspiring me to write this book. Hell, you inspire me to write every book, just by supporting me as much as you do. I owe the essence of “The Sky: The World” to Dave McHugh.
I wrote “Song of Eidolons” after “Camelot Lost,” so I was still on a legend kick. Originally, I starting writing a story about Irish legend, Fionn MacCool, but during my research, I realized that I didn’t want to write yet another interpretation of a famous legend. I wanted to write a story about the power of legends.
“Song of Eidolons” was one of those stories that happened all on its own. I didn’t have the slightest hiccup. The book poured out of me like it wanted to be written, and it’s still my favorite story to this day. There’s actually a re-release happening in October. I’m cleaning up some of the prose and the cover has been redone. I’m really looking forward to it.
What authors inspired you?
Roald Dahl is (and has always been) my favorite author and inspiration, although our novel styles couldn’t be more different. Our short stories, however, do share a bit of the same macabre twist. I’m also hugely inspired by Bret Easton Ellis, Anne Rice, and Warren Ellis.
What is your favorite book of all time?
“The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norman Juster. Every sentence in that book possesses a musical assonance that captivates me every time I read it. And I read it a lot.
Who is your favorite fictional character of all time?
Matilda Wormwood from Dahl’s “Matilda” is pretty excellent. I definitely identified with her hunger for books when I was a kid. Plus, I always wanted her powers of telekinesis!
Okay, desert island time…if you could be stranded on a desert island with any fictional character who would it be and why?
Well, if I’m stranded, I guess I’d need a man around for company…I’ll go with Michael Curry from Anne Rice’s “The Mayfair Witches” series. I always found him really sexy, but he also seemed really sweet and considerate. Michael seems like the kind of guy who would give you a hot night, and then, bring you ice cream in bed.
What do you have coming up for the future?
My newest novel “PINS” will be released in October 2o12. Along with promoting that, I’m writing extensions for my historical fiction “Verses of Villainy,” working on the 2nd novel in my YA series “Darla Decker Takes the Cake,” and I’m always writing short stories and flash fiction for anthologies. I’ve already started writing bits and pieces, but I hope to start writing my bizarro sci-fi novel “The Green Kangaroos” full-time in a few months.
Tell us something unusual about yourself?
I write funny insults to myself when I’m editing my manuscripts. Sometimes I get lazy when I’m editing, and instead of actually fixing the problem I’ll just write “FIX” or “MORE.” But I might call myself a silly derogatory name in order to force myself to do the actual fixing—and to make myself laugh.
Paranormal Authors:
Do you prefer paranormal/supernatural genre books over others?
What pulled you towards the paranormal genre?
Did any other paranormal books inspire you to write your own?
Where can we find your work?
All of my books are available on Amazon, and most of them are on Kindle. They’re also at Barnes and Noble, the publishers’ websites, and various other places that pop up when you Google “Jessica McHugh.”
Where can we find you?
I’m frequently on Facebook (www.facebook.com/author.JessicaMcHugh), Twitter (theJessMcHugh), and bouncing around my website and blog (www.JessicaMcHughBooks.com & http://mcnito.blogspot.com). I love to interact with fans, so feel free to find me at any of those places!
Thank you so much for having me, and thanks for the wonderful questions. Happy reading, and THINK IN INK!
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