Urban Fantasy Investigations: Interview & Giveaway: The Midnight Court by Jane Kindred

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Interview & Giveaway: The Midnight Court by Jane Kindred

UFI welcomes Jane Kindred Author of The House of Arkhangel’sk series. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

Well, I feel like I’ve repeated myself a lot by this point, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t mentioned that I spent every Saturday at midnight for a year in college dancing and singing in my underwear—otherwise known as playing Janet Weiss in my local Rocky Horror Picture Show cast. (Does that even happen anymore? How badly have I just aged myself with this admission?)

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

Writing full time and working a full-time day job doesn’t leave much room for anything else, but I love anything sci-fi or fantasy related, so I manage to fit in my favorite shows, like Dr. Who, Supernatural, Lost Girl, and Once Upon a Time, and if there’s a superhero movie playing (especially if there are a whole bunch of them in a row), I’m there.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

I have to admit, I probably enjoy torturing my characters more than I should, but it’s the end result of it that I love more, which is bringing my characters some joy after a long stretch of darkness. Tearing apart two characters who love each other and then bringing them back together is even better. I love writing a reunion scene—otherwise known as kissing and making up.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

I don’t really have any must-follow routines, but I like to have a good cup of tea at least once during a writing session. Usually, I write in the evenings, so that generally means a midnight cup of decaf Earl Grey or vanilla black with some hazelnut wafers, or if I’m writing in the afternoon on a weekend or day off, I’ll have a cup of imperial green or a nice Russian black.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

Right now, my two favorites are Allison Pang’s series about the fae, starting with A Brush of Darkness (I don’t think the series has an official name) and Diana Rowland’s Demon Summoner series.

How would you pitch the House of Arkhangel'sk series to someone who has not heard of it before?

It’s essentially a dark retelling of The Snow Queen mixed with Anastasia. Add some angels and demons, a little romance, modern-day St. Petersburg, and a bit of BDSM.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the series is set in?

The fantasy setting of the series is my own version of the seven Heavens as a rough mirror of the Russian Empire of the late 19th/early 20th centuries. My favorite part of the celestial setting is the Demon District of Raqia, where the Fallen live. There’s also a good portion of the story set in the real world, namely the Russian Federation.

Do you have a favorite scene in The Midnight Court?

That would have to be one involving my demons Belphagor and Vasily. Since it’s near the end of the book, I can’t go into any specifics, but suffice it to say, Vasily, the bottom in the BDSM relationship, finally gets what he’s been asking for.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

It’s a toss-up between Belphagor and Vasily for favorite. Vasily is a lot of fun, because as a firespirit, his emotions are always at the surface and he says whatever he’s thinking. Despite being hotheaded, he also has a surprising vulnerability that makes him really endearing to me. Belphagor, on the other hand, plays things close to the vest, but he’s a bit of a smartass, and gets himself into trouble because he thinks he knows what’s best for everyone. I think Anazakia was the hardest to write, because she’s very internal about everything, constantly second-guessing herself and everyone around her.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

The third novel in the House of Arkhangel’sk trilogy, The Armies of Heaven, is due out next May, and I’ve just finished the first draft of a second Arkhangel’sk trilogy. I also have another series that’s been sidelined a bit by my work on this one, beginning with the prequel novella, The Devil’s Garden, released in June 2011. I hope to be able to get back to work on the rest of the novels in that series in the near future.

Thanks so much for having me again on Urban Fantasy Investigations!

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Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.

She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.

Find Jane and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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The Midnight Court
The House of Arkhangel’sk #2

Against the pristine ice of Heaven, spilled blood and a demon’s fire will spark celestial war.

The exiled heir to the throne of Heaven, Grand Duchess Anazakia, and her demon companions, Belphagor and Vasily, have made a comfortable home in the Russian city of Arkhangel’sk, but their domestic bliss is short lived. When their daughter, Ola, is taken as a pawn in Heaven’s demon revolution, the delicate fabric of their unorthodox family is torn apart—threatening to separate Belphagor and Vasily for good.

Anazakia is prepared to move Heaven and Earth to get her daughter back from Queen Aeval, risen in Elysium from the ashes of temporary defeat. But Aeval isn’t the only one seeking Ola’s strange power.

To conquer the forces amassing against them, Anazakia is prophesied to sacrifice one close to her heart, while Vasily’s fire will prove more potent than anyone suspected. In the ultimate battle for supremacy over Heaven’s empire, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed, but love will reign supernal.