UFI welcomes author Brantwijn Serrah. 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?
I am an avid convention attendee and a little bit of an autograph hound. But I usually collect signatures on unique items instead of photographs: I have created fan art for The Dresden Files signed by Jim Butcher, and for Torchwood signed by John Barrowman. I have custom My Little Ponies of Invader Zim and Gir, both signed by the show creator and voice actors, a custom Weird Al pony signed by the man himself, custom Hermes from Futurama, Penny from Dr. Horrible, and—my personal pride and joy—I have a custom My Little Pony Demona, signed by Marina Sirtis.
What do you enjoy doing on your down time?
It's probably no surprise I like to create Custom My Little Ponies.
What is your Favorite part of writing?
The characters. I love it when they really take off and start exhibiting their own personalities, tone, and habits. I sometimes envision this big, wide, old-west style saloon in my head where my mains hang out after hours and talk about their lives (and fight over whose story gets my attention next).
Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?
If I have a case of writer's block, I pause to listen to an audiobook or some music, or I draw. Sometimes if the writing is there but it's stubborn or sluggish, I find myself retreating to my fortress of solitude (a.k.a. my master bedroom, where I cuddle with my cat, turn off the lights and lie on my stomach to clack away on my laptop). That helps me focus in a bit.
What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?
Jim Butcher is probably my favorite in the genre, followed by Kresley Cole. Stephen King is an old favorite from my high school and college days. I'm picking up a lot more Indie authors lately, too, and I'm quite fond of Rebekah Lewis, Torie James and Decadent Kane, as series writers.
How would you pitch Angel's Keeping to someone who has not heard of it before?
Have you ever wondered how a succubus servant of Hell celebrates Christmas?
Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Angel's Keeping is set in?
Angel's Keeping is a short story within my Blood and Fire series (it is a stand-alone, however, so readers can read it with or without knowing any of the other books or characters).
The Blood and Fire world provides the setting for most—though not all—of my vampire, werewolf and demon stories, including Angel's Keeping, Bad Dreams, and my full-length novel, Lotus Petals. The defining characteristic of this world is the existence of The Blood Circle: a collection of five demon races, led by their respective Councilmen, in service to a king called the Drogh Lord. Demons in this world worship strength, and demons who are born into it—literally born, as in, from a demon womb—represent a lower caste shunned by others of their kind.
Do you have a favorite scene in Angel's Keeping?
There's a moment for Raschael, who is a very focused and businesslike demon, where she is faced with a very emotional truth, and as a result she opens up to a very vulnerable part of herself. I've always particularly loved that scene, and her inner monologue during it.
Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?
I loved writing Kyriel in this story, a succubus who is everything a succubus shouldn't be. She's soft, shy, sweet, and small. Around here we like to call her, "the littlest succubus". She has such a great way of getting other characters to soften up, too.
The book also includes a supporting character, Brynna, who is the "right hand" of the incubi king. Her tone is very icy, very clipped, very proper. She wasn't really all that hard to get into, but to phrase her dialogue correctly, so she wouldn't become too stilted, took some doing.
What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?
Now that November is done and National Novel Writing Month is out of the way, I'll be starting edits on Satin and Steel, the next Blood and Fire novel and the sequel to Lotus Petals. I'm also working on writing Elvyn Nights, the sequel to Goblin Fires.
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In addition to her novels, Brantwijn has had several stories published in anthologies by Breathless Press, including the 2013 Crimson Anthology and 2014 Ravaged Anthology. She's also had a short story published in the Cleiss Press Big Book of Orgasm and the anthology Coming Together Through The Storm. She hopes to have several more tales to tell as time goes on. She has author pages on GoodReads and Amazon, and loves to see reader comments on her work. Her short stories occasionally pop up at Foreplay and Fangs, her blog at http://brantwijn.blogspot.com
Find Brantwijn and her books
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Angel's KeepingA Blood and Fire Novella
Buy Link
Why would the King of Incubi send one of his spies out on Christmas Eve? Unless it is to break her heart...__________________________________
As a succubus, preying on humans is Raschael's business, and mortal holidays are a frivolous waste of time. So maybe her king meant to punish her when he sent her out to hunt on Christmas Eve. Or maybe he just wanted her far, far away, so he could banish Raschael's one trusted friend.
Your little pet has run off.
Now Raschael must track down a missing fallen angel, and she doesn't have a clue where to start. Bigger predators are closing in, and Rasche's only lead is a Christmas stripper named Noelle.
Excerpt:
The waitress ditched her tray of drinks and took Rasche by the hand, leading her into one of the back rooms. The Christmas theme survived even in the private show quarters, though with a more generous degree of triple-X action. The small space Raschael's escort chose had been decorated with garlands and wreaths, and a stocking hung by the door, but on top of the holiday trimmings there were also striking boudoir pictures. They all contained the same sweet, golden angel, but in much less "angelic" form.
Raschael spun to address the woman personally. "Who are you?"
By way of answer, the woman nodded her head at the bright red stocking. Noelle, it read in sapphire blue, glittery letters across the trim.
"Noelle?" Rasche asked. "Really?"
"Yes, really," Noelle replied with a brilliant smile. "It really is my God-given name. Honest."
"All right, Noelle, then about Kyrie––"
"Oh, now, now."
Noelle took Rasche's hand again, stroking her fingers, and led her to the soft red leather seat stationed in the center of the room. She gestured for Raschael to sit and, before Raschael could stop her, climbed expertly up into the succubae's lap.
"First thing's first, gorgeous. How about we get a little more...intimate?"
She raised a hand and snapped her fingers. The faded strains of Blink 182 from the main room became inaudible, as Lady Gaga's "Speechless" flowed into the room's own speakers. Noelle lowered herself over Raschael's body, rocking in time with the sultry piano, wrapping arms around the fallen one's neck.
Forgetting herself for the briefest of moments, Raschael closed her eyes and let the first swell of carnal desire stir to life in her loins and chest. The dancer didn't stop her when she lifted up her hands and cupped them over warm, soft buttocks.
Noelle smelled of warm vanilla. She had a luscious body, petite with classic curves, Renaissance in a way...but with eyes closed, Raschael's mind made her Kyriel, little and lithe and naughty. Under her hands, Noelle's plump hindquarters might have been Kyrie's slim, boyish ass instead, and the sweet scent of heather rose up with the remembered sounds of Kyrie's intoxicated desire, from earlier in the evening. Rasche lowered her face to nuzzle against a plentiful swell of tender breasts, and she sighed before she could stop herself, moving her body against the other woman's with yearning.
"Why don't you tell me about your friend," Noelle whispered against her ear, gyrating ever-so-delightfully against Raschael's body. "Why are you out searching for her on Christmas Eve, hm?"
"She ran away," Raschael said. Her palms caressed the dancer's ass greedily. "And I'm responsible for bringing her back before she gets in trouble."
Noelle tsk'd her. "Now, now, Raschael. You make her out to be some sort of bad puppy."
The dancer extended a leg and swung herself neatly around, facing away now to grind her pert little rear down on the succubae's lap instead. Noelle's hands stole to hers and guided them up to stroke tits through gauzy white fabric. Raschael's fingertips found stiffened nipples, and she teased them through the thin material.
"Who told you my name?" she asked. "Kyrie?"
"Mm, could be..."
Noelle's hands closed, warm, over Rasche's own, as the dancer welcomed her to knead, stroke, and caress. Rasche inclined her head to breathe in deep, relishing the scent of beautiful blonde hair.
"Listen, honey," she whispered. "I'm sure as hell enjoying this, and if I had the time to spare I'd be all over you in ways you can't even conceive."
"Mm-hm," Noelle replied. Her hips rolled in languid, mesmerizing rhythm, and Rasche let out a little growl as she returned the the motion in kind.
"Oh, sweetness, I'd fuck you until you couldn't stand," she said. "But not now. You're going to tell me if you've seen my girl, and where she is, and then we'll see about making it up to you. Sound good?"
The waitress ditched her tray of drinks and took Rasche by the hand, leading her into one of the back rooms. The Christmas theme survived even in the private show quarters, though with a more generous degree of triple-X action. The small space Raschael's escort chose had been decorated with garlands and wreaths, and a stocking hung by the door, but on top of the holiday trimmings there were also striking boudoir pictures. They all contained the same sweet, golden angel, but in much less "angelic" form.
Raschael spun to address the woman personally. "Who are you?"
By way of answer, the woman nodded her head at the bright red stocking. Noelle, it read in sapphire blue, glittery letters across the trim.
"Noelle?" Rasche asked. "Really?"
"Yes, really," Noelle replied with a brilliant smile. "It really is my God-given name. Honest."
"All right, Noelle, then about Kyrie––"
"Oh, now, now."
Noelle took Rasche's hand again, stroking her fingers, and led her to the soft red leather seat stationed in the center of the room. She gestured for Raschael to sit and, before Raschael could stop her, climbed expertly up into the succubae's lap.
"First thing's first, gorgeous. How about we get a little more...intimate?"
She raised a hand and snapped her fingers. The faded strains of Blink 182 from the main room became inaudible, as Lady Gaga's "Speechless" flowed into the room's own speakers. Noelle lowered herself over Raschael's body, rocking in time with the sultry piano, wrapping arms around the fallen one's neck.
Forgetting herself for the briefest of moments, Raschael closed her eyes and let the first swell of carnal desire stir to life in her loins and chest. The dancer didn't stop her when she lifted up her hands and cupped them over warm, soft buttocks.
Noelle smelled of warm vanilla. She had a luscious body, petite with classic curves, Renaissance in a way...but with eyes closed, Raschael's mind made her Kyriel, little and lithe and naughty. Under her hands, Noelle's plump hindquarters might have been Kyrie's slim, boyish ass instead, and the sweet scent of heather rose up with the remembered sounds of Kyrie's intoxicated desire, from earlier in the evening. Rasche lowered her face to nuzzle against a plentiful swell of tender breasts, and she sighed before she could stop herself, moving her body against the other woman's with yearning.
"Why don't you tell me about your friend," Noelle whispered against her ear, gyrating ever-so-delightfully against Raschael's body. "Why are you out searching for her on Christmas Eve, hm?"
"She ran away," Raschael said. Her palms caressed the dancer's ass greedily. "And I'm responsible for bringing her back before she gets in trouble."
Noelle tsk'd her. "Now, now, Raschael. You make her out to be some sort of bad puppy."
The dancer extended a leg and swung herself neatly around, facing away now to grind her pert little rear down on the succubae's lap instead. Noelle's hands stole to hers and guided them up to stroke tits through gauzy white fabric. Raschael's fingertips found stiffened nipples, and she teased them through the thin material.
"Who told you my name?" she asked. "Kyrie?"
"Mm, could be..."
Noelle's hands closed, warm, over Rasche's own, as the dancer welcomed her to knead, stroke, and caress. Rasche inclined her head to breathe in deep, relishing the scent of beautiful blonde hair.
"Listen, honey," she whispered. "I'm sure as hell enjoying this, and if I had the time to spare I'd be all over you in ways you can't even conceive."
"Mm-hm," Noelle replied. Her hips rolled in languid, mesmerizing rhythm, and Rasche let out a little growl as she returned the the motion in kind.
"Oh, sweetness, I'd fuck you until you couldn't stand," she said. "But not now. You're going to tell me if you've seen my girl, and where she is, and then we'll see about making it up to you. Sound good?"
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