Shona Husk Interview

I am so excited to have author Shona Husk with me here today!  Her book, The Goblin King (review here) is on shelves now and is fantastic!

A Bookworm’s Haven (ABWH): Can you start out by telling us a little bit about The Goblin King for those who might not have read it yet?

Shona Husk (SH): When Eliza summons the Goblin King for help, she gets more than what she bargained for; she gets a warrior who is losing his grip on his soul. Roan was cursed two thousand years ago and damned to the Shadowlands as a goblin. But breaking the curse will take more than a kiss.

(ABWH): On your website you talk about getting your ideas from myths you like to explore further.  Is there are particular story you drew the inspiration for The Goblin King from?

SH: I’ve always liked the story of Beauty and the Beast. Given that goblins are hideous it seemed natural to give Eliza a choice been a human with a monster’s heart and a monster with a heart of gold.

(ABWH): Do you have a favorite scene from The Goblin King:

SH: I have a few favorite scenes—like the first time Eliza sees him as a goblin, and accepts that is part of who he is. But I also love Roan’s confrontations with the druid who wrongly cursed him.

(ABWH): If you could describe Roan and Eliza in just three words (each), what would they be?

SH: Roan—loyal, dangerous, fearsome. Eliza—kind, brave, growing-in-to-herself (hyphens make it one word, right?)

(ABWH): We get to know Roan really well in this book, but we also get a peek at his brother Dai.  On your website you mention future books, is Dai going to be the focus of one of those books? *keeps fingers crossed*

SH: *grin* I’ve just updated my website. Dai is the hero of book two: Kiss of the Goblin Prince. He was a very interesting hero to write, but he does have to work for his HEA with Amanda. (He also has an awesome cover)

For the Love of a Goblin Warrior is Meryn’s struggle to regain his humanity after giving into the curse and being a goblin for hundreds of years.

(ABWH): The Goblin King features goblins as the paranormal creatures in the limelight.  If you could be a paranormal creature which one would you choose to be and why?

SH: That depends on the day and what I’m writing . Every creature has its downsides. So while I’d love to be able to shapeshift, if it was the painful, uncontrolled, George-from-Being-Human type shift, that wouldn’t be cool. Using magic would be fun, but is there a price?

(ABWH): On your website you talk about discovering romance novels, do you like to read them as well as write them?  Are there any authors/series that you must have when they come out?

SH: Yes, I love reading romance novels (and novellas)—I don’t know why it took me so long to discover them. I love Denise Rossetti’s erotic fantasy romances, and I’ve just started the Dark Age Dawning series by Ellen Conner which I’m really enjoying. I really like a series with an end, and an overarching plot which I think that comes from growing up on a feast of fantasy novels.

(ABWH): Are you a plotter or a panster? Do you plot your stories ahead of writing? Or do you write and see what happens? (Writing “by the seat of your pants”.)

SH: I plot. I like to get to know my characters before I start writing so I spend time working out their backstory and their personality and trying to understand what they want—that doesn’t mean I don’t discover new things when I’m writing but it does give me a framework. It’s the same with the story, I always know the big turning points…but I don’t always know how I’m going to get there.

 (ABWH): Can you share what you are working on right now?

SH: I’m working on a couple of new stories at the moment. One draws on Celtic mythology, the other Norse. At the moment both projects are in the proposal stage, but it’s exciting to be building new worlds and meeting new heroes . And I’m working on a couple of novellas, one in the same world as Dark Vow (November 14, Carina Press).

(ABWH): Do you have anything you would like to add?

SH: I’m looking forward to coming to the US next year for the RT convention, plus a couple of weeks of sightseeing.

Thank you so much for coming by today Shona!  I am so excited for the next book in the series, especially now that I know it is Dai!  ;)  Are you interested in reading The Goblin King?  Here is a little more info about the book and Shona.

THE GOBLIN KING BY SHONA HUSK – IN STORES OCTOBER 2011

Once Upon a Time…

A man was cursed to the Shadowlands, his heart replaced with a cold lump of gold. In legends, he became known as… The Goblin King.

For a favored few he will grant a wish. Yet, desperately clinging to his waning human soul, his one own desire remains unfulfilled… A Willing Queen.

But who would consent to move from the modern-day world into the realm of nightmares? No matter how intoxicating his touch, no matter how deep his valor, loving him is dangerous. And the one woman who might dare to try could also destroy forever his chance at a … Happily Ever After.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debut author Shona Husk is a civil designer by day and an author by night. She lives in Western Australia and through history, myth and imagination she creates heroes that are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold-sometimes literally.  For more information on Shona and The Goblin King, and where to download the FREE prequel, The Summons, please visit: http://www.shonahusk.com/.