Interviews & Guest Posts

Lori Strongin’s ParaNorms Dream About Being Millionaires

Today, we have a few special guests at Fictitious Musings. Lori Strongin, author of Bite Me or the Obvious Title for a Novel About a Vampire and a Werewolf, has sent the ParaNorms of New York by to tell us what they would do with a million dollars. These boys are a unique bunch and I’m eager to see what kind of answers they’ll come up with. It will definitely be interesting.

Welcome to Fictitious Musings, ParaNorms.

So what would you guys do with a million dollars?

If I Had a Million Dollars

I think the most dangerous thing anyone could do would be to give these the boys of Bite Me a million dollars.  They have the emotional maturity of paper.  Heck, even Gertie—the ghost of a five year old girl who lives on a hanger in Talbot’s closet—is more grown up than they are.

But for the sake of Fictitious Musings’ readers, we’re gonna let the fangs and fur fly and see what happens.

Talbot:

Oh, um, a million dollars?!  Jeez, I don’t know.  Buy one of those Marc Newson nickel-plated surfboards, I guess.  Though, it I wiped out, it’d probably end up being the roof of someone’s dugout shelter 15 miles down the coast.  So, maybe buy my own Xbox so I don’t have to wonder what the heck’s all over Brennan’s controller whenever I borrow it.  And totally buy my mom a bigger house.  My sisters still live at home and scoring uninterrupted bathroom time was rare.  Having more land to howl at the moon without the neighbors being all in our business would be nice, too.

Julian:

After this latest bout with that so-called slayer, I would divert funds into the best ward-builders in the ParaNorm world.  Then, of course, I would hire contractors to fix the damage done during the…incident, before my parents could learn of what transpired.  Perhaps I’d even add a shade dome over the mansion so my clan and I can enjoy the gardens without immolating ourselves in the sunlight.  It goes without saying that I’d donate sizeable sums to worthy charities, like Friends for Fangs and the Vampiric Awareness in Media Program.  And, in order to prepare myself for the various charity balls and public outreach events I’d likewise be required to attend, I would need to ensure I looked the part and thus I plan to purchase the entire fall lines from Versace and Armani.

Brennan:

The Lakers.  I’d buy the Lakers.  And the Laker Girls.

Fletcher:

Can I buy the Kremlin?  No?  Well how ‘bout a liquor store so I can load up on SoCo whenever the mood strikes.  Nah, that’s too bourgeoisie.  My own personal zamboni machine would be kind of awesome.  I’d take that thing out on the street after it snows and mow down hydrants and old cars and stuff.  Oh, and a wood chipper!  Hmm, I wonder what would happen if a certain vampire accidently got a little too close to the chute…

About Lori

Inspired by the likes of Joss Whedon and Piers Anthony, and fueled by the power of chai lattes, author Lori T. Strongin is a firm believer that, “Normal is Overrated.” She’s an avid reader, a hard-core Taurus with a love for elves, zombie squirrels, and cannibalistic cotton balls, and can usually be found glued to her laptop, killing people.
Lori is an English/Creative Writing honors graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and is the author of more than a dozen creepy and warped tales—most containing fairly high body counts. She has been published in several literary journals, trade magazines, and anthologies, including Forbidden Speculation, Tales of the Talisman, Renard’s Menagerie, Shadows of the Emerald City, Encounters, and most recently in Aoife’s Kiss. Additionally, her debut YA urban fantasy novel, Bite Me, is now available from Mundania Press.Born and bred on the Jersey Shore–not that Jersey Shore–Lori currently lives in theme park central—otherwise known as Central Florida—where she spends her days fending off the most dangerous of creatures: tourists.

Character Interview with Delilah Gray from Otherwise by Jennifer White

 

Today, we have a very special guest at Fictitious Musings. Delilah Gray, the main character  of Otherwise, is here to answer a handful of questions about her exciting, adventurous tale full of the paranormal.

Welcome to Fictitious Musings, Delilah.

Full Name
Delilah Gray

Favorite Color:
I don’t really have a favorite color. My daughter loves the color “Pepto Bismol” pink, though. I like lots of colors, like flowered patterns.

Favorite food:
Anything fresh or homemade, but I especially love peaches when they’re perfectly ripe and in season in the summer time.

Most embarrassing moment
Maybe it wasn’t my most embarrassing moment, but as a kid, it leaves an impression. In third grade a boy named Brian Falmouth—nick-named “Cheeky” because his pants somehow failed to stay on his waist—became infatuated with me. He brought flowers and candy to school for me, left love notes in my desk… then he carved our names on a tree outside Green Lake Elementary. The more I ignored him, the more he pursued me. In third grade, it’s definitely embarrassing when the geekiest kid falls madly in love with you. One day when we were alone, I kissed him. I mean, I laid one on him really good. That pretty much ended our relationship.

If you had one wish, what would it be? 
My wish was always an uncomplicated one—to be loved for who I am, have a family, and create a life that revolves around simple pleasures in that.

Favorite kind of music:
Joni Mitchell. She’s one of the best singer-songwriters in folk music—maybe in all genres of music! Her voice is hypnotic and her lyrics capture the complex nuances of love. She understands suffering and the human condition. It’s why her music makes you feel.

If you could have a special power what would it be and why:
Here’s the thing—I think most people believe special powers are something you’re born with, or maybe acquire in some way. What if it was offered to you? (Think of it like a like a job—it comes with hard work, but there are perks in the form of special powers.) Would you take the job? I’ve had that happen, but I can’t say much more about it, since I haven’t decided if I’ll take the position yet.

What is the hardest part about moving back to your childhood home?
I moved away, and never, ever expected to come back. I think that’s the hardest part, is to discover that in order for you to move forward, sometimes you have to go back.

Do you believe in the supernatural? Why?
Yes. In a way, I had no choice. I grew up in a town called Green Lake. There’s a group of psychic investigators that discovered that my town and two of the surrounding towns—Tolland and Litchfield Falls—formed a “paranormal” triangle.  They wrote a book called, The Green Lake Triangle, where they documented their “findings.” Supposedly, there was a disproportionate amount of fatal illnesses like cancer, and violent acts like murder and suicide in our towns.  They also said Green Lake was a portal, of sorts, to the world of the supernatural.

So, from a young age, I was kind of exposed to the paranormal. When I got older and returned to Green Lake, uncanny things started happening that can only be described as supernatural occurrences. After a while, you can’t deny what’s right in front of you.

Delilah, you met a very mysterious and hot guy named Shane, what did you like most and least about him?
The first time I met Shane, he had a shovel in one hand and a dead cat at his feet. Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of him, aside from the fact that he looked like a movie star and had a strange way of phrasing things. But, I was instantly drawn to him—like I’d known him forever.

What bothered me most about him was his comings and goings… all on his own timetable, without any regard for anyone else. It was beyond frustrating. I was taking it personally. While he seems so kind, I can’t say I trust my instincts when it comes to men. I haven’t made the best decisions in that respect.

You shared a very passionate moment with Shane recently do you kiss and tell?
I don’t normally talk about my love life, but I really have enjoyed our interview… so, I’ll tell you this much—kissing Shane for the first time was like a tidal wave of emotion. The softest, most gentle lips pressed against mine was utter perfection. That kiss felt like it stayed on my lips for an eternity.

Ghosts play a big part in Otherwise; do you have any advice for someone that’s being haunted?
Find out who’s haunting you and why. Like the living, never assume you know the motivations of the dead.

Winnie is a very unusual woman, what do you think is the most unusual thing about her?
In ways, Winnie Hunter isn’t unusual at all. She’s a senior citizen who has a group of friends she’s known since high school. Although she’s far from perfect, she works hard at her life, she’s opinionated and fearless. She doesn’t apologize for who she is, or the decisions she’s made in life.  She’s the kind of person I like, because the more you get to know her, the more interesting she is—and the more you like her. She’s definitely an onion, with lots of layers. And her occupation, outside of owning Blossom & Age Floral & Antique Shop in town, is definitely extraordinary.

When Zombies Collide: Hubby guest posts with Jesse Petersen

Dead Man Walking and Married with Zombies

Hey gang! Just wanted to let you know that hubby has a guest post today with Jesse Petersen, the author of Married with Zombies, Flip this Zombie, and Eat Slay Love. You can check out Marty’s review of Married with Zombies here.

I hope you stop by Jesse’s website for a little bit to say hi and check out their dual debut – It’s Marty’s first time to do a guest post and it’s Jesse’s first time to have a guest poster on her blog. Isn’t that sweet? Hubby got to be her first.

Hmmmm…. something about that last bit doesn’t sound quite right :P