Meet Claire Davon, president of the Los Angeles chapter of RWA, LARA. And the author of a wonderful paranormal called Shifting Auras which came out last month from Soul Mate Publishing. My books are also published by Soul Mate. Since we were chapter-mates and fellow Soulies I immediately bought the book.
From my review:
Great Fantasy/Romantic Suspense
Shades of X-Men! Here is a brand new steamy romance series featuring mutants. Dueling US and Russian paranormal agencies with a wildcard new agency in the game. I can’t wait for the next book.
Claire's giving away an audio code for the paranormal Fire Danger at the end of this post.
Claire, please tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, everyone! My name is Claire Davon and I am a part-time writer with a full-time day job. I actually love both jobs so I am one of the fortunate ones. I write paranormal and contemporary romance across all heat levels and I also write science fiction, fantasy, horror, you name it and I have probably tried to write it (except crime stories, I have no talent for those). When I’m not writing or wrestling television distribution contracts I can be found doing animal rescue or just enjoying a rare few free moments at the movies.
I love firsts, so tell me about the moment when a publisher told you they wanted to publish your book.
I remember it so clearly. A new employee had just started and I was showing her one of our systems when my phone notified me I had a message from Samhain Publishing. I had sent them an R&R (revise/resubmit for those who don’t know) about a month prior so I knew this had to be an answer. I told her “I have to look at this” and pulled up my email. When I saw it was an acceptance to publish Fire Danger, the first in my Elementals series, I wanted to dance and sing. But of course bosses shouldn’t do that around new employees, so I just smiled and said “this is a great day” and went back to showing her the system. Now, later I got to sing and dance…
If it isn’t too nosy. How about the first time you kissed your true love?
Ah…a nice girl doesn’t kiss and tell (unless she’s writing about it!)
Other than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre?
Some of my writer heroines are ones I don’t read so much anymore. Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherilyn Kenyon and Christine Feehan formed the basis for my latent desire to write paranormal/fantasy and I devoured book after book of theirs. I still remember reading half a dozen Dark-Hunter books and thinking “yeah, that’s the stuff.”
For contemporary romance I am still in awe of Barbara Samuel O’Neal’s talent. I first discovered her as Ruth Wind and the combination of setting, mood, and emotion wowed me and continues to wow me to this day.
What is the most exciting moment, so far, in your writing career?
Well, definitely the story above is among my favorites but other than that I have to say that it was the days in which I decided that I was tired of saying I “was going” to write and got back to the business of writing. Before that I kept putting it off or fretting that I wasn’t good enough, blah blah blah but about six years ago I said “enough of this” and started writing again. I have never regretted it.
What is your favorite pastime, other than writing?
What is this thing you call free time? Haha. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of time between my job and staying focused on writing but when I do have that elusive thing I like to check out movies and certain TV shows. I tend to skew toward fantasy and science fiction, so the Star Wars movies, as well as Avengers and those sorts of things are among my favorites. Me too! I’m Geekish
How do you motivate yourself when inspiration takes a vacation?
I am one of those people who simply continue to write. I have had plenty of times when inspiration took a left turn when I took a right and I am staring at the screen going “I have no idea what to do.” But I have to stay focused because I have a demanding job and time is precious so I write no matter what. Even if I only keep 100 words out of my daily 1000 that’s a hundred more than I had the day before. My motivation is to see the words turn into chapters and turn into stories or novellas or novels day by day. I need to do what you are doing!
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
In the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross” Alec Baldwin’s character has his “ABCs” which are “always be closing.” My advice for new writers is “always be writing.” The only way to get better is to keep doing it. I found that as much as I thought my early work was the bomb dot com I could, and did, do better. Develop a daily practice of writing, however that looks, just to make sure that you have that routine going. Never be afraid to write messy but also be prepared to tear apart your darling and re-form them into something stronger.
Tell us about Shifting Auras. (I forgot to mention how much I love the cover.)
This book and this series has been so much fun to write. It started out as many of my stories do, with a half-remembered dream. Then it changed many times from the initial words to today’s story but the idea of a secret government agency that utilizes the extra powers of our heroes and heroines stuck with me. There actually was such an agency decades ago called the Stargate Project that tried to find evidence of ESP and other things. Really? Wow!
Maya, the psychic heroine, came from that dream. Our dishy telekinetic Ian took many twists and turns to become our British spy with a tragic backstory but I adore him. Below is the blurb and a short excerpt. Enjoy!
Blurb:
Maya Wingfield was raised to trust no one—least of all the dueling U.S. and Russian paranormal agencies, Universe and Night Stars, who’d love to harness her mind-reading gift.
She thought Richmond a safe place to escape their influence and hide from a rising psychic malevolence that drove her out of San Diego. But when she gets yet another call to retrieve her drunken roommate, her mind shows her an amber-eyed Universe operative with an impenetrable net around his deepest secret—and a voice that sends shock waves of awareness down her nerve endings.
Maya’s curves and aquamarine eyes aren’t the only things that jolt Ian Sanderson’s mental shields, bringing sexual tension thrumming back to life. It’s a power his Universe-trained mind knows he shouldn’t trust. And a vulnerability that makes his telekinetic power burn in his palms to protect her.
But to Universe, she is just one of too many unanswered questions. A target for Whisper, a shadowy new group of paranormals with powers beyond anything Universe has ever seen. Once before, Ian failed to protect a sensitive from a brain-scrambling attack. He will not fail again . . . if it means using his talent—or his body—to stop a bullet.
Excerpt:
They were out of the building and heading for the car before Maya focused on Ian.
“Thanks,” she said, a catch in her voice. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s all gone to sixes and sevens,” he said, pushing a hand through his hair, spiking it. “It’s been a long night. I’m chuffed to meet you. It’s been a while since I knew a sensitive.”
Maya tilted her head, turning it to the side as she studied him, her brow wrinkling. “Chuffed? That sounds bad.”
“Chuffed. Pleased.” He gestured to the red BMW SUV. Her eyes widened at the sight of the car, although she had seen it before. The events of the day had happened so fast that it was a blur in her mind.
“Bobbie got vomit on that?” she asked, gaping at the sleek machine. There was a streak of blistered paint down the side where he must have leaned Bobbie’s head out the window, so she could retch. This sort of expensive machine was out of reach for her limited funds. She told herself if she could have afforded something so well built the attractive exterior would have been nothing more than a bonus.
Ian pressed the unlock button, a chirping noise signaling the release of the alarm. “I’ll take it through a car wash. It’s unimportant.” He held open the passenger door and waited for Maya.
“Ian Sanderson, I’m not sure if I’m chuffed to meet you or not,” she said, using air quotes around the unfamiliar word as she did so. Too many emotions spun through her for her to be sure of anything. Maya’s stomach growled. “I do know I’m hungry. It’s been a long few days. Quillan suggested you feed me, and my stomach agrees. Are there any restaurants open at this hour?”
Maya kept a poker face when they wound up at the Waffle House. The cheap casual dining place didn’t seem like his style, with his fancy car and British terminology. His accent reminded her of James Bond, his appearance the recent blond version of the famous spy.
They settled in and ordered coffee. Maya was sure the brew would be undrinkable, but she needed the caffeine. His bright red car had no business in that parking lot. It was next to a pickup that had seen better days a decade ago, and a small American car of an unknown origin that sported dealer plates.
“I’ve never been to this place before,” she said, glancing around.
Ian wasn’t relaxed, as evidenced by his dark-blue aura. Even people great at hiding their body language couldn’t conceal their auras, and Ian didn’t try. As a member of Universe, he had to know she could see it. That strain of pink still ran through his, and she thought if she could see his groin he would be showing evidence of arousal. A fire burned low in her gut at the idea that he was still turned-on despite everything.
“That was a right dirty trick your roommate played,” Ian said. “You were a fool to trust her. You won’t live long in this world by being an idiot.”
“I know. Now.”
A tired-looking woman with cat-eye glasses and a careless updo approached them with a pad and a bored manner.
“What can I get ya?” she asked, popping a wad of gum.
“I recommend the waffles and bacon,” he said, pointing to a selection on the menu. “The pecan is delicious.”
Maya pursed her lips. Feelings danced on the edge of her awareness, a myriad of emotions coming from the sparse customers in the building.
They ordered coffee, and Maya turned back to Ian. “How could Bobbie do that to me? Why did she steal my money?”
“You know the answer to that, don’t you, luv?”
“Yes,” she said. “She wanted to leave me no options, so I would have to rely on Oriel. She betrayed me.”
“She did.”
Ian kept fit, judging by the shape of the muscles under the T-shirt and the nice arms she’d admired when he first showed up. Goosebumps came and went on her arms as awareness warred with fear in her mind. Ian wasn’t like her mental image of British men, with pallid skin and bad teeth. His skin was tanned, with dark-blond hair dotting his forearms and a bit peeking out from the blue short-sleeved button-down shirt he wore. He had the air of someone who spent time outdoors, which she wouldn’t have expected for someone in a shadow organization. There was nothing in Ian’s hard, fit body that suggested he spent much, if any, time behind a desk. Well, James Bond did a lot of running around, Ian must be the same. From their brief contact, she knew his muscles to be hard, and they filled out the shirt nicely. A sliding, silvery sensation shot down her spine, making her want to shiver from the awareness of him.
What’s your current WIP?
I never just have one WIP, that’s sort of my nature. Right now I am finishing a first draft for a paranormal novel that will go into a box set next year. It’s going to be the first of three books around the gorgons – and they’re the good guys. This has been a lot of fun to explore different mythology as well as Greek mythology and tweak the story of the gorgons to modern day. I am also working on editing the second Universe chronicles book and starting edits for a contemporary that I pitched at RWA Nationals. In addition, the third book in the Elementals series is in final proofreading so that I can self-publish it on October 1st. I also have short stories I am working on…you see how it goes! Wow! You deserve every success. That’s really awesome.
And finally, where can we find you?
Facebook, Twitter, website, all are good. I love to hear from people so feel free to reach out at any one of the links!
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Happy reading. I wish you all a week of unexpected joys.
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