Blood is Forever
Asta IdoneaNineStar Press
3 June 2019
74,000 words
MM/Paranormal Romance/Murder Mystery
Sometimes catching a murderer means risking one's heart.
As a fae-vampire hybrid, scorned by all, Holden’s life has never been easy. The one bright spot is his job testing blood at supernatural crime scenes. It’s routine work, until the day he finds a victim he can’t read.
When one murder becomes two, and then three, it’s clear there’s a serial killer on the loose—one with a penchant for collecting hearts. Finding the bad guy could cement Holden’s career, but he’s drawing a blank. And it doesn’t help that the expert his boss calls in to assist him is the man Holden’s been crushing on for years.
With lives hanging in the balance, Holden and Val must solve the case before the killer strikes again. But will they come out with their hearts still intact?
SoundCloud Excerpt: https://soundcloud.com/nickijmarkus/blood-is-forever-by-asta-idonea-audioexcerpt
YouTube Excerpt: https://youtu.be/CuYWU05z_8w
NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/blood-is-forever/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S8Y4J15
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S8Y4J15
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/blood-is-forever-1
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131770704?ean=2940161326251
Interview
Let’s start by telling us, in twenty words, or less, what your book’s about.
Blood Is Forever is a tale about overcoming prejudice, set against the backdrop of a paranormal murder mystery.
What was it that led you to write in the genre(s) you write?
I write a few different genres, but my main focus is fantasy/paranormal (whether contemporary or historical), and that’s probably because I love to read and watch those kinds of stories too. I find it easier to fire up my imagination if there are fantastical elements. Writing contemporary tales is a lot harder for me, unless there’s a prompt of some kind.
Are your books character led or plot led, or both?
It really depends on the story. In pieces written in response to themes/open calls, I’d say plot takes the lead. However, works that come to me independently tend to start with characters, and they then influence the plot.
What is your favourite part of the writing process?
Getting that first draft down and discovering the characters and their story.
What is your least favourite part of the writing process
The final proofread. By then, I know the story so well it’s hard to spot any remaining typos, and you always end up missing one or two.
If you could have one wish what would it be?
I’d love to have the opportunity to go back in time to the late 18th century and meet some of my idols from that period. If we are talking more materialistically, I’d wish to win the lottery--enough that I could live off the interest from my investments and dedicate myself to writing and all my hobbies and interests without having to work.
What's your deepest fear?
Growing old.
If I came to dinner what would you feed me?
Assuming I’m the one doing the cooking (which is something I hate), it would probably be a pasta dish of some kind.
Which of your characters would you like to be sharing the dinner table with us?
Val, if we are talking about from this book. He’s cultured and charming and would be excellent company.
Tell us in the character’s own words, what he/she would have to say about you.
Nicki is a great conversationalist; although, she can be a little intense.
What would they say (again in their own words) about themselves, and their story that will make us want to read about them?
I’m someone used to presenting a mask to the world. It’s how I’ve always survived and I do it well. However, the events related in this story forced me to confront the truth about myself and my past. It wasn’t easy, but I think I came out the other side a better person for it.
Which other fictional character(s) would you like to be present at the dinner party?
Perhaps Gareth from the Vampire Empire trilogy and Saint Germain from the Saint Germain series. Maybe Morozko from the Winternight trilogy.... Honestly, there are so many I’d invite, I’d probably need to hire ten ballrooms to get them all in!!
Which character from literature, would you most like to have invented?
This can vary depending on my mood, but at present I would say Morozko from Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy. I’m so in love with him!
What kind of books do you read, and where do you read them?
I read really widely across a lot of genres. The only things I’m not into are true crime, heavy horror, and chick lit. Otherwise I’m up for anything. I do the bulk of my reading in bed. I like to spend an hour with a book before turning off the light.
What makes you cry in a book or film?
I am terrible for crying in films or while reading books. Character death is the main one, but also happy or poignant moments too. I will sob over something in a movie that wouldn’t affect me at all in real life. My husband finds that weird.
What makes you laugh that might not make other people laugh?
I have a very black sense of humour, so that doesn’t always mesh well with others.
What’s the weirdest thing you own?
Hmm. I do have a standee of Loki (Thor: Dark World) in my library/music room. That sometimes freaks out visitors, as they think someone is there! I also have a Viking-style drinking horn on the shelf.
And finally
Do you have any other projects in the offing we should look out for?
At present I am looking to rerelease (self-pubbed) a few of my older MF titles, so hopefully those will be coming late 2019/early 2020. In the meantime I am working on some new MM stories, but all are in first draft stage at present.
Where can we find you?
I am everywhere on social media! If you visit my Linktree page (https://linktr.ee/nickijmarkus), that will take you wherever you wish to go. Or you can visit my website at http://www.nickijmarkus.com.
Author Bio & Links
Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born in England but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.
Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!
As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel, all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.
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