trueromance

Greetings!

I’m Gianna Bruno. For years, reading science fiction, fantasy, and romance opened up new worlds to explore and introduced me to interesting characters. I grew tired of journalistic assignments. There are too many formulas, formats, recipes, and prescriptions. I suppose it was no coincidence that, when I started writing fiction in earnest about five years ago, I evolved into somewhat of a cross-genre queen.

There is romance in almost everything I write, as well as a touch of magic. But I favor real life settings, occasionally with a historical backdrop, and my characters are conglomerations of people I’ve met–some of them in the oddest situations and places.
I live in New York City, which is a treasure trove for urban fantasy and magical realist writers. But since I’ve lived a good bit of my life in southern New England: Boston, the North Shore of Massachusetts and Vermont, moving from urban to ex-urban settings, and from fantasy to reality, is so much a part of my life, I’ve learned to see the magic, taste it, feel it.

It doesn’t matter if I’m on a subway, exploring the back roads and byways in Salem and environs, watching hurricane driven surf crash onto a beach, or battling the wind to get down a steep, icy slope. The witches, fairies, ghosts, and occasional alien invade my subconscious and implore me to chronicle their stories and adventures.

My new Eternal Press release, The Journey, began as a dream about a woman walking through a snowy wood and meeting a fairy. Milena is a witch who lives on the outskirts of Salem just before the start of the Civil War. The fact that the Underground Railroad was active in that part of Massachusetts, best known for its prejudice against witches (though it had waned by that time), created an interesting twist and gave Milena a clear mission and sense of purpose.

The result was a traditional fantasy with splashes of fairy magic, witchcraft, voodoo, action, and adventure in a historical setting. I suppose I should mention it’s highly erotic–as a story that explores the dark depths of humanity needs to be.

Hot Chocolate Kiss, published in January 2010 by Eternal Press, has garnered some very nice reviews. Guys love this story because of the action, both on and off the ski slopes. Yes, there are witches and fairies, but they sneak on and off stage like a glint of light on the snow or a gust of wind.

I’m thrilled to be here today to chat with readers, both new and old, answer questions, and give away one of my gift packages: A copy of The Journey and Hot Chocolate Kiss, with a box of chocolates. Check back later for the contest question.

I do occasionally come back to the real world. My current work in progress is a collection of short stories At Home With Peter and Sandra, featuring a couple in the suburbs of somewhere trying to reinvent their relationship. It’s humorous, five flames, and I’m having a great time writing it.

Give away will be a copy of The Journey and Hot Chocolate Kiss, plus a box of chocolates.

There are trailers and excerpts on my website and blog. Please keep in touch and follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Setting: Dublin, Ireland; in the Unseelie prison; inside the White Mansion; beneath Jericho Barrons’ garage

Subgenre: Urban Fantasy/Romance

Hero: Yeah, right. I’ve been writing what’s turning into a small dissertation on that very topic. It’s like a Fever hairball I’m trying to cough up, LOL. I’ll probably post it at my website eventually. Here’s part of it: There are arguably no heroes in this series. With a minor twist of the lens, those who are perceived as the villains might have been viewed as the heroes, and the heroes might well be villains. It all comes down to who’s writing the press releases. I may eventually have to tell it from someone else’s point of view.

Heroine: Ditto above. You tell me when you’ve finished reading Shadowfever. I’d like some clarity myself. Me, I’m Team K’Vruck.

One sentence summary: It’s our actions that define us. What we choose. What we resist. What we’re willing to die for.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Pretty much the whole book or I would have cut it all. I’m pretty hard on the material. If it doesn’t live up to my expectations, it goes in the trash. A scene? I can’t narrow it down to that. I’d say the last 100 pages. I rarely like to re-read myself but I think the series wrapped up beautifully.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: I can’t.

What celebrity is your hero like: The Unseelie King.

What celebrity is your heroine like: The Unseelie King.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Having sex with Barrons.

What is your occupation, or if unemployed, what should you be doing: Having sex with Barrons.

What you think readers will like best about this book: That I didn’t give them another cliffhanger. I think what they’ll like best is the sense of completion coupled with possibility. I bring the characters to a resting place, a good place to be, full of possibilities for a fascinating future, with the promise of adventures yet to come. Isn’t that what most of us want? A safe port with a damn fast ship in it, so we can sail out and explore like lawless pirates when the mood strikes.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Hmmm…Readers, will you answer that one for me? I’m taking suggestions…

What’s next: A graphic novel from Del Rey set in the Fever World featuring Mac and other Fever World characters. It’s an original story that takes place as a side-adventure during Shadowfever. Also three more novels set in the Fever World.

Sue, thank you so much for inviting me to drop by, and for the many wonderful things you do to spread the word about good books and share the love of reading! And readers, thank you for keeping the faith–especially those of you who’ve been suffering the cliffhangers since Darkfever came out in 2006. I know it’s been a long wait, and love you guys for your patience, enthusiasm and community.

It’s been a long wait for me too, to finally be able to talk about the series from beginning to end and ask the question I’m dying to know:

What do you think of the way things played out? Did I give you what you wanted in the end? If not, what did you want? Who’s your hero in the series? Who’s the villain? Did Mac make the right choices? Could things have turned out differently, with only minor tweaking of events? What subgenre do you think the series falls under? Do you prefer my first-person or third-person point of view novels? Are you a Highlander or Fever fan?

Giveaway — 2 randomly chosen commenters will win a book - good luck!