Interview with Sonnet O'Dell

Interested in finding a new author? I'm happy to introduce fellow EP Author - Sonnet O'Dell, author of the very cool Urban fantasy, Cassandra Farbanks Series.

      Can you give us the lo-down on your books?

My upcoming title is called Silent Doll. It’ll be the fifth instalment in the Cassandra Farbanks series that is set here in my hometown of Worcester. Cassandra lives a double life hopping between two different realities, one that’s fairly normal and another where magic and monsters are all out in the open. The last book dealt Cassandra some heavy truths about her past and where her powers come from. In this book she is learning to deal with that, rebuild frayed friendships and solves a number of grisly murders.

What drives you to write what you write about?

I have a muse. I call him Ned. He pokes me in the ear – something I find very annoying- if I don’t write stuff. I guess I’ve always liked these sorts of settings and character because I believe there should be more mystery and magic in the world.

How do you write? Do you plot? Are you a panster?

Mostly I write while listening to music. I have created soundtracks to a lot of my books. I would never have thought of myself as a planner until someone pointed out to me how many sheets of things that must happen in each book. I tend to do a chapter by chapter outline, but I leave them very lose so the general feel of what happens is there but the precise way in which is done is completely as it comes.

Is your background reflected in your writing?

No, I wouldn’t think so. I mean to some degree things I’ve learnt, watched and read influence my character and I know compared to some I do this a hell of a lot more than them. I had to explain to my cousin once why a book was better than a movie of that book but with my characters they come from all over. I tend to write a lot of characters with absentee parents where as mine are present constantly and I love them very much...even when they are trying to slowly drive me mad.

Are you characters based on anyone?

Sometimes I base characters on friends. I usually let them know who is based on them...eventually after much playing of Guess Who.

Do you see yourself in Cassandra or any of your other characters?

My father is absolutely convinced that Cassandra is me. I suppose to a degree some of my basic personality is in there because I was always told “write what you know”. On the other hand (and there’s always another hand) Cassandra does, says and thinks things that I wouldn’t. She’s far braver than me and why shouldn’t she be when she deals with vampires, werewolves and magic on a daily basis.

What do you like drink when you write?

Drink? I have a tendency to favour blue vodka. Just because it’s blue. There should be more blue good in my opinion.

Where do you do your writing?

Actually I do most of my writing in bed. Does that sound lazy? lol. I pile the cushions behind me and sit with my laptop typing away to the wee hours. I don’t know what it is about bed that makes the ideas just flow more easily. I guess it’s because it’s a relaxing safe place.

Sonnet's new release is called "Silent Doll" here's the blurb.

Life is tough when you’re learning to control newly obtained supernatural powers and your vampire ex- lover is on a no holds barred campaign to lure you back into his arms.

Swearing off men, Cassandra embarks on a journey of self-discovery and mending fences until her plans are derailed when she stumbles over a nasty murder. Now she'll have to unravel dark magic inorder to prevent another girl from losing her heart to the killer...literally.

The men in her life won't let her be, a murderer is on the loose and a mysterious living doll named Trinket is desperately trying to communicate with her. Is Cassandra strong enough? Or will she too lose her heart, to a man or a murderer?

And here is an excerpt;

It was a shoe that led me in the right direction, it looked like the owner had broken the heel and instead of stopping to assess the damage, she kept going, perhaps running scared. It was a navy blue pump and was pointed, toe twisted towards an alley up a head that ran between two building leading to a mainroad.

I picked up the shoe with a terrible sense of foreboding and walked slowly towards the alley. Alleys don’t smell good at the best of times but the coppery smell of blood was over powering as I walked further into the gloom. The woman’s body was illuminated by a security light over the fire exit of the building on the left, the neon glow lit over her terrified face as she now stared at nothing. Her other shoe was half on her foot and half off at an angle like she'd fallen or been pushed over. Her shirt had been torn open, buttons lay scattered like snowdrops across the rest of her.

I've always found the idea of living dolls particularly horrifying, so Silent Doll promises to be to be a gripping read! Thanks for sharing Sonnet!