Edge of Oblivion by J.T. Geissinger
Night
Prowler Novels, Book Two
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Montlake Romance
ISBN: 1612184197
ASIN: B007SX0246
Number of pages: 384
Word Count: 98,000
Book Description:
Morgan Montgomery is waiting to die. Branded a traitor by
her tribe, the Ikati shape-shifter
has no hope for mercy—until Jenna, the Ikati’s
newly crowned queen and Morgan’s former ally, offers one last chance for
redemption. Morgan must infiltrate the Rome headquarters of the Expurgari, the Ikati’s ancient enemy, to destroy them once and for all. The
beautiful renegade has just a fortnight to complete her mission or forfeit her
life. Because she does not travel alone…
Xander Luna is a trained assassin and the Ikati’s most feared enforcer, famed for
his swift brutality and stony heart. Fiercely loyal, he is prepared to hate the
traitor under his watch—until they come face to face. For Morgan Montgomery
arouses something unexpected inside of him, something that threatens everything
he believes in and the fate of the tribe itself: a love as powerful and
passionate as it is forbidden.
Sensual, thrilling, and action-packed, Edge of Oblivion will enthrall
readers with nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding passion.Interview:
- Where did you get the idea for the novel?
I adopted a stray
cat that looks exactly like a miniature panther; black fur and uncannily
intelligent, vivid yellow eyes. This cat can disappear at will and sometimes
seems so human I swear she’s a person disguised in a cat’s body. It got me to
thinking…what if? From there I did research about the ancient cat-worship
cultures of Egypt and found a tremendous amount of information about how cats
have also been persecuted throughout history, particularly during the
Inquisition. I wove all those elements into the story to come up with the
history of the Ikati.
- Your title. Who came up with it? Did you ever change your title?
The
book was originally titled The Skinwalker’s Daughter, because the heroine is
the daughter of the tribe’s most notorious Alpha who was able to shift to
anything he chose, but my publisher thought that was too close to another
title, so they came up with Shadow’s Edge.
- Which came first, the title or the novel?
Definitely
the novel. I understand that book titles are changed all the time by
publishers, so the title you begin with might not be the one you end up with!
- Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?
The
day my agent called to tell me that my publisher wanted to continue the series
for four more books past the original two they contracted, based on the success
of the first book. That was the first time I really allowed myself to believe I
was going to have a career as a writer. I still almost can’t believe it.
- What book are you currently reading or what was the last book you read?
I
am a voracious reader and usually finish 3-4 books a week. I’m currently
reading A Light Between Oceans, and just finished Beautiful Ruins and The Dog
Stars, both of which I highly recommend.
- What is your writing process?
I
like to write in a quiet space early in the morning. I’ll usually get up and
write in my bathrobe for a few hours, then take a break, get dressed, eat, and begin
again. I have a bad habit of editing while I write, which really slows me down,
so I’m trying to force myself to finish an entire novel at a time without going
back to the beginning of each chapter for re-writes.
- Who are your favorite authors of all time?
Stephen
King, D.H. Lawrence, Anne Rice, Ron Currie, Jr., Cormac McCarthy and Lainie
Taylor.
- At a book signing, do you just sign your name or do you write a note? How do you come up with stuff to say?
I like
to write a little note, like “I hope you enjoy it” or “With best wishes” along
with their first name and my signature. At the first signing I did at RWA, I
sat next to the historical romance author Elizabeth Hoyt who gave me some great
suggestions and let me observe how she interacted with her readers; she had a
long line, and I got a good education.
- What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m
really uncomfortable around people I don’t know. Like, beyond uncomfortable,
which you’d never guess because I’m very outgoing, almost obnoxiously so, which
is just a coping mechanism for an introverted person living in a very
extroverted world.
10. How do you react to a bad review?
I tell myself to man up because I signed up for this, everyone
is entitled to their opinion, and I can’t be all things to all people. (This is
after several minutes of indignant fuming, of course.)
- How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
Getting
a book published is very punishing on your self-esteem; there was more
rejection in the time I spent looking for an agent and shopping the book to
publishers than I’ve received in my entire life. So when I finally signed that
publishing contract, I was in a daze. I truly don’t remember what I did besides
continually mutter to myself, “I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.” It’s probably safe to say there were copious
amounts of wine involved, however.
Excerpt:
“Come,”
barked Leander from behind the closed door. Matthew pushed it open. Not
satisfied to merely enter the room with her trailing behind, he turned, grasped
her by the arm, dragged her over the threshold, then released her abruptly, as
if he’d been burned by touching her.
So of
course she fell. Of course she did.
Caught
on one of the heels of her shoes, the hem of her dress tangled beneath her
feet. The delicate fabric gave way with a soft ripping noise and she pitched
forward, unable to throw her arms out for balance because they were cuffed
tight behind her back. She fell to her knees on the cold marble floor with a
bone-crunching jolt that startled a pained gasp from her lips, but just before
she fell flat on her face, something stopped her.
A pair
of hands. Strong and warm at her shoulders.
She was
caught and steadied, pushed gently back to her knees where she rocked, finding
her balance. Then she lifted her head and looked up—
—into a
pair of eyes, brilliant amber rimmed in kohl, that stared out from a
sun-darkened face of such cold, savage beauty it sent a thrill of pure fear
humming along every nerve. Adrenaline lashed through her body, primitive and
chemical, and abruptly awoke the animal inside that bristled and hissed and
screamed danger! at the top of its
lungs.
He was
huge—tall and thickly muscled, far
larger than any of her lithe, sinewy kin—and had shoulders so wide she crouched
in a pool of thrown shadows at his feet. His black hair, tipped on his wide
forehead to a widow’s peak, was cropped close to his head. His clothes were
black as well, simple and form-fitting, made for ease of movement. On his back
was a pair of crossed swords, sheathed in leather scabbards. On his belt and
boots were more weapons, gleaming wicked in the light.
But all
this paled in comparison to the more imminent threat of his eerie, amber eyes.
They
fixed on hers, unblinking, unfeeling, and she realized with another jolt that
this man staring back at her in absolute stillness with that beautiful face and
those scorching, fire-lit eyes wasn’t anything she’d ever seen before. He was
alive, his body was alive, but behind
that mask of perfection, there wasn’t a shred of humanity or mercy or kindness
or feeling. There was nothing. He was dead.
Soul
dead.
He was
the most terrifying thing she’d ever seen.
“Xander,”
said a voice from her right. Leander’s, she supposed, aware on a molecular
level of her thundering heart, her frozen muscles, the stranger’s gaze that had
dropped to the pulse beating wildly in the hollow of her neck. His nostrils
flared with an inhalation, and for one wild, horrified moment, she thought he
might lean down and tear out her throat with his teeth.
But he
didn’t. He only lifted that piercing gaze back to hers and, in a motion of
fluid, predatory grace, drew her to her feet. He released her and stepped back,
never blinking, his attention never wavering, those piercing dead eyes never
leaving her face.
“Xander,”
Leander said again. “This is Morgan. Your flight for Rome leaves at one
o’clock.”
About the Author:
A life-long lover of reading and a self-professed “book addict,” J.T.
Geissinger didn’t realize her dream of writing a novel until a milestone
birthday forced her to take stock of her goals in life. Always believing the
right time to commit to putting pen to paper would magically announce itself,
it took waking up one cold January morning with a shiny new zero as the second
number in her age to kick start her determination.More than a year and two unsold novels later, it was time to take stock again.
But her determination matched her initial procrastination, and she kept on writing and learning and trying to improve, trusting that if it was meant to be, it would be.
Then, during a trip to Italy in honor of their 10th wedding anniversary and the honeymoon she and her husband never took, she received an email that would change her life. It was from a literary agent, and it contained the three words every aspiring author longs to hear: “I loved it.”
The manuscript was sold to Montlake Romance who published it six months later. Hitting the Amazon bestseller lists in both the US and the UK within weeks of publication, Shadow’s Edge was book one of the Night Prowler Novels. Book two, Edge of Oblivion published October 2nd, and book three will follow in the spring of 2013. Three additional installations in the Night Prowler series are planned for the future.
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