Interview and Tour: Judith Graves author of Under My Skin

I have the privilege of welcoming Judith Graves to The Life and lies today. Judith is touring with Leap Blog Tours for her book Under My Skin.

Why and when did you begin writing?

I began my illustrious writing career before I could properly hold a pencil. My mother’s shelf of self-help books bears the proof – crayon scribbles of kidly gibberish in the margins and between the lines of text. Especially her copies of the classics – The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale (this is ironic as I’m not much of an optimist) and Dr. Spock’s Baby & Childcare (not Spock, the Star Trek character – although that’d have been cool) .

What inspired you to write Under My Skin?

I’d written a gazillion songs, poems, and short stories. Something nagged at me to try a longer work of fiction. That it would be a gothic tale was no question. ;) Now if only inspiration would start nagging me to get on my treadmill. Sigh.

How did you come up with the title?

Eryn’s struggle to control the beast under her skin made the title a natural fit. I think she even directly uses those words somewhere in the book.

What books or people influenced your writing?

My brother always challenged me to improve my writing. Even with songwriting. After I played a cute, boppy tune for him, he told me, point blank, that my lyrics were getting “watered down.” That ticked me off enough to write an edgy tune with that as its title/hook (Watered Down). It’s one of my favs.

How do you go about researching for your books?

I have many texts on the occult, folklore, and the paranormal. Plus I hang out at my local library and peruse the reference shelves. I luvs the library!

Did you base any of your characters on real people?

Sure, but not in the way you’re thinking. I might see a guy in a funky comic shop, sitting behind the sales counter. He’s wearing a faded bathrobe over a Spiderman t-shirt. Now, that’s one cool dude. I might have just the character to match his quirky fashion sense. Presto. My character is now similarly clad. But do I know the real guy? Nope.

Do you have any writing quirks?

Yes. Far too many to mention. ;) I don’t want to seem all crazy-writer, ya know.

 

 

 

About Under My Skin:

(From Goodreads)
All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal life...

Redgrave had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief's son and Redgrave High's resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is Eryn--in fact, she's lethal.

But she can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding--human Alec. And then her world falls apart.
A normal life? Now that's the real fairytale.

 

Here’s an excerpt from Under My Skin:

For the second time that day, I stared into the werewolf’s red eyes, bright with human intelligence though a wildness flickered in their depths. The stuff of nightmares stared back at me, through me, and called to the beast that lurked within. Finding me out. My body tightened against the urge to flee. To hide.

I waved my dagger to remind the beast, and myself, that I was the one in control. Or at least, I hoped I was. The security lights glimmered off the sharp silver blade, making my point for me.

Flinching, the werewolf turned his massive head away. Thank God, I didn’t have to bluff this time. Now I was all about the follow through. My doubts faded on a mind-blowing rush of power at the beast’s show of fear.

I took a bold step forward.

The beast stumbled backwards, knocked into the bunny cage, and sent the trapped creatures into spastic scuttles.

I had him. We both knew it.

Then I slipped in the bunny blood. I cried out, flailing my hands in the air, trying to regain my balance, but my feet shot out from under me. I crashed to the floor. My head cracked against the linoleum.

I landed in a sprawl under the werewolf’s stinking jowls. His foul breath filled my nostrils as stars spun in front of my eyes. My athame flew from my hand, scraped across the floor, and came to rest a few feet away.

I twisted onto my stomach and reached frantically for the hilt. Oh, this was so wrong! My nails dug into the linoleum floor. I inched closer. My breath escaped in a ragged sob. My splayed fingers trembled. An inch. One inch more. So close. But not close enough.

Giveaway:

Click here to enter a giveaway through goodreads for one ARC of Under My Skin!

~Haleyknitz