What a treat for us today. Author Kwen D. Griffeth is in the house to answer a few questions for us and talk about SHADOW OF THE MOON.
SC:.Tell
me a little bit about your main character of this book.
KDG:
There are two characters that share that billing. One is Andee Trakes, a tough, determined FBI
agent with a bit of a chip on her shoulder as she feels she has been
punished. She is assigned to the UN
Building in NYC where her job is more political than investigational. She is called to the murder scene of a
diplomat’s son and the execution appears to be the killing of a werewolf. Against her objections, she is ordered to
meet with a Professor Alwyn Lloyd, a history professor who specializes in
folklore and legends. He also happens to
be a werewolf. Andee is forced to work
with Lloyd even though she thinks he is a phony.
SC:.Do
you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can
share?
KDG:
Yes, I do. One evening, I was home alone
in the house where my grandmother died.
When I was a small child she was bed-ridden and she would send me to the
orchard to get her apples to eat. She
would peel and quarter them. It was our
treat. She passed and I grew into my
teenage years. I was on the phone to a
girl and the door to the bedroom my grandmother died in opened. I watched it.
As it opened, the house was filled with the scent of fresh apple. This happened in the middle of January.
SC:
Scents are a big part of the paranormal world. Thanks for sharing that. What
titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?
KDG:
I just finished the second draft of the third book in a police drama/murder
mystery series. It is currently at the
editor. I am preparing to start on the
second book in this series and it will be called Reflection of the Moon.
SC:
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. Let's take a
look at your novel now.
Shadow of the Moon
Shadow Series
Book One
Kwen D Griffeth
Genre: Fantasy/Murder/Romance
Date of Publication: Oct 31, 2017
ASIN: B075XCD516
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: 96042
Cover Artist: Stefanie Cassidy
Tagline: A Fantasy about Love, Murder, and Werewolves
Book Description:
The grisly murder of a diplomat’s son in Central Park draw NYPD Detective Gerald Meeker and FBI Special Agent Andee Trakes into a twisted and confusing investigation. Within hours, the evidence indicates the man was executed in the manner saved for werewolves. Andee Trakes is assigned to liaison with a history professor, who is an expert on folklore and legends.
Professor Alwyn Lloyd, handsome, articulate and successful, not only agrees the method of death was indeed an execution, he claims to be a werewolf. Andee is torn between the desire to date the man and the suspicion to arrest him.
From the initial killing in the park, a bloody spree is ignited that soon has Andee and Lloyd forced to work together to protect themselves and family members.
Shadow of the Moon explores the world of werewolves and paints a picture of what is good about them, as well as bad. The story explains what is beautiful as well as ugly about the wolf.
The story is fast paced and full of interesting characters and several twists and turns to keep both the fantasy as well as the suspense and romance enthusiasts entertained.
Excerpt:
“I’m Professor
Lloyd’s assistant. Is he expecting you?” Her smile never wavered, though the
hand dropped to her side.
“No, as I said,
I’m with the FBI, and we don’t normally make appointments.”
Miranda, with
smile still in place, walked to the door leading to the professor’s office as
she said, “Let me check with him, but I’m sure he will be able to meet with
you. I keep his appointment calendar, so I know he’s not overly busy.”
“Hey, I was here
first, and I’ve waited thirty minutes.”
Trakes turned
back to the office and noticed a blonde had stood to announce her displeasure.
She tried to show her indignation with the agent, but her glare fell short.
Trakes smiled at
the student and held out her FBI credentials for the blonde to see.
“I’m with the
FBI, sweetie. We get cuts.”
Behind her, she
heard Miranda say, “Sit down, Shelly, you know as well as I do the professor
won’t change your grade.”
Trakes turned
back to Miranda and waved the credentials one more time.
“These are
really the only announcement I need, but thank you. I’ll just pop in. Then the
professor and I will get acquainted.”
Before Miranda
could object, the agent turned and stepped through the door.
Her first impression
of the office was the desk. It was large, made of wood and appeared antique.
The floor was wood, with a large rug that covered most of it. Like the outer
office, this one was also wainscoted with dark wood paneling. Opposed to the
other space, this one was painted an off-white the rest of the way to the
10-foot ceiling. Again, keeping with the theme set by the outer office, this
one also had pictures and paintings on every wall. Bookcases, shelves and glass
cases flanked the desk, with two chairs centered in front of it. A two-person
sofa along the wall to the left and a coffee table finished the décor.
Professor Lloyd sat behind the desk.
He studied
papers with his head lowered, and her first glimpse of him took in the breadth
of his shoulders and his hair. It was thick and dark, almost black down the
center of the head, but shaded to grey by the time it reached the man’s ears.
It was combed back, but a natural part down the center caused it to fall to
each side. She wondered what it felt like, then forced herself to refocus.
As she stepped
through the door, Trakes announced, “Good afternoon, I’m…”
He looked up
from his papers.
The eyes were a
pale blue. Ice blue. The shade of blue used to sell breath mints, and her
intake of air seemed fresher as it travelled to her lungs. The eyes were hard
and unwelcoming. Andee wished she had waited to be announced. She stepped into
the room and tripped on the edge of the rug. She whispered a curse, caught her
balance, held her blush to a minimum and muttered an apology.
“I’m sorry. I
shouldn’t have…”
Those eyes,
still focused on her, softened enough to indicate his irritation at the
interruption had grown into a mild curiosity. As he studied her, he allowed an
eyebrow to raise and his head to cant to one side. She suddenly felt exposed,
and her blush from the ungainly entry deepened. Her heart paused, and then
quickened. Her stomach tickled, then settled into nervousness. Her underarms
damped and a question about deodorant flashed through her mind. She tried again
to introduce herself, but discovered she had forgotten her name.
“Professor,
I’m…a…I’m…”
Her words came
in a small squeak. It may have been the squeak a mouse makes when she sees the
hawk dive, but it was certainly the squeak of prey. She froze. The corners of
his mouth turned.
“Uncle Alwyn,
you stop this. Stop it, right now.”
The commands
came from Miranda, and the professor looked past Trakes to his niece, who was
standing in the doorway. As he broke eye contact, Andee gulped air. She
realized she’d forgotten to breathe.
“Uncle Alwyn,
I’m ashamed of you,” Miranda continued, and she took Andee’s arm and assisted
her to one of the chairs in front of the desk. Andee smiled her gratitude as
she felt dizzy. She looked up at the assistant, who smiled down at her.
“Don’t mind my
uncle. He does that sometimes. It’s because he is an Alpha.”
“He’s a what?”
Andee felt as if
she was clearing a fog.
“He’s an Alpha,
and sometimes he takes advantage.”
“An Alpha? Is
that a fraternity?”
About the Author:
Winner of Readers' Favorite Silver Award for Historical Fiction/Western, Kwen knew he wanted to be a writer when he was fourteen years old. He felt the urge when he finished Earnest Hemingway’s masterpiece “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” The story touched him in a way no other book ever had. It transported a kid born and raised on a farm and ranch in Idaho to the mountains of Spain. It took him back in time forty years to witness the Spanish Civil War. Kwen knew he wanted to share that wonder with other people.
John Lennon said, “Life is what happens while you make other plans.” While Kwen lived a full and varied life, his dream of writing remained in the back of his mind.
Finally, in 2012, he wrote a novella named Dear Emma. He self-published through Amazon and asked people to read it. “The best way to see if I can write is to let people check it out,” he said. Like it, they did. Currently, Dear Emma enjoys a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon.
Often asked what genre he writes, Kwen replies he writes stories about people and uses the genre that best fits the story. “I think of the genre, or setting as another character that interacts to help tell the story,” he says.
His most often received and constant comment is how real his characters seem. Upon the completion of his historical fiction trilogy Sam and Laura books, a reader telephoned Kwen and directed him to write more stories about the couple. When asked why the reader was so adamant about more stories, he replied he “wasn’t ready to tell Sam and Laura good bye yet.”
Kwen considers that comment one of his highest compliments.
Kwen’s books are getting some attention from the literary community. The Law of Moses, the Silver Award winner from Readers' Favorite, and The Tenth Nail both received the Gold Award from Literary Titan Book Review. In addition, The Law of Moses was awarded five 5 Star Reviews from the reviewers of Readers' Favorite.
Kwen’s books are available in several formats; e-Book, paperback, and audio. He invites you to check his writings out. Who knows? He might become your next favorite author.
