We're so excited to have author Avery Daniels in the house with us today. First of all Avery, I love the cover. Love it. Ooozes of fun.
SC: Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.
AD: Misty Indigo Summers is a positive thought advocate with a cuddly tuxedo cat named Winston. They keep her going since she has disinterested parents who pretty much ignored her once her little brother was born. She finds her own happiness and stays positive, but after the worst blind date ever she is now a vampire. Then her boss leaves his PI business in a lurch trying to save his failing marriage. So, she decides she has to do whatever she can to keep her job and just help out on remaining cases. She always gives her best and has a can-do attitude. Misty has wild blond curls and glasses. She has never been particularly popular on the dating scene so when a suave wizard is part of her new lifestyle, she doesn’t want to read too much into the messages he seems to send. She follows the rules in life, but being a vampire is a whole new issue and her sense of justice is getting supercharged. She is saying more affirmations to cope and spoiling Winston.
SC: Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?
AD: Yes, I personally believe in the supernatural. As a child I lived in a house with unexplainable occurrences such as items flying across the room, lights turning on and off throughout the night without an electrical cause, faces in the window when there wasn’t anybody there etc. When my mother had finally had enough, she wouldn’t go into my bedroom to pack, so my grandmother braved it and toys flew and hit her. I was maybe three or four and they shared their side of this with me later. I do have early memories of items flying around the room. Apparently, my mother left a lot behind and vacated with what she and my grandmother could pack quickly.
I also worked for years for the organizer of a metaphysical fair (four times a year) and some of the tarot readers were downright scary accurate. I had one medium who contacted my long-lost half-brother (I had found his obit online). It wasn’t a normal family dynamic at all. She shared things that she simply couldn’t have known or “cold read” and it was in the middle of a fair with fifty other readers available that I could have picked. I know the tricks working the fairs and she was the real deal all the way.
I learned to read tarot cards and worked a few fairs. I will never forget a quiet woman shuffled the cards without telling me anything. I dealt the cards and I got such a sense of dread from the cards. It became very clear to me she was in an abusive relationship. I felt such a sense of pressure that I had to make it clear she didn’t have to stay; she could leave but needed to seek help for her safety. I was blown away by how strongly the message came to me. Another time I did a card reading and I couldn’t remember a single thing I had said to the man and the reading lasted an hour and I thought it had been five minutes. It was like I channeled the entire reading.
AD:I am in the planning stage of the next Accidental Vampire PI novel, Second Chance. But I’m also beginning writing on my next Elizabeth Grant Thriller written under the pen name C.G. Abbot. Suspense thrillers are intense to write so I like to take breaks and work on a fun cozy as I go. I think I’m strange that way.
SC: Thanks so much for the chat. Let's look at your book now.
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Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/SbiadKWhuu4
Excerpt:
“I never want to see you again.” I slammed the passenger side door. Roger sped off in his red truck, his dragging muffler sounded like a tray of silverware ground in a garbage disposal. That ended the date from hell. He took me to a cheap restaurant, we saw the budget dollar movie, and I had to pay for my own popcorn. I can understand being on a budget, truly, I get it. But then to get all handsy in a parking lot, right under a parking light! He had the nerve to get upset when I said no. I had to slap him. When he slapped me back, I elbowed him in his jewels. The complete jerk. There was a sickle moon hanging lazily in the sky and a cool autumn breeze rustled the gold and russet leaves. I walked faster to warm up. I hadn’t brought a coat since I’d expected to be driven. A gust whipped my hair across my eyes and I swept it back.
I took a deep breath and wondered at the smell of autumn, the slightly sharp tang in the crisp air. I wrapped my arms around myself.
The bright side was I stood up for myself and put an end to his assault. Unfortunately, I’m stranded after eleven in a rougher part of town on a Sunday night with nobody around. I wish I could strangle Roger’s pencil neck. I can walk off my anger; we don’t have an Uber or such in the small town of Majestic. I needed to recapture my positive vibes anyway, so a walk would do me good.
Another positive item to the evening was I didn’t spring for a new or previously owned dress for the evening. It would have been wasted on the moron, anyway. I wore my deep purple sleeveless turtleneck and black pants. It was classic and more than he deserved. My best friend, Courtney, had assured me this blind date would be different. Oh, it was different, all right, and not in a good way.
I’ve never actually had a good date, not one single good memory of a date. Tears stung my eyes. Enough negativity. I recited my mantra. I am ready for the perfect man for me. I am working on myself to be the person who will attract my perfect partner. After yet another disheartening experience, it’s all I can do to not blame it all on myself. Nope, the right man is coming to me. Yeah, okay. I may be trying to convince myself more than attracting Mr. Right into my life. I’m okay with that at the moment.
My low-heeled strappy sandals slapped against the sidewalk, an exclamation point with every step. There wasn’t any traffic, and I had a couple of miles to go. Other than my footsteps, it was quiet except for a dog barking in the auto salvage yard behind me. But I felt a presence and knew I wasn’t alone. I sped up. I was speed walking now and my heart pounded. This really wasn’t a good area. Majestic was a modest-sized town, just big enough to warrant two canines on the police force. I didn’t want to find out firsthand about the seedy side of town.
Were those footsteps behind me? I stopped abruptly. I heard a scuff, then nothing. My senses screamed run, and even though my sandals weren’t the best for it, at least they were strapped on. I grabbed hold of my purse strap to keep my purse with me. I didn’t care how it looked; I took off running for everything I was worth. My mind continued to yell, faster, faster!
One instant, it was a clear sidewalk in front of me, and the next I ran into a man who had just appeared. My mind reeled at his abrupt materialization. His eyes were strange; even in the dark, his eyes bore into mine. I took my purse and aimed for his head. He moved so fast I barely saw a blur. Next thing I knew, the guy was behind me, had pinned my arms, and was trying to give me a hickey!
Worst day ever! There just is no positive way to look at any of this night. I struggled, scratched, and kicked but was losing my energy quickly. I remember slumping to the ground. I think he was still attached to my neck. I wanted to keep fighting, but I couldn’t even stay conscious.
Great interview, I am looking forward to reading First Bite as well as Second Chance and the thriller! Thanks for sharing with me and have a terrific week!
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