Interview with Shannon K. Butcher and Giveaway - August 2, 2011

Please welcome Shannon K. Butcher to The Qwillery. Blood Hunt, the 5th book in The Sentinel Wars series, is available today.

TQ:   What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Shannon:  Apparently, it’s my use of a Gantt chart to keep track of my writing schedule. And while I think this is entirely normal and reasonable, I know it’s a quirk because I have several good friends who often mock me for it. I don’t see why it’s so strange that I want to know what I’ll be doing with my time every week for the next two years. Doesn’t everyone? :-)

TQ:   Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Shannon:  I love Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Shannon McKenna, and Lori Foster, to name a few. But as far as influence goes, I learned to write from my author husband, Jim Butcher. And while our styles are very different, he taught me craft, so that was a huge influence. I hope to be as good as he is when I grow up.

TQ:   Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Shannon:  A Plotter. I use a capital “P” because I plan everything. I have charts, lists, maps and documents written in secret code. Well, maybe not that last part, but I am a serious planner, a fact to which my 2-year Gantt charting will attest.

TQ:   What inspired you to write The Sentinel Wars series?

Shannon:  Lots of things inspired me, but mostly it was many years spent doing geeky tabletop gaming. I wanted the story to have an epic feel while still focusing closely on characters. I love character-driven plots, and a wanted a world in which that could happen. I also wanted it to be framed around romantic relationships, but with monsters. I spent a couple of years working on this world, and have had a ton of fun playing in it!

TQ:   What research have you done to create The Sentinel Wars world?

Shannon:  I try not to let research keep me from actually writing, so I tend to research only those things that make it into the books. Mostly, it’s the mundane things like geography and weapons that I need to check to make sure the details are right.

TQ:   Describe Blood Hunt in 140 characters or less.

Shannon:  Woman with no past joins man with no future to fight evil and save his entire race. Demons, vampires and supernatural boinking. Oh my!

TQ:   In Blood Hunt, who was the easiest character to write and why? The most difficult and why?

Shannon:  Logan was easy. I’ve been writing him since book one of the Sentinel Wars, so he’s like an old friend. The hardest character to write was probably Torr, because I torture him so mercilessly.

TQ:   Without giving anything away, what it your favorite scene or scenes in Blood Hunt?

Shannon:  I’d have to say I love the scenes with Brenya. She’s a new character to the series, but one I’ve been planning for a long time. I can hardly wait to reveal more about her to my readers in future books.

TQ:   What's the playlist for Blood Hunt?

Shannon:  I’m a write-in-silence kind of girl.

TQ:   How many books are planned for The Sentinel Wars series?

Shannon:  I’ve always wanted to do 12-15. I know how the series ends, but I did create it so that there was wiggle room in the middle where I could either expand on some side characters and give them stories, or shrink it if that became necessary. I recently contracted for three more, so there will be at least nine stories, plus novellas.

TQ:   Should The Sentinel Wars series by read in order or are they standalones?

Shannon:  You can read them independently—I wrote them so that the reader would be able to understand what was going on—but I think they’re more enjoyable if read in order. I also created them so that when they were re-read, the reader would enjoy a different angle as an insider who knows the secrets they didn’t know the first time through.

TQ:   What's next?

Shannon:  After BLOOD HUNT, the second book of my new romantic suspense series, the Edge, comes out in November. Early next year, I have a novella, and book six of the Sentinel Wars (DYING WISH) coming out. This is Iain’s book, and is one of my favorites of the series.

TQ:   Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery!

Shannon:  Thanks so much for having me!


About Shannon's Books

The Sentinel Wars Series

Burning Alive

The Sentinel Wars 1
(Onyx, May 5, 2009)

First in an all-new paranormal romance series

Caution : readers may feel the heat coming off the pages.

They are the Sentinels...

Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes-the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love...

Helen Day is haunted by visions of herself surrounded by flames, as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her from across a diner, she attempts to flee-but instead ends up in the man's arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine. For the man is actually Theronai warrior Drake, whose own pain is driven away by Helen's presence.

Together, they may become more than lovers-they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war and save Drake's people...

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository

Finding The Lost

The Sentinel Wars 2
(Onyx, November 3, 2009)

Sentinel warrior Paul has been searching for centuries for a woman like Andra. To find her, he strikes a bargain with a bloodhunter that could cost him his life. Now, his desire for Andra threatens to destroy his much-needed control. Against her wishes, Andra agrees to join Paul on a journey fraught with danger—and leading directly to the Synestryn who victimized her family eight years ago.

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository

Running Scared

The Sentinel Wars 3
(Onyx, May 4, 2010)

The thrilling third novel in Shannon K. Butcher's new urban fantasy series...

Lexi Johns has one purpose: to free her best friend from the hands of the Sentinels. And the Sentinel she has been running from for months, Zach, has one goal: to convince her that their destinies are entwined. For the magic that Zach has absorbed could destroy him if he doesn't find the woman to channel it for him. And he knows Lexi is the one...

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository

Living Nightmare

The Sentinel Wars 4
(Signet, November 2, 2010)

For nine years, the Sentinel Nika has had one goal-to save her younger sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. Now, the psychic bond Nika forged with her sibling on that terrible night is fading, and time is running out. But the one man who can unlock the power inside her may be the greatest danger to her.

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository

Blood Hunt

Sentinel Wars 4
(Signet, August 2, 2011)

Hope appeared out of nowhere, naked and alone, a woman without a past. The only thing she knows is that she is imbued with a strange power. It's in her blood. And two men want to posses it. One is Logan, a Sanguiner demon-fighter who needs Hope's essence to survive. The other is Krag, a Synestryn lord whose desire is to enslave Hope, and drain her of the lifeforce. When Hope and Logan both fall prey to Krag, a powerful desire grows between them. But is it enough to thwart their captor's diabolical plan and his demon warriors, and survive a vampire's destiny written in blood?

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository











The Edge Series

Living on the Edge

Edge 1
(Signet, March 1, 2011)

With her thrilling Sentinel Wars series, Shannon K. Butcher pushed readers to the very edge of their imaginations. Now, with the first in her new action romance series she takes them to the very edge of their seats, following the loves and lethal lives of a group of hardened mercenaries who live on the edge-and beyond...

Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository

Razor's Edge

Edge 2
(Signet, November 1, 2011)
Roxanne "Razor" Haught is an expert in stealth security for corporate espionage cases. But now she's a target. Tanner O'Connell has no intentions of leaving Razor's side. Despite her objections to having a "babysitter", his orders as the newest member of the Edge are to watch her back. With a brainwashed assassin after his partner, Tanner cannot afford to let his desire for Razor interfere with his duty. His special ops skills may be all that stand between saving Razor-or losing her forever.

Preorder - Amazon : Barnes & Noble : Book Depository








For a complete list of Shannon's Romantic Suspense novels head over to her website here.



About Shannon

After spending too many years as an industrial engineer, Shannon learned to write from her husband, #1 NYT bestselling author Jim Butcher. She learned writing craft in order to help him with his stories, but found the idea of writing her own too compelling to resist. Now an award-winning author herself, she lives in Missouri with her husband, where conversations at the dinner table are more often about things someone made up than about anything that’s actually happened. Feel free to contact Shannon via her website: www.shannonkbutcher.com.



Shannon's Links

Website: www.shannonkbutcher.com
Twitter: @ShannonKButcher
Fan Forum: http://skbbooks.proboards.com/index.cgi
FB: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001028124810
FB Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannon-K-Butcher/136762219616



The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of Living Nightmare (The Sentinel Wars 4) along with a handmade glass bookmark made by Shannon in her glass kiln from Shannon and a Mass Market Paperback copy of Blood Hunt (The Sentinel Wars 5) from The Qwillery.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:

Should your Alpha have a tattoo or no tattoo? 

Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 9, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*