Guest Blog by Linda Poitevin - Surprising Characters in The Grigori Legacy

Please welcome the fabulous Linda Poitevin to The Qwillery as part of the Sins of the Son Blog Tour.

Surprising Characters in The Grigori Legacy

This may sound trite, but the truth is that all my characters have, at one time or another, surprised me in some way. Even those I bring into the story as secondary characters have a way of becoming more than I’d planned or anticipated, often extending the story in ways I hadn’t seen coming. I used to try and wrestle them into submission, insisting they follow the way chosen for them—I am, after all, their creator (insert diabolical chuckle here) and so they should listen to me, right?

Wrong. *sigh*

More often than not, the harder I work at getting a character to toe the imaginary line I’ve drawn for him/her, the more likely it is that I’ll find myself staring at a blank monitor day after day after day. Not only do my secondary characters suddenly become mute, but my main characters also turn ominously quiet. Stubbornly so. You’d think there was a conspiracy among them or something.

So what’s a writer to do? For me, I’ve learned to trust my characters because what are they, really, if not an extension of my own instincts? I’ve learned that if my fingers type something into a character—even a secondary one—that wasn’t my idea (you’ll just have to go along with me here, because I swear these people have minds of their own!), there’s always a reason for it. I may not see the reason at the time, but I know that at some point in the story (or in the series story arc), the little detail I consider superfluous will suddenly become a critical element of the plotline. A pivotal point.

Seth’s appearance in Sins of the Angels proved this to me in no uncertain terms.

Seth was intended to play a supporting role to Aramael—at most, he was to be a temporary sidekick. But from the moment he stood on Alexandra’s front porch, his presence was utterly overwhelming…for me as well as for poor Alex. No amount of effort on my part was enough to relegate him to a lesser place in the story. When I tried too hard, the voices—all of them—went quiet. It wasn’t until I began to fully explore Seth’s role in Heaven that I realized exactly who he was and what he was capable of…and to understand that he marked a turning point in the story.

One that ultimately turned a single title urban fantasy into an entire series.

Surprise! ;)


The Grigori Legacy

Sins of the Son
The Grigori Legacy 2
Ace (March 27, 2012)
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

A detective with a secret...

When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven's plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal who knows of Seth's true nature, she's also the only one who can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin...

Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself--even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption...

As Alex's need to protect Seth sets her on a collision course with the determined Aramael, the conflict between them may push the world over the edge--and into the very chaos they're trying to prevent.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

You may read The Qwillery review of Sins of the Son here.

Sins of the Angels

The Grigori Legacy 1
Ace, September 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

You may read The Qwillery review of Sins of the Angels here.

About Linda

Linda Poitevin was born and raised in B.C., Canada’s westernmost province. Growing up in an era when writing was “a nice hobby, dear, but what are you going to do for a living?”, Linda worked at a variety of secretarial jobs before applying to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Due to an error in measurement, however, she was turned down when she didn’t meet the height requirement of that time. Undeterred, Linda became a civilian member in the force and was a dispatcher for two and a half years, during which time she met her husband, a police officer.

Following their transfer to Ottawa, Linda went on to become a real estate agent and then a human resources consultant before starting a family and becoming a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler. Now that she has realized writing can be more than a nice hobby, she continues to vicariously live her dream of being a cop through her characters.

Linda currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, youngest of three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, a cat, two rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods.

In addition to her books, Linda also does freelance writing and editing. Information about her services can be found at www.lindapoitevin.ca. Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers' Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers' Association.

Linda's Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a copy of Sins of Son (The Grigori Legacy 2) - a Mass Market Paperback copy for a US/Canadian winner or an eBook for an International (non-US/Canada) winner.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:

Have any characters you've read about or seen in TV show or movie

surprised you in some way?

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. You MUST 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 Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*

But there's more: Winners from each the Sins of the Son Blog Tour stops will be entered for a special Grand Prize from Linda: the first-ever Wings of the Warrior necklace from Cemetery Cat Designs and a set of earrings that goes with the necklace!***

Necklace for the Grand Prize drawing

*** The Qwillery is not affiliated with the Grand Prize drawing at the end of the Sins of the Son Blog Tour  and is providing this for informational purposes only.