Guest Author: Erica Hayes

Today, Literary Escapism is excited to welcome back Erica Hayes, who just released her fourth Shadowfae novel, Blood Cursed.

Enter the fierce, fantastical world of the Shadowfae, where blood is a drug, magic is a crime, and love is the most dangerous weapon of all…

To a vampire, nothing is sweeter than bloodfairy essence — and Ember is the most sought-after fairy on the underworld circuit. Selling her blood to the highest bidder — and robbing her clients in the process — Ember has unwittingly become a target of dark and dangerous forces. Her enemies are everywhere. And if she hopes to survive, she needs protection…

Diamond is a glassfairy who, for better or worse, knows his way around the vampire underworld. Smooth as silk and tougher than trolls, Diamond is Ember’s only chance to keep her magical blood inside her body, where it belongs. But he also poses a threat to Ember, a strange kind of danger she’s never experienced before: She’s falling in love with him…

Just to whet your appetite a little more, you can check out the first chapter online, but make sure you come back! We’ll be giving away a copy of Blood Cursed or any Shadowfae novel – winners choice – to two lucky winners!
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The little people are cool too

Sometimes people ask me – usually people who don’t read fantasy or paranormal – why I’d want to write stories about fae. After all, not only are fairies made-up creatures – and yeah, who’d want to read about those, right? – but they’re not tough or cool like, say, vampires or werewolves. How can they be interesting?

Well, apart from the fact that they’re colourful and sexy and a little bit insane… for me, it’s partly because they’re not so tough that they’re such good story fodder. So many paranormals are about the guys in charge, the ones at the top of the food chain – alpha wolves and master vampires and so on. I mean, how hard can life be for these guys? All very easy to be angsty when you’re in charge. But what if you’re not? What if the dark paranormal world you live in is a real threat to you? If you’re surrounded by creatures who could wipe you out with a flick of their finger, and there’s no one you can go to for protection?

In the world of my Shadowfae series, fairies aren’t always the strongest or smartest creatures on the block. They’re the scum, a forgotten underclass in a dark and dirty underworld that’s ruled by demons and vampires who are much stronger than they are. They’re disguised by glamour as normal humans, so ordinary people can’t see their true appearance. And because they’re impetuous and a little bit crazy, no one takes them seriously.

So they behave like any other powerless sub-culture: they break the rules to get ahead. They seduce people with their magic tricks, poison them with enchanted fairy drugs, trade on their ethereal beauty and charm to get what they want. They’re tricksters, thieves, gangsters, femmes fatales. Or, like Ember, the fairy heroine of my new book Blood Cursed, they just do their best with what they’ve got and hope they don’t sink.

Ember is bloodfae, a special kind of fairy whose magical blood is irresistible to vampires and worth a fortune on the black market. So in an underworld ruled by ruthless vampires, she’s a living target. Staying alive is hard work, and because she’s not super-strong or powerful, she needs protection. Which is where the hero, Diamond, comes in – but he’s a gangfighter and a spellpusher, tricksy and ruthlessly charming. Not the kind of guy Ember wants to owe favors to, and she’s constantly afraid of what he’s going to ask in return.

So Ember starts out as a girl who desperately needs help – which means we get to watch her grow into the kick-ass chick she doesn’t even know she’s got the potential to be. And for me, that’s just as much fun as a heroine who’s kicking butt from the start. See? Fairies. They’re cool. No doubt about it.

So what do you think? Is there a place in paranormals for characters who aren’t the vampire queen or the alpha wolf or the world’s most powerful and deadly [insert heroine who hunts things]? Who’s your favourite non-alpha paranormal character?

I admit to a soft spot for Sam from True Blood. He’s not the toughest dude in the show, but he never gives up.
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I [Erica Hayes] live in Australia, the luckiest country in the world. I’ve done law student, air force officer, editorial assistant and musician. And now I have the best job in the world — imagining.

In my stories, magic and wonder abounds. But the mortal world is an enchanted place too, if you know how to look. I’ve laughed atop the Great Wall, sported with the gargoyles at Notre Dame and gazed up awestruck at the Great Pyramid. Let me share that sense of wonder with you.

Just because you don’t see it right away doesn’t mean it’s not there. So laugh under the stars. Dance in the rain. Howl at the moon. You never know who’s watching.

Contact Info
Website: www.shadowfae.net/
Blog: http://erica-hayes.blogspot.com/
Social Media: Facebook / Twitter / Subscribe to my newsletter

Want to purchase Erica’s novel?
Shadowfae Chronicles

1. Shadowfae at Amazon or the Book Depository
2. Shadowglass at Amazon or the Book Depository
3. Poison Kissed at Amazon or the Book Depository
4. Blood Cursed at Amazon or the Book Depository

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Thank you Erica for taking the time to stop by Literary Escapism!

Contest Time! Erica is giving away a copy of Blood Cursed or any Shadowfae novel – winners choice – to two lucky winners! To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: Is there a place in paranormals for characters who aren’t the vampire queen or the alpha wolf or the world’s most powerful and deadly [insert heroine who hunts things]? Who’s your favourite non-alpha paranormal character? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered.

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

The contest will stay open until August 16th at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the snazzy new plug-in I have.

I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.