#CMC15 Featured Author: Amanda Carlson

Amanda Carlson

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, then you might have started seeing a lot of #CMC15 tweets. If you haven’t, why guess what, you’re going to see a lot the next time you visit Twitter. Literary Escapism is one of the featured bloggers for Coastal Magic Convention 2015 and I get the extreme pleasure of showcasing some of the fabulous authors you’ll get to meet if you join me in Daytona Beach next February. Yes, I said next February…in other words, start planning your winter escape and come join me in Florida!
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Anyway…to get back on topic, this month I get to feature an author I’ve met/talked with at a couple different conventions but I just truly discovered how awesome she is. Yes, I’m late to the Jessica McClain party and the fantastic storytelling of Amanda Carlson, but I’m fixing that. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read Full-BloodedHot-BloodedCold-Blooded. If you haven’t read this series yet, you really should.

ACarlson-Full BloodedBorn the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

But not everyone is on board. The werewolf Rights of Laws is missing text and the superstitious werewolves think that Jessica means an end to their race. It doesn’t help when Jessica begins to realize she’s more. She can change partway and hold her form, and speak directly to her wolf. But the biggest complication by far is that her alpha father can’t control her like he can the rest of his wolves.

When a mercenary who’s been hired by the vampires shows up to extract information about the newly turned werewolf only days after her change, they find themselves smack in the middle of a war and there’s no choice but to run together. When it’s up to Jessica to negotiate her release against her father’s direct orders, she chooses to take an offer for help instead. In exchange, Jessica must now swear an oath she may end up repaying with her life.

Amanda has recently released her first novel in the new Sin City Collectors series, Aces Wild, and can I just say that after reading all about Jessica McClain, I immediately grabbed a copy of it. I mean, doesn’t this sound fantastic?

ACarlson-Aces WildWelcome to Vegas. Home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions.

Nevada Hamilton has learned a few things since becoming a Sin City Collector, and staying away from vampires is one of them. After botching her first Collection, the vamp getting away after causing as much damage as possible, she hasn’t been assigned to another one since.

But when she receives her next playing card, she’s in for a surprise. Not only is a vampire her next target, but they’ve paired her up to make sure she gets the job done right. Refusing a Collection is not an option, but when she discovers who she’s working with, making the mission as difficult as possible for her new partner becomes her top priority…

Being a hellhound isn’t enough to protect Jake Troubadour from Nevada Hamilton, no matter how thick his skin is. Finding out he has to work with the beautiful dhampir, after not seeing her for three years, is a low blow—but Jake is a professional. He takes his Collections as seriously as he does running his bar. He’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done, but after that, he’s out. No more chances for the girl who wrecked his bike and scarred his soul so long ago. But even with his heart dead set against it, this hellhound quickly finds he’s not immune to love after all.

What’s Collected in Vegas, stays in Vegas…

Her second Sin City Collector novel, Ante Up, will be releasing August 18th; but if you read Aces Wild and can’t wait for more, the series is being co-written with Kristen Painter and her novel, Queen of Hearts, is now out.

I think I’ve gotten off topic again. To get back on topic, Amanda is here today to talk about these two fabulous series, so I hope I haven’t lost you yet. Oh! And don’t forget to stick around…we’re giving away the first 3 Jessica McClain novels – Full-BloodedHot-BloodedCold-Blooded!
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Interview with Amanda Carlson

ACarlson-Red BloodedFor those of my readers unfamiliar with your Jessica McClain series, can you give us a brief look at your novel and what readers can look forward to?

The newest installment of the Jessica McClain series is RED BLOODED, and it releases Sept. 9th. I’m SO excited to have this book out! My fans have been eagerly awaiting its release. If I talked about the plot too much, it would be full of spoilers, but needless to say, Jessica is on her way to get her brother back and things get exciting. There are a ton of twists and turns along the way. New characters and a brand new setting for Jessica to explore. It was so much fun to write, I hope the readers love it just as much as I do.

Is there any part of Jessica’s world that you would like to expand on in the future?

I’d love to tell James & Marcy’s story (possibly soon!). In fact, I’d love it if each boy could got his own story, so stay tuned for that!

What was your inspiration when you created your characters and the worlds they live in?

When I started writing Jessica’s book, I simply wrote the kind of book I liked to read and nothing more. I’m a character writer who doesn’t plot very much. I know the broad story arc, but other than that I’m along for the ride. I’ve been on the same roller coaster as Jessica all the way through, seeing it through her eyes. It’s been so fun!

For those of my readers unfamiliar with your Sin City Collectors series, can you give us a brief look at what readers can look forward to?

ACarlson-Ante UpThe world of Sin City is such a great one! The stories are set in Vegas and revolve around the Sin City Collection Agency, which is like a bounty hunting agency for rogue supernaturals. Each book is a stand alone romance, 3rd person point of view, with tons of action and romance. We have a lot of authors on board with more stories to come. If you haven’t yet, you should check them out.

Why Nevada and Jake? What was it about Nevada and Jake that drew you to them and want to tell their story?

As always, the characters pop into my brain on their own with their own story to tell. I love dhampirs and I don’t think we see a lot of them. I’ve also always wanted a hellhound lead, and this was finally my chance. It all came together in a fantastic & fun way.

What made you decide to start a new urban fantasy series?

As an author, you look for exciting stories to tell and it’s fun to mix it up. The Sin City series is a paranormal romance series, and it was the first time I’d written a straight romance. It was also my first 3rd person narrative. It was great to be able to be in both heads!

Can you introduce us to a few of the side characters that we’ll be meeting or who will play an important role to/for Nevada and Jake?

My next installment is called ANTE UP, and it will be released August 18th. Readers will get to see a bit of Neve & Jake, but the hero and heroine in ANTE UP are Diesel Jones, a wolf shifter with moon issues, and Sofia Cabrera, the new witch in town. It turned out to be a great installment and so much fun to write. I hope readers love it as much as my first one.

What was it about the fantasy genre that drew you to write in it? Was there a certain book that captured your imagination and led you to think you could do it or did it come to you naturally?

I fell into reading urban fantasy and paranormal romance about the time Twilight was big for kids. I knew there had to be something out there for adults and I’d always been a fan of Stephen King and Anne Rice. I found wonderful books, starting with Kresely Cole and JR Ward, and read in the genre for about four years before I read myself out. I was waiting for the next installment of some of my faves when I decided to write the kind of book I wanted to read and the rest is history.

Thank you so much for hosting me! I had a great time chatting.

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Meet Amanda Carlson!

Amanda is a Minnesota girl, born and bred. She started writing stories about teenage girls and their social missteps while in high school. She’s been writing for over ten years, but began writing fiction in earnest after her second child was born. Her book, Full Blooded, is a face-paced, action filled urban fantasy, the first in the Jessica McClain series. Full Blooded is her first novel. She lives in Minneapolis, with her husband and three kids.

Amanda CarlsonContact Info: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | GoodReads | Amazon

Want to purchase Amanda’s novels?
Jessica McClain

  1. Blooded
  2. Full-Blooded
  3. Hot-Blooded
  4. Cold-Blooded
  5. Red-Blooded (September 9, 2014)

Sin City Collectors

  1. Aces Wild
  2. Ante Up (August 18, 2014)

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Contest Time!

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

We’re giving away the first 3 Jessica McClain novels – Full-BloodedHot-BloodedCold-Blooded. (US Only)

The contest will stay open until July 31st.

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About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.