Interview and Giveaway with S.C. Stephens

~ S.C. STEPHENS ~

Since this is our first time chatting with you here at Under the Covers (and we are usually very nosy), please tell us five things about yourself that would shock readers and they don’t already know.

• Hmmm…I dislike talking about myself, although, that may be obvious!
• Even though I made it sound that way, Thoughtless is not an autobiography. 😉
• I live in an area well-known for its seafood…and I hate seafood. I’d rather eat imitation crab than real crab.
• I love visiting new places, but I hate to fly. Seriously.
• I didn’t go to college, and I didn’t take any writing classes outside of high school English. And once again, that one may be obvious!

How different was it for you to dive into a paranormal than with your contemporary series?

I wrote it from a contemporary standpoint—it’s set in the “real” world, and deals with real issues; wanting to fit in when you feel different from everyone else, etc. His vampirism, while very important to the story, was mainly another obstacle for them to overcome. It doesn’t change who he is as a person. Because of that, writing paranormal wasn’t that much different for me than writing regular romance. Plus I love vampires, so it was a lot of fun to add them into the mix.

What can you tell us about CONVERSION if you had to fit it in a tweet?

CONVERSION = love, family, blood, an epic pillow-chucking hissy fit, and the perfect man who also happens to be a “little bit” vampire.

You have a playlist for CONVERSION. How important is music while writing for you?

Music helps me “see” scenes, so when I hear a song and can relate it to a story, it makes it easier for me to write. I just sit back and watch the movie in my head.

What’s on YOUR playlist at the moment?

I’ve been playing the Native album by OneRepublic nonstop since it came out. Love that album!

Do you have any inspiration for the characters you write?

Sometimes I’ll take bits and pieces of physical characteristics from people, but most of their personality and quirks come from the story. They develop along with the plot.

What paranormal creature would you like to be and why?

Hmmm…I want to turn into something…but only if it doesn’t hurt to change, and only if I’m still in control, so I don’t kill anything.

If you could meet some of your favorite paranormal characters (from other authors books) who would they be?

Edward Cullen. He’s still my favorite book boyfriend. Always and forever.

When can readers expect the re-release of BLOODLINES, book two in the Conversion series?

Book two will be out December 17th! And book three will be out sometime next spring.

What are some of your favorite authors?

I’m all over the place. I love Stephenie Meyer, Richelle Mead, Terry Goodkind, and I also love K.A. Linde, Christina Lauren, Colleen Hoover and Tammara Webber.

Care to share a bit of your favorite scene from CONVERSION?

His face was happy and relaxed, and held no trace of the confusion or turmoil he’d shown earlier. I carefully watched him as he took my hand and led me out of that darkened area that we’d just christened. A light smile was on his lips and his eyes had the slightly unfocused look of someone a little tipsy. He walked straight and confidently though; it was just an odd, satisfied look on his face. A look I realized would be painfully obvious to Tracey, when we sat back down with them.

I stopped him as we started walking back through the parking lot. He turned to look at me, all happy and content like. I frowned. “Can you try and look like you’ve just been sick…not like you’ve just had sex?” I straightened out his clothes again and rechecked us both for bloodstains in the brighter lights of the lot.

“I’ll work on it,” he chuckled, the look not leaving his face at all. “I’m just so…relaxed.”

I scrunched my brows as I examined his features. “You should give me a heads-up, the next time your urges get that bad.”

He half-grinned and started pulling me towards the restaurant. “I’ll work on that, too.”

Once inside, I slipped away to the bathroom to see to my leg while Teren went to sit back down. I didn’t think it would bleed again; Teren was generally pretty good about making sure my wounds weren’t flowing before he left me alone. I liked to think that was out of concern for me, but honestly, it could have been because he didn’t want to miss a drop of his liquid diet. Feeling that “better safe than sorry” was a more prudent approach to dating a vampire, I’d started packing Band-Aids in my purse.

What’s next for S.C. Stephens?

I’m currently working hard to wrap up the Conversion trilogy, then I have a couple of new projects that I will be starting next year.

 

Emma is content. She’s got a promising career in front of her, great friends, and a pretty amazing family. But her love life has been a little lacking lately. That’s when fate steps in, and she crashes into a tall, dark and handsome man—Teren Adams.

He’s single, successful, an extraordinary gentleman, but he’s also secretive. And some of his secrets are more unusual than most people’s. For instance, he’s a “little bit” vampire. He has fangs, incredible hearing, unbelievable speed, and, on occasion, he enjoys drinking a steaming cup of blood. But he’s also very much alive. He has a heartbeat, loves steak as well as cappuccinos, and has no problems walking around during the day.

Since Teren acts human the majority of the time, the pros far outweigh the cons in Emma’s book. But when it becomes apparent that Teren’s condition is much more serious than he first lets on, and that being in a relationship with him requires more sacrifices than most would be willing to make, will Emma stay? Is love enough to compensate for a life that will never be anywhere near normal? But then again…what’s normal anyway?

[about-author author=”S.C. Stephens”]

 

 We have two ebook copies of CONVERSION up for grabs,
to be gifted via Amazon or B&N.  Open internationally.