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Interview and Contest With Author C.E. Murphy

Posted under Contests, Interviews by Site Hostess on Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 10:35 am
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Exclusive Bitten by Books

Interview with Author C.E. Murphy

A big welcome to our readers today! Be sure to read to the end of the interview to find out how to WIN the fabulous prizes being offered up. The contest runs for an ENTIRE WEEK!! From today through 11:59 pm PDT time 3/16/09. Open to readers worldwide!

NOTE: This is not a fixed time event, the post just goes live at 12:30 pm CDT. You can stop by any time during the day or evening and leave your questions and comments.

Interview:

Hi C.E.!

Welcome to Bitten by Books, we are excited to have you here today!

I would like to thank you taking the time to join us for the question and answer session with our readers. It has been very interesting to get to know more about you and what makes you tick as a writer! Readers, if you haven’t done so already please stop by and get your copy of C.E’s latest release The Pretender’s Crown.

BBB: What do you find the most challenging aspect of writing?

CEM: Oh, I think probably any writer fears re-treading the same territory. I’ve written a lot of books in a short period of time, and I’m always kind of holding my breath going ‘Have I done this recently and just put it out of my mind?’ So that’s definitely a story-telling point to fuss over.

On a terribly pragmatic level, heck, just sitting down and getting the words going every day can be pretty challenging, too… :)

BBB: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?

CEM: Fan mail. O.O *laughs* Well, to some degree that’s true, because it’s an indication that you did something right.

But every once in a while there’s this glowing little moment in the actual writing process where everything has come together and you’ve chosen exactly the right words and the story has reached a crescendo and it’s all absolutely perfect. That’s…that’s a good time. It doesn’t happen very often. A couple times in a million words, maybe. My short story “From Russia, with Love” in the anthology A Fantasy Medley, which is a story of the Old Races that’s being released in an anthology from Subterranean Press at the end of March is actually as close to a whole story that hits that high note as I’ve ever written.

‘course, getting my author’s copies of the books is right up there too, as for rewarding aspects. It all becomes real at that moment.

BBB: Your books seem well researched. Do you enjoy this part of writing? What resources do you find most helpful?

CEM: Oh, man, I *love* research. An awful lot of writers seem to. Possibly this is a Sekrit Truth about us: we’d all be pretty happy as research librarians, although the urge to tell stories with what we’d read would presumably catch up eventually.

With the Walker Papers, which are in some ways my most research-heavy books, I went forth and read, I don’t know, a dozen books on shamanism, maybe more (and I’ve got a list of new ones I want to pick up). It was utterly fascinating reading. The thing is, of course, that when you go to write the book, very very little of what you’ve studied actually ends up on the page. The idea isn’t so much to make people think “wow, she really did her homework” as to create a sense of confidence in the writing and creativity of the world.

I also unabashedly use the Internet Hive Mind. I have several hundred readers at my Livejournal and when I’m stuck for–well, pens, for example. I needed an expensive, maybe one-off pen for Eliseo Daisani in the Negotiator Trilogy. There are numerous pen aficionados on my friends list, and I got all kinds of useful feedback from them, stuff you can’t really *get* just from Wikipedia or whatever. The personal touch, you know?

Of course, that question and every other one my LJ friends list answered for that particular book got rendered moot in rewrites, but it’s a good resource regardless!

BBB: What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle 2or Sony Digital Book Reader to the environment?

CEM: To the environment? You know, I have to admit that in my short-sighted way I mostly think of e-readers as extremely useful for vacation reading. I largely haven’t thought about it as a morally superior environmentally friendly way of reading.

I think–now that you’re making me think!–that to my mind, one of the hugest advantages, environmentally or not, to e-readers is the ability to update and disseminate *textbooks*, more than fiction. I read paper books out of preference, but I do huge whacking amounts of research online, and it wouldn’t bother me at all to study through an e-book. That, in particular, strikes me as a huge win.

E-readers and the Internet are already killing traditional newspapers and magazines. I’m sure that over the next ten-twenty-thirty years that people who’ve grown up reading and researching on screen will keep right on doing so with e-readers and novel-length fiction. I don’t know that it’ll ever go quite so far as paper books being a retro luxury item, but if there’s an ever-increasing tendency toward e-books, well, that’s really sort of ideal in a global climate sense, isn’t it?

BBB: What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?

CEM: I’m a bit of an “information wants to be free” girl, which is perhaps not entirely logical, given that I make my living *entirely* based on people’s willingness to pay for what I write. Random House, which is the parent company of one of my publishers, Del Rey, has just started a free fiction library over at Suvudu.com, and I am eager to get on that bandwagon. I believe that in this day and age, putting your work up online in large chunks–like, book-length chunks–is a very, very good way to drive sales. So I don’t feel that the prolifigation of electronic reading material is in any way a bad thing.

Anybody with even the very vaguest interest in, you know, the Internet, is probably aware that there’s a tremendous amount of free fiction out there. Lots of it’s fan fiction, some of it’s original, but whatever it is, the vicious truth is that *most*–not all, but *most* of it–isn’t very good. There’s no quality control. So I’m inclined to feel that regardless of how it’s presented, as e-books or traditional printing, that there’s always going to be a market for paying customers, because you do, most of the time, get what you pay for.

As a writer, the one thing I would like to see is authors getting a larger percentage of the earnings off e-books. There’s very little overhead cost for electronic books, and (sensibly) they tend to cost less than traditional printing. So if one of my books is selling for $13.95 traditional and $8 digital, and I’m getting a 7.5% royalty on each sale, obviously I’d rather have people buying the traditional book. If I got a 14 or 20% royalty off an e-book, I wouldn’t be losing money with electronic sales. So that, to me, would be ideal.

BBB: What made you decide on gargoyles out of all the paranormal creatures?

CEM: Mostly I wasn’t aware of anybody else writing them. That’s how I decided on shamans, too, for the Walker Papers. I–despite having a vampire in the Negotiator books–am not *terribly* keen on vampires, and I’ve almost never come across werewolves that I like. So I wanted to go outside of those creatures as possible pro-and-antagonists for the Negotiator trilogy, and gargoyles struck me as potentially very sexy.

BBB: Siobhan and Cernunnos aren’t your average, every day character names. What inspired the Celtic name choices in Urban Shaman?

CEM: Actually, if I’d spelled ‘Siobhan’ the American way (Shevaun) it wouldn’t seem quite so strange. But the name is part of Joanne Walker’s heritage; she’s half Irish, half Cherokee, and her mother gave her a reasonably traditional Irish name.

Cernunnos is one of a variety of names for the Horned God of the Hunt. I didn’t actually choose it for the difficulty in pronouncing it (KER-nuh-nosh), but it’s a little more alien, a little less familiar, than some of his other names, and I didn’t want him to feel like someone readers had encountered hundreds of times in the past.

BBB: Can you tell us what your next release(s) will be? And do you have stand-alone titles forthcoming? And of course we would love to know how many more books are scheduled in your various series!

CEM: *laugh* My publishers won’t let me do stand-alones. They too often sink unnoticed, whereas series give you a little more time to catch attention. I have a bunch of stand-alone ideas, so basically what I need is for my reader base–there seem to be around 40,000 readers for the Walker Papers–is for them to *all buy* the books the month they come out. That would start to look like numbers which could support stand-alone titles… :)

*cracks knuckles* Ok. Upcoming releases:

March 2009: A Fantasy Medley — an anthology from Subterranean Press with a short story from the Old Races universe

May 2009: The Pretender’s Crown — Book Two of the Inheritors’ Cycle, sequel to The Queen’s Bastard

September 2009: WALKING DEAD — Book Four of the Walker Papers

October 2009: THE PHANTOM QUEEN AWAKES — another anthology in which I have a short story about the Celtic goddess of death and war, the Morrigan

November 2009: TAKE A CHANCE — the graphic novel of my monthly comic book series, “Take A Chance”

The fifth Walker Papers book will be out in 2010, as well as a two-book paranormal romance story (tentatively) called the Worldwalker Duology. Those books are (tentatively) TRUTHSEEKER and WAYFINDER. And if my editor broke my brain badly enough when we were figuring out the storyline, perhaps there will be a third called WORLDBREAKER. Or perhaps there won’t. :)

Ideally–in other words, if the sales support it–there will be a total of 9 books in the Walker Papers. I’m contracted through book 6, the end of which my editor read about two year ago, and I don’t think she can stand not knowing what happens next, so hopefully there’ll be three more books after that. :)

The Inheritors’ Cycle will have four or five books, if I get to keep going on those. I’m really not sure which, though, four or five. Maybe five. Probably. Unless it’s four. But those aren’t contracted for yet. (See the part up there about all the readers buying the book the month it comes out? Do that with The Pretender’s Crown in May and there’ll be more…)

BBB: Who is your favorite character from each series and why?

CEM: Hasn’t anybody ever told you you’re not supposed to ask a mother which child she likes best?

Honestly, it’s a really hard question! I do love Jo in the Walker Papers, even if I want to smack her sometimes (she’s getting less smackable, though), but…I think Gary might be my favorite, there. I just love him to bits. He just embraces life so willingly.

I have *such* a favorite in the Negotiator Books I feel guilty admitting to it, so I won’t. Hah. Take that. :) But my favorite in the Inheritors’ Cycle is actually someone who’s only mentioned in The Queen’s Bastard and has only a very small role in The Pretender’s Crown. He’s called Seolfor, and he’ll have a larger role to play in later books, so I really, *really* hope I’ll get to write them. :)

BBB: Your knowledge of history is very evident in The Queen’s Bastard. Has this been a life-long interest of yours?

CEM: I in fact have a degree in History and English, but the Elizabethan era, in particular, has indeed been a life-long interest. (I dressed as Queen Elizabeth I for Halloween in 7th grade. At the time it didn’t strike me as a geeky choice.) Really, when I started writing TQB I thought it was going to follow actual history much more closely than it did, but it turned out Belinda had a mind of her own.

BBB: Did you have difficulty creating a main character who is not sympathetic in the traditional sense?

CEM: …if I say no are you going to think I’m a psychopath?

Belinda Primrose is one of the more awesome characters I’ve ever written, from a writer’s point of view. She is *not* a sympathetic character–she’s an assassin, for one, and isn’t troubled by, you know. Killing people. Or manipulating them, or using them to achieve her goals. So what I hoped to create was not a *likeable* character, but a compelling one. Right from the beginning I knew she was the protagonist, but I never once imagined she was the hero, if you see the difference there. She’s not the good guy. In fact, there are very few people in those books who *are* the good guys…which, really, is probably a bit more like real life than the stories where it’s clear who you should be rooting for.

BBB: What is your all time favorite paranormal/urban fantasy book?

CEM: …I’m pretty fond of Hands of Flame, if you want to know the truth. But, um, outside of my own writing? Jeri Smith-Ready’s Wicked Game has got to go on the short list. I loved that book.

I don’t actually read that much urban fantasy/paranormal romance, honestly. I write so much of it that reading it is like work (which is part of why Jeri’s book is short-listed: it *wasn’t* like work, and if an urban fantasy can pull me in that well, it’s *good*), so I try to mostly stay out of that genre. I read more hard sci-fi these days, really, when I’ve got time to read at all. That and epic fantasy, when I can get ahold of the good stuff.

BBB: What do you like to do in between all the time you spend writing?

CEM: *squints* I don’t understand the question. What do you mean, ‘between the time I spend writing’? :)

I’m a dilettante in photography–I have a photoblog up at kitsnaps.com. I read a little (one of the things they fail to tell you about becoming a professional writer is that it *really* cuts into your reading time). I, er, write comics. I occasionally practice the tin whistle. (My editor and agent both suggested to me, independently, that perhaps I needed to take up a hobby that wasn’t writing. “Like music, maybe….”) I watch SF television, and once in a while I get out of the house and talk to people who don’t live in my head. :)

BBB: What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?

CEM: I worked in IT, mostly doing web design, for years. (Consequently I am extremely picky about site design, and will completely dismiss writers, businesses, random people, you name it, depending on the quality of their website. No website is okay. Bad website, I blow ‘em off. I am aware this is totally unfair, but there you have it. BBB, btw, has a pretty nice site. :))

I do write full-time, in fact. As it happened, my web design job went away the same month I got a second 3-book contract, and I haven’t gone back to work in the real world since then. It’s been about five years now and I no longer have any idea how people manage to get anything *done* if they have day jobs to go to. And yet I miss the interaction, so nothing’s quite perfect. :)

BBB: Do you have future plans for the Old Races? Your website doesn’t indicate any, but there was mention of the possibility at the end of Hands of Flame.

CEM: There will be no new Old Races, except in short stories, until at least the Walker Papers are finished. I have three or five titles written down, and books, for me, start with the titles, so it’s very likely that I’ll go back to that world and write more someday, particularly given how Hands of Flame *ended*. That was what a friend calls a “Rules Change” moment–in Buffy terms, “there is no longer only one Slayer, but dozens or hundreds of them.” This changes the world they’re in, and Hands of Flame does end on a rules change. So I’m sure there’ll be more someday.

But they will *not* be about Margrit and Alban. Their story is done.

BBB: What is your favorite quote of all time?

CEM: “There is no try, only do,” because little green muppet dudes know whereof they speak,

“Never give up, never surrender!”, because it’s good advice even if it’s from Galaxy Quest,

and “If you’ve turned to this page, you’ve forgotten what is going on around you is not reality. Think about that,” which is from Richard Bach’s Illusions, and which I’ve kept in mind for more than half a lifetime now. :)

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Readers, learn more about C.E. Murphy here:

Read the Bitten by Books reviews of the author’s work here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

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Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do ONE or ALL of these things, and each one will give you additional entries at a chance to WIN. FIVE lucky participants will win an ARC (advanced reading copy) of The Pretender’s Crown C.E’s upcoming NEW release. Contest is open to international readers.

Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.

1. The easiest way to enter is by purchasing copies of The Queen’s Bastard!

Yep, it is true, if you purchase a copy of C.E’s release this link here: The Queen’s Bastard. This is book one in the Inheritors’ Cycle series and should be read prior to The Pretender’s Crown. You will get FORTY entries to the contest for each copy you purchase. It is not mandatory to purchase a copy, there are plenty of other ways to enter and win. Just email me a copy of your purchase receipt to racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Sorry no faxes or snail mail copies.

2. In order to be entered into this contest the ONE thing you ALL have to do is leave a comment or question. Feel free to start a discussion or ask as many questions as you like. No talking = no entries! You can come by everyday through 3/16/09 and comment for more entries. Good for 10 entries per day.

3. Read the Bitten by Books reviews of C.E’s books here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?page_id=58&book_author_id=C.E.%20Murphy

Then leave a meaningful comment IN THE REVIEW post that shows you read the review, not just a post that says “sounds good” or “nice review”, a couple of sentences would be great! Simply share your thoughts, ideas or opinions and show the author some love. Good for 5 entries per review you comment on.

4. Post all of the links to C.E’s reviews on Bitten by books along with your thoughts on each one on YOUR blog/website. You MUST come back here and post the links to where you posted the review links at. Good for 15 entries per place you post them.

5. SUBSCRIBE to the Bitten by Books newsletter here on the right hand side of the site. This is for new subscribers only. Be sure you VERIFY your subscription, an email is sent with the verification link. Unverified subscribers will not be entered and will be deleted from the mailing list. Good for 10 entries.

6. Spread the word, the more places you post the event, the more entries you get. Post the link to the event / contest today (http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961) at another blog, website, Myspace, Ning Group, Facebook, Yahoo Group, Goodreads, Shelfari (any group where it is appropriate). You MUST come back here to this interview and post those links in one response here in this thread. Good for 10 entries per place you post the link to this event.

NOTE: if you post multiple links here, your post will not show up right away. If you don’t see it, don’t keep posting it, we WILL approve your entry later on in the day.

7. Purchase copies of C.E’s awesome books USING THE LINKS BELOW today THROUGH 3/16/09 from AMAZON. Then send us a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes or snail mail) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for THIRTY additional entries. You get THIRTY entries for each book you purchase. You can buy print, Kindle or audio downloads of her books and they count as well. Not valid on past purchases. Please use these links below to buy her most recent books.

Books in the Negotiator Trilogy in the order they should be read:
Heart of Stone
House of Cards
Hands of Flame

Books in the The Inheritors’ Cycle series in the order they should be read:
The Queen’s Bastard
The Pretender’s Crown

Books in The Walker Papers series in the order they should be read:
Urban Shaman
Winter Moon - Novella
Thunderbird Falls
Coyote Dreams

Stand Alone Titles:
A Fantasy Medley

Or buy ANYTHING from Amazon today THROUGH 3/16/09 by using the Amazon search box on the right hand side of our site. We will know if you used the box to search and buy, so please be sure to use it or your entries won’t count. Send me a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes or snail mail) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 20 entries per item purchased.

8. Add us as your friend on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bittenbybooks

Add us as your friend on Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=614064436

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BittenbyBooks be SURE to tweet us after you follow so we can count your entry! @BittenbyBooks

Be sure to mention that you are friending us for this contest so we know to enter you! Good for 5 entries per place you friend us.

9. Be friends with C.E by joining her here:

Newsletter: http://cemurphy.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements_cemurphy.net

Myspace: http://myspace.com/ce_murphy/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=692301288

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127448040293

Then send us a copy of the email you get once you are get the email confirmations for the newsletter, and friendship on Myspace and Facebook to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 10 entries each place you add.

10. Twitter and ask your friends to re-tweet the URL for this event be SURE to include us in your tweet @BittenbyBooks http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961. Good for 10 entries.

11. Add C.E’s blog and website to your blog roll or links page: http://mizkit.com/ and http://cemurphy.net/. Good for 10 entries for each place you post each link.

12. Add Bitten by Books to your blog roll or links page: http://bittenbybooks.com if you leave our link up permanently you will always be entered into our contests automatically. Just be sure to stop by each contest we hold and leave the link to where it is so we can give you your entry! Good for 10 entries.

13. Email ALL of your friends and invite them to come by this week! If your fiends come and post here and say you sent them, they get TWO entries and you get FOUR entries! They have to tell us who you are so we know who to give the entries to. You can invite as many people as you want and get all the extra entries!

14. Join the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! here: http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/ then come back here and tell us your user name. Be sure to post something about yourself on your blog there. Good for 10 entries

GENERAL CONTEST INFORMATION:

The contest ends on 3/16/09 at 11:59 pm PDT and the winner will be contacted the following week. You will receive your prize directly from the publisher. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning.

IMPORTANT CONTEST RULES:

1. If you aren’t interested in receiving the prize, offered please do not enter the contest.

2. You have THREE days from the day the I contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re- award the prize to another entrant or not.

3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. We have the option to re-award it or not.

4. Contest is open to readers worldwide. The prize is shipped directly from the publisher.

5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.

6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.

7. Contest is void where prohibited.

8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry

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95 Comments »

  1. Pingback by the essential kit » Blog Archive » liveblogging the final chapter — March 10, 2009 @ 10:44 am

    [...] something more interesting, go read today’s interview with me over at Bitten By Books. There are 5 PRETENDER’S CROWN ARCs in the running for commentors, so [...]


  2. Comment by Virginia Hendricks — March 10, 2009 @ 11:08 am

    Hi CE Murphy!

    Welcome to BBB! How exciting to have you here! I have not had a chance to read any of your books, but I swear I do have one on the TBR pile! :)

    My question is this, alot of authors are debating the use of social networks such as facebook, or twitter and how effective they are in marketing their books. How do you feel about these tools in the world of the information age?

    (rach-twittered, mark and dakota’s group)

    [Reply]


  3. Comment by Zita Hildebrandt — March 10, 2009 @ 11:12 am

    I am a HUGE fan of your “Walker Papers” and was so glad to read there would be at least two more, and the “Worldwalker” duology (or perhaps trilogy?) sound very interesting as well. Thanks for sharing your worlds with us!

    I have sent a facebook friend request to Ms. Murphy and I will blog about the contest on my LJ (http://zita-h.livejournal.com/) site. I will also share on my facebook site (http://www.facebook.com/s.php?k=100000080&id=692301288&sid=1ef084a054796771d30aa5741609c95b#/profile.php?id=1547287635&ref=name).

    [Reply]


  4. Comment by MarnieColette — March 10, 2009 @ 11:14 am

    Thanks for stopping by to talk with us. Your Urban Shaman book looks extremely interesting.

    My question to you…

    If you had to choose one of your characters to cook you a dinner - Who would they be? What would they cook? and Why did you choose them?

    [Reply]


  5. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 11:25 am

    Hey, Virginia!

    Thanks for the welcome. I’m looking forward to talking with people over the next week. :)

    Well, for me the only reason I’m on Facebook at all is so readers can find me there. It seems to be working, which is great, and I love the interaction that’s available through it, and I like being able to let people know when things like this are coming up.

    The down side is, of course, that it’s a terrible time-suck. One can spend soooo much time reloading and going ‘why has nobody commented on my status!’ and things like that, that it’s kind of dangerous. Teh intarwebs, they drain the hours from my day! Hours in which I should be writing!

    I have at least a handful of friends who use Twitter to actually do in-character twits, but I fear I lack the dedication. :)

    OTOH, y’know, I blog almost daily and make some feeble attempt to keep my professional site updated, so clearly I have *some* dedication to the whole interactive online thingy. (Wow. My brain just went out the window there, can you tell?)

    Ok. Virginia’s question was the first one and the only one I’ve seen so far. I’m going to hit post on this answer, and then I’m going to go away for about an hour, and when I return, I’m going to have finished writing another book. Wish me luck. :)

    -Catie

    [Reply]


  6. Comment by Jennzah — March 10, 2009 @ 11:29 am

    hi, C.E! your negotiator books have been on my to read list for AGES now! i’ve also friended on Facebook, so Virginia kinda took my question,but that’s okay. thanks for the great interview!

    (rachel - posted on facebook, twittered, added CE to my blogroll, BBB is always linked on my blogroll, added CE on myspace, and joined her newsletter :D )

    [Reply]


  7. Comment by Caden Leigh — March 10, 2009 @ 11:39 am

    Catie,

    Wow what a busy bee you are! I cannot wait to read your newest release. I agree that e-readers are the greatest thing since sliced bread! I believe that e-books will open the world up to readers ,well those who have internet access (don’t get me started on rural areas!) I noticed you do mainly series, do you prefer that over stand alone titles? Also, I really enjoyed your photography, The Hapenny Bridge is my fav, do you do you own artwork for the books and covers?

    Thank you for visiting BBB!

    Sisses
    Caden Leigh

    [Reply]


  8. Comment by Beet — March 10, 2009 @ 11:55 am

    Good Afternoon C.E.,

    I haven’t been able to pick up your books, just yet. So my question is what is your favorite fruit?

    [Reply]


  9. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 12:23 pm

    MarnieColette–

    *laughs* As it happens, one of my characters, Cole in the Negotiator trilogy, is a chef. So I imagine I’d get him to cook for me, but as to /what/…see, the thing is, my husband’s a chef. So what you really do is wait in anticipation to find out what culinary delight he’s decided to make, and then you appreciate it with all your little heart and tastebuds. :)

    That said, though, I think I’d also probably like it if Gary from the Walker Papers cooked me something. It’d be good plain Amurrican style food, but it’d be delicious and the company would be unbeatable. :)

    -Catie

    [Reply]


  10. Comment by Valorie — March 10, 2009 @ 12:24 pm

    2.) I just wanted to say that I love your cathedral photography, especially that lovely stone vaulted arch.

    6.) Blogged: http://www.morbid-romantic.net/2009/03/10/book-giveaways-0309-0315/

    7.) Friend on Facebook and Twitter (morbidromantic)

    10.) Tweet: http://twitter.com/morbidromantic/status/1306872040

    14.) I am a member of the Blood Bank

    [Reply]


  11. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 12:28 pm

    Oh, thank you, Caden! I liked that Hapenny Bridge shot, too. I don’t do anything at all with my own covers, though–that’s what the art department is for! And they’ve given me some really gorgeous covers, I think, so I’m just as happy to let them keep doing their good work. Someday I’d like to do a photography book, though.

    I haven’t been able to convince my publishers to let me do stand-alones yet. Maybe someday!

    [Reply]


  12. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 12:29 pm

    Apples, hands down, Beet. :) Particularly a variety called ‘Jazz’ apples that I discovered over here in Ireland. I just planted a couple of Jazz apple seeds, so maybe in a few years I’ll have my own… :)

    [Reply]


  13. Comment by Qwill — March 10, 2009 @ 12:30 pm

    Hi. How do you decide what to write next?

    (BBB is permanently linked on my blog: http://qwillery.blogspot.com)

    [Reply]


  14. Comment by Samantha Gail — March 10, 2009 @ 12:39 pm

    Greetings from Alaska, C.E.!
    I love your take on the internet and e-Book readers. I have a Kindle that I just adore:)
    Cheers!

    [Reply]


  15. Comment by Rachel — March 10, 2009 @ 1:02 pm

    I want to thank C.E. for coming by today and sharing her time. I can appreciate how truly busy you must with writing, so we are doubly lucky.

    I have to say that your artwork on all of your books is amazing. BUT the Inheritors’ Cycle covers a stunning.

    Everybody has a guilty pleasure. Mine is listening and singing to 80’s new wave. LOL
    What’s your guilty pleasure?

    [Reply]


  16. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 1:02 pm

    *laughs* The truth is, Qwill, my writing schedule is entirely dictated by my contracts. I’ve (literally) just finished writing TRUTHSEEKER for Del Rey, and I’ll be starting the fifth Walker Papers book next week, if my brain has recovered enough. I haven’t written something uncontracted since…2004, which was when I started selling. I’d like to get far enough ahead of the curve to do something just for fun, but I’m not there yet. :)

    [Reply]


  17. Comment by JOYE — March 10, 2009 @ 1:06 pm

    Enjoyed reading the comments. My question is Do you read the dialogue in your book aloud to see how it flows?

    [Reply]


  18. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 1:40 pm

    Sometimes, Joye! I have this idea that someday I’ll actually read whole manuscripts aloud to hear how they flow, but I’ve never had time to do that yet. It’d be cool, though. :)

    [Reply]


  19. Comment by Linda Ak — March 10, 2009 @ 2:13 pm

    Great to see you here :)
    I always find new exciting authors for me to read here, just started to read paranormal books and such, and I am always looking for fun new read.

    ANd that cover sure speaks to me

    [Reply]


  20. Comment by CE Murphy — March 10, 2009 @ 2:42 pm

    Aw, thank you, Valorie. I do love photography. *happysigh*

    You know, Rachel, I suspect my guilty pleasure is something very dull, like Haagen Daas Belgian chocolate ice cream. I mean, I’d say Bon Jovi, but I feel no guilt there, you know? :)

    [Reply]


  21. Comment by Alana Abbott — March 10, 2009 @ 3:19 pm

    Okay, so I knew about Urban Shaman and Take a Chance (which my FLCS is ordering in for me), but I had no idea how many other books you had out! I’m especially intrigued by the gargoyles. :)

    I’d love to hear a little bit about how you approach writing your comic in comparison to how you approach writing your novels. Do you write in panels, or prose?

    Rachel–as always, BBB is on my blog roll at http://alanajoli.livejournal.com.

    [Reply]


  22. Comment by Alana Abbott — March 10, 2009 @ 3:33 pm

    Rachel–I don’t see a way to get an e-mail confirmation for joining a group on facebook. I’ve just signed up to follow Take a Chance (something I would have done earlier had I known about the group–thanks for mentioning it!).

    [Reply]


  23. Comment by RachG — March 10, 2009 @ 4:51 pm

    Yea! Howdy C.E. Murphy!

    I was wondering how your publisher decides which authors to pair you up with? If it’s kind of luck of the draw, or if your friends, or what??

    [Reply]


  24. Comment by RachG — March 10, 2009 @ 4:52 pm

    Another Question!! :) I was also wondering if when you do anthologies how you guys decide on a common theme of the book, if there is one.

    [Reply]


  25. Comment by RachG — March 10, 2009 @ 4:52 pm

    I follow Bitten by Books on my feed reader thing. :)

    [Reply]


  26. Comment by Dina — March 10, 2009 @ 7:24 pm

    I posted your link here:
    http://dinasthoughtblog.blogspot.com/

    you are also a perm fav there too.

    re-tweeted at:
    http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961.

    posted a bulletin at:
    http://www.myspace.com/dlsmilad

    [Reply]


  27. Comment by Dina — March 10, 2009 @ 7:43 pm

    also posted link on facebook. ;)

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=584925454&ref=profile

    [Reply]


  28. Comment by Lexee — March 10, 2009 @ 9:23 pm

    What is your favorite genre to read?
    What is your favorite genre to write?
    What genre would you most like to try to write?

    [Reply]


  29. Comment by Rachel — March 10, 2009 @ 9:40 pm

    What! Only Hagen Daas and Bon Jovi? Now are you telling me that the secret double lives of intrigue that all authors live isn’t alive and well in Ireland?

    Fuzzy bunny slippers? Barry Manillow? (sp)

    noooo guilty pleasures? lol

    j/k

    What book is by your bed right now?

    [Reply]


  30. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:32 am

    Woo, lots of questions to wake up to!

    Alana asked: I’d love to hear a little bit about how you approach writing your comic in comparison to how you approach writing your novels. Do you write in panels, or prose?

    The easiest way to answer this is to point you at the online Chance script I’ve got over here. That way you can see what it actually looks like…but I write in panels, which is desperately weird for me. Actually, I’ve just posted a couple of Take A Chance interview links from the front page of cemurphy.net, too, which talk some about the process!

    BTW, I think it’s very strange (yet possibly wonderful) that you knew about the Walker Papers and Chance, but not the other books. I’m just glad when people know about the comic! :)

    [Reply]


  31. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:40 am

    Re: anthologies

    Well, the WINTER MOON anthology, with Mercedes Lackey and Tanith Lee as the other writers, was a deliberate choice on my publishers’ part to help raise my profile right at the very, very beginning of my career. I’ll always be grateful for that.

    Mostly what happens with an anthology is the editor contacts the writers he’d like to have participate, and invites them to do so. Then they say yes or no, time allowing. For the WINTER MOON anthology I personally would have invented a time machine if it had been necessary so I could participate. :)

    There’s generally a theme already settled on–WINTER MOON’s theme was the stories all had to have something to do with, you guessed it, a winter moon. In the upcoming PHANTOM QUEEN AWAKES, we were given a theme of the Morrigan, so all the stories will have to do with her in some fashion. For that book, there were two or three or four of us who were invited to participate, and the rest of the stories came from open submissions.

    A FANTASY MEDLEY is actually kind of unusual, in that it *doesn’t* have a theme beyond all the stories being fantasy stories. As it happens, two are urban fantasy (’cause gosh, two of us primarily write urban fantasy!) and the other two are more epic fantasy, but thematically we had free reign.

    [Reply]


  32. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:45 am

    Lexee weighs in with bunches of questions:

    What is your favorite genre to read?

    Well, I read pathetically little anymore, but when I do, it often tends toward hard science fiction, which is Completely Different from anything I’m writing. I like mysteries, I like young adult (particularly YA fantasy), I read a lot of graphic novels these days, I read some epic fantasy.

    What is your favorite genre to write?

    Urban fantasy, it seems. :) Actually, writing THE QUEEN’S BASTARD and THE PRETENDER’S CROWN has been *wonderful*, because they’re so very, very different from the gobs of urban fantasy that I /do/ write.

    What genre would you most like to try to write?

    Straight, non-fantastical mystery. I’ve got about eight series ideas waiting in the wings. I’ll get to ‘em someday. :)

    [Reply]


  33. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:48 am

    Rachel, who is silly, writes:

    Now are you telling me that the secret double lives of intrigue that all authors live isn’t alive and well in Ireland?

    Now it wouldn’t be much of a double life of intrigue if I went and posted about it on the internet, would it?! :)

    Fuzzy bunny slippers? Barry Manilow?

    No, I’m afraid I’m pretty much up front about all my weaknesses. I don’t have very many guilty secrets. :)

    What book is by your bed right now?

    There isn’t one. I don’t read in bed. :) However, to answer the spirit rather than the letter of the question, I’m re-reading Kim Stanley Robinson’s FIFTY DEGREES BELOW, and I have a four-book-high stack of manuscripts for possible quotage and critique sitting on the coffee table.

    [Reply]


  34. Comment by Linda — March 11, 2009 @ 6:10 am

    By promoting e-books are authors not concerned
    that all readind will take place on computers thus eliminating the paper novel?

    [Reply]


  35. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 6:33 am

    Hey, as long as they keep reading, I don’t care what medium they’re using to read! :)

    [Reply]


  36. Comment by Draculissa — March 11, 2009 @ 9:45 am

    Greetings C.E.
    I’ve never heard of you or read anything by you so it’s lovely to “meet” you here on the BBB blog. I wanted to buy BASTARD but I can’t afford it. I also tried to add you in MySpace but the link doesn’t work. Haarrmmfff! Rachel, please help!
    My husband and I love gargoyles. He has one tattooed on his arm and we keep several as pets. Psychopaths too!
    I’d like to say I love a well researched novel.
    I hope I win your ARC. I love ARCs. They are definitely tasty! Cheers!

    D

    [Reply]


  37. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 10:58 am

    If you win the ARC, Draculissa, I desperately hope you read THE QUEEN’S BASTARD first, because it really, *really* needs to be read first. :)

    [Reply]


  38. Comment by Kerry K — March 11, 2009 @ 11:40 am

    How is someone who already owns and has read all the books (including the old Cate Dermody books) that are already in print, has already got her order in at Subterranean, is already your friend in LJ and Facebook and follows Kitsnaps, etc. supposed to be able to enter this contest? ARCs are fun.
    Will shipping you a pineapple-upside-down cake help?

    [Reply]


  39. Comment by Karin — March 11, 2009 @ 2:26 pm

    Hi CE Murphy! You’re a new author to me, but I have to say that your Inheritors’ Cycle books have piqued my interest.

    Though I don’t have a degree in history, I do have one in English literature, which allowed me to experience a lot of history by studying literature. So, you say that the Elizabethan age has held a lifelong interest for you. What exactly is the most interesting and what drew you to that time period first?

    [Reply]


  40. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:50 pm

    *laughs at Kerry* I think commenting here qualifies you for the contest for the ARCs, too. Doesn’t it, Rachel…? ’cause I don’t need any more pineapple upside-down cake… :)

    Um, Karin, my interest in the Elizabethan era goes back far enough that it’s possible the answer to that was “I liked her because she had red hair.” I don’t remember…oh! I remember one thing that got me turned on to it!

    I really liked ghost stories when I was a kid, and by kid I mean under the age of 10, sort of more in the 7-8 window. And I read a ghost story about Anne Boleyn, who reputed haunted the hall she walked down on her way to being beheaded (or something like that). I think that must’ve been where I first encountered Henry VIII and his six wives and the daughters who followed him to the throne. Wow, I hadn’t thought of that in a very very long time!

    [Reply]


  41. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 2:58 pm

    …holy crap, I bet the book was GHOSTS I’VE MET, by Hans Holzer. Wow, I’m going to have to try to pick up a copy of that and see if that’s it! Hee!

    [Reply]


  42. Comment by Carol M — March 11, 2009 @ 3:06 pm

    Draculissa sent me. LOL about the gargoyles!

    You are a new author to me. Your books look good and I would love to read them! I would also have to start with the first one. I hate reading books out of order!

    [Reply]


  43. Comment by Bridget H. — March 11, 2009 @ 3:15 pm

    Posted link here:
    http://www.myspace.com/bridgetlaprairie
    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1084897775&ref=profile

    Already friends with Bitten by Books on myspace & facebook. Also following on twitter - bridget3420

    Signed up for newsletter, tried to friend on myspace but link isn’t working, friended on facebook, became facebook fan and wrote on wall

    asked friends to retweet

    added both of CE’s blogs to my blogroll http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/

    Bitten by Books is already on my blogroll

    [Reply]


  44. Comment by Eric Wuttke — March 11, 2009 @ 3:46 pm

    That is unfortunate that they don’t give you a much bigger cut of the electronic books market, it would be great to see more books go this way and authors reap the benefits of the reduced cost of getting your books to market as well as available to a wider audience!

    Holy run on sentence, good thing I’m not an author.

    [Reply]


  45. Comment by CE Murphy — March 11, 2009 @ 3:48 pm

    Hey, Carol, welcome! Rachel’s got the books in each series listed in order in the body of the interview, so you know where to start!

    [Reply]


  46. Comment by Shell Bryce — March 11, 2009 @ 4:50 pm

    I want to say that Rachel has done an awesome job bringing in so many authors that are new to me….my hubby and bank account may not likey but I do… I really think I will enjoy your series, the gargoyles are such an underated species and they need someone to tell their stories. I have always been a fan of the paranormal and historical romance and can’t see myself not falling in love with your books. And anyone who is also a fan of Jeri’s can’t be bad…. I have added the link in my facebook page
    http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961

    I have added you as a friend there too and joined the fan group!!
    Cheers Shell

    [Reply]


  47. Comment by Nicole Hicks — March 11, 2009 @ 6:23 pm

    Wow! Hi! This is so cool! Thank you being here!
    Rach I twittered!

    [Reply]


  48. Pingback by Book Giveaways: 03.09-03.15 | Morbid Romantic — March 11, 2009 @ 6:34 pm

    [...] C.E. Murphy’s The Pretender’s Crown at Bitten by Books Contest ends March [...]


  49. Comment by Beet — March 11, 2009 @ 6:46 pm

    Good evening C.E.,
    Growing your own apples that’s great; good luck.
    Right now my Manx kitten is driving me absolutely crazy; worst thing is I can’t pull his tail.

    [Reply]


  50. Comment by Beet — March 11, 2009 @ 7:06 pm

    I completed 6. 11. 12. at http://beetsbooks.blogspot.com/

    [Reply]


  51. Comment by Katee Robert — March 11, 2009 @ 11:46 pm

    I really enjoy her stuff, looking forward to TPC.

    [Reply]


  52. Comment by CE Murphy — March 12, 2009 @ 1:53 am

    Oooh, Beet, I’ve got tail-less cats too. They’re not Manxes, they’re Japanese Bobtails, and I’ve had them long enough now that I think cats with tails look funny. :)

    [Reply]


  53. Comment by Ken Schell — March 12, 2009 @ 5:18 am

    Reading can keep you sane

    [Reply]


  54. Comment by Draculissa — March 12, 2009 @ 6:55 am

    C.E. If I win the ARC, I’ll order BASTARD.

    Rachel, my guilty pleasure is Ben and Jerry’s AMERICONE DREAM. Have you tried it? Better then some of the blood I’ve been feasting on.

    D

    [Reply]


  55. Comment by Willow — March 12, 2009 @ 10:31 am

    C.E.,
    Could you tell us your first “The Call” story? I love hearing how authors first made it into the industry.

    —
    For Rachel:
    Permanently on all of my blog rolls:
    - http://free-books-and-other-contests.blogspot.com/
    - http://willows-inner-thoughts.blogspot.com/

    [Reply]


  56. Comment by Laura — March 12, 2009 @ 12:19 pm

    Ok, because I read your blog/lj I know that when your heart is in a project you really work at finding a way to make it happen, and I agree the ebook share sucks… so….

    Let’s say you had a story/book/series you felt strongly about and due to whatever publisher whim it just wasn’t going to be published etc etc….

    Would you self publish as an e-book? Have you considered self publishing (for a fee, not the free technopixie stuff) for yourself already or perhaps at some later date in the future?

    If your readership was large enough, would that be more profitable for you?

    [Reply]


  57. Comment by Denise Rexford Fisher — March 12, 2009 @ 7:06 pm

    I was happy to read your interview. I like to hear what makes my favorite authors think the way they do. Ir rat tion al really stuck with me. Obviously. Keep at it!! Please.

    [Reply]


  58. Comment by CE Murphy — March 13, 2009 @ 6:24 am

    The long story of “The Call”!

    It was only in retrospect I realized how completely absurd I’d been when I got The Call.

    I’d queried two publishing houses that took non-agented material, and one had come back quickly, asking for the full manuscript of URBAN SHAMAN. I sent it on, and several weeks later the other also responded, asking for the full. Not wanting to tread on toes, I called House #1 to ask if they minded me submitting the full to another house, and explained to House #2 that I was checking on this and would let them know ASAP if I’d be sending them the full manuscript.

    House #2 said they didn’t take multiple submissions on full manuscripts from non-agented writers, and so I thought, “Well, okay,” and didn’t worry about it.

    Fast-forward two weeks. I get a phone call at about three in the afternoon my time, which was around 7pm Eastern, and it’s the editor, Mary Theresa Hussey, at House #1 (Luna Books). My heart spasmed once, and then I was cool as a cucumber, man, because I thought she was calling to discuss the whole multiple submission thing. “What on earth,” I said to her, “are you doing at work at 7pm on a Friday?”

    “Oh, well,” said she, “the phones have been on the blink all day and the repairman’s just left and I wanted to call you before I went home, and how are you?”

    I was great, thanks! I’d just been making chocolate chip cookies, it was a beautiful day, natter natter natter. We had a really nice normal conversation about just this and that and the other thing, and through the whole of it I was utterly calm, because it literally didn’t occur to me she was calling for anything other than to discuss the submission thing.

    “Well,” she said eventually, “I hope I’ve got some good news for you. We’d like to make an offer on URBAN SHAMAN and two more books in the series.”

    Even now I’m actually laughing out loud thinking about this. My brain just flatlined. BEEEEEEEEEEEP. I remember thinking, “I know you’re supposed to say, “Oh, thank you! I’ll have my agent contact you right away!”” and then frantically call up and find yourself an agent to contact them with. I remember thinking, “How could anybody possibly have the nerve to *say* that when they’ve just offered you a book deal?” And aside from that, all I thought was BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

    I gibbered at poor Ms. Hussey, who was clearly accustomed to people’s brains flatlining, and who kindly told me I should take the weekend to think it over (think it over? what’s to THINK?! …for that matter, what’s *thinking*? BEEEEEEP…).

    I got off the phone so excited I couldn’t speak beyond gasps and shrieks, and with my hands shaking so badly my husband had to dial the phone to call my parents so I could shriek at them, too. By Monday I’d gotten the agent I wanted (the fantastic Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency), and I had a real, honest-to-gosh book deal.

    It wasn’t until about five months later that it occurred to me that they don’t call you to discuss multiple submissions. I was so cool through that whole conversation (well, up until the actual offer), and, I mean, you know, that’s the kind of cool you only dream about being! That’s up there with coming up with the right come-back line at the right time, the perfect zinger, the moment of Awesome…and my moment of Awesome was based entirely in an erroneous assumption. *laughs out loud*

    Yeah. That was almost five years ago now, and it’s still got me pink-cheeked and grinning like a fool. One of the best moments in my life ever!

    [Reply]


  59. Comment by CE Murphy — March 13, 2009 @ 6:34 am

    Ooh, good question, Laura.

    It’s a little hard to imagine being in a situation where I felt *so strongly* about a book that I’d walk away from a paying contract for something else, just because on a very pragmatic level, this is how I make my living, and I can’t guarantee that a self-published e-book or some such would sell, whereas a publisher and a contract means there’s definitely going to be money coming in.

    I do have a book I’d like to write as a subscription-based project, maybe: people would pay me directly, maybe $15, and would get weekly chapters or a PDF of the book when it was finished, if they wanted to do it that way. (The first chapter of that book, titled CENTENARIAN, is available here, actually.)

    In *theory*, if I could reach all my readers and they were interested in paying for something like that, yes, I could make more money doing that. But that’s very theoretical. Like, time and space continuum theoretical. Realistically (and this isn’t a sob story or a plea, just a comment) when I posted a series of new short stories to my website and put up a tip jar, I got about $35 in total, so I’m generally a little suspicious of the idea of trying to make money off a direct market. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to, but in order to do something like CENTENARIAN I’d have to have enough money in the kitty already to be able to take the time off to /write/ it, you know?

    [Reply]


  60. Comment by CE Murphy — March 13, 2009 @ 6:34 am

    *beams at Denise* Thank you! I shall keep at it! :)

    [Reply]


  61. Comment by Karin — March 13, 2009 @ 12:40 pm

    CE, that kind of story would’ve definitely captured my interest as well. I’ve been fascinated by Henry VIII and those around him, his six wives and his children, for a while now. One of my favorite books to read about that period is The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. She has some others about him and the rest of the people in the Elizabethan era that are really interesting. Have you ever read anything by her?

    [Reply]


  62. Comment by CE Murphy — March 13, 2009 @ 2:21 pm

    I’ve read at least half of Weir’s history books, and someday when I’m not writing any more Inheritors’ Cycle books I’ll read her fiction. I love her as a writer. Really good at creating a sense of time and place and giving an idea of the real people making up the stories we call history. She was one of the writers I referenced specifically before I started working on this series. :)

    [Reply]


  63. Comment by Holly — March 13, 2009 @ 6:45 pm

    The cover for The Pretender’s Crown is gorgeous! It really does its job, after seeing it I had to go read the back blurb.

    Entries:
    2)Commented!
    12)BBB perma blogrolled.

    [Reply]


  64. Comment by Allison — March 13, 2009 @ 7:22 pm

    Hello!

    Love the Walker Paper, and I’m very excited about the new one coming out. I’ve got a couple of random questions that I hope you haven’t answered already (there are a lot of comments here!)
    1) Do you prefer to write in first or thrid person?
    2)Is it tough for you to go from writing a novel to writing a short story?

    Thanks!
    (Friended you on facebook, btw)

    [Reply]


  65. Comment by CE Murphy — March 14, 2009 @ 4:30 am

    Nope, nobody’s asked those questions yet, Allison. :)

    I don’t actually have a preference between writing in first or third person. They let you do different things, is all. I think first person is in most ways more limiting, but it does really let you gt inside the character’s head and not know what’s going on from anybody else’s point of view. That works for the Walker Papers, but it wouldn’t have worked for the Negotiator Trilogy. :)

    Writing short stories is hard for me, period. It’s easier to write 100,000 words of a single story than 7,000–my mind just works in the larger scale, I guess. I’ve been practicing writing short stories, though, and I’m coming to like them.

    [Reply]


  66. Comment by Marina — March 14, 2009 @ 9:14 pm

    Dear C.E.,

    It is a pleasure to meet you. Your work is on my TBR list because there are just too many authors who write paranormal romance. I hope to read your stuff sometime this year.

    Question: Would you categorize your work as romance or fantasy? I ask this because Tanith Lee and Misty write sci fi/ fantasy.

    Ques #2: What series has the gargoyle’s in it?

    Love all things paranorm. Great idea to use characters that are not found that often in books. Also, great name use. I love original names and feel put out when I see the same name 50 times by different authors. My hobbie is writing so all my authors inspire me.

    Rachel thanks for the series list. That really helps me out. By the way, I am already a subscriber to BBB newsletter, am friends with you on myspace and FB. Friends with C.E. on FB already.

    [Reply]


  67. Comment by CE Murphy — March 15, 2009 @ 1:14 am

    Oh, I write fantasy. Romance takes a totally different tool set and I don’t have it. And the Negotiator Trilogy is the one with the gargoyles! I hope you enjoy them! :)

    [Reply]


  68. Pingback by Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-03-15 | Morbid Romantic — March 15, 2009 @ 4:06 am

    [...] C.E. Murphy’s The Pretender’s Crown @BittenbyBooks - http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961 [...]


  69. Comment by RachaelfromNJ — March 15, 2009 @ 8:18 am

    Hi C.E. Murphy!
    Your series books sound fantastic! I was wondering if any of them can be read out of order?

    [Reply]


  70. Comment by Elisa Jankowski — March 15, 2009 @ 1:22 pm

    Okay, so I noticed C.E. Murphy’s books a few years ago whilst traipsing through a bookstore. My heart sank when I realized the book was about gargoyles, because I’ve had this gargoyle story running around in my head for some time - to my great relief, the story sounded *amazing* and totally different from what I wanted to write, so the gargoyle thing has become incidental…

    I agree with C.E. that gargoyles have a great amount of potential for being sexy, so I’m glad that’s what she chose to write about!

    [Reply]


  71. Comment by CE Murphy — March 15, 2009 @ 4:04 pm

    Hey, RachelfromNJ–

    Well, I feel fairly strongly they should all be read in order. It’s *critical*, I think, to read THE QUEEN’S BASTARD before PRETENDER’S CROWN for a variety of reasons, including that TQB sets up all the characters for TPC, and there are *lots*.

    The Walker Papers are meant to stand enough on their own that they can be read out of order, but I don’t know if they /do/ or not, since I wrote them. :)

    The Negotiator Trilogy should be read in order because it really is one story that builds and builds and builds to the climax at the end of book three. There are smaller story arcs completed in each novel, but it really all comes together and I think the experience of reading them in order pays off.

    Others who’ve read the books, any comments on this? I’m not the best person to ask. :)

    [Reply]


  72. Comment by CE Murphy — March 15, 2009 @ 4:10 pm

    Aaah, Elisa, let me tell you a story.

    I taught a writing workshop last year. As part of one of the exercises, I gave everybody a five-sentence fairy tale and had them reinterpret/retell/continue the story from what I’d given them, and then I made a bunch of them volunteer to read theirs to the class.

    Nearly a dozen people volunteered to read, and Every. Single. Story. Was *extremely* different from the others. They had all begun with the same five sentences, and they had all created something totally unique.

    The moral of this story: don’t ever worry if somebody else has used gargoyles or has named their main character “Blue” like you wanted to, or if they’ve written the adventures of a tree frog named Sal, or anything, because no one can write *your* version of a story. That’s one of the gifts we all bring to the table as writers: a unique way of putting the words on the page.

    [Reply]


  73. Comment by -V- — March 15, 2009 @ 6:21 pm

    http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/bitten-by-books-and-ce-murphy-interview.html

    I haven’t had a chance to read all of the comments yet, so you may have answered this. I saw where you like watching SF shows, which ones in particular? Is it SF specific or does it veer into fantasy, paranormal that shows on SciFi channel?

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  74. Comment by Jo Anne Benware — March 15, 2009 @ 11:04 pm

    Hi CEM

    I am psyched that there are two more Walker books. I really enjoyed that series. My husband picked the books out a couple of months ago and wanted to know if I would like them because he thought that he would. He was happy when I told him that we already owned them. So he picked up Heart of Stone, House of Cards and Hands of Flame. I guess the one question I have for you is something you are probably asked all the time, where do the ideas come from?

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  75. Comment by CE Murphy — March 16, 2009 @ 1:32 am

    Hey, V–

    I’ve been watching BSG and Supernatural and Dollhouse, and we just started re-watching Farscape (which is still ZOMG good!) and I finally bought Buffy on DVD. I don’t watch the SF channel in specific because I live in Ireland where it’s not really available, but I watch a lot of its shows. I don’t watch horror (although one could argue that Supernatural is horror), and I kind of can’t wait for Sanctuary to come back on because even though it was pretty awful I really rather liked it. :)

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  76. Comment by CE Murphy — March 16, 2009 @ 1:38 am

    Three! There are three more Walker Papers, Jo Anne! (My, it’s hard to type that name as two words, what with Joanne being the main character of the Walker Papers…) There’s WALKING DEAD out this fall, and then books five and six are also contracted for. With any luck the final three in the series will also go to contract. :)

    I steal some of the ideas from my husband. :) The Walker Papers were his idea, for example, although they’re the only series so far that were based off one of his ideas (he’s a plot machine. I could spend the rest of my life writing the ideas he comes up with weekly).

    A lot of writer’s ideas come from looking at a situation and thinking “what if?” What if you looked out an airplane window as you were coming in for a landing and you saw someone running for your life? What if you were a straight-forward, ambitious New York lawyer and your newest client was a gargoyle? What if Queen Elizabeth I had had a secret daughter who was an assassin and a seductress? And then I have to write the stories to find out what the answer to ‘what if’ is!

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  77. Comment by Deirdre T — March 16, 2009 @ 6:27 am

    So do you think that the model of publishing where it’s regional will go away anytime soon?

    Do you think that the idea that in Ireland electronic publications are at the highest rate of VAT while paper books are 0% is stupid and an outmoded model?

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  78. Comment by shartyrant — March 16, 2009 @ 6:27 am

    Twittered the URL to be re-twittered under shartyrant, joined facebook and already a fan/friended on facebook for by Bittenbybooks & C.E. Murphy under Shartyrant. Also already a friend on myspace (under the name bookaholic) to Bittenbybooks and C.E. Murphy.

    Joined on facebook the “take a chance” dabel productions group under the shartyrant name.

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  79. Comment by shartyrant — March 16, 2009 @ 6:31 am

    I find it interesting that you have a lead who is not obviously a heroine. I know it is sort of controversial with some of my fellow readers that she contributed to helping a fellow *possible spoiler* do something to another lady. Did you find it hard to write this part? Is the lead going to stay in the moral gray area or as the series progresses, is she going to grow out of it?

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  80. Comment by CE Murphy — March 16, 2009 @ 9:25 am

    So do you think that the model of publishing where it’s regional will go away anytime soon?

    No. :) I think there’s always going to be a local publishing scene for smaller presses and regional interests. And I think that’s good!

    Do you think that the idea that in Ireland electronic publications are at the highest rate of VAT while paper books are 0% is stupid and an outmoded model?

    I think there are so many problems with the VAT I would hardly know where to start, but that’s a very fine example of one of them. :)

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  81. Comment by CE Murphy — March 16, 2009 @ 9:38 am

    Shantyrant, that scene used to be, ah, even more controversial, so to speak, than it is now. It wasn’t actually all that uncomfortable to /write/, but I think part of that is because of my own perception of Belinda, which is that she is not the heroine or the good guy at all. She’s just the main character. Big difference there. :)

    As for how she develops, well. You’ll have to read and find out. Things *do* change, I’ll tell you that much. ;)

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  82. Comment by Carol — March 16, 2009 @ 11:28 am

    Hi, C.E. I do look forward to reading about Belinda’s (and Javier’s) continuing adventures. I used to be a huge fan of historical fiction, but in the last few years have read mostly paranormal/UF. TQB contains elements of both, done so skillfully that it satisfied both of my interests. Thanks. :)

    Question: I know that living overseas probably makes this more difficult, but do you ever attend fan conventions? If so, do you enjoy them?

    [Reply]


  83. Comment by CE Murphy — March 16, 2009 @ 11:32 am

    I go to all the Irish conventions! :)

    I’ve been managing about one conference or convention a year in the States since I moved over here (last year it was San Diego Comic Con. ZOMG. O.O). I’d love to go to more–I love going to them and meeting people–but until I hit that NYT list, I donno that I’ll be able to. :)

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  84. Comment by Rachel — March 16, 2009 @ 3:34 pm

    Hey C.E.!

    Assuming that you were a fan of Buffy. Who was YOUR favorite character. I guess you could have more than one. lol :)

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  85. Comment by CE Murphy — March 17, 2009 @ 4:43 am

    Spike. :) I thought he had by far the best and most interesting character arc of anybody on the show. Wesley runs an extremely close second for the same reason. Those two characters became very different people from who they started out as, and I loved that. :)

    Plus I got to meet James Marsters several times, which, y’know. Yum. :)

    This has been a hugely fun week here talking with people. Thank you so much for inviting me!

    [Reply]


  86. Pingback by I’m doing this for an 8GB iPod Touch « foreverBLUE — March 17, 2009 @ 8:17 am

    [...] schedule: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4698. Start with C.E. Murphy’s interview from today here:http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4961. Then head over to Dakota Cassidy’s contest here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=4997 Just come [...]


  87. Comment by Shell Bryce — March 18, 2009 @ 7:02 pm

    Hi again just wanted to let you know that I now have 4 of your books now awaiting to be read on my table. The library online ordering system is wonderful and sooooo fast!!! Can’t wait to dig in….

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  88. Comment by CE Murphy — March 23, 2009 @ 2:50 am

    I hope you enjoy them, Shell! :)

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  89. Comment by Rachel — March 23, 2009 @ 6:09 pm

    And the five winners are:
    Samantha G.
    Linda AK
    Rach G.
    Deirdre T.
    Dina

    [Reply]


  90. Comment by RachG — March 23, 2009 @ 7:46 pm

    THANK YOU!!! :) Really looking forward to them!

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  91. Comment by Karin — March 23, 2009 @ 9:38 pm

    Congratulations to all the winners!

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  92. Comment by Linda Ak — March 24, 2009 @ 12:20 am

    Wohoo, I can’t wait to read this book :D

    Congrats to the rest too :D

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  93. Comment by Draculissa — March 24, 2009 @ 7:30 am

    Congrats winners!

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  94. Comment by CE Murphy — March 24, 2009 @ 9:37 am

    Congratulations, winners!

    Let me reiterate that I really do think it’s *incredibly* important to read THE QUEEN’S BASTARD before you read PRETENDER’S CROWN. I’m not trying to be greedy for sales here, it’s just that you’ll be picking up in very literally the middle of the story if you start with TPC, and there are huuuuuuge spoilers in that book for the first. :)

    [Reply]


  95. Comment by Shell Bryce — March 24, 2009 @ 1:37 pm

    Congrats to the winners!!!!

    [Reply]


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