Faith Hunter Interview - Spells for the Dead ~ JeanBookNerd

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Faith Hunter is the award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of multiple series: the Jane Yellowrock series and the Soulwood series. She also wrote and sold the first of the Junkyard Cats novella series as an Audible Original. Junkyard Cats was the number one selling book at Audible when released. She also has written three Rogue Mage series novels, two anthologies in that series, and coauthored a Role Playing Game. She is the coauthor and author of 16 thrillers under pen names Gary Hunter and Gwen Hunter. Altogether she has 40+ books and dozens of short stories in print and is juggling multiple projects. She sold her first book in 1989 and hasn’t stopped writing since. Faith collects orchids and animal skulls, loves thunder storms, and writes. She likes to cook soup, bake bread, garden, and kayak Class III whitewater rivers. She edits the occasional anthology and drinks a lot of tea. Some days she’s a lady. Some days she ain’t.

Greatest thing you learned at school.

My 10th grade writing teacher, Carol Kohler, told me I had talent. I believed her. She set my life on its current track.

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. – For a lot of writers, it’s that first book to hit a milestone: the first book published by a traditional press, the first book to hit NYT or USA Today, whatever. For me it was the first time I drove through a Mickie D’s and the woman at the checkout saw my book on the seat beside me. She told it was the best book she ever read. I signed the receipt and gave it back to her. And told her thank you.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?

BUNCHES!
1. SPELLS FOR THE DEAD (Soulwood) is out soon. Did you hear???
2. TRUE DEAD (Jane Yellowrock 14) is off to the editor at Penguin Random House.
3. Audible Original has picked up Junkyard Cats #2! I have to do a MASSIVE rewrite to pump up the ending, but I am psyched!

If you could work for anyone you choose, who would it be?
In your newest book, SPELLS FOR THE DEAD (Soulwood #5); can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about the novel? – YES! Nell Ingram faces a dark magic with no known origin in the newest pulse-pounding paranormal procedural in the New York Times bestselling Soulwood series.

Nell is a PsyLED agent, using the powers she can channel from deep within the earth to solve paranormal crimes. Together with her team, she's taken on the direst magic and the most twisted foes. But she'll need to tap into every ounce of power she has for her newest case.

Nell is called to the Tennessee mansion of a country music star and finds a disturbing scene—dead bodies rapidly decaying before everyone's eyes. The witch on her team, T. Laine, has never seen magic that can steal life forces like this. PsyLED needs to find this lethal killer fast. But when a paranormal-hating FBI agent tries to derail the investigation, and the dark magics begin to spiral out of control, they find themselves under attack from all sides.

Which of your characters do you feel has grown the most since book one and in what way have they changed?

That is big question with no single answer. Nell Nicholson Ingram? Jane Yellowrock? Leo Pellissier? Oh. Wait. He’s dead… Never mind.

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from SPELLS FOR THE DEAD
SPOILERS!!!! There was a scene where a car was driven off the road by a dead man…. Yeah. Read the book. (Writer’s mwahahahahaha…)

What is the first job you have had?

Babysitter from age 12 to 16.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

How to be at peace for the day and tea…

What is your most memorable travel experience?

Riding on a train with my mom when I was … 2? We were sitting in these upright chairs on a red-eye, and it was a miserable experience. But the world was flying by outside and the sun was rising. Mom was sleeping. I was alone, feeling lost and excited and very grown up all at once.

What's your most missed memory?

My dogs. The last one died in 2018. I now have eldercare responsibilities and no time for dogs. I miss the couch cuddles. I miss the snuggles.

Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?

Always.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?

True love and heartbreak.

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

HOLY CRAP! I am a silver headed old broad. But -- I can dye my hair again or stay this way. Covid 19 has made me … interesting?

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?
Hugs for everyone, and please give my book a chance????

Nell Ingram faces a dark craft known as death magic in the newest pulse-pounding paranormal procedural in the New York Times bestselling Soulwood series.

Nell Ingram is a rookie PsyLed agent, using the powers she can channel from deep within the earth to solve paranormal crimes. Together with her team, she's taken on the darkest magic and the direst foes. But she'll need to tap into every ounce of power she has for her newest case.

Nell is called to the Tennessee mansion of a country music star and finds a disturbing scene--dead bodies rapidly decaying before everyone's eyes. The witch on her team, T. Laine, knows this can only be one thing: death magic, a rare type of craft used to steal life forces. PsyLed needs to find this lethal killer fast. But when a paranormal-hating FBI agent tries to derail the investigation, they find themselves under attack from all sides.

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