If you have been a reader of the blog for a while, you no doubt are aware I am something of a fan of Jessica Bird, a.k.a. J.R. Ward. I happen to think the author is beyond cool. I was blown away by Dark Lover and still to this day am in love with that book as well as Lover Awakened. Hey… everyone has a favorite brother.
When it came time to for Lover Enshrined I thought it would be tres nifty to have her CP, the ever nifty Jessica Andersen do the interview… we got lucky (or they gave in so I would shut up), at the end of the interview you can read how YOU can get lucky *G*
Dr. Jessica Andersen, author of the newly released paranormal Nightkeepers, interviews J.R. Ward, otherwise known as the WARDen, author of the also newly released Lover Enshrined. Read on…
Hey Duckies, author Jessica Andersen here! I don’t know where you all are at, but here in the Northeastern USA it’s hot as blazes. Hello, early heat wave! In an effort to cool things down, I thought I’d keep it light today. I’m joined by my good buddy and critique partner, J.R. Ward, and we’re going to do a little quacking about her awesome new release, Lover Enshrined, the sixth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Jessica Andersen: Hey JR, dude. Thanks for agreeing to do this mini-interview!
J.R. Ward: Actually, thank you for doing it!
JA: Staying on that ‘keep it light and cool’ theory, I thought we could do a ‘these are a few of my favorite things’ list… so here goes. As always in the BDB books, Lover Enshrined has got a ton of great zingers and one-liners among the characters. What’s your favorite line in the book, and why?
JRW: Man, there are a number of them! I think my fav is when Wrath is explaining to John Matthew that the last time Lassiter, the fallen angel, was on the planet there was a plague in central Europe. Lassiter’s response: “Okay, that was SO not my fault.”
JA: Building on that idea, what’s your favorite scene in Lover Enshrined?
JRW: Lemme think… the one with John Matthew on page 497 (I’m quoting the page to avoid a spoiler) just tore at my heart, in a good way and a bad way. I also like the one with Phury on page 492… that was just a great scene (it’s the one where he emerges from the Scribe Virgin’s private quarters.) That one also leads up to my favorite line in the book: “He finally felt like the hero he had always wanted to be.” But my absolute favorite scene… was the one at the end when Z comes to Phury, with the Brotherhood. Got me all teary when I wrote it to be honest. It was so great to see the twins reunited and the Brothers all together… and yeah, that’s my fav.
JA: Thinking of the series as a whole, which of the book covers is your favorite, and why?
JRW: You know, I like them all but I think Dark Lover is my favorite. I love the red and the black, plus it was the first one and set the standard for them all. So, yeah, have to go with the king on that one!
JA: Okay, shifting the topic slightly, what’s the funniest thing a fan ever asked you, either online or during a public appearance?
JRW: Actually, I’d have to say it wasn’t a question, but how a question was raised. This lovely woman who always attends the Cincinnati signings, lifted her hand up to her face, putting it on her forehead (to indicate she had something to ask). The thing was, she had her fingers orientated so that it put a loser sign on her forehead as she looked up at me. I busted out laughing and was like, are you losering me at my own signing?! Of course everyone cracked up- she handled it very well, though. And she’s still coming to the signings!
JA: What was your favorite song (or songs) to listen to while you were writing Phury? Did you mainline the opera, or was the soundtrack straight up ZeroSum fare, or…?
JRW: Huh… well, I listened to opera a lot, yes. But as always there was rap and hip hop in my ears while I ran during the writing of the book. And when I run I plan a lot so even Phury was touched by the likes of Fifty and Pac and Kanye and Lil Jon and Jay-Z…
JA: When you’re treating yourself, what’s the treat? Chocolate? Massage? White water rafting?
JRW: Right now? Breyers vanilla and coffee ice cream!
JA: And now for the lightning round… please answer the following with a word or phrase only, no explanations:
Favorite DVD? “The Office”, any season
Favorite guilty pleasure on TV? “Flavor of Love”, any season
Favorite guilty pleasure in the fridge? Ice cream, see above
Favorite word for the Chicago Manual of Style? Okay that’s a trick question! LOLOLOL geeee I’d have to go with c***sucker.
JA: And finally, what is your favorite recent release about the Mayan 2012 doomsday and the men and women who are bound to protect us from the apocalypse?
JRW: OMG, it’s totally Nightkeepers by Jessica Andersen! Have you ever heard of her? Fabulous writer, wicked sense of humor… and excels at fondue. You.are.welcome.
JA: And there you have it, Duckies! Straight from the WARDen herself, a little light fun on a hot day.
Wow lots of comments and questions to read. I had to spend almost an hour trying to read everything because I didn’t want to miss any important detail about this informative blog about the BDB series.
Warden,
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your books and thanks for sharing the interviews with all of your cellies out there. Can’t wait for more.
MUUUUAAAHHH!!
Baseball Momma
I love everything about the BDB. Each one of the brothers touches me but I believe that so far Z and V are my favorites. Thanks for everything that you do.
Warden,
Just wanted to say that your evolution as a writer is wonderfully apparent as the brothers’ world gets more complicated complete with intricate plot twists, characters, and all the little specific details about their world.
Thank you for the brothers!
Doc Jess!
I finished Phury’s book and have started NightKeepers. So far? Awesome! I am loving it!
Deandra
Hey WARDen, what’s crackin’?
LOVE the books, I didn’t leave my room for an entire day so I could read LEn! Lover Awakened is still my favourite, but all your BDB books blow me away!
Question Time!
1) Will we being seeing Lassiter in the Compendium this October?
2) Does the SV know about Lash?
3) Will Rehv ever be going to the Mansion?
4) If vampires have wounds on their faces and they cry, would it leave a scar?
5) Can Lassiter Dance?
6) Do any of the other Brothers (besides Rhage) have strange phobias?
7) And finally, Will there be any more female Brothers?(besides Payne)
Thank you for all the hours of excitement that you brought into my world!
Peace Out
Soh
-x-
Hello Warden…
I love your books. I’m looking forward to see who Layla ends up with.
I loved all the parts in LEN with Phury/Cormia and JM/Quinn and Blay. I’d say more but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone.
Jessica…..
I am halfway done with NightKeepers and it is GREAT. I hope to get it done before the chat tonight.
Sorry guys… this was posted yesterday on 6/10/08. I don’t think Ward will be wading through the posts again and the winner will be picked from the posts on the 10th.
Jessica Andersen will be back… as we have a mucho nifty new feature we are rolling out with her. So questions for her I would post in one of those as they go up.
When will we know? I want to know if I was lucky enough to win.
Thank you very much for these books, they are my all time fave!!! I so totally love the scene at the end where the Z and the brotherhood comes to Phury!! I love Cormia, what strength!! Can’t live without them, I will only loan them to one person, that’s my mom. No one else will touch my copies!!
-Kate
http://goodbadandunread.com/2008/07/24/jr-ward-contest-winner-five-years-later/
look a winner….