Once Upon a Twilight!: Author Interview: Brenda Pandos

Today I'm privileged to bring you a Great Interview with Brenda Pandos, Author of The Emerald Talisman. The Emerald Talisman is her debut novel. Thank you Brenda for the Great Interview. Le Femme Readers Thank you for hosting the Blog Tour as well. Check out their blog to read all the different blog post from other bloggers regarding The Emerald Talisman and Brenda.

Now on to the Interview:

1. How and why did you come up with Nicholas wearing The Talisman?

To be honest, I don’t really remember. I went back to my first manuscripts and he wasn’t wearing the talisman right away, so I must have decided he needed it somewhere along the way, possibly during the beach scene (not the bonfire, but the ‘other’ one). My manuscript went from ‘no name’ to ‘the talisman’ right after writing that chapter (so I am guessing). Then I added the Emerald after I realized Stephen King wrote a book with the same title. The idea was to have something magical that protected him from his dangerous slaying job. I can’t say anymore without revealing spoilers.

2. In The Emerald Talisman , who did you enjoy writing the most about and why? and who would you say was your least favorite and why?

Phil, that little darling, was so fun to write. His character and dialog felt very real to me and I loved his humor. He kinda took off on his own, carving his way as he went. I just let him go and typed as fast as I could to capture it all as it unraveled in my head. Nicholas was more difficult. He was closed off and aloof. He didn’t want to talk to anyone, even me. He mostly pouted and hated that I wasn’t giving him a fair chance with the girl. His story became easier to write in the second novel.

3. When Writing The Emerald Talisman , did you always know that Julia would be a empath? or did you try out different gifts with her?

I wanted her to be able to sense the bloodthirsty vampires before she saw them and have it confuse the heck out of her. Empathy offered that skill and that was the only power I ever gave her.

4. Do you have any future ideas for a new story or series?

I’m toying with a mermaid series next or something more serious. My life has been touched heavily by Autism and I’d like to give an insight into what it’s like to live with someone who has Autism. I’m not sure if I’m ready for that emotional roller coaster. I like to escape in my writing to somewhere fun. Autism isn’t that type of place.

5. What are 3 books you can recommend to you reader, that you consider must reads right now?

Knight Angels: Book of Love, by Abra Ebner, Shadow of the Sun, by Laura Kreitzer and Arson by Estevan Vega. Not only are these books awesome, the writers are super nice people to get to know!

There you have it folks. Thank you Brenda once again for taking the time out to answer my questions.

Brenda Pandos's Links:

The Emerald Talisman

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

Read my review

Coming December 2010

The Sapphire Talisman