If you haven’t yet read anything by USA Today bestselling author Angela Roquet, you’re in for a real treat.
At the moment I’m posting this, her brand new book, Flesh & Blood (Blood Vice #7) has 5.0 stars on Amazon. This is urban fantasy you can really sink your teeth into. ; )
Here’s Angela to tell you, in her own words, what inspires her, what she loves to read, and why urban fantasy is her favorite genre to write.
LM: For those who haven’t checked out the Blood Vice series yet, can you talk a little bit about it?
AR: Sure! Blood Vice is the story of Jenna Skye, a new St. Louis Vice detective who is bitten by a vampire on her first case (hey, I didn’t say she was a good detective), and her transition into vampiric society, trying to find her place in a strange new world. She thought she had things figured out as a human, and though she tries to cling to that same path (in law enforcement) as a vampire, it doesn’t exactly go as planned. The fact that she was bitten by an exiled royal of House Lilith, the ruling vampire family of the United States, only complicates matters further.
LM: What sets Flesh & Blood apart from other urban fantasy novels?
AR: Throughout the series, Jenna has struggled with her desire to maintain the illusion of her human existence. Her twin sister Laura helped with that for a while, but after Laura went back to Hollywood, Jenna had to face reality. In Flesh & Blood, Laura makes a return, and we get to see how their dynamic has shifted since Jenna’s come into her own as a vampire.
Even though it’s not the focal plot of the book, I think what really sets this one apart is the human reflection Jenna sees in her sister. That humanity is extra obvious when Laura reveals she’s pregnant–something Jenna will never experience. On one hand, Jenna gets to live vicariously through her twin sister, but on the other, she’s also having to come to grips with the fact that she can’t have her cake and eat it, too. (Literally. No wedding cake for the bloodsuckers.) Being an aunt will be an entirely different experience as a vampire.
LM: Are there any fun facts, trivia, inspirations, or behind-the-scenes stories you can share about the Blood Vice series?
AR: I’m constantly falling down research rabbit holes. One of my favorites from this series was for book 3, when I was looking for a good underground area around Denver to put the BATC (Blood Authority Training Center, a.k.a. bat cave) and I stumbled upon a bunch of urban legends about what’s under the airport. I knew right away that the BATC had to go there. It was like a sign from the muses! : D
LM: Why do you enjoy writing urban fantasy?
AR: So much is possible with urban fantasy. Dropping any flavor of supernatural (or all of them at once!) into a modern, urban setting lends a story this strange and wonderful layer of believability. The familiar paired with fantasy sucks me into a story, and hope my writing has that same effect on readers.
LM: What’s one fun/indispensible/unusual object in your writing space? (Favorite pen, toy, memento, etc.?)
AR: Just one? lol. I have a shelf above my computer with a collection of inspirational doohickies, including the Mystery Machine, Joss Whedon, Wicket W. Warrick, a potted Groot, and a picture of my handsome kiddo. I just added Professor McGonagall to the mix today!
LM: What are you reading right now or looking forward to reading next?
AR: I just finished Danse Macabre, book 3 in my critique partner Kory M. Shrum’s Shadows in the Water series, and I’m looking forward to Storm Cursed, book 11 in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, out May 6th. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Flesh & Blood (Blood Vice, book 7)
After a year of playing scion to the temperamental Princess of House Lilith, Jenna is ready to get back to solving cases—even if that means sneaking out of the manor to get the job done. Jenna’s antics do not go unnoticed by the Vampiric High Council. When several representatives drop in to conduct the princess and duchess’s one-year evaluation and are nearly taken out by a poorly-timed bomb, the council decides to put Jenna’s skills as an agent to the test. If she can uncover whoever is behind the attack, the council will approve her arrangement with the princess. Otherwise, there’s a locked coffin in her immediate future—a future she’s just learned could include a living niece or nephew…
Flesh & Blood buy links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
About Angela Roquet:
USA Today bestselling author Angela Roquet is a great big weirdo. She collects Danger Girl comic books, owls, skulls, random craft supplies, and all things Joss Whedon. She’s a fan of renewable energy, marriage equality, and religious tolerance. As long as whatever you’re doing isn’t hurting anyone, she’s a fan of you, too.
Angela lives in Missouri with her husband and son. She’s a member of SFWA and HWA, as well as the Four Horsemen of the Bookocalypse, her epic book critique group, where she’s known as Death. When she’s not swearing at the keyboard, she enjoys boating with her family at Lake of the Ozarks and reading books that raise eyebrows.
Find Angela online at www.angelaroquet.com
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