Interview and Giveaway with Jillian Stone

Maidens, we have today the talented Jillian Stone.  A little bit of hot, a little bit of mystery, some steampunk aaaaaand some paranormal.  We want to welcome her today to Under the Covers while we pick her brain a bit about how she comes up with her stories.  So lets get right to it!

Welcome Jillian!  The Seduction of Phaeton Black is the first book in your Paranormal Investigator series, what can you tell us about it?

First off, I should warn the reader that Phaeton is truly a bad boy. Not a pretend bad boy, he is the real thing! As the story opens it's 1889, and Phaeton has recently taken up residence in the basement flat of London’s most notorious brothel. A master of deduction and other midnight maneuvers, Phaeton is Scotland Yard's secret weapon against things that go bump in the night. His prodigious gifts as a paranormal investigator are as legendary as his skills as a lover, his weakness for wicked women as notorious as his affection for absinthe.

Unfairly linked to Scotland Yard’s failure to solve the Whitechapel murders, Phaeton is offered a second chance to redeem himself. A mysterious fiend, or vampire is stalking the Strand. He is asked to hunt down a fanged femme fatale who drains her victims of blood, and walks straight into the arms of the most dangerous woman he's ever known––America Jones, a Cajun beauty who captures him at knifepoint and threatens to spirit away his heart.

The novel is an April Top Pick RT Reviews and was nominated for their Seal Of Excellence award. Here's what the editors wrote about The Seduction of Phaeton Black."Throw out everything you think you know about heroes, because Phaeton is like no character you have ever read about before. Readers picking up this fast-paced Steampunk novel should get ready for a very wild ride!"

Steampunk is a very popular genre right now, why did you choose to write Steampunk and if you had to describe your particular style how would you describe it?

Phaeton Black actually crosses over several genres. It's a steamy Steampunk paranormal romance about an occult detective living in Victorian, London. I think that's like…five or six sub-genres. LOL! Publishers Weekly attacked Phaeton for being multi-genre and yet RT REVIEWS loved it, so…can you see my eyes rolling and shoulders shrugging? I just write the stories and characters that come into my head. I never think: "Oh, that's hot right now so I'll write that." I write what I love, what inspires me, and hope that readers will be carried away on a romantic adventure for a few pleasant hours.

How long does is take you to write a book?

Anywhere from six weeks to six months. I'd love to get six months with another month or two to work on edits (editors reading this are rolling on the floor). I write for two publishers, Kensington Brava and Pocket Books, so I'm either finishing or starting a new project while working on edits and proof pages for other novels. As a contracted writer with multiple deadlines I am constantly interrupted and asked to drop one thing and attend to another. I'm ADD anyway, so when I add book promotion to my writing schedule––it can get ugly.

You've been blessed by the cover faerie! Did you have any input on what your covers would look like?

I have been very fortunate when it comes to covers. And I love the latest cover for The Moonstone and Miss Jones, the second installment of the Phaeton Black series. Since I come from advertising and started out as an art director, I give my editors and their art departments input whether they want it or not. I have learned that they listen to what they want to listen to and discard the rest! %)

Tell us 5 things about yourself that people don't know.

I wonder what people would really like to know about me?
1. My horse's name is Bronson (awesome ride)
2. I drive an old diesel pickup truck
3. My favorite outfit is a long sleeve black t-shirt and jeans
4. I want to have my hair colored ombre
5. I can't wait to get back to London and do a bit more skulking around.

You are hosting a dinner party. If given the chance to invite characters from yours or any other book, who would you invite?

I would love to sit down with Phaeton Black for sure, as well as America Jones and Doctor Exeter. Then I'd have to invite Lestat de Lioncourt, Claire and Jamie Fraser, Sherlock Holmes, Natty Bumppo, Katniss Everdeen. I could just go on and on…!

If you could cast someone to play the main characters, who would you chose?

Well, as some of you out here already know, Phaeton is a soupçon (a little of this––a little of that) of three actors: Ben Barnes, Robert Downey Jr., and main man, Johnny Depp. If you go to my pinterest page http://pinterest.com/gjillianstone/ you can peruse many preview images of all the characters in the upcoming The Moonstone and Miss Jones.

Your book is in a historical setting of Victorian London, did you have to do much research in to the time period?

That would be a big YES! I have amassed a formidable library of books on Victorian London, plus I subscribe to OED's historical thesaurus, which is the most wonderful thing! I use it everyday.

Thanks again for stopping by our blog!

Thanks for having me Francesca, I really enjoyed the interview!

A bad boy is essentially a maverick character. He is often brilliant, eccentric and rather pleased about his badness. Perhaps his upbringing was strange, Phaeton's surely was. When Phaeton was a small boy the demons in the nursery were real, not nightmares! So, the bad boy is likely to be a loner and misunderstood. But he can also charismatic, charming, even sweet––when he wants to be. Name your favorite bad boy from novels, TV or film––the darker the better!

In the gaslit streets of Victorian London, phantoms rule the night, demons dance till dawn, and one supernatural detective dares to be seduced by the greatest power of all. . .


He's The Man With The Magic Touch
A master of deduction, seduction and other midnight maneuvers, Phaeton Black is Scotland Yard's secret weapon against things that go bump in the night. His prodigious gifts as a paranormal investigator are as legendary as his skills as a lover, his weakness for wicked women as notorious as his affection for absinthe. But when he's asked to hunt down a fanged femme fatale who drains her victims of blood, he walks right into the arms of the most dangerous woman he's ever known. . .

She's The Devilish Miss Jones
Pressing a knife to his throat--and demanding he make love to her--Miss America Jones uses Phaeton as a willing shield against the gang of pirates chasing her. As deadly as she is, with a derringer tucked in her garter, Miss Jones is not the vampiric killer he's been staking out--but she may be just what Phaeton needs to crack the case. As the daughter of a Cajun witch, she possesses uncanny powers. As a fearless fighter, she can handle anything from Egyptian mummies to Jack the Ripper. But when an ancient evil is unleashed on the world, she could be his only salvation. . .or ultimate sacrifice.

READ OUR REVIEW

Two signed copies of The Seduction of Phaeton Black to commenters chosen at random.

Can't wait to hear your picks!
Giveaway is open internationally.
International winners will get a print copy from Book Depository not signed.

Plus a chance to win the key to Phaeton's heart

A unique Steampunk necklace created by Ula Kapala: ​"Every piece I make is one of a kind. Even if I make similar items, there’s always some difference: color, size, type of wire, type of stone, pattern. My favorite materials are enameled craft wire, silver foil glass and various minerals."

All commenters will be entered to win the key to Phaeton's heart, so be sure to leave your e-mail contact info! The necklace winner will be chosen at random May 28th. Follow Jillian's blog tour over the next month or visit her website contest page for more chances to win the necklace.
To enter the giveaway:


1. Be a follower
2. Answer Jillian's question in the comments.  Make sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you win!