Welcome everyone. I have a special treat for you today. Jennifer Estep, author of the Elemental Assassin series, as well as the Mythos Academy series, is here today to answer a few of my questions. She talks about her new book, The Spider, and about her writing routine. I have read and reviewed The Spider and really liked it. Jennifer is also letting me giveaway a copy of The Spider to a lucky US winner.
The Spider
(Elemental Assassin #10)
by Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Adult
Publisher: Pocket Books (Dec 24, 2013)
Find It: My Review | Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
The tenth book in the bestselling and “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series finally reveals for the first time the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadliest of assassins.
For the first time, the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadly assassin “the Spider” are revealed in full. In a story that pre-dates the other nine books in the series, Gin Blanco goes through her paces to become the most feared assassin in the Ashland.
Jennifer Estep: Thanks! I appreciate that, and I’m glad you enjoyed the book.
I like origin stories, and I thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at Gin’s past and the job that really made her into the assassin the Spider. Writing a book set in the past let me show a different side of Gin—back when she was a bit more reckless and carefree. But of course, those are some of the things that lead to danger and dark consequences for Gin.
Also, writing a book set in the past let me bring back some of the characters that I had previously killed off in the series, like Fletcher Lane, Gin’s mentor. I enjoyed exploring and showing their relationship in this book.
Plus, it was really fun for me to show how Gin “meets” some of the other characters in the series for the first time. There are lots of little Easter eggs and things like that in the book that I hope fans of the series will enjoy.
Jennifer Estep: I love writing about Gin, but I would have to say that Finnegan Lane, her foster brother, is the most fun for me to write. Finn is a greedy, shameless womanizer who says exactly what is on his mind, no matter how outrageous it might be. I always have a good time writing him.
Question 5: What can we expect next for Gin?
Question 6: Thank you so much for answering a few of my questions. Is there anything you would like to add before you go?
Author BioJennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy series for Pocket, the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington, and
the Bigtime paranormal romance series.
Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a print copy of The Spider by Jennifer Estep. US only. The email you use to sign in to rafflecopter is the one I uses to contact you.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Anne Nelson (Angel Anne Reviews)
Ughhh I’m having a hard time leaving a comment so this may be a duplicate.
Thx so much for the givveaway.
Jennifer Bielman
Aww, that sucks. Well it did work. Sorry it was giving you a hard time.
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence
How awesome that the author is writing an origin story for her book! Lovely interview, I haven’t gotten into this series yet but I’ve heard good things.
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence
Jennifer Bielman
You should so try it out. It’s amazing.
lindalou
I have read the book in this series AND have all the rest up to his one ready to be read. I really enjoyed the 1st one! Thanks for the giveaway!!!!!!
Jennifer Bielman
So happy to hear it. The first one so blew me away and the series gets even better if you can believe it.
JenM
I’m right in the middle of Heart Of Venom, so I’m all caught up and ready for The Spider. Looking forward to seeing more of Fletcher. What little we saw in the first book and the occasional flashback was too short. Now that we are so many books into the series, how many more does Jennifer want it to go?
Jennifer Bielman
Good questions! The author answered below. Happy to hear you are caught up. Good luck with the giveaway.
sherry fundin
I always like hearing how the characters came about. Thanks for the giveaway.
Jennifer Bielman
True, it’s nice to get some backstory.
Julie S
I love origins stories. So, if I haven’t read any of this series yet (but it is on my list!) can this book still be read since it is an origins story, or would it not work as a standalone?
Jennifer Bielman
The author answered below, but as a reader I think you could enjoy it as a stand-alone but it’s so much better knowing the whole series and getting the references.
Elisa
I can’t wait to read about Fletcher – the tidbits we get about him are never enough 🙂
Lovely interview!
Jennifer Bielman
We do get more Fletcher but it’s still a Gin heavy book.
Jennifer Estep
Jeann — Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the interview.
Lindalou — Thanks! Hope you enjoy the books.
JenM — Thanks! Hope you are enjoying HEART OF VENOM. At this point, I’m contracted for 12 books in the series. We’ll see what happens.
Sherry — Thanks! Hope you get a chance to check out the book.
Julie — Thanks! Well, that depends. I think it works fairly well as a stand-alone, but if you want to get all the references to other events/characters, then you might want to start with Spider’s Bite, the first book.
Elisa — Thanks! There is a lot of Gin’s relationship with Fletcher in this book.
Braine TS
I’m part of a read-along-for this series and danggit! I might just stalk my buddy to do a reading marathon for this. Damn!
Jennifer Bielman
LOL, loves it. Hope you are enjoying the read-along
Jennifer Estep
Braine TS — Thanks! Cool. Hope you guys enjoy the read-along.
Giselle
Great interview! So this book is set in the character’s past is it like a prequel? I’ve always wanted to give this series a try it sounds right up my alley and I’ve had a lot of people recommend it. I also would think you gotta almost put yourself in your character’s shoes and head when you write in 1st person (which is my fav narrative voice). Like you have to almost become her. Anyways, I have to give this series a try soon! 🙂
Jennifer Bielman
Oh yes, I so recommend this book. It is like a prequel, as the author mentioned below. First person is also my fav, it’s more personal.
Jennifer Estep
Giselle — Thanks! Glad you liked the interview. Yep, this is a prequel book set 10 years before Spider’s Bite, the first book in the series. Hope you get a chance to check out the series.
Jaclyn Canada
What a great interview! I love getting to learn more about author’s rituals the most because they are usually similar with very different things thrown in. I think it’s so funny that the greedy womanizer is the most fun to write. It’s like when you hear actors say that the villain roles were their favorites. I remember your review of this one and how neat it was to get to see the characters in the beginning and how some of them were met. Thanks so much for sharing 😀 Jaclyn @ JC’s Book Haven.
Jennifer Bielman
Hehe, yup, this was a good one. Being a writer myself, it is fun to write the flawed/evil characters more because it’s so extreme to who I am as a person. It’s like being a different person for that little bit.
Jennifer Estep
Jaclyn — Thanks! And I agree with Jennifer — the villains are often a lot of fun to write, maybe because it seems like they have more fun than the heroes trying to stop them.
Steph F.
I love this series and am really excited to see younger Gin. I love her villains almost as much as I love the good guys. Can’t wait to see Monroe too.
Jennifer Bielman
So true, the bas guys and good guys all bring something.
Mindy DeMars
These look amazing, haven’t had a chance to read any of them, so thank you for the chance of winning them 🙂
Jennifer Bielman
Ooooh, a newbie. Must read this series!