Interview: Allison Pang “A Brush of Darkness”

Allison Pang is joining us today to answer questions about her urban fantasy debut, A BRUSH OF DARKNESS (available now).  In my review, I called it a “smart, irreverent, and super sexy urban fantasy.”  If you like unicorns, incubi, succubi, angels, demons, werewolves, vampires, mermaids, and yummy delicious bacon, you’ll want to read this book.

Interview

ATUF: There are all sorts of paranormal creatures in A BRUSH OF DARKNESS.  Can you explain the world building? What is unique about it?


AP: I borrow extremely loosely from Celtic mythology in general and specifically Scottish mythology with the whole concept of the CrossRoads being a reflection of the old True Thomas ballad.  Essentially, I’ve mentally split up many of these paranormal creatures into three categories – those of Heaven, those of Hell and those of Faerie.  It’s not always as cut and dried as all that, though, and there are many shades of gray in between.  Most of them are just trying to live their own lives – however, I wanted there to be a bit of a price for those creatures choosing to hang out in the mortal world. If they want to be here long term, they have to enter a Contract with a mortal (which comes with its own sets of issues and protocols).

ATUF: Where did the inspiration for Phineas come from & where can I get my very own touchstone miniature unicorn?


AP: Phineas is a mix of things. I actually ran a really obnoxious unicorn of the same name as a character in an online game, though he was much larger and way more vulgar than he is in the book. For the story, I wanted to make him smaller – i.e. cat-sized and he wasn’t supposed to talk. (Although about half way through he spoke up anyway. *shrugs*)  The original inspiration was a combination of two cats – one who used to sleep in my underwear drawer when I was a little girl and my current furry monster who likes to drag my bathrobe around the house and um…hump it. (Yes, I wash it before I wear it again!)
 
As far as getting a unicorn of your own…I’m not privy to that sort of information, I’m afraid. ;-)

ATUF: Tell us about Abby’s obsession with Tom Jones and Hello Kitty. What other traits do you share with your main character?


AP: Well, I wouldn’t say Abby’s obsessed with Hello Kitty. That was just an inside joke I tossed in because *I* am the one mostly obsessed with HK. (and bacon). The Tom Jones aspect I drew on because it’s a bit unusual for a younger woman to listen to that sort of music these days, but of course it was in reference to what she grew up listening to (via her mother. No, my mother never listened to TJ.) Playing his music reminds Abby of happier days.
Abby and I do share a few other things in common – I have several physical issues as well, for example (although nothing as dramatic as seizures). But I’m very much aware of what it’s like to be in pain or physical discomfort of various levels for most of any given day. I suspect some of Abby’s jadedness comes from that.

Many of her other traits have been pulled from bits and pieces of my past – i.e. I took ballet for a year when I was 12, although I never aspired to be any sort of professional dancer.  I do play WoW quite a bit, though.

ATUF: In addition to writing about Abby, Ion, and Phin (and others), you have a number of images up on mynfel on deviantART of your characters.  Which came first?  The art or the story?


AP: The story, almost always. The Poser art is really just a hobby and I don’t consider myself much of an artist, but I do sometimes play around with character concepts when I’m trying to figure out what a character looks like. Once in a while I’ll render someone random and sometimes I’ll get the itch to write down a story for him/her.

ATUF: Right now I understand there are three books confirmed in this series.  Do you have plans to continue the series beyond that?


AP: I would love to. The original story arc should fit within the three books – beyond that, I would very much like to explore some of the secondary characters, particularly Melanie (the girl with the magic violin).

ATUF: What other projects can we look forwarding to reading from you soon?


AP: I have a few other things in the works – a straight forward high fantasy standalone and a Steampunk fantasy that I’d like to see become a series – but right now they’re still works-in-progress.

ATUF: What are some of your favorite titles/authors in the paranormal genres?


AP: I’m actually more of a high fantasy reader by choice, but for paranormal/urban fantasy I would say pretty much anything by Patricia Briggs, Tanya Huff or Charles de Lint.

ATUF: Nathalia Suellen aka Lady Symphonia is the artist responsible for the cover of A BRUSH OF DARKNESS.  As an artist yourself, I’m sure you had a strong vision in mind for your first cover. Did you get to work with her on the concept? 


AP: Heh. No, actually I didn’t. It’s pretty rare for authors to have much say in their covers (and particularly debut authors.) The most I was really able to insist on was that Abby not be holding any sort of weapon. She’s not a slayer or a vampire hunter or anything and I didn’t want the picture to indicate that. My understanding is that the publisher pretty much allowed the artist to do her own thing here. Nathalia is extremely talented and I’ve actually commissioned her for a few separate projects (unrelated to the books).

As a funny aside, I’m sure you’ve noticed the big shiny necklace around Abby’s neck? Well, there was no necklace originally in this book. I had plans for one in the second book, but when I saw the cover I actually went back and added the necklace into the end chapter. It doesn’t do much (yet), but it’s a nice set up for later. *Hint hint*

ATUF: If A BRUSH OF DARKNESS were ever made into a movie, who would your dream or, to keep things interesting, nightmare cast be?


AP: I have *no* real idea. The problem is that no one really looks like how I imagine the characters to be. (Probably a pretty common issue with most authors.) I sort of picture Natalie Portman as being somewhat like Abby (particularly with her latest stint in Black Swan). Brystion is a bit harder for me to pin down. He’s actually always been a bit nebulous, and with the shape-changing aspect, he could look like pretty much anyone.

ATUF: Finish this statement with as much/little detail as you like: You'll like A BRUSH OF DARKNESS if you like...


AP: Surprises. Snark. Smut. And small horny quadrupeds who like bacon.

ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by Allison.  Come back anytime!

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A marine biologist in a former life, Allison Pang turned to a life of crime to finance her wild spending habits and need to collect Faberge eggs. A cat thief of notable repute, she spends her days sleeping and nights scaling walls and wooing dancing boys....Well, at least the marine biology part is true. But she was taloned by a hawk once. She also loves Hello Kitty, sparkly shoes, and gorgeous violinists. She spends her days in Northern Virginia working as a cube grunt and her nights waiting on her kids and cats, punctuated by the occasional husbandly serenade. Sometimes she even manages to write. Mostly she just makes it up as she goes.

Visit Allison online: Website|Blog|Twitter|Facebook

Book Details

A BRUSH OF DARKNESS by Allison Pang
Available now

Book Description

The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares.

Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

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