 | Title: Grave Dance
 Sexual Content: Kissing. References to sex Rating:
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Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.
After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.
The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own.
GRAVE WITCH was one of the most promising urban fantasy debuts from last year. It introduced us to strange and alluring Nekros City where all the horror stories and fairy tale creatures you’ve ever heard of live along side with humans, two potential romantic leads with enigmatic Death himself and a fae with ambiguous loyalties, and a fearless protagonist in Alex Craft who works as a private investigator with a talent for communicating beyond the grave. With so much going for the debut, could the sequel live up to it? No. It’s better actually.
The worldbuilding in the Alex Craft series is a dense and vibrant tour de force. It’s the best I’ve read since Ilona Andrews’ Atlanta from the Kate Daniels series. Magic has serious consequences, especially for Alex who permanently damages her vision and goes temporarily blind every time she uses her Gravesight. Raising a shade from a dead body exacts it’s own price on her too. It’s this cost that made the stakes in GRAVE DANCE so high. Alex had to constantly weigh the benefits and risks every time she needed to use her abilities, and the choices she made often had devastating repercussions.
The plot was equally compelling. It was dark without being disturbing. There are harrowing moments of danger and bleak displays of capricious depravity especially from the many fae in GRAVE DANCE, but they are tempered with Alex’s subtle humor and her impressive resourcefulness and bravery that made her ‘this is going to hurt but what choice do I have’ attitude all the more appealing. And despite how many time I thought I had figured out the true motives of each character, Kaylayna surprised me while still remaining completely believable.
And the romance! Urban fantasy is the perfect genre to build really good romantic tension that can span several books and that’s exactly what Kaylayna Price is doing with her Alex Craft series. Falin or Death? Death or Falin? I don’t know who I want Alex to end up with, but if there are more scenes like delicious ones in GRAVE DANCE, I’m really going to enjoy the chase. No word yet on the next Alex Craft book, but this series is now firmly placed on my favorites list.
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**Visit Dark Faerie Tales today for her Deadly Destination tour of Diana Rowland’s Louisiana from Angel Crawford & a chance to win MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE**
Welcome to the very first stop of our Deadly Destinations event! Our first character Tour Guide is a personal friend of mine, Kalayna Price's Alex Craft. Like many of you, I met this grave witch P.I. last October (read about my impressions HERE) and I’m thrilled that Alex is returning to Nekros City on July 5, 2011 in GRAVE DANCE and giving us a behind the scenes tour today. Thanks to the wonderful people at Penguin/Roc Books, three of you who comment on this post will win a copy of the book! See details below
Alex Craft’s Guide to Nekros City
by
Kalayna Price
Hello and thank you for making Nekros City a stop on your Deadly Destinations Tour. I’m Alex Craft. I’ll be your guide today, and . . . and there’s a coffee ring obscuring my notes. Sorry, Death visited right before I ran out the door to meet you. He does love his coffee. Okay forget the cue cards. I’ll just wing it. Like I said, I’m Alex Craft, and as you’re probably guessing, “tour guide” isn’t my normal job. My day job is as a PI and grave witch, meaning I raise shades so people can question the deceased. I prefer working with the police, but I take private clients as well. Business has been a little slow (hence the gig as your tour guide), so if anyone here needs to uncover secrets from beyond the grave, I will be handing out my card at the end of the tour. Alright then, moving on. I think I’m supposed to tell you the history of Nekros. You know, the whole spiel about the Magical Awakening occurring 70 years ago when the fae came out of the mushroom ring and announced their existence to the world. This caused the folded space humans had long forgotten to expand, creating new—or at least, new to us—territory. Nekros was established in an unfolded space between Georgia and Alabama in year 21 MD, becoming the fifty-fourth state with Nekros City as it’s capital. I guess I should also show you the State House. Hey look, it’s a building. The Humans First party is currently in control of the government, and as their stance is anti-witch and anti-fae, you’ll forgive me if I don’t take you inside. You’re welcome to head in on your own—they have scheduled tours—but you’ll have to pass through security so if you have any spells on you, please remember to plan accordingly. Moving on. I think what most of you want to see is the Magic Quarter, right? I thought so. Okay, we’ll head across the river. The Magic Quarter is the magical hub of Nekros. Whatever spell or charm you’re looking for, be it a tonic to reverse balding, a charm to attract good fortune, or a totem to keep leftovers from spoiling in your fridge, you can probably find it in one of the shops in the Quarter. Avoid shops with gaudy displays in the window— they’re tourist traps that prey on norms and non-sensitives. Good magic is subtle. At the far side of the Quarter you’ll notice Nekros City has it’s own division of the Organization for Magically Inclined Humans (OMIH, pronounced “Oh Me” typically with a groan by most of us who have to renew our license to practice yearly). We also have a prep-school for the magically gifted, and, I tell you this with some hesitation, a magic school for norms called Spells for the Rest of Us—it’s kind of shady though, so I’d avoid it. If you’re hungry, the Quarter boasts dozens of great restaurants, all with the latest and best charms to keep their customers happy and comfortable. I suppose I should also mention the Eternal Bloom, Nekros City’s fae bar. The drinks are expensive and the menu is limited, but it’s the one place in town you’re guaranteed to see unglamoured fae. Just remember to properly date and time the ledger when you enter—you won’t like the consequences if you forget—and whatever you do, don’t accept an invitation to the VIP section. Trust me. Next . . . Sorry, that’s my phone. I’ll be right back. Well, it looks like I’m going to have to cut this tour short. I’ve just been called to a crime scene at the Sionan Floodplain. Thanks for visiting Nekros City. -----------------------------------
About Kalayna Price
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Giveaway provided by Ace/Roc Books
Three winners will each receive a copy of GRAVE DANCE by Kalayna Price
Available on July 5, 2011 from Roc
Description:
Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.
After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.
The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own.
Click HERE to read an excerpt
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You can read all the previous Top 10 Lists HERE
This was my first year diligently updating my GoodReads account, and I was a little shocked to see how many books I had read in 2010 (162 by their count, eep!). Then I started looking through all of the amazing books that are going to be published in 2011 and I realized my total will be even higher this year. The hardest parts about putting this list together was how it reminded me of all the books I can’t wait to read, all the books I wanted to re-read, and all the books I still have to catch up on (aren’t those great problems to have?). Happy New Year, everyone, and happy, happy reading!
#10 Grave Dance by Kalayna Price
July 5, 2011
Description:
Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say . . .
As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around . . .
To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life . . . and her soul.
Kalayna Price’s Haven series kept popping up on my radar, but never succeeded in making it to my pre-order list. The Alex Craft series, however, was a slam dunk from Book 1. While I did like the novel world concept and Alex herself, I must admit, most of my anticipation is due to Death himself. Mysterious and intriguing, with just the right mix of attraction and danger, I’m looking forward to reading GRAVE DANCE for his appearances alone.
#9 Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill
May 3, 2011
Description:
Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals--and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are ... tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.
Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society--a world full of vampires who seem too ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands...
That sword, those pants... even without my enjoyment of past Chicagoland Vampire novels, I would have wanted to catch up just to read this one. While the series started off slow for me, much of that was a function of Merit’s development as a character. She has consistently impressed me more and more as the series progressed, and now I’m thoroughly hooked. Events between Merit and Ethan in TWICE BITTEN had me on the edge of my seat, and I look forward to seeing how their tense stalemate plays out in close quarters.
#8 The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
April 12, 2011
Description:
Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.
Kelley Armstrong’s last YA offerings, the Darkest Powers series, had much of what I enjoyed in her Adult offerings, with the sweet tension of adolescent love swirled in for good measure. That history alone would have been enough to make me eager to read this book, but as the description includes both The Best Friend and The Bad Boy, I’m all about reading this book when it comes out in April.
#7 Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
July 1, 2011
Description:
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh's exhilarating world of shapeshifters and psychics is "paranormal romance at its best" (Publishers Weekly). Now comes the story of an alpha wolf named Hawke used to getting exactly what he wants--and of the only woman who dares tangle with him.
Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.
Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.
Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…
A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…
While Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunters has my undivided attention, I’ve been a fair-weather fan of the Psy/Changlings. Despite having reading all of the series, the Changlings are the only half of the equation that can get me psyched up ahead of time. KISS OF SNOW focuses on the SnowDancer wolf pack, which would have been enough to get me excited. Above and beyond that, KISS OF SNOW is the long anticipated story of Hawke and Sienna. I have always been interested in how these two compelling characters will manage to find their happily-ever-after without the soul mate “Easy Button”, and I’m so glad my wait is almost over!
#6 Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook
November 1, 2011
As the mercenary captain of the Lady Corsair, Yasmeen has learned to keep her heart as cold as steel, her only loyalty bound to her ship and her crew. So when a man who once tried to seize her airship returns from the dead, Yasmeen will be damned if she gives him another opportunity to take control.
Treasure-hunter Archimedes Fox isn’t interested in the Lady Corsair — he wants her coldhearted captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. To reclaim it, Archimedes is determined to seduce the stubborn woman who once tossed him to a ravenous pack of zombies, but she’s no easy conquest.
When da Vinci’s sketch attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco — and straight into their enemy’s hands. But as they fight to save themselves and a city on the brink of rebellion, the greatest peril Yasmeen faces is from the man who seeks to melt her icy heart…
Heeding Abigail’s advice, I made sure to read the the novella in BURNING UP before venturing into THE IRON DUKE. The one-two punch of both of these incredible stories had me hooked from the get go. While I will still dip back into THE IRON DUKE to visit Mina and Rhys regularly (in fact, writing this paragraph inspired me to do so just this week), I can’t wait to pick up another book in this series. Yasmeen certainly caught my attention in previous stories, and there’s nothing like throwing a man off of an airship on to cannibalistic zombies to start a romance off on the right foot. So, despite the lack of cover art (or any firm pre-order information through a bookseller), I had to include this title on my top 10 list. Re-reading can only tide me over for so long, I am dying to get my hands on this new story.
#5 Late Eclipses and One Salt Sea
by Seanan McGuire
March 1, 2011 and September, 2011
October "Toby" Daye is half-human, half-fae-the only changeling who's earned knighthood. But when someone begins targeting her nearest and dearest, it becomes clear that Toby is being set up to take the fall for everything that's happening.
The October Daye series began “in media res,” and since that first amazing book when Toby was fresh out of the water (after being trapped for 14 years in a fish pond), I have been enthralled by the fast action, detailed world-building, and ever deepening mythology that surrounds her. I was very excited about this series in 2011, with both LATE ECLIPSES and ONE SALT SEA due out, and thus far I haven’t been disappointed. I had the privilege of reading an ARC for LATE ECLIPSES already (review due out next week), and revelations about Toby’s past (and tantalizing hints about her future) have me trolling the internet for any new details about ONE SALT SEA.
#4 Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
May 31, 2011
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.
Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.
So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .
Much like The Hollows, the Kate Daniels series started out as a sleeper for me. When I read MAGIC BITES (what seems like ages ago), I never would have guessed those first “Here, kitty kitty,” glimpses of Curran would be the start of one of my favorite couples. A blend of masterful world building, witty dialogue, and gritty violence, this series has become one I pre-order well in advance and eagerly await.
#3 River Marked by Patricia Briggs
March 1, 2011
Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.
An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River—one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…one father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.
This entry really belongs to both RIVER MARKED and the untitled Alpha & Omega book due out in October, as both are eagerly awaited this year. Patricia Briggs has a gift for creating memorable character details (the scene with his tail from THE HOB’S BARGAIN being one of my favorites), and her latest books are no exception. Building on an intertwining cast of characters, Briggs continues to offer deeper and more satisfying glimpses into their lives. Sustaining interest beyond that first chemical attraction can even harder in books than it is in real life, and Briggs has proven unequivocally that she’s a master at taking the relationship to the next level. I am so excited to know that this book will show us more about Mercy’s heritage, in addition to getting a glimpse of her deepening relationship with Adam.
#2 Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
February 22, 2011
Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.
Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passenger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.
A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.
Kim Harrison books are on my “instant buy” list, in both hardback and eBook (as you never know when a Rachel Morgan emergency will strike). While The Hollows series started out slow (when I put down DEAD WITCH WALKING, I had no inkling of the relationship I had just embarked on), by now these characters are familiar and dear friends. Above and beyond that, Kim Harrison is unmatched in her ability to interweave plot elements between books in an organic and natural fashion. Her books read less like discrete stories than un-varnished glimpses into someone’s life. Emotional, entertaining, and utterly unaffected, I eagerly await any opportunity to visit The Hollows. At the end of BLACK MAGIC SANCTION, Rachel had quite a few complicated relationships in her life (both romantic and platonic), and I can’t wait to pick up the story where it left off.
#1 Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh
January 25, 2011
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…
A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.
The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.
An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…
I had been a casual reader of Nalini Singh before I stumbled upon her Guild Hunter series, and from the first book I have been enthralled. Elena Deveraux is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy heroines, and Raphael is the only “all-powerful, magical” alpha male that is actually written to be alien, dangerous, and entirely thrilling. The world building is spectacular, one of the most thorough and dark I’ve ever encountered, and this series is one I’ve re-read on numerous occasions. I’ve had my copy of ARCHANGEL’S CONSORT pre-ordered for quite some time now, and I am giddy with anticipation for it’s release next week. This book tops my list if for no other reason than being so close I can taste it…
Honorable mentions:
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.
Kalayna Price is my guest today talking about her new urban fantasy series about a witch P.I. who has a close and personal relationship with Death himself. GRAVE WITCH is being published on October 5, 2010 (my review will be up tomorrow but I’ll tell you now that it reminded me of Laurel K. Hamiliton’s early Anita Blake books mixed with Tanya Huff’s Blood Lines series. In a word, excellent), but you can win a copy and some swag today courtesy of Kalayna & I’m giving away my ARC as part of my Blogoversary giveaway. See details below.
Kalayna Price is the author of the Alex Craft Novels, a new dark urban fantasy series from Roc, and the author of the Novels of Haven from Bell Bridge Books. She draws her ideas from the world around her, her studies into ancient mythologies, and her obsession with classic folklore. Her stories contain not only the mystical elements of fantasy, but also a dash of romance, a bit of gritty horror, some humor, and a large serving of mystery. She is a member of SFWA and RWA, and an avid hula-hoop dancer who has been known light her hoop on fire. To find out more, please visit her at www.kalayna.com.
Interview
ATUF: GRAVE WITCH has a ‘sudden revelation’ world building scenario in which the supernatural community ‘came out of the broom closet’ as you put it, as opposed to having always co-existed openly with humanity. What made you choose this route?
KP: When I began plotting the book, I knew from very early on that I wanted to write in an open world where everyone was aware supernaturals existed. Having the world open meant that Alex could work magic in a legitimate business and even work within the justice system. But, at the same time, Alex's world isn't completely dissimilar from our own—well, if vanity and convenience charms were normal in any modern household—so the sudden revelation gives a reference point for when Alex's world veered off course. Also, I think part of the magic of urban fantasy is that the world is somewhat recognizable, so it was fun to play with the idea of "What would happen if all the creatures of folklore and legend announced that they weren't just myths?" ATUF: Can you tell us what exactly a Grave witch is and what is unique about the magic system in GRAVE WITCH?
KP: A grave witch in Alex's world is a witch whose magic allows her to pull memories from a body and give those memories shape as something called a shade. The shade has no will or independent thought, but it can answer questions like how he died or the last things he saw before death. When grave witches use this magic, they straddle the chasm between the land of the living—where normal living people exist--and the land of the dead where wandering spirits roam. The land of the dead overlays that of the living perfectly, only everything in the land of the dead is ruined and decaying. That means when Alex uses her grave magic, she peers across that chasm and the world appears to crumble around her: hues fade, metals rust, buildings fall, and the world appear to be the bleak landscape. This can present interesting complications and interesting consequences. Grave Magic is only one of the magics in the Alex Craft series but as it is Alex's magic, it gets a lot of focus. I hope readers find it as interesting to read about as I did to write about.
ATUF: I know I tend to get bored with a story if things come so easily for the main character, which is why I appreciated so much the steep price that Alex pays each time she uses her magic. Alex goes temporarily blind after using her ‘grave sight’ and nearly succumbs to hypothermia if she holds it too long. Can you explain how and why you came up with this system?
KP: I agree, magic should always have a price. I think a lot of the time that price isn't apparent, but in this series, I wanted that price to be very immediate and very obvious. When I was plotting and working out the intricacies of the magic system, I considered several possible side effects from using magic and eventually developed a system where different magics will affect the user differently. Alex touches the grave and peers into the land of the dead. I've always thought of the dead as cold, some bringing back some of the chill of the grave made sense. The fact that she sees—even if only on a psychic level—across the chasm to the land of the dead gave me the idea to make the magic tax her eyesight. The reader will meet other characters over the course of the series who use other kinds of magic and who pay very different prices.
ATUF: Let’s talk about Death. He and Alex have a long history and a somewhat complicated relationship in GRAVE WITCH. How did you settle on Death as a character and potential romantic interest for Alex?
KP: As a character, Death developed very early on in my plotting. I knew I wanted to write about Alex, a woman who could question the dead, so it was a logical step from interacting with spirits to talking with a grim reaper. When I started working out who Alex was and fleshing out her history, I had the idea for Death and Alex's first meeting, which eventually became the first sentence of the book. Death and Alex's relationship is rather tense at times, but that's bound to happen when Alex doesn't know if Death is there for a soul or a cup of coffee. It's a fun dynamic to write and I hope people enjoy reading about it!
ATUF: If GRAVE WITCH were ever made into a movie, who would your dream or, to keep things interesting, nightmare cast be?
KP: I'm going to be completely honest—and probably rather boring—with this answer. I'm bad at names and faces, and even worse when it comes to celebrities. That said, I probably couldn't name enough actors to cast the book, let alone pick out a dream (or nightmare) cast.
ATUF: What other projects can we look forwarding to reading from you soon?
KP: The third book in my Haven series will be out in a few months, and the second Alex Craft Novel, GRAVE DANCE, will be out in the summer of 2011.
ATUF: What are some of your favorite titles/authors in the paranormal genres?
KP: There was a time I read practically everything being released in the urban fantasy genre (though it wasn't called that at the time). Now there are so many amazing books coming out every year that I'm struggling too keep up. I read so many spectacular authors that it would be hard to narrow a list down to just a few favorites, but if I had to pull a short list from my shelves, I'd probably start with Rachel Caine, Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, Chloe Neill, Karen Chance, and—no never mind, I can't narrow it down. I love the genre and I think there are great books being released.
ATUF: The cover art for GRAVE WITCH is fantastic and perfectly matches the story and character of Alex. What can you tell us about the cover and the artist?
KP: Earlier this year my editor had me fill out a form with lots of specific information about the book in general and Alex in particular. Then, a couple months later, she sent me a copy of the cover art. I was blown away. The artist is Aleta Rafton, and I think she did a truly amazing job. I absolutely love the cover and I hope that Aleta paints the cover for subsequent books in the series.
ATUF: The scenes between Alex and DEATH, specifically the last scene, were my favorite and I’m hoping for lots more between these two in the next book, but what were your favorite scene(s) in GRAVE WITCH? Was there one in particular that was especially fun/difficult to write?
KP: Well, I can start off by saying yes, you will definitely be seeing more of Death in the second book. The scenes between Alex and Death are a lot of fun to write because, as I mentioned earlier, regardless of what else is happening, Alex and Death have a history and there is always a little bit of tension in their relationship. Also, Death is just generally fun to write. My favorite scenes were probably scenes where I got to go in and really describe the magic and Alex's grave sight. Those are fun. Then of course the scene where Alex (and through her, the reader) get a quick look at what Faerie is like was tons of fun to write because I got to pull together a lot of folklore and different types of magic. You asked earlier about movie casting, and while I can't say much about actors, the scene in the Fae bar would be one I'd love to see blocked out on the big screen.
Thank you so much for having me here today, Abigail!
ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by Kalayna. Come back anytime!
Visit Kalayna online:
Want to read more from Kalayna Price?
Haven
1. Once Bitten (read my Review)
2. Twice Dead
Alex Craft
1. Grave Witch
One signed copy of GRAVE WITCH by Kalayna Price Or a $10 gift certificate to Amazon
Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say…
As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around…
To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life…and her soul.
Click HERE to read an excerpt from GRAVE WITCH
GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES
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Kalayna Price is the author of the Alex Craft Novels, a new dark urban fantasy series from Roc, and the author of the Novels of Haven from Bell Bridge Books. She draws her ideas from the world around her, her studies into ancient mythologies, and her obsession with classic folklore. Her stories contain not only the mystical elements of fantasy, but also a dash of romance, a bit of gritty horror, some humor, and a large serving of mystery. She is a member of SFWA and RWA, and an avid hula-hoop dancer who has been known light her hoop on fire. 
