Angela Roquet is an international bestselling author. Some of the books to her name include the Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. Series, Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend, Blood Moon and more. She is also a member/founder of the Four Horsemen of the Bookocalypse book critique group. What an honor to have such a prestigious writer! Welcome and thank you for joining us.
Thanks for inviting me! : )
GRAVEYARD SHIFT is the first novel in the Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. series. It is FREE on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, & more. I recently reviewed GRAVEYARD SHIFT on Goodreads. It is a comical and delicious take on Reapers and the afterlife.
Tell us a bit about Graveyard Shift and the Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. Series.
Graveyard Shift marks the beginning of Lana’s adventures in Limbo City, the capital of my fictional version of the afterlife, where deities of all faiths are forced to co-exist, much like we try to do here in the real world. We meet Lana at the end of a long stretch of peace, when a disgruntled deity begins to stir up a war. Lana’s just a low-risk soul harvester at Reapers Inc., and she doesn’t quite see her place in the grand scheme of things yet, but she’s getting there.
Who is your favorite character from the first book?
I have a soft spot for the archangel Gabriel. He’s the best friend who just wants to have a good time. He doesn’t really have many expectations of Lana, so she can relax around him. He’s always up for a John Wayne marathon or a beer at Purgatory Lounge. Everyone needs a friend like that.
What can’t that character live without?
His comfy, tattered drawstring pants, a case of Ambrosia Ale, and a bag of Cheetos.
Tell us a little bit about your journey as an author.
As a young teen, I aspired to write for Disney or Cartoon Network, and I had notebooks full of scripts for shows I wanted to create. An English teacher my junior year of high school read one of those scripts and suggested I turn it into a novel. So from 17 to 21 I wrote my first novel. It was a fair deal harder than writing a script, but it was also more fun—even though that book was pretty terrible. It was also waaay too long, I found out after shopping it around to a few agents. At that point, I knew it was time to research the industry, and a few false starts later, I began writing Graveyard Shift.
What do you love most about being an author?
Working from home in my PJs. Pretty sure my patronus is a hermit. It’s not that I don’t like people—I love social media, and I enjoy signings and conventions from time to time—I just really enjoy my solitude too. Also, no makeup, no bra, and I can listen to whatever weird music or background noise I want to. (Right now I’m loving this YouTube track that sounds like a creaky old pirate ship: https://youtu.be/3RTjHwJXxkA )
What do you dislike most about being an author?
Deadlines. Does anyone like those? As an indie author, I set them for myself, but they still suck. Big time.
Do you ever have moments of self-doubt or novel-doubt?
I’m pretty confident in my abilities as a writer—though I have to thank my lovely readers for that. The online reviews and emails I receive go a really long way in the confidence department. There’s always room to grow and something new to learn, but I don’t find that cause for self-doubt. That’s just part of life. The most exciting part, I think.
Are there any unpublished manuscripts you have created? Will you ever publish them?
I think most writers have a well of lost plots they’d rather not revisit, and I’m no exception. lol. But there are a couple stories I’ve considered going back and revising. In fact, that very first, very terrible novel I wrote has found its way into my 5-year plan. I think I’m going to restructure it and break it up into a trilogy.
Is there any piece of advice you would offer to other authors?
It’s the same thing almost every author says, but for good reason: READ. Read everything. Read books on writing, books in your genre, books in genres outside your comfort zone, nonfiction books, articles and blogs about books and about writing and about publishing… There is nothing that will help you more as an author than becoming a well-rounded reader.
What would you like to tell or ask of your readers?
I’m pretty happy with my readers. I really can’t ask more of them. They leave online reviews, they email the kindest messages, and they tell their friends about my books. So I guess the only thing to tell them, which I do as often as possible, is thank you, from the bottom of my heart. ♥
What couldn’t you live without?
My family. First and foremost. My husband and son are my favorite people in the world, and I love spending time with them. If this is more of a “What would you take with you on a deserted island?” sort of questions, then I’d say a LifeStraw. But if there’s a fully stocked cabana nearby, then I’ll go with my Kindle. I really love having millions of books at my fingertips and still being able to travel light. It makes me feel like Merlin in the Sword in the Stone, with his magic suitcase.
What is your favorite food?
Sushi with heaps of pickled ginger.
If you could go back in time and meet anyone, who would it be?
Hmmm. I think the Byzantine Empress Theodora. I’ve always seen her as the original Cinderella, a true rags to riches story, but so much more than that. It would be interesting to see which version of her presented by historians was most accurate.
Where can people find your books?
On Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords—and a few other digital retailers. If you prefer physical books, they can be ordered through most bookstores, though I also sell autographed copies online here: https://squareup.com/store/limbocitygiftshop
How can people contact and learn more about you?
I’m pretty active on Facebook but I also reply to readers via email too angela@angelaroquet.com and if you’d like to know more about me and my books, you can find all of that on my website http://www.angelaroquet.com
Is there anything you would like to add?
Thanks again for having me on your blog, and happy reading to everyone checking out Graveyard Shift for free. Hope you enjoy Lana’s adventures! 🙂
