4.20.2011

Behind The Pen: with Suzanne McLeod (+giveaway)

I love interviews. But I find the artists behind the stories equally intriguing, and I think they deserve as much limelight as their characters. So here, instead of a list of questions about the story, the plot, or the characters, I ask authors the same 11 questions about themselves and hopefully get a glimpse behind the pen...


Suzanne McLeod's Spellcrackers.com series is so intricately plotted, the minute I finished with The Sweet Scent of Blood, the first book in the series, I just had to know more about the artist behind the story. So delighted that she agreed to answer my questionnaire... although I'm choosing to ignore the answer to the first question, because I'm so jealous I could spit. :P
The series' second book, The Cold Kiss of Death, US release date is next Tuesday, April 26th, and if you've yet to start this series here's the perfect chance.  (giveaway details after the interview)




Q1: What is the last book you read?
Ooh, this is where I make you all jealous if you’re a fan of Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax  series like me *g*. I’ve just read Aftermath, which is book 5, and doesn’t release until September this year! See, told you you’d all be green-eyed with envy!

Q2: If you were stuck on a desert island, what book would you like to have with you?
Umm, can I cheat and say my Kindle? I bought it for Mr. Mc at Christmas, and then . . . Well, I had to buy him another for his birthday a month later, as the poor soul never got to use it once I got my sticky paws on it. It was love at first read. *strokes Kindle* But if I had to pick one book . . . oh, maybe a compendium of Charlaine Harris’, or Ilona Andrews’ stories, or . . . nope, too difficult to choose just one : -D

Q3: What is your favorite swear word?
Depends on who’s listening. If no one is, and I’ve stubbed my toe or something equaaaally paaaainful, then I’ll quietly drop the F-bomb, otherwise it’s usually a polite sh—ugar *looks innocent*.

Q4: What is your biggest pet-peeve?
Links that promise one thing, but in fact lead you somewhere else. Not so much spammy links, but those that take you to a home page on a site, and whatever it is that enticed you to click isn’t easy to find, be it a review, a picture or a recipe. (Hmm, bet you can guess this has just happened to me ... *grumps*)

Q5: What quality do you most like in a man?
I daydreamed . . . er, sorry, considered this question very seriously for quite some time. I mean there are lots of qualities I like – GSOH, loves animals, patience, isn’t afraid of spiders, looks like George Clooney (opps, now I’m sounding like a dating site!) . . . but in the end I realised that what I really like in a man, and a woman, comes down to chemistry. Either we gel or we don’t :- )

Q6: What quality do you most like in a woman?
Cheating here: See above answer! (Though, y’know, it might be a bit odd if a woman looked like George Clooney *g*)

Q7: What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
Ooh, well, I’ve tried a variety, like retail, bookkeeper, and electrician, but I’ve always wanted to be a saxophonist and be part of a group. Trouble is I’m tone deaf, can’t read music, and my attempts at playing the recorder would leave anyone weeping.

Q8: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere where it’s T-shirts and shorts weather all year round, with a private beach, a warm sea, an infinity swimming pool, oh, and an assistant. *dreams*

Q9: What inspires you?
Deadlines! Oh, and being evil to my characters! Lol! But on a more serious note, anything can end up as inspiration: TV, films, a walk, dreams, books, blog posts, *cough* Wikipedia *cough*, and more . . .

Q10: If you could be one person (dead or alive) for a day who would you be?
Umm, I’m never very good at these type of questions, as I’m sort of happy being me, but on a good day. *slaps self for being cheesy*

Q11: Mac or PC?
PC, definitely. I like the look of Macs, but they scare me silly *g*



Thanks to Suzanne for answering my list of questions.  
And because Ms. McLeod is so very nice she's giving away a copy of her upcoming US release, The Cold Kiss of Death, to one lucky commenter. Here's how that'll work:
  • Your comment is your entry
  • If you follow this blog, you receive 2 entries
  • Contest is International through Book Depository
  • Ends Monday April 25th at midnight (pst)
  • Winner will be announced shortly after that here.



28 comments:

  1. Great interview from an amazingly talented author. I love Suzanne's series.

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  2. Great interview. Ive been looking forward to getting the chance to read her series.

    Im a follower

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  3. I'm just about to crack open The Sweet Scent of Blood, based on your review. I'd love to win the next one in the series.

    I'm a follower

    sarace (at) gmail (dot) com

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  4. YAY! I just bought a copy of The Sweet Scent of Blood and will be reading it very very soon. Great interview. Thanks for the giveaway.

    gfc:ereader89

    elainareads AT aol DOT com

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  5. Hi Suzanne, I'm so jealous you got to read Aftermath already! I enjoyed the interview, and I'm looking forward to reading The Cold Kiss of Death.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com
    GFC follower

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  6. I didn't even know Sirantha #5 was already all written yet- so yes, I am super jealous!
    I'm a follower.

    b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  7. I enjoyed reading your interview

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

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  8. Oh, I'm getting ready to read the first book next week. :) Another blogger friend and I are going to read it and do a post together. :) I'm really looking forward to it as it sounds like something I will really enjoy. :)

    And great interview. And thank you so much for the chance to win! :)

    MyWorldinwordsandpages{at}gmail{dot}com

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  9. Fun interview!
    Thanks for the giveaway Jess!

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  10. Thanks for the interview!
    Favorite part of the blog that I'd visit is about author's interview. It's help me to understand the author, and while I love to chat, read the interview like I chat with her/him directly (I know it's weird :)).
    Thank you so much for the giveaway ^_^
    I'm GFC follower (Ren)

    sawamura_foxman AT yahoo DOT com

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  11. I loved that interview!! I like it when you get to know the author more than just asking the "cookie cutter" questions.

    Ms. McLeod, don't be scared of Mac.....I just recently (in the last 3 weeks) made the switch....I am praising the Apple Goddess!!!! Seriously! So much easier than a PC and man are they awesome! I bought a MacBook Pro 15 inch. LOVE IT -- enough of the commercial!!! Sorry.

    Also, I am a GFC follower -- Kimmie, Nola

    blazesandbubbles AT gmail DOT com
    readingwithbakingoddess.blogspot.com

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  12. No fair reading Aftermath already!

    GFC follower
    sgiden at verizon.net

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  13. Fun interview. Suzanne sounds like she has a great sense of humor. I had to laugh at her comment about Macs though. People who are used to PCs think that because Macs can do so much more, they must be more complicated, whereas in reality it's the opposite. Macs are 100 times easier to use than PCs.

    +2 GFC follower
    jen at delux dot com

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  14. Great interview. Book sounds very interesting.
    GFC follower as Diana
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    artgiote at gmail dot com

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  15. Great interview. I got here by accident, but I've enjoyed the interview. Good questions and awesome answers =)

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  16. Just in case I haven't already told you this Jess, I absolutely love your interviews! :-D

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  17. Thanks for the giveaway! starlightgirl678 (at) aol (dot) com

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  18. "The Cold Kiss of Death" looks amazing. Fingers crossed
    I follow.

    marypres@gmail.com

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  19. OOOh.. I look forward to this!

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  20. I really want to read this. Thanks for the international chance! :))

    kah_cherub at hotmail dot com

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  21. I'm a GFC follower. :)
    kah_cherub at hotmail dot com

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  22. Great interview.I'm looking forward to reading this.
    I am a new GFC follower
    elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

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  23. Good choice on your book of choice for a secluded island. I recently discovered the Kate Daniels series and loved them! *sh-uger that curran is hot ;)
    jennifer kjovus
    kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com
    GFC follower

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  24. Loved the interview!!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

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  25. Love the cover of this book.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    claroxide@yahoo.co.in

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  26. Oh and I'm a GFC Follower

    claroxide@yahoo.co.in

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  27. Thanks for the fun interview, I always enjoy getting to know more about the authors behind my favourite books and series :-)

    And I couldn't agree more with Suzanne: thank God for the Kindle! and thanks to the whispernet our library would be infinite even on a desert island! :-D

    +2 I'm also a blog follower

    Thank you for the great giveaway!

    stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com

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  28. Mrs. McLeod sounds like she would be a load of fun to hang out with! What a great interview!

    And how sweet of her to do a giveaway!

    jillene @ gmail dot com

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