Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today, Elizabeth Noble – Elizabeth Noble lives by the adage “I can’t not write”. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t make up stories and eventually she learned how to write them down. A part of every day is spent living in worlds she created that are filled with intrigue and espionage. Using a real love of scifi and urban fantasy highlighted by twisty plots she crafts stories taking place in a slightly altered version of our world.
Thanks so much, Elizabeth, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: When did you know you wanted to write, and when did you discover that you were good at it?
Elizabeth Noble: I don’t remember a time I didn’t want to write and that was even before I knew how to write! Throughout school I was always praised for my writing ability. As an adult when I wrote for a hobby anyone I showed my work to said they liked it, but we all know your friends aren’t the best gages for that. Real confirmation came with my first professional contract.
JSC: How would you describe your writing style/genre?
EN: I’ve been told that my style is very visual and easy to read. This is one comment I get over and over from editors and at this point I’ve worked with enough different editors to believe what they say is true.
As for genre, I never know what the heck genre to call my books. The Vampire Guard series is some combination of scifi, urban fantasy and suspense/thriller. I guess.
JSC: What was your first published work? Tell me a little about it.
EN: My first published work was when I was in the second grade and I wrote a story about my dog and me seeing a ghost in the woods behind my house. It was published in a book the school put out every year for a fundraiser.
JSC: What’s your writing process?
EN: It’s a mess, frankly. I start out by writing a chapter, and deciding where I want that chapter to go, then I write toward that end. That first draft actually becomes one big, detailed outline and I go back a day or three later, re-read and add all sorts of details, dialog and take a stab at proper punctuation.
Before I begin a story I know who the main characters are and what they’re like. I also know the end of the story. Just like with the individual chapters I write toward that ending.
JSC: Tell me one thing hardly anyone knows about you.
EN: I’m a veterinary nurse and one of my tasks is making paw prints on cards for pets that have passed away. I’m really good at the odd ones, snakes, guinea pigs and iguanas as well as the more traditional dog and cat prints.
JSC: Do you write more on the romance side, or the speculative fiction side? Or both? And why?
EN: I dabble around in both.
I don’t consider myself all that romantic, and sometimes I have to remember to go back and put the romance stuff into a novel. I tend to be more subtle I think, using a gesture or touch more than very outward displays. I’m not a hearts and flowers type of girl, so the men I write tend not to be that way either. You’re more apt to see things like secret shared phrases between a couple.
I LOVE speculative fiction! Reading as well as writing it, and I think that shows up in everything I write. The best part is you can take something that is commonly known right now and add to it to have it fit a story. It’s the fiction part of science fiction that has endless possibilities. How can you not love it?
JSC: What pets are currently on your keyboard, and what are their names? Pictures?
EN: I have two furry writing partners! Rosie is my dog and Murphy is my cat. They mostly sleep while I write and they always love my plot ideas!
JSC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?
EN: Yes.
I have a general idea what I want to do in each chapter of each book but I try to be flexible while I write to fit in new ideas that pop up along the way. I use One Note extensively to keep ideas and research. Each book has its own page and I keep a list there of what needs to happen to complete a story.
JSC: If you could create a new holiday, what would it be?
EN: Oh, I don’t know, something involving walking my dog a lot and having cookies.
JSC: What are you working on now, and when can we expect it?
EN: Right now I’m working on the third book of The Vampire Guard, Endosymbiont. The Vampire Guard is sent to a secret research facility in a rescue operation. Something very nasty has gotten out of control—yes, vampires and werewolves will see what happens during an outbreak that could create zombies. Everyone learns that the thing with biological weapons is it will bite the hand that created them. Hint: the vampires and werewolves are not immune.
Visit my website for more information on The Vampire Guard where legend and myth meet science and technology. (http://elizabeth-noble-thevampireguard.weebly.com/)
And now for Elizabeth’s forthcoming book: Code Name: Jack Rabbit, releasing July 12th:
Meet the newest members of the Vampire Guard, where legend and myth meet science and technology.
Jonas Forge, vampire. Once a spy and soldier, now a cop, Forge enjoys the life he’s built with his friends in Flint, Ohio.
Blair Turner, PhD. Blair, a vampire and computer hacker with exceptional skills, shares a powerful empathic bond with Forge, his soulmate.
Declan, vampire, ex-pirate, ex-fur trapper, thief, and con man. Declan is Forge’s former lover and soulmate to Lucas Coate.
Lucas Coate, MD, Flint’s medical examiner. A werewolf living amongst vampires, Lucas is also one of Forge’s best friends.
Their lives become complicated when an impending presidential visit throws them headlong into a world of high tech vampire spies and espionage. Recruited into the Vampire Guard by the secret society of the Akhkharu Nasaru, they uncover a werewolf terrorist organization known as the Qiguan.
Together they must thwart a murder attempt on the open waters of Lake Superior while tracking a previously unknown biological weapon controlled by the Qiquan—a weapon that may very well mean death for one of them.
Excerpt
Lucas decided it was his good luck—no, it was a real blessing—neither Declan nor Forge could read his mind. Right now he wanted to kill them both. Lucas could do it too. Ten minutes wolfed out was all he needed. Vampires might be faster, but werewolves were stronger.
Being in a surveillance van with three vampires wasn’t the fun and excitement one might expect it to be. Lucas liked Kai, but he was sure Ori would agree that in this circumstance, Kai would have to die too.
Forge was pacing, at least as well as a man could inside a van with three other decently sized men. Lucas was leaning against one side, gazing at a camera feed, and doing his best to stay out of the way and not strangle Forge.
Declan put both hands on Forge’s shoulders and said, “Jonas, he’ll be fine.”
“He’s never done anything like this.” Forge turned and stared at the monitor. “Damn, I wish I could see him and not just hear him.”
“Jonas, it’s a pizza parlor, and she’s a research scientist. What the hell can she do to him?” Declan asked. Forge and Kai both turned to look at him. Declan heaved a sigh and shoved Forge into the seat beside Kai. “Relax. You can hear every word they say and feel what Blair feels. If anything goes wrong, you’ll know it practically before he does. You and I muddled through information collection with far less support and lived.” Declan rolled his eyes and focused on Lucas.
“I should go out there and back him up. In case.” Forge started to stand, but Lucas helped Declan push him back down.
“In case of what? They run out of pepperoni?” Lucas asked.
“She might recognize you,” Kai said. “You’re the head detective of this town. There is no need to take the risk someone will recognize you and blow everything. Besides, when making contact with someone with the express purpose of entering some sort of relationship with them, having your bond mate hanging around a few feet away is a bad idea.”
“He speaks from experience,” Ori chimed in and chuckled.
“You all do realize I can hear you, right?” Blair’s voice was crisp and clear coming from the speaker.
“Heads up. There she is. She’s about to walk through the door,” Kai said. He pointed to the monitor. “Got to love predictable people.”
Buy Links
Dreamspinner eBook: Click Here
Dreamspinner Paperback: Click Here
Author Bio
Elizabeth Noble lives by the adage “I can’t not write”. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t make up stories and eventually she learned how to write them down. A part of every day is spent living in worlds she created that are filled with intrigue and espionage. Using a real love of scifi and urban fantasy highlighted by twisty plots she crafts stories taking place in a slightly altered version of our world.
When she’s not chronicling the adventures of her many characters Elizabeth is a veterinary nurse living in her native Cleveland, Ohio. She shares her little brick house with an adorable canine princess and her tabby cat side-kick. Elizabeth is a fan of baseball, basketball (go Cavs and Indians!) and gardening. She can often be found working in her ‘outside office’ listening to classic rock and plotting her next novel waiting for it to be dark enough to gaze at the stars.
Elizabeth received several amateur writing awards. Since being published two of her novels have received honorable mentions in the Rainbow Awards. Her novel Jewel Cave was a runner up in the 2015 Rainbow awards in the Gay Mystery/Thriller category.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.noble.77
The Vampire Guard website: http://elizabeth-noble-thevampireguard.weebly.com/
Emotion in Motion: http://www.elizabeth-noble.com
Facebook group: On the Patio with Elizabeth Noble: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551582581800123/
Twitter: @elizabethnoble1
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethnoble1/
GLBT Bookshelf: http://bookworld.editme.com/Elizabeth-Noble
Elizabeth’s direct email is: elizabeth.noble19@gmail.com
Visit The Vampire Guard:
The Vampire Guard website: http://elizabeth-noble-thevampireguard.weebly.com/
Email members of The Vampire Guard: jr.vampx@gmail.com