Legends of Darkness

by Georgia L. Jones

Remnants of Life Series, Book One

Book Description

Dangerous Saviors…

What would you do if your life rested in the hands of something that really wanted to eat you? Come journey through the realms of the next world where everything you know about Good and Evil are put to the test.

Samantha Garrett lives and dies a good life in the human world. She awakens a new creature, Samoda, a vampire-like warrior in the army of Nuem. She is forced to realize that she has become a part of a world that humans believe to be only “Legends of Darkness.” Samoda finds her new life is entwined with the age old story of greed, love, betrayal, and vengeance.

Join our heroine as she battles not just for her own existence, but for the entire human race’s future.

Thank you for the opportunity to have an interview on your blog. I always appreciate opportunities to reach fans and talk about my writing.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Southwest Missouri with my wonderful husband, my five year old, and our English Mastiff. I have owned Aphrodite’s Hair & Nails, a salon, since 1999. I attended MSU, back then it was known as SMSU, in Springfield, MO, where I majored in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. I have always loved to read but while in college I found an unquenchable thirst for Greek Mythology. I have always harbored a dream to become a published author. This year I have seen that dream come true with two novels and one short story released.

2. What made you want to become a writer?

Reading made me want to write. It has always been magical for me when I read. It’s like being transported from one place to another, a vacation of the mind so to speak. I wanted to create that. Who doesn’t read a Dr. Seuss book and become inspired by imagination? I have always written little stories, it is a part of who I am and like therapy for me.

3. Who or what gives you inspiration?

My inspiration comes in many forms. I like human behavior and draw from that many times. However, at times I can just see a picture, look at the moon, or just take a drive and I find inspiration for my writing.

4. Tell us about Remnants of Life.

The Remnants of Life series started with Legends of Darkness, which is the first book in the series. I had been thinking of the book idea for about a year before I put anything on paper. I had a really hard time coming up with my beginning. As I wrote Legends, I realized there was so much more to the story. I began to map out a series by keeping notes on future events, creatures, people, and even scenes to use later. By the time I had completed Legends, which took me six months, I had a very rough outline of a five book series.
I have always been a big fantasy fan and had been reading all of the Sookie Stackhouse and Twilight novels. I wanted to create something different, totally different. So I began thinking of these new creatures that weren’t really vampires, but had some of their qualities. Then I began to do the whole “what if” scenario. Vampires are traditional known to come from humans that have died. What if they existed before humans? What if they were really Warriors? That is what they are labeled as in the book. They are at the top of the hierarchy for Nuem, their God. They are like archangels, good, but they have a job to do. In my series, they are in charge of keeping the demons who come to take over the human race, at bay. Book one, Legends, launched on March 17, 2012 and is the story of Samoda. She dies a tragic human death and is reborn into this world where everything she thought was legend, is real.
The second book in the series, Witches, launched December 1, 2012 and is the about a set of seemingly human twins, Kali and Seline. Kali learned that they have a heritage rich in the blood of the Strega, or witches. It has much more human interaction and world building going on in it. I really enjoy the world building part. I like the idea of writing without restriction where my imagination can run completely wild.
I’m currently working on the third book which has a working title of Thorn. It is from the demon perspective and is apt to create Samoda’s arch nemesis for the coming fourth and fifth books.
When I first began thinking about the concept of Remnants of Life, I wanted to create something totally different from anything out there. I wanted a fresh look at an old idea. I incorporated some legends, myths, and historical events into the whole mix and continue to keep that the concept for the whole series.

5. What’s the hardest part of being a writer?

For me the hardest part of being a writer is balancing everything else in life. I have a day job, like most other authors that I know and it is sometimes a challenge to work my schedule around everything.

6. What do you need around you to write (special drink, lucky items, etc)?

Really all I need is a pencil and something to write on. I once wrote a little story on a paper plate at a family gathering. I often times write sitting in “my” chair at home with cartoons on. I can easily block everything else out and just write.

7. What are some of your favorite books?

I have so many favorite books; I really don’t know where to start. I like fantasy and really have enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I also really enjoy Stephen King. One of my favorites of his is Thinner under his pen name, Richard Bachman. I also like Greek Mythology, my favorite in that genre is really a college level book that I have had since college called Classical Myth by Barry B. Powell. It is the best reference book in that field that I have found. I have recently found some new books that I really like as well. One of my recent favorites is Vine an Urban Legend by Michael Williams. I am currently reading Crown of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer and I really like it so far.

8. Are your characters based on anyone you know?

I do have a button on my station at work that says, “Watch you say, you could end up in my next novel,” but really I don’t use people I know as much as behaviors that I see. Although I have a special place in my books for people who are really mean and it is called Vicus, which is a barren land that would be similar to hell.

9. What, if anything, are you working on right now?

Right now I’m working on the third book in the series as well as two anthology projects.

10. Why do you love writing?

I’m a very creative person. I enjoy the creation aspect. I am not a particularly good artist when it comes to drawing so I like to paint pictures with words. I like to create new things from old ideas. I guess I’m a bit of a recycler in that respect. Then there is the fact that it doesn’t matter what I’m feeling, I can write about it. I can create a story out of an emotion. It is like therapy. I also get the opportunity to meet many people in the process of promoting and that is a wonderful feeling and it spawns more stories. I guess I love every aspect of the writing process and the feeling of accomplishment that it gives me. It is really an honor for me to have people read what I write whether they love it or not, they took the time to offer me a piece of their time and imagination and I appreciate it.

About the Author

Georgia L. Jones was born in Columbia, Missouri on September 21st, 1968. In 1992 she settled in the beautiful Ozarks town of Lebanon, Missouri, where she met and married the love of her life. Together they have raised 7 children and have the 8th still in their home.

At a young age Georgia learned the value of getting lost in a good book. She has always enjoyed reading and letting her imagination run wild. In her early teenage years she began to put her own stories down on paper as she plunked out the words on an old manual typewriter.

In 1996 Georgia enrolled at Missouri State University where she majored in Psychology. While there she found an untamable thirst for Philosophy and Greek Mythology. Many evenings she can still be found curled up with one of the great Greek Tragedy’s or reading about personal continuity by Rene Descarte.

Over the years Georgia has harbored the dream of being a published author and written many short stories. On January 10, 2010 she embarked on the dream as she began to bring the characters from her first novel, “Legends of Darkness”, to life. Upon completion in June 2010 she realized that it was not a single book but a series and created the concept of the series “Remnants of Life”. She is currently working diligently on the “Remnants of Life” series.

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