{Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway} David Ferraro

Today I have David Feraro, author of Dark Genesis, with me today on the blog.

Hi David! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to be here at Doodle’s Book Blog!
It’s a pleasure to be here!!!

Pet Peeves? Everyone has them. Could you tell us about a few of yours?

I just don’t like mean people. I work in retail, so when people are rude and talk down to people in a retail environment, it drives me crazy. Just because people can exert control over someone else doesn’t mean they should throw their weight around, and adults throwing tantrums when they don’t get what they want is ridiculous.

If you could choose to have any superpower, what would you want and why?

It would be shape-shifting, because you can be anyone you want to be, and who hasn’t imagined being someone else? I would look like a model most of the time, and wouldn’t have to worry about aging because I could just will myself to look young again. But it would be fun to mix it up now and then to blend into places I might not usually have access to, or would stick out like a sore thumb otherwise. Think of all of the cool experiences you could have!

If we were to take a look at your nightstand, what book would we find?

You would find my nook, since I tend to read from my e-reader in bed at night. I’m about to start “Through the Ever Night” by Veronica Rossi, the follow-up to “Under the Never Sky,” which is my favorite dystopian novel period. I’m also making my way through Baum’s Oz books, so you would find “The Emerald City of Oz” as well.

When you aren't writing what do you enjoy doing?

I read a lot, of course. You’ll find one young adult novel or another on my nook, and I try to read a classic a month, and read plenty of graphic novels. I’m also a huge film buff, so I go out to the movies a lot and have late night marathons of horror movies.

Name 3 things you always have with you when you are writing.

First, my computer, which I not only write on, but have music playing from and when I need to step away for a minute, I can just peruse the internet for a bit. Secondly, I always have something to drink, usually a Pepsi or water. And third, I have a candle that smells like fresh-cut grass nearby, and whenever I need a dose of inspiration, I open that and let it fill the room with its fresh aroma.

Do you listen to music when you write? If so, can you name a few songs that were playing or inspired you while writing Dark Genesis?

I do listen to music when I write. It’s usually singer/songwriters like Kate Tucker or Andrew Belle that I have playing, and I have a few instrumental songs that I find inspiring and moody, like “Bella’s Lullaby.” While writing Dark Genesis, I know that a few songs I found myself playing a lot were “Billy the Kid” by Dia Frampton, and “Crows + Locusts” by Brooke Fraser.

Can you describe Dark Genesis in 10 words or less?

A kick-ass girl fights monsters to retrieve her memories.

Where did you get the idea for this story?

Dark Genesis takes place on a world populated by witches. I was thinking about all the different kinds of magic and magical practices that we know of, like voodoo, alchemy, utilizing familiars, astral projection, tarot cards…and I thought that there had to be a cool way to highlight them and contrast them with one another, and that was sort of the framework for this, creating covens with similar characteristics. I also talked with my boyfriend years ago about a comic book we could create featuring some characters coming to a world populated by monsters. I sort of merged the two ideas and came up with a great story for it.

Are any of the characters based off of people you know?

I’m sure that I am influenced by people in subtle ways when I come up with characters, but it’s not intentional or done consciously. I have noticed in the past that some dialogue will sound awfully familiar to something a friend would say, but I can’t think of anything in Dark Genesis like that.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I appreciate the support and feedback of everyone who has had the chance to read anything I’ve written. I have lots of ideas that I have to share with people, and I hope that people continue to take this journey with me, because I’ve had so much fun so far.

Thanks again for being here with us today David!

     Ahead, the doorway they’d been running toward was suddenly filled by a creature covered in a coat of white fur, its bulky frame bending to fit through the opening. It had two short blue horns protruding from the top of its head and a pale face to match its fur, the face of a monster, with a wide nose, red eyes and a large mouth full of teeth. It reminded Alyssa vaguely of a monkey, especially how it swung its arms. Arms that ended with some deadly-looking blue claws. It roared again as it faced them, and Alyssa swallowed hard as she eyed Eric’s axe, wondering if it would be able to work magic twice.
     A tinkling laugh behind them was almost worse than the roar of the beast. It sounded like icicles clinking together, or ice cubes slipping into a glass. And it was accompanied by a blanket of cold air that rolled over them like fog, freezing their breath and chilling them to the bone.
     Alyssa turned to face The Ice Queen, and was rather impressed by her gorgeous figure. She was tall and beautiful, with hair as white as snow, matching her sleeveless form-fitting dress that brushed the floor with each step she took. Her skin was also white, but was tinged blue, as if she’d been out in the cold. Imagine that. Her lips were just as frosty, and her eyes were a deep blue, but cold and unfeeling, and nothing like the blue warmth that radiated from Eric’s eyes.
     “Don’t mind the yeti,” she said, smiling at them. “He doesn’t have very good manners. But then again, neither do you, trying to slip away without even a greeting.” She clucked her tongue. “And after stealing my property at that.” Her eyes sought out Eric’s. “There you are, my beautiful boy. I was terribly devastated that you would run away. Again. I may have to actually punish you this time.”
     “We saw how you punish people,” Alyssa found herself saying, accusation in her voice. “You’re psychotic.”
     Tinkling laughter again. The Ice Queen had a very calm air about her. It was disconcerting, like she didn’t expect that they would be able to fight her at all. “Believe me, that’s nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you for taking him away from me.” Her features hardened. “Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”
     Alyssa eyed the yeti at one doorway and The Ice Queen at the other. They wouldn’t be able to get past either of them without casualties. “It’s a short drop to the moat, guys.”
     Lace stiffened beside her. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
     “Now!”
     The yeti charged them, letting out another roar, but Alyssa hardly paid attention to the outburst as she ran for her life toward the windows.
     “Stop them!” The Ice Queen ordered.
     Alyssa found the ground growing slippery beneath her feet as ice grew thick on the floor, but she was already nearly at the windows. She watched Lace slide out one, letting out a small cry as she fell through the air, but she landed safely on the ice below.
     Parker waited for her at the windows, waving for her to move faster, but Alyssa looked back to see where the others were.
     And cursed.
     Eric was pulling his axe out from the throat of the yeti, crimson blood spraying over the floor, a stark contrast to its coat of white fur. Vessa was running in his direction, screaming for him to hurry.
     Alyssa tried to stop in her tracks, but she found that her momentum, along with the ice on the floor, forced her to keep going forward until she slammed into Parker, who let out a startled noise as he was shoved into the open air. Luckily Lace had been watching and caught him a few feet from the ground with a portal, or he may have broken his neck.
    Unwilling to leave her friends without seeing them to safety, Alyssa hesitated at the window. She couldn’t move far without slipping on the ice, which she’d attempted to do a few times only to find herself on the floor with the wind knocked out of her. So she propped herself in the doorway, offering encouraging words to her friends as they made their way toward her.
     Vessa pushed Eric ahead of her, and slipped on the floor herself, spinning in place for a moment before standing on shaky legs and continuing after him. Eric, meanwhile, could hardly stop himself. Alyssa had to slide out of the way as he sailed past her, to safety. She watched him hit the ground on his tailbone before turning back to Vessa, who was gaining momentum as well.
     “Come on,” Alyssa yelled. She swallowed hard as she suddenly realized that she had no idea where The Ice Queen was. Was she going to be down on the ice waiting for them?
     She looked to the side and flinched at the icy smile she found a few feet away. The Ice Queen’s eyes glittered in the shadows like diamonds as she set her predatory eyes on her. “You look like pretty bait.”

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Dark Genesis 
by Dave Ferraro
Pages: 431
Available as of March 5, 2012
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

Alyssa opened her eyes to darkness. And in the first flash of light provided by a gathering storm, she could make out a ring of bodies surrounding her.

With no memory of who she is, Alyssa stumbles into a dark world populated by witches. The witches are powerful, and demonstrate frightening powers, but even more terrifying are the monsters who rule over the land. Vampires, werewolves and other awful creatures of the night have taken over, forcing the witches behind stone walls, afraid to venture outdoors. But Alyssa finds that as she kills certain monsters, memories return to her, memories of a life on Earth, and the boy she left behind.

The quest to collect her memories and piece together the puzzle of what has happened to her is a daunting one, with betrayals and sacrifices every step of the way. But Alyssa is determined to fight for a world that is not her own, destroying powerful monsters along the way, so that she can return home to the boy she is coming to love through the memories she recollects.