HatH - Character interview and giveaway from author Jeri Smith-Ready

We are thrilled to have Ciara and Shane from WVMP radio station, the Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll, with us today. For those who are meeting you for the first time, what are 3 things they should know about both of you?

Ciara: Thanks for having us, Steph! Halloween is our favorite time of the year, and we love celebrating it with our listeners—I mean, readers.

Shane: We especially like the longer nights. Summer makes me go postal.

Ciara: I'll tell you three things you should know about Shane.

1. He plays a right-handed guitar with his left hand but doesn't reverse the strings. He learned all the chords upside down because he was always playing on borrowed guitars.
2. He died on April 5, 1995, a year to the day after his idol, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Like all vampires, he’s OCD and psychologically stuck in his original era—he wears flannel shirts and Doc Martens, occasionally says, “kickin’,” and thinks irony counts as an art form.
3. He gets more fan mail at the station than all the other DJs put together, times two.

Shane: OK, three things you gotta know about Ciara:

1. Her parents were fake faith-healers, so she doesn't believe in anything she can't see.
2. She cares more about people than she'll ever admit, but our dog Dexter will always come first.
3. Only one of the three things she said about me was a lie. This is a lower-than-average rate for her statements.

Ciara, how has your life changed since you first arrived at WVMP?

Ciara: I used to be a wanderer, totally afraid of commitment. "Don't get attached" is one of the con artist's mantras. By the time I even met Shane and the rest of the WVMP gang at the beginning of WICKED GAME (Book 1), I was already itching to move on. But they got their fangs into my heart and taught me that family isn't about blood (ha! get it?)—it's about acceptance.

I mean, look at them. They couldn't be more different, and they argue ALL the time, but they stand up for each other.

So Shane, do you get hassled at all from your fellow DJs for going out with one of the managers “upstairs”?

Shane: At first, definitely. It was bad enough that she was human. Most vampires think humans are good for only two things: blood and sex. And since we didn't have either for a long time—

Ciara: What? It only took us, like, two months to have sex after we met.

Shane: That's an eternity in vampire time. Anyway, my coworkers couldn't figure out what I saw in Ciara. But after she saved their asses with her brilliance and bravery, they came around.

With all the different radio stations and high tech ways to listen to music now, why should people tune into WVMP?

Ciara: Shane's too modest to say this, but people should tune in for the DJs. Where else can you hear juicy stories about the bands from people who were actually there? They remember those times like it was yesterday. They bring the music to life.

Shane: You sound like a marketing director.

Ciara: *beams* Thanks!

Shane: That wasn't meant as a—never mind.

Halloween is right around the corner. If you could pick out what the other will dress up as, which costume would you choose?

Ciara: I want to see Shane in a purple pimp hat and leopard-skin coat.

Shane: I'm going with sexy nun. Wimple, garter belt, the whole nine yards.

Ciara: You have issues.

What's the worst treat to find in your candy bag?

Shane: Asparagus.

Ciara: People put asparagus in your candy bag when you were a kid? Ohio is weirder than I thought.

Shane: No, I just really hate asparagus. (*turns to Steph*) See, vampires have sensitive noses, which is why a lot of us don't like garlic.

Ciara: Any opportunity to get on the anti-asparagus soap box. I think the worst treat has to be the urban legend razorblade-in-an-apple.

Shane: Where I grew up, we were bummed if our apples *didn't* have razorblades.

You were able to get your favorite singer/band to perform at your Halloween party. Who's rockin' it on stage?

Shane: I assume it has to be someone alive, so I'll wish for an R.E.M. reunion.

Ciara: Red Hot Chili Peppers. In a heartbeat.

Anything else you think our followers should know about you two?

Ciara: Yay, shameless plug time! Our fourth and final book, LUST FOR LIFE, comes out November 27th. If you want a free taste of us, you can download Book 3.5 ("Let It Bleed") on our author's site at http://www.jerismithready.com/books/let-it-bleed/. But it has a major Book 3 spoiler in the first paragraph, so if you're just getting to know us, I highly recommend going back to the beginning with WICKED GAME.

In fact, Jeri's giving away a signed copy of any WVMP book—winner's choice!—to one of your readers. US addresses only, please, because she is poor. Not razorblades-in-apples poor, but still...did I mention "Let It Bleed" is free?

Shane: One last slightly less shameless plug: please support authors and musicians by paying for their work. Pirates suck even more than rogue vampires.

Author Bio: Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband and two cats. Her plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that.

When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.

Find Jeri Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Goodreads | Ciara on Twitter | Shane on Twitter | WVMP Radio Website

Jeri is giving away winner's choice of one WVMP book. Open to U.S. residents only. Read event rules and guidelines before entering.

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