1.Do you play music while you write — and, if so, what’s your favorite?
I have a Spotify playlist for both of my books and love to listen to Movie soundtracks. Music is such an influence on me that I have based a few characters on some of my favorite artists. Without music I am not sure I would have written my books. I am heavily influenced by the bands Motionless in white, Palaye Royale, Yungblud, Korn, MGK, NIN, Pink, Eminem, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, In this moment, Halestorm and many more.
2.How long did it take you to write this book?
It took over ten years, I stopped counting after 12. In 2020 I did an overhaul, New cover, new chapters, more edits and book 2 will also be about eight years if I finish it this year.
3.If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Midnight Rising takes place ten years after The Midnight Within, Jessie is almost an adult and Mia, Just wants to send her to a good college but things in Disdain are not as they seem and a spree of new murders have the town on edge, including the supernatural’s. who are on the verge of war with each other.Who will survive this time around? and who will come back from the dead?
4. Name an underappreciated novel that you love.
Any book by, Poppy Z. Brite Lost Souls was the book that made me want to be a writer, Exquisite corpse was another one that was so good, even if the author doesn’t think so.
5. What books did you grow up reading?
My mother loved true crime and Stephen King, she was also a huge horror lover, so I read Carrie when I was in tenth grade and was hooked. Anne rice and Poppy Z. Brite ,were also my go to books. I read anything about ghosts and vampires, if it was spooky, I wanted to read it.
6. What would you say to an author who wanted to design their own cover?
I say go for it. I know a lot of people are mad about the AI art movement but if you can design a cover you love then why not? I use Cava and put the pic through the photo lab app. Not everyone can afford topay for a cover if you’re an independent author.
7. When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wrote a book called Dark love in high school. My parents got me a typewriter as a graduation gift and I spent the summer writing it. It was a bad Vampire romance and very cheesy, it’s no longer in existence. I was 17 or 18.
8. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I wrote The Midnight Within after finding out that Anne Rice had moved away from vampires and Poppy Z. Brite had retired from writing. Everyone was in love with Twilight, and I didn’t get it, so i wrote my own book. My vampires don’t want to date you, they want to eat you.
I was heavy into Vampire Role Play online and used some of the chat characters in The Midnight Within. I am inspired by old school horror and real-life crime shows. I am also a huge fan of True Blood and Charlene Harris and recently. Discovered Amo Jones and her dark Romance books.
9. Whom do you trust for objective and constructive criticism of your work?
My Half- sister is actually Sandra Lynn Williamson, Author of Inhuman Soul. She helped me Edit The Midnight Within and designed my original book cover. She has been instrumental in helping me along the way. I have a few other people who have put up with me and been pretty honest with me from the get-go. Without them I don’t know if I would have published anything at all.
10. Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why?
I relate to all of my characters at least a little. Jade was my Vampire Role play character and I was not going to even have her in book 2 but she seems to have taken over…haha I also relate a lot to Mia, as she plays mom to everyone who lets her and will fight for her friends and family no matter what.
http://www.tiktok.com/@jadedark666
Jo Rosenberry (@jadedarkauthor) • Instagram photos and videos