Interview with Angel Haze!

About the Author:
Angel Haze is a Canadian author who spent her teens watching CSI, studying forensics, delving into thecriminal mind, and reading thriller, mystery, horror and fantasy novels. Her free time is spent dancing,fitness training with P90x, watching movies and Game of Thrones. She lives with her brilliant husband,Slade Sewell, who co-authors her fantasy novels.

Bloodletter Synopsis:

Thou shalt not kill.

A contradictory message written in blood at the scene of a young woman’s murder. Within days,another body surfaces with a similar calling card and, to Detective Ramon Faust and Criminalist KellyGarret, it’s clear a deadly game is underfoot.
As the rash of horrific crimes continue, a phone call unearths a shocking revelation: Nakeita isn’t the firstcity the elusive killer has left his mark. The Bloodletter, as dubbed by the media, has played his deadlygame before.

Delving deep into the most terrifying case of Kelly’s career, threatening phone calls and flashbacks of aforgotten near-death experience challenge her sanity and the lives of everyone she loves.

Where do you call home?
Slade and I live in Southern Ontario. The highlights of our small town basically include a pizza place andtwo variety stores, but the Liquor Store is open until 10pm. Need I say more? ;)

Do you have plans for a new book?
Do I ever! In Bloodletter II (still untitled), the Bloodletter case continues to haunt Criminalist Kelly Garretand Chad Evans as a body surfaces with the same calling card as the Bloodletter and they thrown intodeadly game of copycat. Bloodletter II has already been through several revisions and is due to bereleased in September or October. I've also outlined the third book in the series.

Also being released this Fall is a new detective series that follows Detective Dax Fitzgerald and MattieCaldwell.

How did you come up with the title and cover design?
I wanted the name of the serial killer to be chilling and catchy with multiple meanings. I chose the titlealmost ten years ago when I first thought of the idea. (I'm not certain, but I believe I even went throughthe Thesaurus looking for twisted names. :P)

I have Phatpuppy Art to thank for the amazing cover art. I knew I wanted the cover to have a red tint.Red is eye catching, exciting, and matches the book. (Not to mention, it's my favourite colour.) I wentthrough a list of images that appeared in the book. The best idea was to feature the killer wearing theGrim Reaper costume as he does in the book. Claudia brought my idea to life and, within days, we hadthe finished product.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?
Pieces of the author will appear in every character. In Bloodletter, I named a few characters after mybest friend in public school. Even my pseudonym is named after her. The characters may be indirectlybased on people or events in my life, but, more than that, my characters are people you'd want to know.

My passions for forensics, pathology, and delving into the criminal mind inspired much of the book.Years ago, I thought of pursuing a career as a medical examiner. The gruelling, eleven-year educationalpath stunted that dream. Instead, my passions come alive in my books. No stress. No crazy workschedule. No spending 1/8 of my life in school. Just twenty-four hours in a twisted mind.
What books have most influenced your writing most and why?

The most influential books I've read are those of Dean Koontz and Tess Gerritsen. They are action-packed page-turners that hook you from the very beginning. Throughout the books, you follow the castof characters, watching them succeed and fail. I've been following the twisted mind of Dean Koontzsince my early teens. Though most are stand-alone books, Koontz is absolutely brilliant. The charactersare people you'd want to know in real life, which is exactly what I strive for. As for Tess Gerritsen, I lovefollowing the investigations of Dr. Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli. There only a couple of hermedical thrillers that I haven't read and those are on my to-read list!

What book are you reading now?
A Song of Fire and Ice: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. As soon as the first season of Gameof Thrones ended, I HAD to buy the books. I refused to do so until before the season ended because Ididn't want any spoilers. (Even though my husband kept looking online to see what happened next, theepisodes so brilliant he could hardly keep it a secret. "I won't spoil it for you, but I have to tell you this!")
I'm also reading World of Warcraft: Stormrage by Richard A. Knaak and My Blood Approves by AmandaHocking.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest and why?
Lindsay Buroker and Jeffrey Martin. There are others (I'm a sucker for plot), but those were the first.Yes, I know these are two authors in my blog hop so that might be cheating a bit. I don't think so. I askedthem to be a part of it. I don't actually remember how I stumbled upon Lindsay Buroker's website. All Iknow is that I've been following her blog on almost a daily basis for about six months. Jeffrey Martin, Ifound on Twitter and he messaged me the link to his website. Ever since I read the blurbs, I was dying toread his thrillers. I keep finding more and more new authors with amazing books to fill my Kindle with.There are so many books I'm dying to read and not enough time to read them. Not that that stops mefrom buying more. ;)
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to writing?

My biggest challenge is finding a balance in my life. I work a crazy amount of hours and trying toschedule time for writing, reading, dance class, and working out is a constant battle.

Who designed the covers?
I mentioned this above, but it's worth repeating. Claudia from Phatpuppy Art. Her work is phenomenal.She's designed covers for Amanda Hocking, J.L. Bryant, and many others.

Check out her website: http://www.phatpuppyart.com/

Do you have a book trailer?
I'm working on one. Having a book trailer is a luxury. Right now, I'm spending more time writing andspreading the word about my latest releases.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
#1: Before you publish, hire an editor. When you're so close to your work, your mind automatically skipsover errors. Hire a professional, not just for spelling and grammar, but for issues with plot, pacing, andcharacter development. You are branding yourself as an author and up against fierce competition. Youneed to make sure your work is at its very best.

#2: Have a few books in line before you publish. If a reader loves your book but has to wait eight monthsor more before your next release, you could potentially lose a loyal fan. When you have a few books out, readers can devour one book after another.

#3: Create a solid marketing plan. Know exactly where you want to go and how you're going to do it.Find ways to network, maximize your time and market on a budget. The last thing you want to do isspend a lot of time on marketing schemes that break the bank and garner little or no sales.

Where can your readers follow you?
I love hearing from my readers. If you took the time to read my book, I want to hear from you. Followme on Twitter or contact me on my website. The readers are what makes the difference and I love you!:)

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/AngelHaze7
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Angel-Haze/112457508837831
Website: http://www.angelhaze.com/
Bloodletter is available on Amazon and Smashwords for $0.99.
US Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00563FA88
UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00563FA88
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66683
If you like YA Fantasy, check out Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch.
US Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005965A64
UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005965A64
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70412