I have the pleasure of interviewing new Urban Fantasy Author Tracey O’Hara. Hi, Tracey and welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews.

Night's Cold Kiss is your debut novel; can you tell us a little bit about the story?

Night’s Cold Kiss is the first novel on the <i>Dark Brethren </i>series which has actually taken a different direction than I first planned. But the main protagonists in this story are Antoinette Petrescu – a woman driven by rage, and Christian a male who has been betrayed more than once before.

When is Night's Cold Kiss due for release?

It is due for release in September 2009 (actually I think it’s around 25 of August).

While writing, how does the story develop for you? Do you go from start to finish or create scenes as they come to you?

I’m a computer programmer by trade so I tend to be more linear in my thinking. I have to write from start to finish even though sometimes I do write the end because I want to capture what will happened, but I can’t write a scene out of sequence that is to go, say in 2/3 of the way through the book.

Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?

Not so much haunt my dreams, and I guess they do live with me in my head. I don’t really talk with them, it’s like I see glimpses of them going about their business, where they can show me things – like a secret window into another world.

What is a typical day like for you?

Depends on the day. Monday to Friday I work full time as an Analyst Programmer. So it is up at 7 and off to work by 8 (luckily I only live a few minutes away). Then I try to be home by 4.30 – pm, but sometime when the pressure is on it’s later. Then I come home, say hi to my hubby, check emails and try to start to write between 7.30 and 8pm and usually go to 1am.

On the weekends I tend to sleep in a bit, then get up and start my writing day.

What would we find on your bookshelf?

Lots of Fantasy, Raymond E Feist, Anne Mccaffrey, George RR Martin some Trudy Canavan and Stephen King for horror. But now days there are a lot of new stuff, Urban Fantasy by Nalini Singh, Keri Arthur, Vicki Pettersson, Kim Harrison, Jocelyn Drake, Jim Butcher and many more, but I also have romance including Jennifer Cruisie, Anna Campbell, Christine Wells, Anne Gracie and many more too. I don’t have a TBR pile, I have a TBR bookcase.

What are some of your hobbies besides writing?

Who has times for hobbies. I guess it would be movies if anything, I’m a big movie buff, especially sci-fi, horror, fantasy and action movies.

Was there any one person or event in your life that finally inspired you to sit down and write your first book?

Yes – my Great Grandfather. He was a WWII soldier who served with his 5 brothers. Four of whom were killed. Researching his life made me want to write it down. Then I found I enjoyed putting words on page.

Could you tell us your biggest pet peeves?

Rude unthinking people. People who have no thought for anyone but themselves. They are the ones who cut you off in traffic, or who stop in the center of the supermarket isle so you have to actually ask to get by. People with no consideration for others or their feelings. WOW – got that off my chest.

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

My head. Honestly that’s all I can say. Maybe I see something that sparks an idea that my brain cooks in the background – I don’t know. Sometimes I dream it. I did dream an awesome story that I will write one day. A YA fantasy called The Night Mare, about a white horse that visits a boy in the night and takes him on quests.

If you could go anywhere, be anyone, do anything for 24 hours, what would it be?

If I had 24 hours – I’d use it to write. I really don’t want to be anyone else or do anything else.

How long did you spend on writing your novel/book?

This is my learning novel, it took me about 3 ½ years to write and re-write. It is not the novel I started writing.

What would you say to new writers working on their first novel or stories?

Write, read and write some more. Learn your craft and write every day.

Do your characters come from people or composites of people you know, or are they entirely invented?

My characters are very much invented especially in my fist book. Though occasionally I let character traits of people I know come through. There are a couple of characters in my next book that have elements of some people I know.

Which writers have influenced you?

I guess if went back to the beginning, Enid Blyton’s the Magic Faraway Tree series. Then in my teens it was Wilbur Smith and Stephen King. Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts was my intro to fantasy and LOVED Anne Mccaffrey’s dragons of Pern. There are so many more I can’t name them all.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on book 2 of the Dark Brethren and planning book 3.

Thank you, Tracey, for taking the time to answer my questions. For our readers, if you are interested in finding out more information about the talent of Tracey O’Hara visit her website: traceyohara.com.

Interviewed by: Sandie