Welcome Dana!
I'm pleased to welcome back Dana Davis to Wordshaping to kick off my new series Why I Write Fantasy.
Dana Davis is a ghost buster and award-winning speculative fiction writer who once worked for Hollywood and Disney. Her great-great aunt is purported to have been a mediums and a telekinetic back in the heyday of suffragettes, prohibition and Model Ts. She uses her varied background, along with odd family stories, to aid in her writing.
Amber: Why do you write fantasy?
Dana: Well, I've always had a very active imagination, and the inside of my head pretty much resembles the storage facility in the TV show Warehouse 13 after a tornado has hit. The kid who got in trouble for daydreaming in school - that was me. All that crazy stuff tends to work great in fantasy novels and is a wonderful outlet for me as a writer. Not to mention it's darn good therapy, too.
I was weaned on shows like Bewitched, Twilight Zone, The Addams Family, Star Trek and Night Gallery. Which probably explains a lot. And when I read, I usually want a total escape from reality, which is why I fell in love with the genre back in elementary school. My first favorite books were The Hobbit, a fantasy by J.R.R. Tolkien and the Forgotten Door, A sci-fi by Alexander Key. I feel most at home writing in this genre.
Amber: Tell me about your books.
Dana: I recently signed multiple book contracts with SynergEbooks Publishing. I write sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal fantasy novels with horror and mystery elements. I also have a few books for young adults, including a sci-fi audio book that is scheduled for release this year. My most current series for adults is called Desert Magick and takes place in the here and now in Arizona. In this series, readers will come across witches, shape-shifters, sirens, medium, and a multitude of other paranormals. I weave Celtic, Native American and Greek mythologies together with elements of mystery and horror. And, of course, there is always some sex in the books.
Amber: What books do you read?
Dana: For fun, I read mainly fantasy and sci-fi, with a smattering of ancient studies and science. Some of my favorite fiction authors include Manda Scott, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Jasper Fforde, Orson Scott Card, Anne Rice, Kim Harrison, Robert Jordan, and Alastair Reynolds. I recently got a Barnes and Noble Nook, so I’ve been downloading a lot of eBooks and am finding that I prefer electronic to paper.
Amber: What are you writing now?
Dana: I’m currently writing the third book in my Desert Magick series, which should be available as an eBook by the end of this year. The first book Desert Magick: Superstitions is available in trade paperback and coming soon to electronic format with SynergEbooks Publishing. The second book Desert Magick: Dream Catcher will be released shortly after that.
I have been doing a lot of fun research for the Desert Magick series and recent trips to Salem, Greece, and Ireland have fueled my imagination. And I currently participate in local paranormal investigations. Yep, I’m a ghost buster!
When she's not writing, she loves to read and travel. Just try to keep her away from ruins and old cemeteries. Dana lives in the Arizona desert with her husband and two insane birds, where she is currently writing another book. She invites readers to visit her website at and her publisher’s website
Dana's Contest!
Go to Dana Davis' homepage
and email her from the cactus email icon in the left column
- a copy of Desert Magick: Superstitions trade paperback
- or a copy of Deadly Fate: Book One of the Teadai Prophecies eBook on CD (PDF format)
- U.S. entrants only. Winning items will be sent by media mail.
Contest ends March 5, 2010 at 12 AM MST
Contest Closed
Congratulations James!
Contest Closed
Congratulations James!
I love this interview. You have such a remarkable background. It's no wonder your books are so exciting. I'm happy to hear you have a Nook. I love mine! Best of luck to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the comments. Have a fabulous March!
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