Do you dare approach Zenobia's purple throne?
Friends and Foes
of Zenobia
A Paranormal Horror Anthology
featuring tales by
Denise N. Tapscott, Marc L. Abbott, Linda D. Addison,
Kirk A. Johnson, John Palisano, Robin Reed, Steven Van
Patten
From the spellbinding novel Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo
Wishes, meet Zenobia Jalio.
Many know her as a grandmother with a few magic tricks up
her sleeve from the heart of New Orleans.
However, some believe she is a self-righteous witch, a
dangerous judge, and a ruthless tormentor. Others know her as a
trusted healer, savior, and kind friend.
History shows she was once the beloved queen of Palmyra.
Read this collection of her deeds, then decide,
do you dare approach Zenobia's purple throne?
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Denise N. Tapscott is a California native. She left her
heart in San Francisco, but somehow managed to leave her soul in New Orleans.
She is the author of the novel Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo
Wishes and the sequel, Enlightening of the Damned. She recently published
an anthology called The Friends and Foes of Zenobia and she's currently working
on a third book in the Zenobia series called Lotus Flowers of the South.
As an actress, she's known as 'Tasha', a sassy vampire
featured in the YouTube comedy series 'The Vamps Next Door'.
Denise is also a co-host of the Beef, Wine, and Shenanigans
podcast with fellow dark fiction writers Steven Van Patten, Marc Abbott and
Kirk A Johnson. The podcast is known for being both hysterical and insightful
as it deals with a wide range of topics.
*Headshot courtesy of Jay Courtney Photos.
Often referencing her favorite quotes, below is Denise's
favorite motto by Hans Christian Andersen:
"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine,
freedom and a little flower."
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YouTube * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
GUEST POST
Where did you come up with the name for this character in this collection?
Originally I wanted a good name for an old southern grandma. I looked up different baby names and names from the south. I was tired of looking at the beginning of the alphabet, so on my last search I started with the letter Z. That's when I came across Zenobia. I research all the names of most of my characters; either they mean something in a certain language or the name has to reflect a personality trait of the character. I found that Zenobia was once queen of Palmyra (present day Syria) and she was loved by her people. She beat the roman empire for a handful of years, but eventually they caught up to her. History isn't quite sure of what happened to her once she was captured. Some say she was paraded around her home town before being executed, some say she was taken as hostage back to Rome, and some say that she simply disappeared. That's when I had the idea...what if she were immortal, living in New Orleans?
Who designed my book covers?
My first book, Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo Wishes was designed by an unknown artist through the company Book Fuel. The company is gone, so I designed the cover for my second novel Enlightening of the Damned. As for The Friends and Foes of Zenobia? I was lucky to work with the amazing artist Lynne Hansen. She worked some magic and made my vision come to life! The future will tell what I do with the next two covers for the next two novels.
How did I come up with the titles for my books?
For my first book, I wanted a mysterious battle between two unlikely groups. I played with the idea of it being "Blessed Kisses and Cursed Wishes" but Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo Wishes was the best fit. For my second book, I wanted to give a hint to the reader what to expect; my characters go through a supernatural midlife crisis, so I thought it would be neat for them go to through an "enlightening" where they obtained new information or had new insights for life. Thus the title Enlightening of the Damned. The collection, Friends and Foes of Zenobia just seemed like a no brainer.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
I'd say it's a mixture of the two. The main characters come to me around the same time. The minor characters come up organically as I write. It's one of the reasons I made the collection The Friends and Foes of Zenobia. There are a few characters sprinkled in the novels (one will make a big appearance in my next book Lotus Flowers of the South) that have amazing tales that just wouldn't fit in the novels. So I created short stories for readers to enjoy.
Do you read yourself, and if so what is your favorite genre?
I think all authors read. It makes you a stronger writer. I definitely am a fan of horror!
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
I prefer to write in silence. I can hear my characters speak to me clearly. When there is loud music, or lots of people talking, I get distracted. If Grandmother Zenobia were real, she would be cranky with all the noise too. She prefers peace and quiet.
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Terrific interview
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good horror anthology. Thanks for sharing.
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