Straight to Hell by Michelle Scott
The moment Lilith Straight dies, the Devil appears to claim her soul and cash in on a longtime family curse. Now, Lilith has no choice but to work for him. The job is bad, the boss is worse, and she can’t imagine how she’ll explain her new reincarnation to her eight-year-old daughter. But then an arrogant, yet oh so yummy, incubus shows up…and hell heats up just a little more.
Michelle Scott received her MFA from Wayne State University. Her stories have appeared in such places as Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, All Possible Worlds and Realms. Her fantasy novel, The Dragons of Hazlett was nominated for a 2009 EPPIE Award. Michelle’s YA novels include the vampire romance, Blood Sisters, and the fantasy Uncommon Magic. Her latest fantasy novel, An Anthem for the Battle Lands, was recently released from Mundania Press, LLC. Michelle lives in southeast Michigan with her husband and three children.
Interview with Michelle
Me: How did you get the idea for Straight to Hell?
Michelle: I wanted to write an urban fantasy novel about a different kind of supernatural being. I love reading about vampires and werewolves, but I thought I’d head in a different direction. That’s why I chose succubae and incubuses. In the book, these demons act like the little devils that sit on your shoulder – the ones that tempt you into doing what you know is wrong. I also wanted to create a character who would hate being a demon, and that’s how the main character, Lilith Straight came into being. She’s an uptight, suburban soccer mom who gets forced into serving the Devil due to a longtime family curse.
Me: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
Michelle: Hopefully, they’ll laugh! But at the same time, I want the readers to sympathize with Lilith. She wants to be a good person, but working for the Devil isn’t giving her much of a chance to do that.
Me: How many books do you have planned in this series, and when will the next become available?
Michelle: In my head, I’ve planned for seven books, but who knows? I’m hoping to have the next one ready to go by spring of 2012. It’s already written, but it needs to be turned over to my editor.
Me: What is your favorite part of the book?
Michelle: Personally, I love the parts in which Lilith Straight meets up with the hunky incubus, William Darcy. He’s incredibly hot, but he’s also very arrogant. He can be sweet one moment, and a complete ass the next. Because Lilith is both drawn to him and irritated by him, there’s a lot of tension in their meetings.
Me: If you were magically sucked inside your book, which character were you want to become and why?
Michelle: There’s so much drama in the pages that I might opt to be the cat, Drinking Tea. Seriously, though, I’d want to be Lilith’s stepsister, Jasmine. She’s beautiful and has a very sweet boyfriend. Well, she had a very sweet boyfriend. Maybe she’s not such a great pick after all…
Me: Why do you write?
Michelle: I write because I am. Does that make sense? I can’t imagine not writing.
Me: Can you tell me about your writing environment?
Michelle: Luckily, I have a laptop, so I can carry it around the house. Usually, I write in my office which is a creepy, little attic space above the garage. In the winter, though, when it gets too cold to write up there, I go into my bedroom and shut the door.
Me: Do you have a lot of support for your work? Who is your greatest ally?
Michelle: Yes, I have a lot of supporters! My number one fan is my husband of 24 years who has been so sweet and encouraging. My kids are also very patient and understanding, and they are proud of me as well. Then there’s my friends, other indie authors (to whom I owe so much), people who write great blogs, readers who leave great reviews… the list is endless. No writer is an island.
Me: What should I have asked that I didn’t?
Michelle: Lol. You can ask me about my favorite authors who are: Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Lev Grossman, and of course, Jane Austen.
Me: Thank you for stopping by!