Rogue's Angels Present: Lake of Sins: Hangman's Army by L.S. O'Dea

Please welcome L.S. O'Dea author of Lake of Sins: Hangman's Army.

The author will be awarding a Kindle Paperwhite to a randomly drawn winner (International winner) during the tour.

Lake Of Sins: Hangman's Army

by L.S. O’Dea

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GENRE: YA, Dystopian Fantasy

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INTERVIEW:

1.    What or who inspired you to start writing?

My mother, to this day, calls me different. Not in a bad way.  As an example, I was disgusted with my niece and nephew for not turning in homework and therefore getting bad grades.  I was talking to my mother about it and said that the kids were well old enough to take responsibility for this.  I did when I was their age.  My mom said,  “Well…you were different.”

Of course, I asked her to elaborate and she explained that she never had to worry about me wandering off or getting into trouble (until I was a teen – then I became quite normal).  I was content to sit by myself and play for hours.

I don’t know why, but I think it’s because I was never really alone.  I’ve always had stories, voices, in my head. Now, these aren’t the voices that tell me to do bad things, but the voices that keep me company.  Tell me their stories, their tales.

So, from as far back as I can remember I was making up stories and when I was in grade school I realized that I wanted to write them down and share them with others.

2.    How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

This idea has been rattling around in my head for years.  I constantly write stories in my head.  Mostly, dialogue but still stories.  This one had been somewhat plotted out, although, what was in my head was completely different from the finished product.  That happens a lot.  I envision something—a plot line, start here and end there—and then as I write and the characters become more formed, more real, they take over and it’s amazing.  They know a lot better than me what they want and where their lives are going—and trust me, it’s a lot more interesting than what I’d planned.

3.    What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I have a BA in Creative Writing which helps, but my expertise is that I’ve always tried to see things from other perspectives besides my own.  This really helps when writing, unless you write in the first person. 

My theory is that just like none of us are secondary characters in our own lives, no character is truly secondary in a book either.  Sure, there are waitresses and clerks whose only purpose in this story is to deliver a drink or sell something, but they have their own story.  They’re just waiting for me to listen to them so they can tell it.

How does that help with writing besides giving me more stories?  Well, it helps me see what each character’s ambitions, dreams and fears are.  I get into their head and they’re comfortable sharing deep, dark secrets with me, because I know they’re just as important as the main character.

So, I guess being kind of crazy is the most valuable expertise that I bring to my writing.

4.    What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

Hmm.  I really don’t find myself all that interesting, so this is hard.  I guess, I’m just a normal person like everyone else, working hard to try and make my way in this world.

5.    As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

First, I’m going to finish the Lake of Sins series.  There are going to be six or seven books total.  I should have book four and five completed this year (hopefully, both this summer).

Once the Lake of Sins series is done, I’ll focus a little on the spin-off series, Conguise Chronicles.  This series tells the story of the “monsters” that roam the woods.  These are the genetic mutations that Professor Conguise has created and they all have a story.

When that’s done, I think I’ll take a break from the Lake of Sins for a while (although the prequel – the story of the Great Death – is knocking around in my head, wanting to be heard).  I have a suspense that I’d like to tell as well as another dark fantasy.

6.    Can you give us a sneak peak into this book?

Absolutely.

“We can talk about it later.  Now, we need to get off this building.”  Trinity walked over to the rope.  “You first.”

“No.  I told you.  I’m going last,” said Hugh. 

“I’m not some Guard trained to take orders from an Almighty.”  She poked him in the chest with her claw.

“You may look grown up, but you haven’t changed at all.  You’re still a stubborn brat.”  She’d always been like this, as irritating as a piece of dirt in his eye, but arguing with her wouldn’t work.  He should’ve remembered that.  After the Night of the Trackers, they’d spent a little time together and she’d refused to do anything he’d said unless he’d tricked her with logic.  It might work again, but first he’d have to say he was sorry.  He took a deep breath.  He didn’t want to apologize for being right, but he wanted to die less.  “You’re right.”  He swore the words actually burned.  “I’m…sorry.”

She continued to glare at him but her posture relaxed a bit.

Now, he had to sell it.  “I’ll slow you down.”

“You’re slowing me down right now by not doing what I tell you.” 

So much for logic.  “The day that I take orders from you—”

“If you go after me and you slip, you’ll knock me off the rope.  It’s safer for me to go last.”

She had a point and that annoyed him even more.  “I’m not leaving you up here by yourself.”  He held up his hand to stop her from talking.  He didn’t think he could take any more of her attitude or insults.  “I’ll go first, but only if you agree to follow right after me.  Don’t wait until I’m halfway down.”

“Agreed.”

He opened and shut his mouth.  This was the first time that she’d ever agreed to anything he’d said or suggested.  He wasn’t sure what to do.  He had other points to make.  They were all lined up in his head. 

“We should get going,” she said.  “Unless you want to get caught?”

“Ah, there’s the Trinity I know.”  He grabbed the rope, letting his eyes roam up and down her frame.  “For a moment I thought you might’ve grown up a bit, but I was mistaken.”  He stepped over the rail.  It was a long way down.  Very long.  His head spun.  From the distance or the knock he’d received when he was wrestling with the Guard, he wasn’t positive.  He had to take that first step off the ledge, but his legs refused to move away from the solid structure beneath his feet and into the open air.  He swallowed.  He was dead if he didn’t move, but they wouldn’t kill him immediately, whereas if he slipped and fell, it was over.  He had to convince Trinity to go first because he was pretty sure that he couldn’t do this.  He turned to face her. 

“Today.”  Her golden eyes gleamed with something.  Laughter?  Triumph?

“Give me a second.”  Somehow, this had become a competition between them and he refused to lose.  He took a deep breath, willing the dizziness away.

“No.  I meant that today is the day that you take orders from me.”  She grinned, showing her long, white fangs.

“You little shit.”  He wanted, no needed to get as far away from that smug face as possible.  He stepped backward off the side of the building.  His stomach dropped and he almost pissed as he fell.  The only thing keeping his bladder clenched was the fact that he’d never hear the end of it from the others, especially Tim.  His feet scrambled for purchase on the wall and found it.

“Don’t look down,” she said.  “Keep watching the wall until you run out of rope.”

“I could’ve lived my entire life without hearing those words.”  He didn’t want to think of the drop.  That wasn’t going to feel good.

“Don’t be such a baby.”

“A baby!  You have no idea what I went through in this place.”  He’d been beaten to within an inch of his life.  He was not a baby.

“Then you shouldn’t have any problem dropping from a rope.”

He glared up at her and his mouth went dry.  All he could see were her long legs and her nicely rounded backside.  It’d been years since he’d seen such a sight. 

“Keep moving or is the poor Almighty tired already.”

“I don’t remember you being such a bi…”  He stopped.  She was Tim’s daughter and she’d risked her life to save him.

“Such a what?”  She looked down at him over her shoulder.  “Joy?  Sweetheart?”  She grinned.

“Yeah.  That’s it exactly.”  He started down the wall again, grumbling under his breath.  “Sorry that I’m not used to climbing down buildings like you, the queen of the forest.”

“I like that.  The queen of the forest.  You should call me that all the time.” 

He’d forgotten how good a House Servant’s hearing was. 

“Move faster.”  She’d almost caught up with him.

“I’m going as fast as I can.” 

“Oh yeah, you’re an Almighty.  Weak and slow.”

He moved faster, needing to get away from her before he said something he’d regret.  He’d been weak and slow but he wasn’t anymore.  That’d changed in prison.  He was stronger now and more focused.  He picked up his pace even more.  The workouts were paying off.  He glanced up and Trinity was farther away.  He grinned.  She was moving fast but he was keeping his distance.  “Not as slow as you thought, huh?” 

She ignored him and continued down the rope. 

“What?  Nothing to say now that I’m winning.  I never figured you to be a sore loser, but I should’ve.”  She didn’t reply, but her back was straighter than before.  He was getting on her nerves.  Good because she sure got on his.  She was nothing but trouble, an attractive know-it-all who refused to listen to anyone.  His hand met the end of the rope.  It was still a long way to the ground. 

Jackson waited alongside the building with Tim.  They were both flat against the wall, trying not to be seen. 

“Drop.  You’ll be fine.”  Her voice was soft, no longer acidic and mocking.

He couldn’t deal with her being kind to him.  They’d done so well bickering.  The trip had been fast and he hadn’t thought much about the danger.  “I’m an Almighty.  My kind doesn’t always land on their feet.” 

“Let go,” she said, a hint of anger in her voice.

“I will.”  His hands tightened on the rope.  A fall like this could break something. 

“Now,” she snapped.  “Or I’ll kick you in the face and say a prayer that you land on your head.”

Her foot waved above his head.  He wouldn’t put it past her to do what she threatened.  She’d probably enjoy it.  He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, pushed back with his feet and let go.  He was free.  It was glorious.  No chains.  No cell.  Just the air and the sky and…the ground.  He hit hard, his legs taking the brunt of the fall.  He rolled onto his back as Jackson’s hand grabbed his and pulled him to his feet.  He touched his face, the impact of his landing still rattled through his teeth.  Trinity dropped gracefully next to him.  He hated House Servants, every last one of them.

7.    When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I decided to act on my dream of writing a book when I got angry at work.  It was nothing big, but a moment of – “I don’t need this.”  Of course, I did need the job and still do, but writing does give me hope that one day I can quit my day job.

So, when I was done with the book, I tried the traditional publishing route but got tired of agents asking me to change things and then never getting back with me.  So, I went indie and have never looked back.

8.    What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

To add links for my other books to the back of all my books was the best piece of advice.  It’s simple and I’ve read many excerpts in other books, but I never thought to do it in mine (duh-me).

The worst was that “free” doesn’t work.  Many authors don’t want to give their books away for free (I’m talking the first book in the series – not all their books).  They preach that people who grab free books don’t read them.  I believed this for a long time, but I was wrong.  Sure, some people grab the freebies and don’t read them, but I’ve had more sales of my second book since I made my first book free.  Most people who read the first book like it enough to read the next one.

9.    Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I do a little of both.  I summarize in a kind-of outline form and then I “flesh it out.”  Sometimes, sections come to me in dialogue (most of my first draft is dialogue), so I write them down and build the story around them.

I also keep track of parts that I need to or want to add and then weave them into the story.

10. How do you maintain your creativity?

I let my characters roam free.  I let them lead me through their lives and I don’t have an issue with lost creativity.  Perhaps I will one day (I hope not), but right now, I have more stories than time.

11. Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

I’d have to say my favorite character in the series is Mirra.  She’s wild and knows what and who she likes and doesn’t care what anyone else says.  But, Mirra doesn’t play a huge role in this book, so I’d have to say that Hugh is my favorite in Hangman’s Army.  He’s lost everything and he’s trying so hard to find his way in the world, to do what’s right.  He’s also trying to fight his attraction to Trinity because he doesn’t feel he’s worthy of someone like her.  He’s a good guy and I like that about him – although he can also be a bit of a jerk.

BLURB:

A rebellion is brewing in the world of the Lake of Sins while Hugh Truent sits in prison days away from his execution.

After taking his findings about the genetic similarities between the classes to the Supreme Almighty and the Council, Hugh had been arrested for treason and all his evidence had vanished as if made from smoke.

To protect his family, he cut off all contact with the outside world while he sat in prison for over four years waiting for his execution. He has no idea that some of his reports were leaked to the other classes and that civil war looms on the horizon.

Trinity and her friends have no hope of winning the war unless they can unite the classes. In order to do that, they need someone everyone will follow. They need the one person all the classes trust and believe in. They need Hugh.

That means they have to break him out of a maximum security prison and convince him to lead their army, but that won’t be easy because Hugh wants revenge and he’s not going to let anything get in his way especially mouthy, attractive, know-it-all Trinity.

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EXCERPT:

Hugh

Trinity didn’t reply, but her back was straighter than before.  He was getting on her nerves.  Good because she sure got on his.  She was nothing but trouble, an attractive know-it-all who refused to listen to anyone.  His hand met the end of the rope.  It was still a long way to the ground. 

Jackson waited alongside the building with Tim.  They were both flat against the wall, trying not to be seen. 

“Drop.  You’ll be fine.”  Her voice was soft, no longer acidic and mocking.

He couldn’t deal with her being kind to him.  They’d done so well bickering.  The trip had been fast and he hadn’t thought much about the danger.  “I’m an Almighty.  My kind doesn’t always land on their feet.” 

“Let go,” she said, a hint of anger in her voice.

“I will.”  His hands tightened on the rope.  A fall like this could break something. 

“Now,” she snapped.  “Or I’ll kick you in the face and say a prayer that you land on your head.”

Her foot waved above his head.  He wouldn’t put it past her to do what she threatened.  She’d probably enjoy it.  He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, pushed back with his feet and let go.  He was free.  It was glorious.  No chains.  No cell.  Just the air and the sky and…the ground.  He hit hard, his legs taking the brunt of the fall.  He rolled onto his back as Jackson’s hand grabbed his and pulled him to his feet.  He touched his face, the impact of his landing still rattled through his teeth.  Trinity dropped gracefully next to him.  He hated House Servants, every last one of them.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

L. S. O’Dea grew up the youngest of seven in a family that uses teasing and tricks as an indication of love (or at least that’s what she tells herself).  Being five years younger than her closest sibling often made her the unwilling entertainment for her brothers and sisters.

Before she started kindergarten her brothers taught her how to spell her first and middle name—Linda Sue.  She was so proud she ran into the kitchen to tell her mother.  She stood tall and recited the letters of her name:  L-E-M-O-N   H-E-A-D.

She’s pretty sure she has her siblings to thank for the demons that lurk in her mind, whispering dark and demented stories.

Website:

http://www.lsodea.com

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twitter

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email:

lsodea7@gmail.com

Join Readers’ Group and Get the First Two Books in the Lake of Sins Series for FREE

http://lsodea.com/yourfreebooks-2/

Buy Links: This book is the third in the series--and the series should be read in order.  The first two books is the series are FREE.

links to Amazon to purchase

http://myBook.to/LOS_Escape

http://myBook.to/LOS_Secrets

http://myBook.to/LOS_HangmansArmy

draft2digital

escape = https://books2read.com/u/4Xgn21

secrets = https://books2read.com/u/bo6Dn9

hangman = https://www.books2read.com/u/bzpA5Z

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

The author will be awarding a Kindle Paperwhite to a randomly drawn winner (International winner) during the tour.

http://lsodea.com/giveaways/lake-sins-win-kindle-paperwhite/