1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Stings and Stones is a collection of 10 stories set in my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy world. The stories are told from the point of view of Gin Blanco, my assassin heroine the Spider, and several fan-favorite secondary characters like Finnegan Lane.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Most of my Elemental Assassin books are set in my fictional southern city of Ashland.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely! I would love to go to my fictional Pork Pit barbecue restaurant and have Gin cook for me. Plus, Gin could handle any villains who barge into the restaurant, as they so often do in my books. LOL.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Assassin. Elemental. Protective.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Just how much I enjoy writing stories from the secondary character’s points of view and seeing how they view Gin and all the other characters in my Elemental Assassin world.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I do a vomit draft, where I write the story from start to finish, and then once that is done, I go back and start editing.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love to write about food, and I love to eat it too. LOL. Some of my favorite food indulgences are cheese fries, hot chocolate, and strawberry cheesecake ice cream.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
My office is pretty boring – just my desk, computer, and keyboard. But I love corgis, so I always have a corgi puppy calendar on the wall, and I have lots of Captain America and other Funkos on top of my desk.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Robin McKinley. I love fairy-tale retellings, and her book, Beauty, is one of my all-time favorites. She has such a lush, lovely, elegant writing style.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. I’ve always loved stories with a little bit of everything – action, adventure, danger, and romance – and the James Bond books (and movies) are a great mix of all those elements, which I love to include in my own books.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
Back in the early 2010s, I used to write short stories for Gin and the gang and post them on my website. Over the years, many folks have asked me to bundle the stories into an ebook/print book so that’s one reason why I decided to self-publish Stings and Stones.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Any kind of fantasy – epic, urban fantasy, YA, etc. I also love all kinds of romance and spy thrillers.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
I can’t pick just one! Some of my favorite movies are Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Casino Royale, The Princess Bride, and the Disney animated versions of Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast.
15–What is your favorite season?
I love fall and winter – the changing leaves, pumpkin and s’mores desserts, Thanksgiving and all the other holidays, snow, all the gorgeous holiday decorations. I love it all!
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I’m usually pretty low-key about my birthday. I like to hang out with friends and family, and my mom always makes a couple of desserts that I love.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I watch waaay too much TV. Right now, I am doing my annual binge of all the holiday rom-coms on the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, Netflix, and more.
I am also loving Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+, Leverage: Redemption on Freevee, and Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Again, I can’t choose just one! Some of my favorite foods are burgers/fries, tacos, just about anything Italian, and just about any kind of chocolate dessert.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
I love reading, watching TV/movies, hanging out with friends and family, and doing yoga.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
Only Hard Problems, book #3 in my Galactic Bonds science-fiction fantasy romance series, will be out on Feb. 20. The series mixes sci-fi technology with magic and a touch of historical romance. It’s perfect for fans of Star Wars, Reylo, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.
Happy reading, everyone!
STINGS AND STONES by Jennifer Estep
An Elemental Assassin short story collection
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep serves up an Elemental Assassin short story collection featuring danger, magic, and a touch of romance. Perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Anne Bishop, Patricia Briggs, and Faith Hunter.
Flash back to one of Gin Blanco’s many missions as the assassin the Spider. Learn more about Gin’s relationships with her mentor, Fletcher Lane, and her foster brother, Finnegan Lane, and see what trouble the other characters get themselves into when Gin’s not around. From a ghost’s lost love to a villain’s origin story, this action-packed collection has something for every urban fantasy and paranormal romance fan.
The Stings and Stones collection features ten short stories told by various characters:
“Spider’s Bargain” — Gin Blanco
“Web of Death” — Gin Blanco
“Web of Deceit” — Fletcher Lane
“Poison” — Finnegan Lane
“Wasted” — Finnegan Lane
“Tangled Dreams” — Jo-Jo and Sophia Deveraux
“Tangled Schemes” — Bria Coolidge
“Spider’s Nemesis” — Mab Monroe
“Haints and Hobwebs” — Gin Blanco
“Parlor Tricks” — Gin Blanco
Note: Stings and Stones is a 67,000-word collection of Elemental Assassin short stories. Some of the stories previously appeared on Jennifer Estep’s website, while others have been featured in anthologies.
Romance Paranormal | Fantasy Urban [Independently Published, On Sale: November 28, 2023, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9798855604085 / eISBN: 9781950076192]
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About Jennifer Estep
Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
Jennifer is the author of the Galactic Bonds, Section 47, Elemental Assassin, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, Mythos Academy, Mythos Academy spinoff, Black Blade, and Bigtime fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.
Elemental Assassin | Mythos Academy | BigTime | Black Blade | Crown of Shards | Mythos Academy Spinoff | Gargoyle Queen | Section 47 | Galactic Bonds
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