1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A Draught of Ash and Wine picks up after the events of book one, with our two heroes on the run from the clandestine Society who are set on tearing open Heaven and Hell. Former hunter Johnathan now must navigate through the supernatural world while exploring his deepening relationship with vampire Vic and avoiding the enemies nipping at their heels.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I really wanted to explore the wilder America of the 1800s, with deep pockets of forests and that ever-present tension brimming through the 1850s. It felt like the right setting for the last bastion for some of the creatures present in the series.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I would absolutely hang with vampire Vic. He’s got the charm and wit to be the life of any party and he loves telling stories.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Johnathan is stalwart, brave, and loyal
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
For me, the fun side of writing period pieces is researching the details of how things worked. How ships carried cargo up and down rivers or how people took baths at inns without indoor plumbing. There are some fantastical elements and settings in the story, but those details were fun to ground the piece in a time period.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I am guilty of editing while drafting, especially if I have that epiphany thirteen chapters in that needs some reconstruction to work properly.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Sushi. I am spoiled with an abundance of fantastic restaurants in this area and when we do get the chance to indulge, it’s delicious every time.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
I’ve created a nook in the living room with a kiddie cornered desk that allows me some semblance of an ‘office’. Between the desktop on one desk and the laptop on the other, I do a lot of multi-tasking. And if that doesn’t work, I can always cart the laptop to the couch.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Rebecca F Kenney. I admire her work ethic, perseverance, and her luscious prose. I got to watch her journey as a writer unfold over the past few years as a fellow author of twitter. She writes fantastic dark romantic fantasy. I just finished reading Jailer to the Death God and MY EMOTIONS!
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones. It was also my first exposure to some risqué tropes in a young adult novel as it featured an age gap romance. The twisty sense of time, the rich character driven scenes, and the magical realism of the story were some of my first big inspirations as a budding author.
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.
I’d been querying the first book in the series for nearly a year with only a couple nibbles and to be honest, the version I was querying did have issues. An editor from City Owl took a chance and asked for an R & R, and after reworking the story, City Owl signed the series. I was floored and so excited to work on this world and these characters. I am forever grateful they took a chance on my lads.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Lately, it’s been Romance, especially paranormal, dark fantasy, and historical.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
A tough one! I have quite a few comfort-watches but the top of the heap is Willow, followed closely by Return to Oz, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
15–What is your favorite season?
Autumn, the Pumpkin Spice times. It’s true, I am a big fan of chilly, foggy mornings, that mix of brilliant reds and yellows, a final flare before they fall. There are a lot of traditions and folklore tied to the season and it speaks to my gothic loving heart.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I have a really hectic life and with my birthday at the tail end of a very hectic season, I usually get away for a day. If I’m lucky I’ll get away for a night and just relax without the usual demands and stressors.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I really enjoyed the heck out of the new Interview with the Vampire. The relationship between Louis and Lestat is so toxic but it hooks you and you dragged along for the whole chaotic ride. This version of Lestat was a truly great brat prince, and I can’t wait to see events from his point of view.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Really love Japanese and Polish cuisine, which are at really opposite ends of the spectrum but here we are.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
I am a massive nerd so when I’m not snuggling with my kids or working, I relax with video games. I love RPGs, pixel art, and a good chill atmosphere.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
Hoping to get out the next book of Vic and Johnathan’s story this year. I’m also cooking up some romantic sci fi with a grumpy x sunshine pairing I’m very excited about.
A DRAUGHT OF ASH AND WINE by Kristin Jacques
Johnathan Newman is a changed man, and he has the claws to prove it.
Following their bloody confrontation in Cress Haven, Vic and Johnathan flee the town in search of answers. Johnathan’s human life has ended, but his journey has just begun. Grappling with violent instincts and a supernatural bond to the vampire he’s falling for is complicated enough, but a dangerous new enemy is hot on their heels.
The machinations of the Society reach farther than either of them realized. Their foe’s dogged pursuit forces the pair to seek sanctuary. Vic brings Johnathan to the Estate, a haven for creatures nestled in the wilderness of upstate New York. Taken in by the Estate’s unusual proprietors, Johnathan soon learns not even sanctuary is safe for one of his ilk. This haven provides the pair an opportunity to explore their burgeoning relationship, and Johnathan a chance to learn control- A skill he is desperate to master, no matter the cost.
Because time is not on their side. The Society’s Agents are catching up to them, armed with a weapon straight from the Heavens. With their enemy’s plans creeping toward fruition, humans won’t be the only ones they have to worry about.
Paranormal Romance [City Owl Press, On Sale: January 1, 2023, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781648982859 / eISBN: 9781648982866]
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About Kristin Jacques
Kristin Jacques is an author from small town New England. She grew up in the sticks, surrounded by river wildlife and various swamp inhabitants. Somehow she managed to keep all her toes, despite a run in with a snapper or two. She lives with her husband and sons in another small New England town.
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