Interview: Elizabeth Richards Author of Black City

Yay, so today I have an awesome interview of Elizabeth Richards the auhtor of Black City. If you haven't added it to your "to read"list, do so! Black City releases in mid November and you definitely won't want to miss it.

1. What exactly are Darklings? And how did you come up with the idea for them?

Darklings are my interpretation of vampires, although in my universe Darklings are a race in their own right –they’re not humans that have been sired. They live openly among us – albeit as second-class citizens forced to live in walled ghettos. The character of Ash has always been vivid in my mind, so right from the start I knew what the Eloka Darklings would look like (he’s half-human, half-Eloka Darkling). But the look of the Nordin and Shu’zin Darklings happened organically as I was writing the book – I wanted to have different breeds of Darklings, because I thought it would make sense that they would have evolved to adapt to their environments.

2. Do you have a playlist the goes along with Black City? If so why do these songs go with the book?

I don’t really have a playlist, but the song Freedom Fighters by Two Steps From Hell has become my unofficial theme for the book. Not only is the tune really rousing, it’s so fitting for Ash, because he starts off the story as this troubled, broken boy who is too afraid to stand up for himself and becomes someone who is brave and fights for his right to be with the girl he loves.

3. What makes Ash a swoon worthy love interest for readers and Natalie?

Physically, Ash is very good looking (*dreamy sigh*), not that he really cares – Ash isn’t interested in his looks; in fact, they bother him, as he’d rather just blend in with everyone else. He’s very tall, broad shouldered, with rippling hair that looks like black fire and sparkling black eyes. But it’s not just his looks that Natalie finds swoon worthy – Ash may be a bad boy on the surface, but underneath that he’s very respectful, loyal and charitable and has a brave, kind heart.

4. What do you hope people will experience as they read Black City?

Well, as an author you want to take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride. So I want the reader to be kept surprised, I want them to be happy one minute, sad the next. To feel a sense of peril, excitement, to have their heart racing as they turn each page! That’s really what I hope people will experience when they read Black City.

5. Lastly, how excited are you that Black City will hit shelves in a matter of months? What thoughts are going through your mind?

The main thought that goes through my head each day is *SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!*

 

As you can tell, I’m very excited about the fact Black City will be out in November. I keep having to pinch myself – it’s been my lifelong ambition to have a book published, so I’m desperate to see it on the shelves and for people to read (and hopefully love) the story.

Thanks so much to Elizabeth for doing an interview with me, know I only want to read Black City even more than I already did. Hope you enjoyed the interview everyone.