Interview with urban fantasy author Judy Teel

Urban fantasy author Judy Teel joins us today to chat about her newest novel, Savage Magic.

As she does a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Judy will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn person. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Judy Teel was born in Virginia and moved to North Carolina just before middle school. She's a fiction author and novelist writing in the dystopian urban fantasy genre. Her stories deliver mystery with some thriller elements, a kick-butt heroine with a large dash of snark in her, a bit more than a touch of romance with a guy that makes readers' hearts beat a little faster, and a wild ride full of action and emotion from start to finish.

Shifty Magic is permanently free on all platforms and Undercover Magic is free as a thank you gift for anyone who signs up on my readers list. 

Welcome, Judy. Please tell us about your current release.
In this adventure, Addison uses her PI skills to uncover the cause of a mysterious pandemic that’s decimating Cooper’s Clan and inadvertently calls forth an immortal monster bred to destroy the paranormal races protecting humanity.

What inspired you to write this book?

Savage Magic is the third book in this five-book series and continues the story of Addison Kittner kicking butt and taking names as she uncovers her secret heritage. It’s also the midpoint in Addison’s and Cooper’s story arch.

Excerpt from Savage Magic:
Directly across from us, the gates of Hell rose up — the doorway to Cooper’s hometown, so to speak.

Thirty-foot high stone walls stretched to the right and left until they curved out of sight. Standing between were the gates, made entirely of bones. Thick bones of varying prehistoric-level sizes that looked like they’d come from animals that had died out thousands of years ago, if they had ever existed outside of a fantasy book.

Two nasty looking Weres stood on guard duty, a female who looked like she ate scrap metal and pooped nails, and a bald guy who was built like a professional wrestler, or maybe a bull. His shaved head was covered with tribal tattoos that ran down his neck and over his arms to his wrists and he glowered at me as he stepped aside to let us pass.

Huge and sweeping, the Bone Clan fortress looked like it was designed to withstand a lifetime of sieges without batting an eye. And it was nothing compared to the sheer face of the mountain at its back and the three tiers carved into it.

“Welcome to Cha’dana.” Bald Guy shoved me in the middle of the back, forcing me to stumble forward. “Keep moving.” 

The wind swept down from the cliff and rushed over us, sending a chill of apprehension across my skin. At least twelve times the height of the tallest building I’d ever seen in the city, the stronghold was beautiful, inspiring and terrifying all at the same time.

So much for finding safe haven with Cooper’s Clan.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m currently working on Secret Magic, a novella that tells the story of Addison’s and Cooper’s first case. It’s been a lot of fun to write. Very signature Addison!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I reached 2,000 copies sold of my very first book on Amazon, I considered myself truly a professional writer. I knew then that people I didn’t know (yet!) were buying my books. But all the years leading up to that, I still thought of myself as a writer. I think novelists are born wired to create characters and stories. I sure was.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Writing is my career, yes, but I can’t in good conscience claim full-time since I typically work anywhere from 3 to 7 hours a day. The exception to that is when I have a deadline crunch and then I warn the family, hide in my office, and put in 10-12 hour days for a couple weeks. I usually work seven days a week though, which makes up for family demands like appointments and errands. A typical day for me during the school year is getting up at 5:30, making sure our high schooler catches the bus, and then doing a mix of writing and taking care of business matters until about 3:00 in the afternoon. It never feels like work to me, though. I love what I’m doing.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I love having toys on my desk. No idea why, but I do. I have a couple of Minions in hula skirts, my tape dispenser is shaped like a cat, and I have a chibi stuffed Tigger that I’ll toss from hand to hand when I lean back in my chair to think about solutions to a plot or character problem. I also have an anti-gravity chair that I’ll relax in to meditate if I’m really stuck about something. It never ceases to amaze me how the perfect idea will bubble up after I relax for a few minutes.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A cowboy. I think part of me still kind of hopes that will happen.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thanks for stopping by and for giving your time to the Shifty Magic series! I’m very thankful for all of you.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author’s Page

Thank you, Judy!

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