Blog Tour: Mistaken by J.A Howell [Interview + Give@way]

Welcome to my stop for the Mistaken blog tour! Today I have the pleasure to

 have on my blog the author, J.A Howell, who will confess us how she got

 into writing and she'll give us some news about her upcoming books. Enjoy!

- Describe us a little your book and characters, where did you get the ideas for writing Mistaken?

Mistaken is about Dillan, a woman that not only lost the man she loved but finds out there are many things he never told her, including the fact that he had a twin named, Trey. Why she never knew about the twin may very well be tied to the reason Jamie, her fiancé, is dead.

Dillan is the main character, a woman in mourning, looking for answers.

Trey is Jamie’s twin brother, well-meaning, but very secretive. As soon as he finds out about his brother, the only thing he wants is revenge.

- I think "Mistaken" is more on the Thriller/Mystery genre, is there another genre you would like to try? Or is this a genre you prefer to write?

I definitely prefer to write in the Thriller/Mystery and Suspense genres but I like to include a romantic subplot in all my stories.  I am planning a dystopian trilogy, but it will most likely include thriller and suspense elements as well.

- What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Finally buckling down to finish it. I sat down and started this story way too many times over way too many years than I want to admit.

- Are you working on any other book?

Yes, I am working on Possess, which is still in the Romantic Suspense/thriller genre with a paranormal element. It takes place in the Midtown. This book  and the next couple books all take place in Midtown and have loose connections to each other. For example, you may see a cameo from Dillan in Possess. Also, the black-haired bartender in Mistaken is actually Harley, from Possess.

Here is the working blurb:

Harley escapes abuse at the hands of her rich and powerful fiancé and finds herself in Midtown. Low on cash, she snags a ridiculously cheap but decent apartment. The catch? The last tenant killed himself. Or did he?  As disturbing dreams, and terrifying incidents start to haunt her, Harley realizes she has no choice but to learn the whole story. Unfortunately for her, some people will do anything to keep their secrets buried. 

- What was the book or the author who influenced most in your writing career?

I have so much trouble narrowing that down, but my favorite author that I can read over and over would have to be Edgar Allan Poe. I found him in middle school and fell in love with his dark and haunting writing. He definitely influenced the part of me that likes to explore the darker side of humanity in my writing.

- Have you ever had a writer block? How do you usually get rid of them?

Yes and no. I had times when I didn’t want to write and I called that writers’ block, but I have “cured” myself of that. I make a habit of sitting down nearly every day and writing. I lock myself in my office, put on some music, close out Facebook and Twitter and make myself write. Sometimes I can get out a whole scene, even two! Other times I only get out a paragraph, but I still got closer to finishing than if I’d written nothing at all.

- Do you listen to a particular kind of music while writing? Name 5 songs that inspired you in writing "Mistaken".

I actually change what I’m listening to depending on what I am writing.

Here are the top five songs that inspired me during “Mistaken”:

 *Emotion Sickness by Silverchair

 *Creep (Acoustic version) by Radiohead

 *Bulls on Parade by Rage Against The Machine

 *Hang ‘Em High by My Chemical Romance

 *A Martyr For My Love For You by The White Stripes

- Do you have any advice for young writers?

Write a lot and read a lot seems pretty obvious, but it really is true. Most importantly, if you want to be a writer, commit to that with all your heart. Don’t let others tell you that you can’t.

- Describe your book in three words.

Loss, Revenge, Redemption

The Book:

Title: Mistaken

Author: A.J Howell

Genre: General/Mainstream Fiction/Suspense

Number of Pages: 198

Book Description:

One year ago, two bullets from a .45 caliber pistol ripped away any hopes Dillan had of a future with her fiancé, Jamie. On the anniversary of Jamie’s death, the appearance of his estranged twin brother, Trey, leaves Dillan wondering what other secrets her prefect fiancé was hiding. When Trey learns of his brother’s death, Dillan takes pity on him and gives him a place to stay.

Trey’s erratic behavior and a series of suspicious phone calls lead Dillan to believe that Trey knows more about the circumstances surrounding Jamie’s death than he’s letting on. With all leads exhausted and Jamie’s murderer still on the loose, Trey is Dillan’s last hope for finding the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts… but in Dillan’s case it could kill her.

Author Bio:

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

Give@way!

The author is offering 5 prize packs, open to UK, US and CANADA

But she's also offering a 10$ Amazon Gift Card! This is what the

prize pack looks like:

a Rafflecopter giveaway