Introducing you to Ash Krafton...

I am blessed to be a part of a really fabulous author community, who have done such a lot to support me over the years, and who have become friends. One of these wonderful authors is Ash Krafton, whom I've known on line for about 5 or 6 years after we met through our mutual love of horror writing. This month sees the release of her latest book, 'Charm City' and I'm really delighted to share it with you, and encourage you to check her out, if you haven't already.

CHARM CITY Kindle release day!

There are demons all around us, legions of the dark that break loose from Hell's restraints to prowl the mortal plane. Most people can't see them and will never suffer their torments. They are the lucky ones. Guess that makes Simon Alliant the unluckiest man alive. He's learned that the only luck a man has is the luck he makes for himself. Call him exorcist. Call him master of the dark arts. Call him dime-store magician. Most names don't matter, not when Hell knows yours. Armed with his spells and his amulets and his desperate drive toward redemption, he fights the rising darkness and sends those demons screaming back into Hell, one minion at a time. But not all demons can be exorcised. Some dwell too deep inside a man's bones to be so easily banished. Simon is smart--or, at least, cynical--enough to know which battles are worth fighting. It takes more than a fistful of charms to stay alive in his line of work. And staying alive is the only way to avoid giving the Devil his due...

Welcome to the world of The Demon Whisperer.

It kicks off today with the Kindle release of

the first book in the series: CHARM CITY.

Now available on Kindle!

CHARM CITY (The Demon Whisperer #1)

The darkness is rising and one man stands against it: the exorcist mage Simon Alliant. But in Baltimore, he finally meets his match...a part-mortal divinity with the power to whisper away demons.

Simon Alliant is an exorcist who battles demons, whether he wants to or not. Sometimes it's not so bad...he gets to play with magic, after all. But for Simon, magic represents a demon of another kind. He's addicted to magic and it takes more than a handful of charms to keep that particular demon at bay. Chiara is part Light, part Dark, and stubbornly mortal. The woman has a way with words: she literally talks demons into abandoning their human hosts. Simon thinks that's not the only trick she has up her sleeve-and that's pretty high praise coming from a mage like him.

As intriguing as that may be, Simon has too many reasons to distrust her...one of them being his more-or-less partner, an angelic Watcher. Amidst all the celestial warnings of the rising dark comes a new prophesy that makes him wonder: is Chiara a threat to him and all of mankind?

Or will she be his salvation?

Join the legions and pick your side: Light or Dark. Just know this...decisions like this are never easy, because there's no black and white when it comes to good and evil.

Grab your lucky charm. You might need it.

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. She's the author of urban fantasy (such as the trilogy The Books of the Demimonde) as well as paranormal romance (WORDS THAT BIND). She also writes for YA and NA audiences under the pen name AJ Krafton (THE HEARTBEAT THIEF, her Victorian dark fantasy inspired by Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”). Currently, she's working on a new urban fantasy series, The Demon Whisperer. The first book, CHARM CITY, is now available on Kindle.

#12DaysofCreepfest: Author Interview with Ash Krafton

WELCOME:Welcome to the 12 Days of Creepfest; a celebration of Christmas spooks and horror and an opportunity to introduce you to some wonderful horror and Dark Fairytale writers. Firstly thanks to the wonderful Rebecca Treadway (@creepywalker) for organising this fun trip.
Today I am happy to welcome the brilliant Ash Krafton, author of

Bio: Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer whose work has appeared in journals such as Absent Willow Review, Expanded Horizons, and Silver Blade. Ms. Krafton resides in the heart of the Pennsylvania coal region, where she keeps the book jacket for "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" in a frame over her desk. Visit the Spec Fic Chick website at www.ashkrafton.com for updates on the release of her debut novel, Bleeding Hearts, forthcoming in 2012 through Pink Narcissus Press.

INTERVIEW:

In 140 characters, describe your private self.
I love boots so much I developed an addiction. I mean, each pair has its own name. (They tried to make me go to rehab, I said No, no, no.)

In 140 characters, describe your writerly self.
I compose on paper but revise in pixels. I write in thick gel pen but edit in fine-point. I break computers, usually with Darjeeling.

Tell us more about your current work and projects?
I’ve a thick notebook full of poetry and short fiction in various stages of completion. I’ve also a thick MS Word folder full of novels, also in various stages of completion. Most days, I just work on whichever project clamors the loudest.

One of the things I’ve actually completed is my urban fantasy, BLEEDING HEARTS. It’s due out in March 2012. Lately I’ve been working on its sequel. I’ve an editor to keep happy.

What is your favourite book / story of all time?
My favorite book is the Golden Key by Melanie Rawn et al. but, this close to Christmas, I tend to reach for Hogfather. Can’t help myself.

How do you like to bring the 'dark side' into Christmas?
I don’t have to bring the dark side into Christmas. Santa does it all by himself. Fat dude that slides down chimneys, inspiring all sorts of copy-cat crimes that often lead to horrific entrapment and, sometimes, death of the burglar? That’s pure genius.

Describe your perfect fantasy Christmas day.
I wake up wearing magic armor, lying next to a sleeping dragon. If it wakes up before I make it out the door, things may get rather dicey (but in a good way.) The rest of the day is more traditional, except Santa’s reindeer are replaced by chimeras. They are *so cool.* Later, when I open mounds of presents, I find many, many pairs of boots and a Dragon Naturally Speaking program that actually understands what the hell I’m saying.

Which six famous figures (dead or alive) would you love to have sitting at your Christmas table?
Cameron Diaz, Mel Blanc, Geddy Lee, Hansi Kursch, Ben Franklin, and Jane Austen.

What are your New Year wishes?
People everywhere find peace within themselves and peace surrounding them. I wish a prosperous New Year to all my writerly friends and maybe a nice review or two for my novel. I also hope for a painless income tax filing season. (Why not wish big, right?)

Just for fun: TRIVIA

Christmas pudding or Stilton Cheese?
OMG Stilton is a CHEESE? Who knew? I’m lactose intolerant and I love pudding, so let’s go with that one. Hope there is whipped cream on it.

Bing Crosby or The Pogues?
Uncle Bing.

The Queen's Speech or Taking out your own eyeballs?
I like to daydream that the Queen is my grandma. I know she has a duty to behave stoic and reserved in public but, deep down inside her, there is a real hugger inside. (I also pretend my other grandma is Julie Andrews. And that we do shots of peach schnapps at family weddings.) So please, easy on the references to torture. She’s absolutely lovely and I wish we had a queen here. *crosses arms and stamps foot*

Turkey or Ham?
Ham. My mother-in-law makes a fabulous ham gravy that I could drink right out of the ladle. mmmmmm

Brussel Sprouts or Carrots?
I’ve never eaten a Brussel Sprout, dammit, and I shan’t start now.

Jolliness or Bah Humbug?
Jolly with a twisted twist. I fancy myself one of the cheerfully depressed. It’s a good time.

Links to my portals:
Http://ashkrafton.com
Http://facebook.com/ashkraftonauthor
Http://twitter.com/ashkrafton
Http://ash-krafton.livejournal.com
Http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com
Http://goodreads.com/ash_krafton
Http://pinknarc.com