About the Author
Josie lives in Oxford, England, with her husband and two cats. When she’s not writing, she works as a lawyer, specialising in intellectual property and commercial law. She also runs a video book review club, The Gin Book Club, through her website.
The first book in the Solis Invicti series (A Bargain in Silver) is Josie’s debut novel.
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THE SOLIS INVICTI SERIES
By Josie Jaffrey
The
Solis Invicti series is set in London, in a world in which the human population
has been decimated by a blood-borne virus. In the wake of the zombie
apocalypse that follows, a vampiric race called the Silver seizes control.
Without the protection of the Silver, humanity will soon cease to
exist, and without uninfected human blood, the Silver will perish. A necessary symbiosis is the result, but the
power of the two races could not be more unevenly balanced.
The
protagonist of the series is Emilia, a twenty-something barmaid with an
insubordinate and reckless approach to the new order. In the first days following the collapse, she
struggles to accept that her life has changed irrevocably and that she
is powerless to reclaim it. That
recalcitrance brings her face to face with the highest ranks of the Silver.
The
series is targeted at adults and mature young adults. The books contain horror, profanity and
sexual content. This isn't erotica, but
there are some steamy scenes (only one or two per book). There are love triangles, aggression and drama,
but there is also an eventual HEA.
Series Info:
Books in series: 4
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Adult, Dystopian, Urban Fantasy
Additional
Media Links:
An Interview with the Author:
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
It crept up on me. I started writing, found that I really enjoyed it, and I realised I couldn’t stop. However, I didn’t realise that I wanted to be a writer (i.e. that I wanted to make writing my profession) until a couple of years ago. By that time, I had already written A Bargain in Silver, the first novel in my four-book paranormal romance series, the Solis Invicti series.
What inspires you to write?
I’d love to be able to say that I have a particular inspiration, but actually I write simply because I like doing it. There’s nothing quite like finding the perfect words to express something commonly human, or to describe a feeling. I also love exploring personalities through my characters, and exploring social issues through analogy in my stories, particularly those relating to power, control and prejudice.
Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
Absolutely. There’s one that may well surface one day, but there are also two half-written novels that will never emerge from the murky corners of digital storage. One of them was in some ways a precursor to the Solis Invicti series, but the other is a piece of literary fiction with a concept that I think, in retrospect, is a little too wacky for the writing style. I could go back to it one day, but I think I’d prefer to just keep writing new ideas.
What is your favourite scene in the book? Why?
Like everyone who has read A Bargain in Silver, my favourite character is Cam. There’s a scene where he and the protagonist get unhealthily inebriated, and it all becomes a little silly. That scene was so much fun to write, particularly because it injects some much-needed comedic respite into a section of the book that is otherwise quite tense.
Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
Absolutely! I’d be very wary of any author who didn’t read. I actually run an online book club, The Gin Book Club, through my website. We review a wide range of books, including indies.
My favourite authors include Terry Pratchett, Michael Marshall Smith, Charlaine Harris and Chuck Palahnuik. I love the horrifying aspects of Michael Marshall Smith’s writing, and the gritty psychological storylines that Chuck Palahnuik crafts. Those influence the way in which I try to write, as do Pratchett’s humour and Harris’s romantic plots.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
Just write. You aren’t a writer unless you do.
This is such valuable advice. I have too many friends who want to be authors, but spend so long plotting their novels and crafting characters that they never actually sit down and start writing. I think the problem is that a lot of people obsess about getting everything right the first time, but your first draft is exactly that: a draft. I also find that my plots will change slightly as a write, and they need the space to do that. Some of my best scenes have been things I didn’t expect would happen when I plotted the novel.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
In addition to writing, read! Don’t just read in your genre, but read everything. It will inspire you, and encourage you to think critically about how other authors construct their work. That analysis will influence your own work for the better.
If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?
This is such a difficult question! I’d have to take a book (obviously), probably The Lord of the Rings because it’d keep me going for a while. I’d also take my Swiss Army Knife, because it would be super handy, and a kettle with a load of Earl Grey tea, because I can’t live without it. That might be four things(!).
How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?
When I’m not writing or reviewing books, I row on the Isis in Oxford. The river gives you the best views of the city, and I love the synchronicity of rowing in a crew. The only thing that comes close for me is Ashtanga yoga, which I also enjoy.
What do you have in store next for your readers?
I’m currently working on the first book of the sequel to the Solis Invicti series. There will be some familiar faces, but plenty of new characters, so watch this space!
About the Books
A BARGAIN IN SILVER
Solis Invicti: Book I
By Josie Jaffrey
A deadly infection
threatens to wipe out humanity. The only people who can stem its advance are
the Silver, a vampiric race who offer a simple exchange: protection in return
for blood and subservience. It's not a deal that Emmy's willing to make, but as
her world burns around her she finds herself in the arms of the enemy and the
line between oppressor and saviour begins to blur.
After an attack by the infected, Emmy is rescued by the
handsome Drew who introduces her to the world of the Silver. Desperate to
escape subjugation and confused by her attraction to him, she gathers what
remains of her surrogate family and plans to make a break for freedom.
But despite her efforts to resist, she is drawn further into
the intrigues of the mysterious Silver through the agency of their ruler, the
Primus: Solomon. Emmy refuses to submit to the cold and detached Primus and an
attempt on her life makes it clear that he is unable to protect her from the
political machinations of his race.
As the connection between them deepens she must choose
between her desire and her will to rebel, but can she trust his intentions when
everyone is after her blood?
Tagline: If the price of safety
is slavery, would you bargain your life?
Praise
for A Bargain in Silver:
✭✭✭✭✭ Dystopian, post-apocalyptic and dark, very
dark… Josie Jaffrey takes on the world of the paranormal with bold strokes and
a personal touch. – Tome Tender
✭✭✭✭✭ I absolutely loved this book. I had the
hardest time putting it down. I think I may have even growled at my family when
they interrupted me. – Baroness Book Trove
✭✭✭✭ This is a powerful start to what I am sure
will be an amazing series! – One Book Two
✭✭✭✭ This book had me hooked right from the very
first page. A slightly different twist on the usual vampire romance, this is a
well written and intriguing start to the series. – A British Bookworm’s Blog
THE PRICE OF SILVER
Solis Invicti: Book II
By Josie Jaffrey
The Price of Silver is
the second book in Josie Jaffrey's Solis Invicti paranormal romance series, set
in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic London where a deadly infection threatens to
wipe out humanity. The only people who can stem its advance are the Silver, a
vampiric race who offer a simple exchange: protection in return for blood and
subservience.
Emmy is fenced in by the city, the walls marking the edge of
safety closing in around her and sealing her in with one vampire who loves her
and another who wants her dead. As she struggles to keep herself and the people
she cares about alive, her fellow humans chafe against their enforced
submission, and it becomes clear that there are bigger schemes and greater
deceptions in play than she had ever imagined.
All the while, the monsters wait outside the barricades for
their moment. Of one thing she is certain: without the help of the Silver, the
humans won't be safe for long.
Amazon | Smashwords | Kobo | Print | Goodreads
Tagline: In the straits of
necessity, sometimes there isn't room for freedom.
Praise
for The Price of Silver:
✭✭✭✭✭ Fabulously twisted, dark and intense, the
lines between good and evil become gray smears as Josie Jaffrey plummets us
into book two of the Solis Invicti series with The Price of Silver. – Tome
Tender
✭✭✭✭ There are plenty of surprises and delicious
twists to make readers want to continue reading. – One Book Two
✭✭✭✭ This is really a very strong sequel. I look
forward to reading Book 3. – A British Bookworm’s Blog
BOUND IN SILVER
Solis Invicti: Book III
By Josie Jaffrey
Exiled from the city
and from the affections of the vampire who had loved her, Emmy finds herself
pushed into a captivity she never expected to experience. With the bond to her
former protector broken, she knows that the chance to turn Silver is now a
monstrous obligation rather than a glittering opportunity.
In an unfamiliar place among unfamiliar people, Emmy feels
deserted by those Silver she had thought of as friends, out of sight and out of
mind. If only her enemies were equally forgetful.
Bound in Silver is the penultimate book in Josie Jaffrey's
Solis Invicti paranormal romance quadrilogy, set in a dystopian,
post-apocalyptic London where a deadly infection threatens to wipe out
humanity. The only people who can stem its advance are the Silver, a vampiric race
who offer a simple exchange: protection in return for blood and subservience.
Amazon | Smashwords | Kobo | Print | Goodreads
Tagline: If you're living
against the clock, try not to do it in a cage.
Praise
for Bound in Silver:
✭✭✭✭✭ Dark, emotionally taut and edge-of-your-seat
riveting. Ms. Jaffrey’s take on Vampires, their world and their power has me
awestruck! – Tome Tender
✭✭✭✭✭ I love the world. I love the premise. I love
the characters! Jaffrey has quickly become a must read author with the crazy
world of the Solis Invicti. – One Book Two
✭✭✭✭✭ In short, this book just works. And that
ending? Bring on Book 4! – A British Bookworm’s Blog
THE SILVER BULLET
Solis Invicti: Book IV
By Josie Jaffrey
The truth is out, and
Emmy is faced with a choice she dreads: surrender her mortality, or allow her
frailty to threaten the nascent society the Silver are building. With exile the
only reasonable alternative, she struggles with feelings she can’t define and a
duty she’s reluctant to accept.
While the Silver city hangs in the balance, Emmy must remake
herself to redeem it and save her friends. Her reinvention forces her to choose
sides, threaten alliances and risk becoming like those she fears: inhuman.
The Silver Bullet is the final book in Josie Jaffrey's Solis
Invicti paranormal romance quadrilogy, set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic
London where a deadly infection threatens to wipe out humanity. The only people
who can stem its advance are the Silver, a vampiric race who offer a simple
exchange: protection in return for blood and subservience.
Amazon | Smashwords | Kobo | Print | Goodreads
Tagline: To think of death as a
thing of beauty: that’s a threshold you can’t cross twice.
Praise
for The Silver Bullet:
✭✭✭✭✭ Absolutely riveting! This is NOT a quiet
read. This is edge of your seat turmoil at its best as Josie Jaffrey brings her
world to life once again. – Tome Tender
✭✭✭✭✭ An explosive ending to an amazing series! I
will shout my love for this series from the rooftops! – One Book Two
✭✭✭✭✭ I think that this is a series which is an
undiscovered gem. I really do. I have devoured each installment greedily, and
this, the final book in the quadrilogy, was no different. Reading this series
has been a real treat. – A British Bookworm’s Blog
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