25 December, 2017

#Interview with Josie Jaffrey, #Author of The Solis Invicti Series

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.






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.
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.
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.
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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