Jocelynn Drake is the author of the New York Times bestselling
Dark Days series.
She has created a new urban fantasy series called The Asylum Tales
about a warlock tattoo artist and his friends. Today she has answered a few of our questions about the new series.
Thank you Jocelynn for joining us here today at Mortality Bites. We are very excited about your new series!
MB: Can you tell us a little bit about The Asylum series?
JD: The Asylum Tales is a new series that takes place in the city of Low Town, where all the creatures of mythology and fantasy live side by side. In Low Town, you can wave to your werewolf neighbor as you leave for work. Your cube mate could be a siren and the bartender at your favorite watering hole could be a minotaur. These peoples have lived together for centuries and have generally found a way to make it work. However, sometimes non-magical creatures sometimes need a little magical help to get by. That’s where the tattoo artists come in handy.
Tattoo artists aren’t just experts in ink, but also potions. Need some help with luck or love? A tattoo can whip up a potion to put in your ink to give you a little hand in life. The series focuses on Gage Powell, a tattoo artist and owner of Asylum Tattoo Parlor. Gage is also a former warlock who is trying to hide his past from the world. The series follows the adventures of Gage and his friends, Bronx – a troll, and Trixie – an elf, as they navigate this strange world.
MB: It was very refreshing to read about a world where the paranormals don’t have to hide who they are. What led you to write a book surrounding a magical tattoo parlor and a warlock?
JD: It was a mixture of things. I was in the process of finishing the Dark Days series and I was talking with some tattoo artists I know as I waited to get some ink myself when we jokingly said I needed to write about a tattoo artist. I loved getting ink and their stories were always so crazy, so the idea just stuck. Also, I knew when I started a new series I needed something completely different from the Dark Days series. I wanted all the creatures and I didn’t want to worry about people having to hide what they were. The resulting world was an explosion of ideas and possibilities that I can’t wait to dig into.
MB: I loved reading about Bronx. He seems like a really nice guy. Should we be expecting trouble from him in the future?
JD: I LOVE Bronx. He is my personal sweetheart. Bronx is the level-headed, voice of common sense in the series. His job is largely to keep Gage from rushing into a dangerous situation, but he also has a protective streak in him, so I have no doubt that he will be getting into trouble on occasion. Of course, he can’t help getting into trouble as long as he is friends with Gage. Gage just seems drawn to trouble.
MB: Gage is great! Nothing seemed to really bother him too much and I really liked that about him. Is there a special someone for Gage in the main book?
JD: Gage has been a lot of fun to work with. He is a very easy-going character to work with. I think part of that comes from all the hell he survived when he was a kid. It has taught him not to stress about the little things and just roll with the punches as best as you can.
Yes, there is someone special for Gage in Angel’s Ink. He’s had a thing for this woman for a long time. I thought I’d be nice and let him get closer to him in the first book.
MB: I'm looking forward to meeting Trixie. Can you tell us if she will be the grounding rod or the fire cracker?
JD: I think Trixie has the potential to be both in Gage’s life. She’s not as restrained as Bronx, but I think concern for Gage will have her arguing for him to proceed cautiously into dangerous situations. However, as you’ll learn in her story, she’s more than willing to go charging into a situation and get dirty.
MB: What’s your favorite quote from Angel’s Ink?
JD: A favorite quote? Wow, that’s hard. I don’t know if I have a favorite quote for the book. Gage and his friends all tend to be smart alecs with a witty comment on the tips of their tongues. I have a lot of favorite moments from that book. I tend to remember favorite interactions more than a single quote. I always look forward to writing scenes with Gage and Chang. Chang is a black market vendor that Gage visits for the really, really rare items. He’s this tiny, ancient Chinese man that can get his hands on ANYTHING. He’s also got a wicked sense of humor. I love working with Chang. He appears in the Trixie short story, Angel’s Ink, and Book 2.
MB: How many books do you have planned at the moment for this series?
JD: My publisher has purchased two novellas and two novels for the series so far. The current release schedule is The Asylum Interviews: Bronx comes out on July 3. The Asylum Interviews: Trixie comes out September 4. Angel’s Ink comes out October 16. Book 2 of the series will likely come out in Summer 2013.
MB: I am a huge fan of Mira and Danaus and when you ended the series I was so sad. Will we ever get anything from them in the future? I really miss them.
JD: I love Mira and Danaus as well. I had a lot of fun working with them for several years and it was sad to close out the series, but I am happy with where I left them. I felt like I left them in a good position in their lives so I don’t feel the need to go back. I think Bound to Me, the e-novella that was released in April, will be the last Dark Days-related story.
Also, I’ve worked with Gage and the gang for over a year now. I’m not sure I can accurately write in Mira’s voice anymore.
Angels Ink will be released on October 16, 2012.
