Midnight Star by Danielle Ward + Interview

Midnight Star
by Danielle Ward

Vegas Hart walks a fine line between fact and fiction, only she doesn't know it yet. Nearly 18 years old, Vegas is a talented songwriter, musician, and a bona-fide star-gazing freak. She spends most of her time writing songs for her incredibly sexy boyfriend, Gage Malone's band. Music is Vegas' outlet, her way to relinquish the stresses of resenting her seriously inept and out of touch mother and her mounting sexual frustrations - just your typical teenage angst. But when a ruggedly handsome professor subs for her astronomy class at the Beckdale Academy, the stars she's so passionately fascinated with seemingly align against her, as sultry visions of him and her together thrust her into the pages of a mythological story book.

Vegas is forced to embrace her hidden identity as the physical embodiment of the Vega star, an immortal constellation and granddaughter of the gods. And although that would have been spectacular, especially considering that totally explained why she'd always felt spiritually connected to the stars, she discovers her destiny is to imprison an immortal predator, the Hydra, before it unleashes its vengeance on her immortal family. 

If that isn't enough, add in an undying and passionate past love that threatens her current relationship, a serious bout with memory loss, three wicked sisters spinning a future Vegas yearns to change, and a moody Oracle and you've got a twisted romantic tale of epic proportions.
In order to save her immortal family, Vegas must accept her divinity and make gut-wrenching sacrifices that leave her questioning everything she's ever known.

Kindle Edition, 332 pages
Published March 27th 2014

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Read It & Reap Date:  March 15, 2015 

Danielle is a National Board Certified teacher who does what she loves. She reads obsessively, writes constantly, and hangs out with teenagers to get great ideas for her books (under the guise of being their English teacher). She has a degree in English and Technical Writing and a Masters in Teaching, but all she ever really wanted to be was a writer…and maybe the person who gets to create cool names for Cabbage Patch Kids. She lives in Kentucky with her husband, two sons, two leopard geckos, six beagles, one cat, one corn snake, and a mouse that recently escaped its cage!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8101378.Danielle_Ward 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanielleSWard

  

 

Q & A with Danielle Ward 

Q:  Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
A:  So, Vegas is your typical 18 year old senior girl, but not really. She’s a seriously talented musician. She’s also a terrific song writer, or pong writer, as she calls it. She thinks her mother was absent the day God handed out maternal extinct, so she’s learned to become completely self-reliant. Her greatest obsession; however, are stars. She’s a self-proclaimed star freak – she loves the myths and science surrounding the stars to an unnatural extent, and especially loves writing her music under a heavy blanket of star-light. Vegas is also madly in love (although she hates the idea of being dependent upon another) with her sexy, rock-star boyfriend, Gage (more on all things Team Gage, in a bit) and Vegas is a supportive friend to her partner in crime, Tab, who has some wicked bad habits. Little does Vegas know, she’s not just Vegas, she has an alternate-ego, of sorts, and that’s where her life turns from typical…to not so much.

Gage, (insert swoon-worthy sigh). Geez, can this guy woo the ladies with his poetic charm and sweet, sultry voice. He’s a lover, not a fighter. Tall, lean and muscled, dressed in frayed denim and leather, and never seen without his guitar strapped across his back, Gage is the lead singer of the hottest local alternative rock band, Conundrum. He’s soft-spoken, wears his emotions like a badge, and his beautiful eyes and crooked smile make him absolutely h-o-t-t! He’s completely in love with Vegas and determined to make her his no matter the cost…which becomes a serious issue when Vegas’ alter-ego reveals herself.

Enter LEO. The. Opposite. Of. Gage… Leo is Alpha male. Stoic. Kick ass and ask questions later. Built like a bull-dozer with muscles that don’t quit. No soft-spoken, sweet, tender kisses here. If you fall into Leo’s arms, you’ll definitely know it. He is brash, possessive, and powerful, but there’s a vulnerability in Leo that makes you want to push through his rough exterior and hold him, comfort him. Leo is more than a little well-acquainted with Vegas’ alter personality. And he’ll do whatever, fight whomever, and say whatever he has to do to make Vegas his.

Q:  In your opinion, what makes a good, strong female character?
A:  In my opinion a good strong female is brave. That doesn’t mean she isn’t scared, but it means she follows her goals, destiny, or desires despite her fear. She doesn’t back down, unless it’s to regroup and come up with a better way of tackling the problem later. And she doesn’t only look out for herself. She invests in others, protecting them and supporting them without asking for anything in return.

Q:  Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you as an author?
A:  Cover design was a little scary for me. It’s hard to hand over the story you’ve given birth to and expect someone who hasn’t read it to capture its essence. But that’s exactly what viladesign did for me. They were great to work and wouldn’t stop until I was satisfied.

Q:  Describe your ideal writing spot.
A:  Most of my writing comes on like a run-away Mack Truck – fast, hard, and explosive. I have to get to a computer immediately when the mood strikes. Unfortunately there’s not always a computer available. Fortunately I’ve learned to carry a journal and pencil with me wherever I go. Without it, some of my best ideas might be lost. I can’t say that I have a particular thinking/writing spot. It’s a spontaneous burst of energy that might happen anywhere.

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  The best advice I’ve ever been given is from a dear friend - Ralph Waldo Emerson. Although he and I never met, which really sucks, he speaks to me. His famous line, Make the most of yourself because that’s all there is of you, is the most fabulous life-altering statement. Without those words, I wouldn’t have made the journey into writing for fear of failing. But when you consider failure isn’t fatal – it’s actually the most poignant form of living, then nothing seems impossible.

Q:  Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
A:  I love ALL kinds of books. I love the concrete way a hard back feels in my hands, I love the smell of the pages in a paperback, and I love the many techno comforts of my Kindle. Just pass me a book…I don’t care about the format.

Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?
A:  Jean Grey from the X-Men is my hero! Superpower – she’s got it going on. Jean’s telekinesis would be an incredible superpower because of the ability to manipulate, move, and command any object. Not to mention she’s a telepath, so she knows the intentions/thoughts of others. Ultimate protection and totally badass.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  Just now I finished reading Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. Talk about an epic emotional roller coaster ride. It was the perfect ending to a terrific trilogy. Now, I’m patiently awaiting Amy Bartol’s latest in the Kricket Series, Sea of Stars – but I’ve got to finish Katie McGarry’s Breaking the Rules first. Ah, so many books – so little time!