AOTW- Devin O'Branagan

Devin O'Branagan


About the Author:
Devin O'Branagan's novels include the paranormal thrillers Spirit Warriors and Witch Hunt, published by Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books in English and Heyne Books in German. A new edition of Witch Hunt, updated for the 21st Century, was released in late 2010.
Turkish publisher, Dogan Egmont, will soon release a Turkish edition of Witch Hunt.

Devin is the author of the hilarious Red Hot chick lit novels that include Red Hot Property, the paranormal chick lit sequel Red Hot Liberty, and the canine chick lit spinoff, Show Dog Sings the Blues.

Her bestselling urban fantasy, Glory, was nominated for the 2011 Best Popular Paperback for Young Adults List, sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.

The sequel, Pretty Sacrifices, will be released in 2012.

Devin's new paranormal thriller, Threshold, was released in November 2011.

Devin is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and writes a weekly humor column for TAILS Magazine.

She uses her writing project to support animal rescue.

Interview with Devin O'Branagan

Devin O'Branagan is author of, Spirit Warriors, Witch Hunt, Red Hot Property, Red Hot Liberty, Glory, Show Dog Sings the Blues and recently Threshold.

Holly: Hello Devin! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Devin O'Branagan: I’ve been writing fiction since I was five years old, I’ve spent my life studying mysticism, and I’m passionate about animals.

Holly: Your first novel Spirit Warriors, which is now out of print, was published in 1988. Can you tell a little bit about it?

Devin O'Branagan: Spirit Warriors is a novel about the end-times as prophesied by the Hopi. When I wrote it, I lived in a log cabin near the Hopi reservation and studied with a medicine woman from the nearby Navajo reservation. That experience inspired Spirit Warriors and many of my novels since.

Holly: Was Spirit Warriors the first novel you ever wrote or just the first ever published?

Devin O'Branagan: I wrote my first novel when I was seven years old. Spirit Warriors was my first published novel.

Holly: Do you think it will ever be re-released?

Devin O'Branagan: I may release an updated version of it. I’m considering it.

Holly: Your second novel, published two years later in 1990, was Witch Hunt. I just love the cover for this one! Can you tell us a little bit about it and the characters you have created?

Devin O'Branagan: The cover for the original Witch Hunt won an award for the one of the best covers of 1991, as voted by the Magazine & Bookseller Association. It was designed by Keith Birdsong, a Native American artist famous for his covers for Star Trek novels.

Witch Hunt is a novel about a young woman who marries into the Hawthorne family, unaware of the fact they are witches. She finds herself in the middle of a modern witch hunt and must choose sides. The alternate chapters feature historical events in the history of this family, dating from the time of the Salem witch trials through to modern times.

I updated and re-released Witch Hunt in 2010. (The cover for the new edition is pretty awesome, too!) The new Witch Hunt has repeatedly been on Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestseller’s List. It was also recently picked up by Turkish publisher, Dogan Egmont.

Holly: After the original Witch Hunt was published you have a period that you did not publish anything for a while, do you mind if I ask why?

Devin O'Branagan: I was very disillusioned by my experience with my publisher and vowed to never publish again. I’d rather not elaborate.

Holly: In 2008 you released your third novel Red Hot Property, which it says on your website to be Chick Lit with Attitude. Can you tell us a little bit about where your characters and the plot for this novel originated from?

Devin O'Branagan: I wanted to try my hand at writing satire and humor, as my favorite authors include Carl Hiaasen, Terry Pratchett, Dave Barry, and other similar writers. Red Hot Property was my debut effort, and I discovered I have a gift for comedy.

During my “I’m never going to publish books again” phase, I became a real estate agent. My first week on the job another agent approached me, gave me a leering once-over, and said, “You’re one red hot property with lots of curb appeal, and you show real well. I’d love to add you to my inventory.” It was the worst pickup line in history, but became the inspiration for Red Hot Property which is a comedic novel about the misadventures of rookie real estate agent, Molly O’Malley. Molly came up with a more witty response to the pickup line than I did. She said, “I don’t think your down payment is large enough to handle it.”

Holly: You also have another Red Hot novel called Red Hot Liberty; I read that it is paranormal?

Devin O'Branagan: Yes, it is the second novel in the Red Hot series. In Red Hot Liberty, Molly hires a new assistant, a sexy Englishman who is psychic and magical. He helps Molly discover that it is an enchanted world where all things are possible.

Holly: Do you have plans for more Red Hots?

Devin O'Branagan: Yes, the third novel will be Red Hot Vampyre, a comedy about all things paranormal.

Holly: The next novel you published was the first volume in your Legend of Glory series. Can you tell us a little bit about it and the basis of the series?

Devin O'Branagan: My literary agent dared me to try my hand at a vampire novel. I took up the challenge, and it turned out to be one of my most popular novels ever. It is about a seventeen-year-old girl named Glory whose blood contains the cure for a pandemic plague. A witch, an angel, and a vampire are assigned to be her bodyguards. It is a fast-paced paranormal thriller for readers of all ages and hit Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestseller’s List in 2011. Glory was also nominated for the 2011 Best Popular Paperback for Young Adults List, sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.

Holly: Do you have plans for a second volume in this series?

Devin O'Branagan: Yes, it’s called Pretty Sacrifices, and I planted seeds for it in Glory. If I don’t get it out soon, my fans will kill me. Seriously.

Holly: I loved this when I read about it; you published a novel this year called, Show Dog Sings the Blues, which is from the dog’s point of view. Can you tell us about this novel and did you have trouble writing it?

Devin O'Branagan: Show Dog Sings the Blues is a spinoff from Red Hot Liberty. In Liberty there is a scene where Molly’s new dog—a former show dog who is exceptionally pampered and prissy—is mistaken for a cowdog and has to work on a ranch for the day. It was such a delightful scene that I had to write it from the dog’s perspective. Show Dog Sings the Blues is a novella written for humans of all ages and hit #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases. I enjoyed writing this book more than any other. I think I was a pampered show dog in a past life!

Show Dog Sings the Blues is the first in a planned series of what I call canine chick lit novellas. The next book in the series will be The Twilight Bone, about a haunted dog show. I also plan others from the perspectives of colorful canine characters from both the Legend of Glory series and Threshold.

Holly: Can you tell us about your newest novel Threshold and the world you have created in it?

Devin O'Branagan: Threshold is about a young boy who drowns, has a near-death experience, and returns with a dangerous mission. It is a paranormal thriller about courage, faith, and the transformative power of love. The setting is a cattle ranch in Montana and the ranch manager, a Native American shaman, helps the young boy deal with the choices he must make. It is a novel filled with magic and mysticism. I was inspired to write Threshold after a near-death experience of my own.

Holly: Where can we purchase your novels?

Devin O'Branagan: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local bookstore. All my books are available in both print and eBook formats. I sell autographed copies via my own website: www.DevinWrites.com

Holly: Do you have anything you would like to say to your readers?

Devin O'Branagan: My fiction is written to make you laugh, make you cry, make you think, and most of all, to entertain. I love writing and hope you love reading my work.

Holly: Can you tell us a little bit about your pet(s)?

Devin O'Branagan: Both of my dogs have passed on, but I immortalized them as characters in my novels. In their honor, I do a lot of work via my fiction to raise money for animal rescue projects.

Books by Devin O'Branagan

Legend of Glory series

Volume #1: Glory

The Red Hot series

#1: Red Hot Property

#2: Red Hot Liberty

Canine chick lit novellas

#1: Show Dog Sings the Blues

Single Titles

Threshold

Spirit Warriors

Witch Hunt

Coming Soon

Red Hot Vampyre (Red Hots #3)--Expected Publication Date: To Be Announced
Pretty Sacrifices (Legend of Glory Volume, #2)--Expected Publication Date: 2012
The Twilight Bone (Canine chick lit novellas, #2)--Expected Publication Date: To Be Announced

Awards/Recognition

• Witch Hunt--Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestseller’s List
  "The original Witch Hunt won an award for the one of the best covers of 1991, as voted by the Magazine & Bookseller Association."
• Glory (Legend of Glory Volume, #1)--Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestseller’s List in 2011. Glory was also nominated for the 2011 Best Popular Paperback for Young Adults List, sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.
• Show Dog Sings the Blues--Hit #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases

 

Devin O'Branagan has offered to giveaway one (1) copy of either print or a eBook copy of her newest novel, THRESHOLD. Must live in the US to be eligible to receive a print copy. International for eBook.

Book Description:

"Cole Dillon drowns in Deer Lake shortly before his thirteenth birthday. Elijah Thunderbird, a Native American shaman, travels between the worlds to bring Cole back from death. Unfortunately, Cole isn’t supposed to survive, and with the natural order disrupted, dark spirits follow them home.

During Cole’s near-death experience, he is assigned an important mission that involves saving the lives of many other children. However, when he is revived, he can’t remember the details and undertakes a challenging quest of discovery.

Meanwhile, the dark spirits begin to manifest in the lives of the local town residents, bringing hatred and death. When shamanic visions reveal that many young lives are indeed in imminent danger, Elijah has to help Cole find the courage to do what is required of him before it is too late.

As Elijah tries to help Cole, he struggles with his own personal demons, and both men—one young, one old—must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to save others.

A moving paranormal thriller about courage, faith, and the transformative power of love."

Giveaway Details:

• Giveaway is open to US only for print; eBook edition is available Internationally.
• Giveaway will run from November 14th 2011 - November 20th 2011
• Winner will be chosen randomly, contacted and announced on November 21st 2011
• The winner will have 48 hours to contact back before another winner will be chosen.
• One entry per-person please!
• If you enter, you are acknowledging that you read and accept the giveaway/contest policy.
• Giveaway is provided by the author.
  

To Enter:

• Go to giveaway here.