Trudy's All Things Books Blog: Author Spotlight with the fabulous Helen Johnston

Get sucked into the Journey that is Innocence Lost.

Impossibilities, heartaches and wonder if love prevails all. Join us as we follow the story of Siobhan and Blake as they battle through the trials and tribulations of two very different worlds.

Blake is an Elder Vampire, over four hundred years old, dark, mysterious, bold, tall, and extremely gorgeous, as only a vampire such as he can be. Centuries of feeling incomplete knowing there’s a part of him that is missing, part he yearns to be complete. Never knowing he would find that in the oddest way. A meeting with a gypsy fortune teller has him intrigued when she foretold of when and where he could find his Queen.

But he was warned there would be many brutal, obstacles to be overcome before any kind of happy ever after could be accomplished, before his Queen and the missing link to his soul, the woman whom would complete him would be safe in his arms.

Siobhan, pronounced (Ser-bi-on) is a beautiful young woman, an innocent, on holiday with her friends when she unexpectedly meets a tall charismatic man who completely and utterly sweeps her off her feet, she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame. He's so sexually dominant, taking his time to initiate her, step by slow step, patiently and completely to the carnal pleasures, her body could feel. What only he could make her feel...

But unbeknown to either of them, a dark and evil presence from Blake’s past has been observing them, planning to shred their worlds apart, and sooner rather than later. Siobhan is cruelly ripped from his embrace and is thrust into a world beyond anything she has ever dreamt of or could ever have imagined existed.

Follow us as Blake has a battle with forces he’s not sure he can defeat, all to bring home the one and only woman he would ever have, love and desire with all that he is.

Welcome to Innocence Lost.

My Q&A with Helen Johnston

1. Most of my favorite authors are indie or self-pubbed, what made you decide to go that route?

I liked the idea of having full control, I’m my own boss, I've no deadlines, or anyone telling me what to write. But saying that, I would like a publishing deal, as everyone who writes dreams of.

2. Which of your characters are you most like? Least like?

I’d like to say I'm most like Siobhan, I wish I had her strength of mind, her courage, and her unequivocal belief in Blake’s love.

Least like? Xandrella, I couldn’t fight my way out of a paper bag, she's a fierce warrior and even frightens me at times.

3. Who designed the covers?

I was very lucky that a good friend of mine husband owns his own graphic company and designed them all for me for free. Mr. Phil Roberts and I love his work

4. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The whole thing, I never finished school, didn’t have a chance with college or university, so the complete series was a challenge to me. But I'm so stubborn and the more people tell me you shouldn’t be attempting to do what you are, made me dig my heels in and become more determined to finish it.

5. What are your current projects? Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I'm working on a new set of books that run alongside the Journeys of Innocence series.

Prologue.

Sat in his masters private office under club UnderWorld, Lore watched Lexington, watched him as he twirled the newest invite between his long fingers. He stayed silent, and looked over his shoulder as D’Angelo and Huang quietly entered and took their places by his side. While the door had opened he could hear the noise from the club, the heavy sensual beat of the music but once the door was firmly shut the soundproofing kept the club from disturbing them. Only when the two other males were sat did Lexington look up.

Lexington is an Elder Vampire, over five hundred years old, his body language demands respect from whoever meets him. He is a huge male, standing at six feet five inches with his body, bulked built and he is what every woman, be she human or other, desires.

Their panties getting wet by just a look in their direction, their nipples screaming out for a touch, a lick or a nibble. His slate grey eyes now fixed on his three bodyguards, his friends, the only ones he would ever trust with his life.

“It is time.” His low gruff voice informed them, as he placed the heavily embossed invite carefully, almost lovingly, down on his antique desk. Watching for their reactions to the news he couldn’t help but let a self satisfied grin appear. After all this time she would now be his, after watching her, protecting her, staying in the shadows of her life, his female was of age; and at long last be his for the taking.

His fangs dropped at the thought of the coming months of pleasure, of initiating her into his world.

“Has her birth mark appeared yet?” D’Angelo enquired, his voice gentled by his Italian heritage and many a foe had been suckered into believing a wimp was behind such a voice, their misfortune. Little did they know he used his voice as a weapon, one of many in his arsenal. His long, muscled leg was draped elegantly over the other, he was dressed with impeccable taste as he usually was, by his favourite designer, Armani.

Lexington’s eyes met his, D’Angelo was his death angel, a Vampire he himself had made, related to the once kings of Italy his ferocious good looks were the stuff legends were made of.

Tall, dark and handsome did him no justice at all. But his fighting abilities were where his true talents lay, that and fucking. Lexington’s mouth opened a wide grin as flashes of his angel’s sexual hungers flashed through his mind. D’Angelo had insatiable appetites where both sexes were concerned.

“Yes, it’s appeared just above her right ankle, she tries now to cover it, with make up or stockings. I feel her uneasiness about it. She wonders why it’s appeared, but the blood of her parentage flows strongly through her and when I change her I have the feeling she will be a force to reckoned with.” He picked up the invite again and grinned, almost talking to himself.

“I've been waiting for my Miss Tatiana to come home to me... for a very long time”.

Huang, Lexington’s Chinese Shifter bodyguard, stayed silent, not that Lexington found that strange, Huang, was a male of very few words and very rarely spoke. Trained as a Ninja, and as stereotypical as it sounds, he was the silent and deadly male.

Lexington found him disgraced and discarded by his family, who wanted no part of what he had been born as. Exceptionally tall, his cropped black hair looked like a military buzz cut. His clothes were more for the fighter in him, leather pants, shit kicker boots, long coats that hid all his weapons of choice. The thing that stood out, that made everyone stop and stare were his eyes. When he took off his dark glasses, they were the correct slanted shape of his heritage, but they were startling sapphire blue and they were the last thing people were expecting.

A trait from his inner wolf, and just another reason his family couldn’t and wouldn’t tolerate about him. Huang, watched, listened, and found out all the facts before he would offer an opinion.

“Do you think she will accept not only you, but your world?” Lore asked, his deep voice, still with a trace of his past in his accent. His wild mane of dirty blond hair, something he had never managed to get under control, gave away his Viking heritage, with his icy blue eyes, strong chin and massive arms. He looked like some Norse God of old and acted like one when it came to a good fight.

His six feet four inches of prime, rock hard, ripped body guaranteed females stumbled over themselves whenever they saw him, was swamping the leather chair he was sat in facing Lexington. The females followed his every move, whenever he rode into town on his bike. There is a menacing presence about him, him in black leathers and a bike that promised a ride like no other and not just the bike kind of ride, but one you could get from him. His weapon of choice his long sword was strapped to his back, made for him by his father, still as sharp, still as deadly, he never went anywhere without it. Lexi wondered if he took it bed with him when he fucked, he grinned at the thought.

Lexington seemed to ponder Lore’s question, picking up his shot glass and tipping the Cognac back, then letting his tongue stroke one of his fangs.

“That gentleman is something that remains to be seen.” He put the glass down and sat back, knowing the next few months would be very interesting...

6. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep moving forward, don’t get wrapped up in trying to make everything perfect, get it down, get it out of your head then a few chapters down the road you can go back if you have to and relook or re edit.

7. Do you have a particular writing habit?

I use our dining room table as a study, and it can get rather noisy so my husband bought me some industrial headphones to keep it silent. I need silence to write you see.

Thank you so much for being here with us!! If you want to find out more about this amazing author, check out her stalker links below!