Sonya Bateman - Guest Blog and Contest

PVN welcomes Sonya Bateman author of the impressive debut novel Master of None (Pocket, March 30, 2010) featuring an incompetent thief and a cranky genie. Today Sonya gives us her take on Urban Fantasy AND is offering a signed copy of her novel to one lucky winner. Contest is open world wide.

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Urban Fantasy, Arby’s Style (Or, Different is Good)

Urban fantasy is dominated by women (most of them dressed, if you believe the covers, in skin-tight leather) with the ability to gut men and supernatural creatures alike with magic, awesome weapons, or possibly a teacup. Personally, I love a good kick-ass heroine. But when I started MASTER OF NONE, I had a problem—my main character was a man, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I didn’t think a kick-ass hero would work out too well. It’s pretty much expected that men will be tough, smart, and capable (at the least, according to the man in question). And so Gavyn Donatti, the world’s unluckiest thief, is anything but kick-ass. He’s sarcastic, he’s morally opposed to violence (yes, even though he’s a thief…no one said he was a good thief *G*), and everybody knows he’s incompetent—especially him.

In fact, when the story begins, Donatti is running for his life because of his incompetence. He’s managed to lose the item he’s been hired to steal, and the man who hired him (Trevor, who is definitely NOT morally opposed to violence) wants to kill him for it. Slowly.

Therefore, when a man claiming to be a genie shows up, takes a few bullets intended for Donatti and fails to die, and then says he needs Donatti’s help to save the world—well, our thief is less than convinced there’ll be much saving in the future. He pretty much believes the world is screwed. Ian, the genie (but don’t call him that—he’s djinn), seems unreasonably angry. In fact, he hates Donatti’s guts. And as a testament to bad luck, Ian doesn’t do that wish thing. At all.

Donatti figures only he could inherit a genie that doesn’t grant wishes.

So I ended up having a great time writing this story, even though there is no kick-ass heroine (except Jazz, Donatti’s ex-girlfriend), and no vampires (sorry Vampire Notes readers!), werewolves, demons, or angels. Urban man-tasy is working for me. I’m pleased to say that there will be a sequel next April, and hopefully a few further books in this series. Donatti isn’t finished getting his ass kicked repeatedly…er, I mean saving the world. :-)

Now, I have a question for you! Though they don’t grant wishes, my djinn (who are also shifters) do have magical abilities. So if you could have one magic power, what would it be? I’ll take immortality, please. *G*

(Please note: Although there are several parenthetical asides in this post, I promise there are none in the book.)

CONTEST

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ONE lucky readers will win a signed copy of Master of None

*To enter answer Sonya's question: Though they don’t grant wishes, my djinn (who are also shifters) do have magical abilities. So if you could have one magic power, what would it be?

 
For additional chances you may also:

*Link to this contest on any of the social network sites, including Twitter, or your own web page. Let me know the url:  One chance for each link.
 
*If you are a Google follower (see sidebar on right): One chance
 
*If you are a member of the PVN Facebook page: One chance
 
*If you are an email subscriber: One chance

*If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

*The contest is international!

This contest closes May 26, 2010.