Fun Stuff & Author Interviews

Darynda Jones: Snarky Sayings and Grim (Reaper) Secrets

Darynda Jones has a secret. On paper, her alter ego Charley Davidson is snarky, sex-mad, able to kick paranormal foes DJONES001-2in their paranormal behinds. In real life, Darynda is probably one of the sweetest people you’ve ever met. She has a humble, self-deprecating humor, she’ll tell you all her writing secrets as if they don’t amount to much, and she’s more likely to talk about her kids than her books.

Is it no wonder I love this gal?

You’ll love her even more because Darynda is giving one reader who leaves a comment below, here or at KissAndThrill.com, an ARC — yes that’s right — an ADVANCE READER’s COPY of her book number 8!  

Eighth Grave After Dark isn’t out until May, and though you might have to wait a bit to get the ARC, you’ll be in the know with reviewers across the country who get the book months in advance!   So leave us your best bit of snark, or tell us why you love Darynda, or why you want to read her book, and we’ll let you know who won next week. 

Here are some things you might not know about her:

*Awards: Darynda has won 11 awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, the RITA, the Bookie Award (three times!), 2 HOLT Medallions, the Golden Heart, the GOTCHA, The PASIC, and the Rebeca (LERA).

*Genre: Darynda has written in a ton of genres, even though they’re not all published, including historical!

*Education: She’s a Summa cum Laude graduate and has a BA in Sign Language Interpreting.

*Eighth Grave After Dark will be out on May 19th and Darynda will also be in an anthology, Dark Screams, Volume 3 which will be out on May 12th. Steven King was in Volume 1 and there will be a collector’s edition available, too, with all 25 authors signatures. Our gal is now in the same league as Steven King — but we all knew that already, right?

I sat down with Darynda to discuss her Grim Reaper Charley Davidson series that launched with the mega-best seller First Grave on the Right. She also speaks about how she writes humor and bubbles snark on the page and gives up secrets about her newest series.

Enjoy!

(If the video doesn’t play properly, please update your Adobe.)

Darynda’s latest books are Sixth Grave on the Edge, and Seventh Grave and No Body, I know you’ll love them!

Don’t forget to leave your comment below or at KissAndThrill.com to be eligible for the drawing for an Advance Reader’s Copy of Eighth Grave After Dark! A comment left on both websites will be counted twice, and if you follow either blog, you qualify for up to two more entries! So commenting in both places and following both blogs gives you four chances to win. (If you already follow, you’re already entered one time.) 

( UPDATE: The contest is now closed)

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561 thoughts on “Darynda Jones: Snarky Sayings and Grim (Reaper) Secrets”

  3. I’m totally addicted to these characters, can’t wait to find out what adventure will be next and how (if) they’ll survive!

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  5. I love Daryndas voice through Charlie. I laugh out loud every time I read her books, from the chapter quotes to Charlie’s quips. I was going through a tough break up and 7th grave helped a ton for a wonderful escape. If I get an ARC I will definitely do some good reads reviews and maybe finally get my book club to start reading something fun and not “deep and meaningful” all the time.

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  6. Darynda is an amazing person and an even more amazing writer. She is genuine and truly loves and appreciates her fans. Her humor is what makes her characters so loved and real. Everyone should have someone as sarcastic as Charley in their lives.

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  9. I just discovered Darynda Jones and the Charley series in 2014, but they were so great that I couldn’t stop once I got started. I read the first 6 books in 5 days, hardly taking breaks to sleep! Then I anxiously awaited the 7th book, which I loved, and now I’m back to waiting for this new book to come out. I can never decide if Charley is being sarcastic, extremely ditzy, or flat out crazy. Maybe all 3? In any case, Darynda Jones has written a character that I love to pieces. And Reyes… who knew Satan’s son would be so HOT (no pun intended). The couple and the series have very quickly become one of my favorites!

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  10. One of my favorite series. Will stay up after completing class work for my BA program to read the latest about Charlie!

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  12. I absolutely LOVED the interview! Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson Series is both AMAZING and fun! I am SO looking forward to Eigth Grave!

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  14. I love love love all the books in this series I have them all. It would be an honor to get an ARC. Please consider me and thank you so much for that beautiful mind of yours filled with such delicious imagination.

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  16. I’ve been reading these since the very first one came out! Darynda is amazing! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win an ARC!!!

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  18. I don’t have the gift of snark that Charley (Darynda does) so I will just say that I adore this series and would absolutely love to win an ARC of Eighth Grave After Dark! Thanks.

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  19. Loved the Interview and am thinking of starting to read the whole Charley series all over again. It will definitely be fun. 😀

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  23. I love this series. I always have a good laugh at Charley’s antics. Can’t wait for Eighth Grave 😉

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  25. I just found this series AFTER book 7 released. I quickly read them all and fell in love with the series. Typically long series repeat the same thing and seem to drag on. But not this one. It just keeps getting better and better! I can’t wait for book 8 and would love the chance to win an ARC.

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  29. Love, Love, Love these books. Charley is one of the best characters being published today and Reyes…mmmmmmmmmmm Reyes 😉

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  30. I love Darynda. I live in NM and it’s cool reading a book and knowing the surroundings she is describing. I think Charley and Reyes are the best characters in books right now. so much so that i named my 2 foster kittens after them 🙂

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  31. Love this series

    But I’d have to figure out a way to decorate Mr Wang for the seasons then have people try to figure out how it’s done. It would amuse me.

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  36. I absolutely adore Darynda! I love the Charley Davidson series! Can’t wait for Eighth Grave After Dark to be released… on my birthday!!

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  39. Totally hooked on this series from the humor to the sparks between Charley and Reyes…every book has been a great read 🙂

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  41. Absolutely love and am addicted to Charley and Reyes, can’t wait for the next one. Artemis is pretty amazing as well. Just read them all again and it is one of my top series to read and read and read, you get the picture!

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  42. I just love Darynda. She is a sweet person and an awesome writer. I love her stories! And yes!!!, you must read her YA books.

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  43. The devil made me do it! LOL Just kidding, I freaking love these books! My husband and I both read them, just want you to know they are laugh out loud funny sometimes( I have woken my husband at midnight laughing). They are creepy cool and such a good read! Thanks for sharing the stories in your head!

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  45. Needless to say, I’m a huge Darynda Jones fan!! And I love how you ladies giggle through the interview. It’s heart-warming and fun….let’s have coffee…:-)

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  46. Great interview!!! She’s amazing and her series is addictive. I am sooooo looking forward to book 8 (drools) !!!!!

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  49. Darynda Jones and her Charlie Davidson series are the first books in a long time to catch my interest so thoroughly. Thanks Darynda!

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