Darynda Jones has a secret. On paper, her alter ego Charley Davidson is snarky, sex-mad, able to kick paranormal foes 
in 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)
I absolutely love this series. Charley and the gang are downright funny. Darynda Jones keeps you enthralled from the first page!!! Can’t wait for Book 8!!!!
She is my all time favorite! Please please please!!! i love how she connects to her fans and is so warm and loving of her fans!!
I love Darynda’s series, Charley is so much fun and yet there is a depth to her… I also listen to the series on audiobooks, they come alive for me!!!
I have all of your books and loved read them all.
Most enjoyable characters ever ! They take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. Daryn da is one unique artist.
i would love to win an ARC copy of Darynda’s next book!!
Love Darynda and Charlie…….Charlie is just sooooo special and I can’t help but to re read all her books…..and the audio books are fantastic too. Such a talent. Hope Darynda doesn’t ever stop writing.
I absolutely adore these books and Darynda Jones! Her trademark snark cracks me up every time and I love all of the characters! Can’t wait for the next installment!
I have to stop buying her books at night. Then I never get to sleep until I’ve read the entire book!
I absolutely cannot wait for #8!!!! I love Charley and Cookie!
I am so addicted to these books!! Can not wait for the next! Will read them over and over!!
i love her books!
I can’t wait for more of this series! Charley is awesome 🙂
Looks like a good book. Would love an ARC. Have read most Anita Blake novels and enjoyed them. This could be the next series do me!!
Had the pleasure of meeting Darynda recently at a book signing here in Albuquerque. I was pretty much star struck! She is so very nice and humble, and she sure knows how to write! I love this series, she’s my favorite author and I cannot wait til book #8 comes out. I would love to be chosen to receive the ARC!
I so cant wait for the 8th book. I’ve been all darynda jones book even the ones on her webpage
I love this series! Darynda is a wonderful writer.
I’m hooked on Darynda’s books—and I just love Charlies’s snark. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I discovered this series last year in which I immediately glommed books 1 thru 6, then I was stuck like the rest of the world waiting for book 7 which I consumed in one sitting. If you’ve read book 7 then my immediate need for book 8 should be obvious.
I absolutely love this series! My daughter told me about it and then I was hooked. I just finished the seventh book and now I feel lost because I have to wait for the eighth! Her style of writing in this series reminds me so much of myself! Keep them coming!
I would love to have this advance copy. Charley is everyone’s alter ego. She is smart in her own way and can hold her own no matter what comes her way.
Can’t wait to read this!
I love Darynda Jones and her books more than I love coffee. And that’s something because I can’t live without my coffee. Darynda Jones has a way with words which makes you feel every emotion there is. If I manage to win this ARC – highly unlikely, given my bad luck – it would make my year! *fingers crossed*
Can’t wait to read more Charley! She may be Darynda’s alter ego, but every alter ego has a little bit of the real person in them. I’d love an ARC!
I just can’t get enough of these books!
I love everything about this series and would love to get my hands on an early copy of #8.
I love this series, and am always trying to get my friends to read it too
Love me some Reyes!!!!
I ADORE this series soo much! It’s so very different to anything else out there. Every booking the series just gets better and better. I’m so excited to hear about the spinoff series too. Can’t wait for book 8. Zx
It is odd, I wasn’t completely charmed the first time I read Darynda, but then once I was hooked, I became obsessed with Charley Davidson. And Reyes. Now she is a perennial reread for me.
(Btw, it is Stephen King, not Steven.)
Darynda Jones is amazing and funny. Her books have had me in love with Charley from first chapter. Keep up the great work
Thank you for the chance at an advanced copy. I really enjoy reading about Charley.
Loved the interview. Just finished 7th Grave, can’t wait on 8th Grave. Just bought my 15 yr old granddaughter the Death series, now I can’t get her to put them down & do chores. Lol
Just found Charley & the gang. Put all my other TBR on the back burner so I could read the series all the way through.
Winning isn’t everything, unless you get a Charley Davidson book. Then it’s the only thing.
So hooked on this series , love how her characters com together throughout the series.
Absolutely love Darynda Jones and her Charley series! Would freak out to be able to read the next book sooner rather than later. Thank you for the opportunity!
Amazing interview! Darynda is incredible! I love her, and I’m eternally thankful to her for bring us Charley and Reyes. I’m in love with the serie <3
Thanks for the chance! I hope to win haha.
I’m dying to read the next one. I read so much i forget the story by the time the next one comes out so i have to read the entire series three or four times waiting for the next one
It’s so hard to wait. I always plan ahead. Take a day off and read the whole book. Their all that good!
The day I picked up the First grave to the right, I could not put it down until the end and then had to go to web for the rest of the books out. I read books 1-6 in one week (only because I had to go to work). I could not stop laughing at the antics and absolutely love the quips at the beginning of each chapter, my daughter refused to let me get my hands on the 7th book until one month after my wedding, so I would not ignore my new husband for the book. He he he!
A great quip for a future book might be,
When in danger or in doubt run in circles scream and shout.
In short I love your books and salivate for each new book, thank you for the great books
Nadine
I love this series and recommend it to anyone who loves to read and have a good laugh too. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
Great interview. As an unpublished writer I can appreciate the talent, time and effort it took to get to where Darynda is. And humor… she’s done such a great job of bringing Charlie’s personality and humor to life. I totally forget I’m even reading! I would be honored at a chance to read the eight book before others. Thanks for the chance.
Would love to own an arc copy.
Darynda is not only an amazing author but such a wonderful person!
Awesome interview! Can’t wait for the next book!!
I love this series. It is one of my favs. I would love to win this book. Thanks
Totally <3 ! The sandals on the cover of First Grave is still my fave 🙂
Would be absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G to win.
Thanks for a great interview and hosting this contest.
Cheers!
Love this series! I don’t want them to end! 😢