MONSTER IN MY CLOSET Character Interview & Giveaway – R. L. Naquin

It’s my pleasure today to be interviewing Zoey Donovan (what a terrific name!) the heroine from R. L. Naquin’s newly released MONSTER IN MY CLOSET. R. L. will give away one copy of the book to a randomly selected commenter, plus I’ll add a $10.00 Amazon gift card for the winner! Be sure to comment to enter.

Here’s the story:

I stopped believing in monsters long ago. But I knew I wasn’t imagining things when I found one in my kitchen baking muffins. I’d seen him before: lurking in my closet, scaring the crap out of my five-year-old self. Turns out that was a misunderstanding, and now Maurice needs a place to stay. How could I say no?

After all, I’ve always been a magnet for the emotionally needy, and not just in my work as a wedding planner. Being able to sense the feelings of others can be a major pain. Don’t get me wrong, I like helping people—and non-people. But this ability has turned me into a gourmet feast for an incubus, a demon that feeds off emotional energy. Now, brides are dropping dead all over town, and my home has become a safe house for the supernatural. I must learn to focus my powers and defeat the demon before he snacks on another innocent woman and comes looking for the main course…

Welcome, Zoey! What was your life like growing up?

I had a regular childhood, like anyone else, I guess. Happy. Mom and Dad and I loved each other very much. We went to the zoo a lot, played board games, and I ran around in the woods and down at the beach by our house. Then Mom died. No. She left. Was kidnapped. No, wait, let me think…I don’t think I like this shade of pink on my nails. I’m going to change it to blue.

What? Oh, my childhood. It was just me and my dad. I took care of him, mostly. He always seemed so lost. He died when I was eighteen. I miss him.

Before the action in the book, what were your plans/hopes for the future?

The wedding planning business was picking up steam. I hoped maybe it would get so successful that we could move to a bigger office and hire some staff. That way Sara and I wouldn’t have to work so hard ourselves.

Meeting a nice guy would be nice, too.

What changed that?

Well, I met the nice guy, so that’s something. At least, I think I have. We’ll see. I’ve been burned before.

With all the stuff going on at my house now, I may not be able to put as much effort into building our business, though. I seem to have acquired a second job I hadn’t planned for. It makes it tough to schedule appointments and go to wedding shows to check out the competition when you’re stuck at home keeping a sick pigmy dragon from blowing up your garage.

How would you describe your personality?

Quirky? Personally, I think I’m pretty average and sensible, but that’s not what people tell me.

Do you have a motto or code you live by?

If everyone could feel the emotions of the people around them, they’d all be much kinder to each other.

What one thing would you take to a desert island?

A razor. Imagine, there you are all tan and fit from living off the land in the tropical sun, and your legs and armpits look like a jungle. Really ruins the fantasy.

Where would you go on vacation?

I love people, but feeling everything they’re feeling is not a good vacation. Someplace isolated. And warm. Give me that razor. That desert island you mentioned sounds really good.

What is your most distinguishing characteristic?

Probably my clothes. I tend to choose individual items and put them on without regard for the other things I’m already wearing. And usually there’s a hat of some kind. I think I look fabulous, but Sara doesn’t agree.

What is your major skill or talent?

I help people. That’s what I do. I usually know what to say to make things better.

What’s your favorite color? Favorite food?

I have to pick one? But there are so many—lime green, hot pink, lemon yellow, sky blue…I’m sorry. You can’t make me single one out. That’s too much pressure.

Anything Maurice just pulled out of the oven is my current favorite food. That closet monster could roll a dead squirrel into pastry dough, and it would taste like a piece of heaven.

If you had to pick another career, what would it be?

Party planner? No, I guess that’s not really much different from wedding planner. I know. I could run a bed and breakfast. That wouldn’t be too far off from what’s going on at my house right now.

What’s on your bucket list?

Get to know Riley better. Figure out what my mother was doing with all the supernatural creatures all those years ago. Find out what happened to her and why I can’t think about it for more than a minute before…I don’t really think fingernail polish and toenail polish have to match, do you? I’m going with the chartreuse on my toes this time.

Which actor or actress would you want to play you in the movie?

Emma Stone would be amazing. Is she busy? Do you think we could get her? If she’s busy, try Felicia Day. She would be so incredible.

Who are your closest friends?

Sara, of course. We’ve known each other since college. Maurice, definitely, though he needs to stop rearranging the clothes in my closet. Andrew is pretty awesome, and his fennec fox Milo is a little love. Molly’s a good listener. Not sure if all brownies are like that, or if it’s just her.

Who do you love?

All the people above, of course. Are you asking in the romantic sense? Love is too strong, then. I’m not ready to talk about that yet. I haven’t known Riley long enough. I love coffee. I love it very much.

What are your future plans?

I’ve got an appointment at three to meet a new client, so there’s that. Dates with Riley, maybe? How about surviving to next week? Yeah. That. I’m planning not to die. I’ll pencil it into my schedule right now.

VS sez we’d better let you get to the appointment! Thanks for dropping by today and good luck with surviving into next week LOL!

You can find the book here:

Carina Press  Amazon  Barnes & Noble

<= Here’s R. L. , by the way!

So, Readers, when you were little what kind of monsters did you envision living in the closet or under the bed? Personally, I wish I could have had Pixar’s Mike & Sully LOL! Please leave us a comment and enter the giveaway…