I’d like to welcome Loren Rhoads, author of Lost Angels and Angelus Rose, to my blog today!!!

Lets start with a little about you!

What is your name and do you write under a pen name?

My name is Loren Rhoads. I changed it legally last year, after using it for a pen name since the Eighties. It was a huge step to claim my name for real. It made me so happy!

Where do you call home?

San Francisco.

Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing?

I started visiting cemeteries by accident. I love to travel, so what started as a hobby has turned into a successful side hustle. I’ve written a travel memoir called Wish You Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel and a travel guide to cemeteries around the world called 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die. Angelus Rose, my new novel, has three cemeteries in it. It’s the first time one of my novels has so many cemeteries in it.

If you could invite any four (4) celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?

I’d invite David Bowie, because his music has been so central to my life. I even have a Bowie tattoo. Barack Obama, because I’d like to talk to him about current events.  Angelina Jolie, because she inspired the succubus in my books. And Ursula Le Guin, because I’d love to talk to her about writing.

Let’s shift somewhat and talk about your latest story.

What is the name of your most recent book? If you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?

Its title is Angelus Rose. The tagline is: If Romeo had wings and Juliet a barbed tail, could they find happiness in the City of Angels?

Is the above book part of a series?

It’s the second and final book of the As Above, So Below series. There are also a couple of short stories set in that world. One of them is free at Bookfunnel, if you’d like to get a taste of the succubus Lorelei at work:  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/v8o5w54mzk

Who designed the cover of your books?

Carmen Masloski did the covers of both books in the series. She was incredibly easy to work with. I just love what she came up with.

Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your books?

I listened to the first two Garbage albums a lot, along with a lot of soundtrack music on Spotify.

How did you come up with the title of your books?

Lost Angels is the name of the bar where the succubus Lorelei first meets the angel Azaziel, so the name of the first book was easy.  My co-writer Brian and I struggled a little with the title of the second book.  I wanted to call it Dies Irae (I was listening to Mozart’s Requiem a lot at the time), but Angelus Rose is easier to pronounce.

Do you have a book trailer?

In your latest novel, who is the lead character and can you tell us a little about her?

Lorelei is a succubus who works for Asmodeus, the demon prince of Los Angeles.  She loves her life, posing as a club kid and leading people to damnation. One night, Azaziel appears in the bar where she’s working. Lorelei can’t get him out of her mind.  She pursues him — and he possesses her with a mortal girl’s soul. After that, she needs to find an exorcist.

In the new book, Lorelei and Aza are trying to figure out how they can be together. Unfortunately, war is brewing in Los Angeles and everyone wants them to take sides.

What first gave you the idea for your latest book?

Originally, As Above, So Below was all one book.  It was hugely long and I was afraid it would never sell, so I cut it in half at a natural climax about the mid-point. The first book was published by a small indie press in 2014. When I got the rights back, I revised it a bit, retitled it Lost Angels, and republished it with a new cover image. Then I started revising the second half so it could stand alone as a sequel. Angelus Rose, part two of the story, came out in February.

Let’s talk now about your writing process.

What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter?

Definitely a pantser. I write to discover the story.

What made you go the indie route instead of the traditional publishing route?

I like the freedom of choosing my own cover artist, having the final say on the editing, and knowing that I’m doing the best possible promotion for the book.

What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?

Just write and don’t think too much.  Ray Bradbury told me that.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start writing?

Set a timer and just start writing. You’ll find out what you think as you go along.

Where can your readers follow you?

Blog:  https://lorenrhoads.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loren.rhoads.5

Twitter: https://twitter.com/morbidloren

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morbidloren/

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Loren-Rhoads/e/B002P905PE/

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