Dark Legends Block Party!

J.A. Armitage

Featured Book: Two of Clubs

Hi, I'm so excited to be amongst some amazing authors in this box set. It's like finding myself at a party with Tori Amos providing the music, Jamie Oliver cooking the food, Stephen Fry sat at one side and Jack Black on the other.

How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

I first hit the publish button in January 2014 but I'd spent a whole year writing my first book before that. Nowadays I write much more quickly but back then it was a slow process. It probably didn't help that I was single parenting two very young children and being a surrogate for a friend. It was a lonely time so I wrote when the kids went to bed. My life is pretty great now and I've brought my writing with me into the good times.

How did you come up with this storyline? I've always loved fantasy so it was a no brainer that I'd write fantasy sooner or later. This particular story came to me as more of a concept than a story later. It occurred to me that there are 52 weeks in a year and 52 cards in a pack. One card for each week. I then thought that it would be pretty cool to write a story about the cards. In my book the cards are Royals. This book follows the Two of Clubs as she accidentally starts a war between the four ruling families, The Clubs, The Hearts, The Diamonds and The Spades. Each book is written as a different member of each family. Each book is a stand alone but they follow the arc of the war as it unfolds. Each book has seven chapters - one for each day of the week. Eventually, I hope to have 365 chapters over 52 books!

What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?

I love writing. I wasn't much of a writer as a child but I was a voracious reader. I read to escape reality. I write for the same reason but I get to chose what direction the characters go in. The worst part for me is the lack of time. I want to write more and more and more!

What inspires you to write?

Nothing inspires me to write as such. I just have stories rattling around in my head all the time, fighting to get out!

How did you conduct your research for The Two of Clubs (War and Suits book1)?

30 years of reading other author's work. As it's a fantasy, I've made up a lot of stuff. You'll meet new creatures and new food and new customs amongst other things.

What are 3 of your favorite quotes from The Two of Club?

Thinking about it...

This is my favourite bit:

~ "She's a Heart!" I stated the obvious, knowing that Tarragon was fully aware that she was a Heart, and that was more than likely the reason he'd bedded her in the first place.

~ "Isn't this whole party thing to get the clans together so we can cooperate and live in a peaceful land? This is why we all come together at this time of year." He gave that leisurely grin that women of all races seemed to fall for. It wasn't going to work on me, though. I was mad!

~ "Yes, but I don't think that you are supposed to come together quite so literally!"

"Or quite so many times," grinned Tarragon.

More Favorites from Two of Clubs:

The Heart District is awesome in a steampunky kind of way - I'm not saying any more - You'll just have to read it.

What would your friends say is your best quality?

I don't give up. Actually, that's what I say my best quality is. My friends would probably say my best quality is bringing them cake and wine! (If you can call that a quality!)