Vampires and Elves don’t usually get along. It’s a law of nature I’m pretty sure. JM Paquette’s world says no differently. She’s also of the mind that vampires shouldn’t and don’t sparkle, which is one of many reasons why I love her.
Working with Ms. Paquette was a real treat. (I’m starting to think I’ve hit some sort of Editor Lottery Jackpot, because I’ve been able to say that about every one of the authors who’ve been brave enough to work with me.) This lady takes adorable and humbly brilliant to a whole new level. Between her dry wit, the most awful ‘tearable’ puns, and her insistence on the use of the Oxford comma, the process of working on this book was, for me, an honor and a delight.
Oh, what’s the book about you ask?
Klauden’s Ring tells the story of a Vampire girl who falls in love with an Elven warrior, or in Ms. Paquette’s words, “It’s a cheesy vampire romance.” Which is true, but remember that whole humbly brilliant thing I mentioned? Yeah.
This is Book One in a planned series of three, and as such took quite a bit of work to flesh out the world building, the laws of magic, and of course the different factions involved. It’s been my experience that few readers understand how much goes into this part of a story’s development, and that’s ok. If it’s done well, the reader will just get pulled in and along with the story. If it’s done badly, well, I think we’ve all had more than enough examples of what can happen and I don’t want to offend by naming names. As my publisher boss says, there’s something for everyone. (I still say Vampires should never sparkle.)
Ms. Paquette has an extensive knowledge of Tolkien, and this shows clearly in her ability to thoughtfully create a new world, while still adhering to already established rules of the fantasy genre. She maintains a sense of humor throughout, and her interplay between the main protagonist and her would be love interest, in my opinion, is a wonderful reflection of Ms. Paquette’s own subtle and charming badinage.
I am beyond thrilled to see Klauden’s Ring published, and if you’re interested in awful puns and regular updates on what she’s up to, check her out on Twitter or on Goodreads. I promise a few groan worthy puns and plenty of cheesy romance await.
