The Road to Hell series welcomes author Chamera Sampson

Please welcome Author Chamera Sampson onto the Road to Hell. Chamera is the author of In My Face. Other books written by Chamera Sampson are The Struggle of Me and Dreams, Smiles, and Bloody Tears. Now, it’s time to create a little hell and get to the good stuff by revealing all of Chamera’s wicked secrets while on the Road to Hell. LOL. Yeah, you wish! ;-D 

Grab your favorite drink, sink your teeth into something decadent, sit back, relax and enjoy getting to know Chamera…

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GRACEN:  Tell me three things about yourself that we cannot find on the internet or in your bio?

Chamera: Well, most noticeable is the fact that I talk really fast. I just can’t help it. I can slow down but it takes an extreme amount of effort. Secondly, I am in love with Reese’s. It’s a love that I doubt will ever fade. Lastly, I have been reading a lot of smut lately. Don’t judge me. Who doesn’t love some sexy book boyfriends? ;)

GRACEN: What hobbies and interests do you participate in when you’re not writing?

Chamera: When I’m not writing, my main hobby is reading. I read a lot of YA and contemporary NA books for review on my blog Mera’s YA Book List. I am OBSESSED with movies, I love to skate, I draw when I’m bored, and I play Dance Central on Kinect almost everyday.

GRACEN: Do you have any writing quirks or certain things you MUST have or do before beginning the writing process?

Chamera: Most definitely. Mainly, I have to be either alone or around people that I don’t know. My best writing happens that way. Also, I also have either a warm cup of coffee or tea with me. Occasionally, I’ll go to places I’ve never been before, alone, and I’ll immerse myself in my story.

As for quirks, I almost always write my entire story out by hand. That means lots of typing the same story over, and it’s time consuming, but one good thing about it is that it makes editing a lot easier. I tend the edit the story as I type it up from ink and paper to the computer.

GRACEN: If you were plotting to take over the world, how would you do it?

Chamera: I’m not really a take over the world kind of girl, at least not in the traditional sense. I’m more of a bring the world together chick. BUT, if I were to plot a grand scheme to take over the world, I would use my words and lots of coffee. I’m pretty sure the whole scheme would be for the sole purpose of getting my books, recent and future, available in every corner of the world and having everyone and I mean, everyone, interested in them. Behind my sweet smile, there is a muffled maniacal laughter.

GRACEN: If you could make one statement that the entire planet would hear and remember, what would it be?

Chamera: In this world, there are people at every corner who will see fit to tear you down. Don’t fall for the games of the snakes in the grass. Follow your dreams and let NO ONE bring you down. If they try, laugh in their faces and get the hell back up.

GRACEN:  What genre do you write and why that genre?

Chamera: I write in many genres. Mainly, I identify myself as a contemporary writer of young adult and new adult books. But I write also write general, YA, and adult poetry. I write paranormal. I also write action-adventure. I don’t like to categorize myself and stick myself into a box. Why should I? There’s more than one side to me and that reflects in my writing.

GRACEN: For those who are not yet familiar with Chamera Sampson, can you please give us some details about the book and/or series?

Chamera: Of course I can! Firstly, my latest release is a young adult novella entitled In My Face. It’s really about a girl, Tatianna coming into herself, figuring out what love means, and learning not to take any crap off of anyone, especially a guy. She also learns not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case that book happens to be a sexy, Italian guy with a love for flirting and ice cream. My obsession with ice cream is evident in this novella. There will be two more novellas in this series- one about Tatianna’s best friend, Shanna, who we meet in In My Face. I’m not certain who the last one will be about yet, but it’ll either be Mark, who is a central character from In My Face, or a character from Shanna’s story.

I also released novella, The Struggle of Me, under the group name Write to Read, which a group of fantastic writers. It’s unique in the fact that it’s one singular novella, yet it was written by several different people. I’m ecstatic for the progress it’s made and the reviews we’ve garnered. All proceeds go to charity and it’s available for only $.99 cents on Amazon.

Also released is my poetry collection, Dreams, Smiles, and Bloody Tears. It was my first release and I’m proud of it. Most people get really emotional when reading the short story at the back of the book, and it’s horrible but I smile a little every time someone tells me they cried while reading it.

GRACEN:  Do you have any new stories in the works and can you tell us a bit about it/them?

Chamera: There are too many stories in the works right now. I just can’t seem to help myself. However, the ones closest to completion are Inked and Wanted.

Inked is the story of a sheltered college girl on break from school and what could be called her “wild phase”. It’s a sexy romance with a dash of paranormalcy underlying the entire novel, and a bit of suspense. Honestly, the events of the story are shadowed by a bit of creepiness, and it all starts out with a drawing and a tattoo. Technically, it would be categorized as NA. I’ve been writing on this for a year now and the writing has really picked up.

Wanted is a paranormal, action novel, also technically NA, and it is my first time writing an entire novel from a male’s perspective. Michael, the main character, is my most outspoken male character yet and he has some sexy powers. He’s been shelved and then focused on, over and over again over the last two years, and it’s his time to shine.

There is so many more but these two are slated to be the first to be released, both by late 2013, early 2014.

GRACEN: If you could describe your writing with one word or brief phrase, what would it be? Please delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they’ve finished reading your story.

Chamera: Self-exploratory.

That would be the word I’d use for everything I write. I want the readers to explore what their lives mean. I want them to explore their emotions. I want them to delve into the folds of themselves and figure out what’s at the core. No matter what genre I write in, my main characters end up exploring the truths of themselves, and I want these characters to inspire the readers to do the same.

GRACEN: What, in your opinion, makes your story unique and what makes it stand out from other stories in your genre? Think of this as a pitch to convince readers to pick up your books.

Chamera: My stories all have a positive message rooted in their core, and they are all diverse, real characters. In a lot of YA books, the characters feel unauthentic, and unrelated-able. If my characters are anything, they are relatable. They are engaging. In NA, many authors have begun to use the acceptability of sexual scenes as a way to draw in those readers who are in that age range and want to read sex scenes about people their age. That isn’t what NA is. Those story’s have their place in the erotica section, which I admitted earlier that I love to read. It’s about self-discovery, and overcoming problems, and finding yourself at the age where all seems lost. NA can have a lot of angst, but we at that age are angst-y people. I would know as I am just 21, and as lost as anyone else my age. I love the new genre though and I applaud all authors who write in the genre without abusing it.

GRACEN: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

Chamera: Must I tell you? Okay, okay. I’d do almost anything “in the name of research”, unless it’s super illegal or just bad for you and I often do things and use “research” as an excuse.

I’ve flirted with a guy I had a hard time talking to without the awkwardness, because I wanted my character to break loose and do the same. He didn’t seem to mind.

Weirdest though would have to be “the food test”. It became very reminiscent of the scene in 21 Again when Zac Efron in all of his sexiness, ate all of that disgusting food.
I won’t tell you exactly what I ate, but it involved easy cheese, chocolate syrup, cheez-its, deli meat, mustard, tea, and tuna among other items.

I ended up nixing the scene from my story though, but I can say I’ve done it.

I actually have a list of things I want to “research”, but too many of them need a guy to help so I’ll mournfully have to wait until I find the right one. Someone who can handle my crazy, lol. ;p

GRACEN: Of all your books, which character did you have the most fun creating and why?

Chamera: Ah, this is such a hard question! It’s definitely between Bug from my released In My Face, and Lizzie from my upcoming Inked. Bug knows what he wants and goes for it, and he doesn’t hold his tongue.  Lizzie could make a head whip in seconds flat. The girl goes from tame to crazy and I love every second of it.

GRACEN: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why?

Chamera: I think it would be the character Justin from a WIP I am only five chapters into, but before he meets his female lead. He’s just pure sexiness, he loves to dance, and he’s an awesome kisser. A little naughty, I know, but a girl can dream right?

Bug is pretty sexy too and I could imagine some ice cream and kissing related fun, but he’s just a couple of years too young for me at 18.

And yes, most of my male characters, are also my book boyfriends.

GRACEN: Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

Chamera: Definitely Lizzie, but during her “dark phase”, something you guys will have to wait for. Lizzie during her dark phase is dangerous. Really dangerous. No thank you, Lizzie.

GRACEN:  If you were interviewing yourself, what is the one question you would ask yourself and please give us the answer to that question?

Chamera: Toughie, but I think that question would be, “What inspired you to publish?”

The answer would be, I wanted to share my love for writing with the world. I want to share myself, my feelings, my crazy fantasies, and my experiences with others. It makes my world shine, and without it I couldn’t imagine anything but the mundane.

GRACEN:  Thanks so much for joining us, Chamera!  It’s been a treat getting to know you better! 

Chamera: Of course! Thanks for having me Gracen! Hopefully, I didn’t scare any of your readers away, lol!  J

Website: chamerawrites.blogspot.com

Buy Link(Amazon Author Page): http://www.amazon.com/Chamera-Sampson/e/B008L3M7FE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1374717264&sr=8-1

In My Face on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/In-My-Face-ebook/dp/B00CNIYZA8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374717273&sr=1-3

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5822550.Chamera_Sampson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chamera-M-Sampson/285850854776844?ref=hl
Twitter: @mirrormera92
Instagram: @mirrormera92

IN MY FACE BLURB:

For Tatianna, summer meant ice cream, day dreaming, and countless hours of Pablo Neruda. She never meant to meet Mark, and she definitely didn't expect to fall in love.

But when she meets the cute and alluring boy in front of her favorite ice cream truck, her idea of summer, boys, and love swiftly melts away.

As school starts and summer steadily fades, Tatianna must ask herself several questions. The most important one: Is Mark the guy meant for her, or has there been someone in her face all along?

EXCERPT:

I looked up and closed the note. “Did you really mean that?”

“Tati,” he whispered, his voice gravelly with sleep and conviction. “I meant every word written on every note.”

I stared at him as a heavy silence pressed against us. Then, I stared at him some more.

I grasped his hands in mine and let my hands slowly travel up his forearms. I watched his skin as my fingers traced their way up his arms, to his broad shoulders, then down to his bare chest.

His eyes closed and he sucked in a deep breath.

“Your hands are cold,” he whispered.

“I don’t care,” I said back, abandoning my chair for his lap. I pulled off my sweater and tossed it on the table, happy I’d left my tank top on underneath it.

“I don’t care either,” he said back. I sat, gripping the hard skin of his back as he leaned into me. His lips ghosted across mine, and then we were kissing. I could feel the warmth of his chest against me, taste the sweet tartness of the few sips of orange juice he’d consumed, hear his moans as he pressed his tongue into my mouth.

I’d never been kissed like this, with so much passion, longing.

I broke away from his kiss with a gasp. As I sat, straddling him, I realized that Mark had valid reason to be jealous of Bug all along, from the beginning, that day when we first met outside of the ice cream truck.

I hadn’t known it then, but I’d been slowly falling for Bug way before I even knew Mark.

“How could a person go so long without knowing that they loved something that was right in their face?”