As seen in the April issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Uncaged: Prophecy Girl is the first book in the Camille Bishop series. Can you tell readers more about the series?
Prophecy Girl is an urban fantasy novel about Camille Bishop, a young private investigator in Toronto, Canada. The story revolves around her and the first case that she does solo and how it completely changes her life. As soon as Jane Lowry came into Camille’s office her life gets flipped on its head, and she discovers that nothing she knows is as it seems.
Uncaged: How many books are you planning for the series?
As many as I can! I am in love with Camille and her story, and I can’t wait to see what adventures happen next. I also have other ideas for new characters in the same world that would get their own book.
Uncaged: You also have a series out called The Afflicted. What can you tell us about that series?
The Afflicted is the story of a young woman named Katrine and what happens to her when she finds out she is a descendant of the famed Blood Countess Erzsebet (Elizabeth) Bathory. Countess Bathory is believed to have been a serial killer and bathed in the blood of virgins (which is not true, but is part of her legend).
It’s paranormal historical fiction and takes place in the 1600’s in Europe. It’s something different, but if you like history you should check it out.
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?
I do read reviews. Not all of them, but some of them. I hope to learn something from them, whether it’s something a reader really loved or something that they feel needs work. I like to think I can take a little something from every review and it helps me grow and learn as an author.
Uncaged: Can you tell us what you have coming up next?
Right now I am hard at work on the second Camille Bishop novel. I am also exploring the stories of other characters in the same universe.
Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?
One of the first reviews I got of Rebirth, my debut novel, said that Katrine’s story was captivating. That was really amazing.
Also, someone told me that Prophecy Girl reminds them of the early Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels by Laurell K Hamilton which is amazing. I am a HUGE Laurell K Hamilton and Anita Blake fan and to be mentioned in the same sentence as those remarkable women is an absolute honor.
Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?
I love sharing my stories, and I love getting to read other people’s stories. Being involved in the book world has been life changing for me. I love everything about the process and about interacting with readers. I feel like I have found my people for the first time in my life.
My least favorite part? That is a hard one. Having to navigate social media is my least favorite. I still feel like a beginner in so many ways, every time I think I get the hang of it something new comes out and I am lost again!
Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
When I’m not writing I enjoy reading and spending time with my husband and three year old daughter. We like to watch movies and spend time outdoors.
Uncaged: What is the hardest part of a book to write? What is the easiest? From start to finish, how long does it take to finish a complete book?
The hardest part? A synopsis! I am not good at them at all. I also struggle with making the blurb on the back of the book seem dynamic.
From start to finish it takes me anywhere from eight months to a year to write a book. But edits and revisions don’t take too long, so once it’s done it moves rather fast from there.
Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?
Thanks for taking the time to read my interview! And I hope you enjoy my books as much as I enjoyed writing them. Camille’s story is just getting started and I cannot wait to share more with you all!
You can follow me on most social media, but facebook, twitter and instagram are the ones I frequent the most. Prophecy Girl even has its own twitter and instagram! It’s @prophecygirl13 on both platforms. I look forward to hearing from you! Come by and say hi.
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Ravin Tija Maurice lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada with her husband and daughter. Her books span several time periods and feature a diverse cast of characters, all with a paranormal twist. She loves to binge watch television shows, has a large collection of stuffed animals, and is a history geek. A lifelong writer, she is constantly trying to find ways to grow and learn new skills to improve her craft.[/symple_box]
authorravintmaurice.weebly.com
Prophecy Girl
Ravin Tija Maurice
Urban Fantasy
I never thought my life could get any weirder, then Jane Lowry came into my office.
It seemed like a straightforward paternity case. Something simple for my first solo assignment as a private investigator.
Everyone has secrets. Jane Lowry’s would lead me down a path that would completely change my life.
I knew the world was full of crazy things but nothing could have prepared me for how crazy it would get.
Excerpt
My name is Camille Bishop.
I might be just like you.
Only, I’m not.
Jane Lowry fidgeted nervously, twisting the brightly coloured beads on her Pandora bracelet. She would look at me, and then quickly look away like she was somehow not confident enough to speak to me. There was a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead by her hairline. She blinked a lot. I wondered if she thought it would stop her pupils from dilating.
All it did was make her look more nervous.
She couldn’t have been more than eighteen years old.
“Why don’t you tell me why you are here, Miss Lowry?” I asked. She turned her body towards me. My office was so small there wasn’t much room. The sides of my desk each touched a wall, and the only way around it was to climb over it.
“I want to find my real father,” she said, making eye contact then immediately looking away. “I believe the man who I’ve always thought is my father….isn’t. But I have to prove it on my own. Can you help me?”
I started making notes. For my first case this seemed pretty standard.
“Well, we need to gather some DNA so we can run a test,” I began. I made sure that I kept my eyes on her, regardless of if she turned hers away from me. She reached into her purse and pulled out four zip lock bags, two with toothbrushes and two with hair. All labelled.
“Oh. Well, you’re efficient. Aren’t you?” I continued. “Now, what can you tell me about the man you believe to be your father?”
She touched her face nervously. “I don’t know anything about him except he’s…..”
She moved around uneasily, returning to fidgeting with the beads on her bracelet. I’d been around the P.I game since I was young and I’d heard a lot of craziness. I would be impressed if she shocked me.
“I think he’s not of this world, you know? With these health issues I have it would explain a lot,” she blurted out. She went from relaxed and looking around the room to nervous again when she looked at my face.
“You have to be more specific.”
“I think he’s a….creature of the night.”
She couldn’t be serious.
I started to wonder if Jane Lowry was a prank set up by my cousin to torture me. I tried to keep my expression level but prepared for this to turn shitty in an instant.
I cleared my throat. “Excuse me?”
“I think he’s a creature. Part of a bigger network of creatures, actually.”
I wrote it all down. I wasn’t sure what she meant by ‘creature’. Some people called prostitutes creatures of the night. I wasn’t about to mock my first client, though. Besides, there was a time when something unexplainable consumed a large part of my life.
“Does he have a name?” I asked. She looked uncomfortable again, and my instinct said she had a name but didn’t want to give it to me.
“No. That’s another reason why I am here. I need a name and I want to know exactly who I am dealing with before I approach them – if I even can.”
“Okay. Well, I will send these samples off and we should know in a few days,” I said, “but with the info you gave me I can do some poking around. Now, we need to talk about fees. The DNA test is not cheap.”
She pulled out a rolled up wad of cash a few inches thick. She smiled, clearly proud of her achievement.
She blushed. “I knew it wasn’t cheap so I’ve been saving. I’m not sure if you can understand what it’s like to know that something went on with your parents that regular minds can’t grasp. You can’t talk to anyone about it.”
I smiled at her. My parents had been killed by the mob when I was thirteen years old. What I saw often haunted my thoughts. Visions of death and ghosts that took me years to suppress.
“Don’t worry, Miss Lowry. You don’t have to justify anything to me. Hopefully I can find you some information that will set your mind at ease.”
Uncaged Review: This book is a slow burner. It starts out with a good informational background, but is never dull, but it really starts ramping up around the half way point, and it takes so many twists and turns that you won’t expect. This did not start out as a typical urban fantasy, but it ended it up there. Camille works for her Uncle as a Private Investigator. When a client shows up, and seems like a slam-dunk paternity case – Camille finds herself immersed in a world she never knew – and finds herself along the way.
This book sets a great pace – and the characters and the world is well thought out. It is written in first person, so it takes time to picture the people in your mind as those type of explanations are left up to Camille to convey to the reader. Some great storytelling going on, and I look forward to how this story plays out in the coming books. But be warned…this ends on a killer of a cliffhanger.
Reviewed by Cyrene
4 Stars
