HC: I just recently read The Bastard by Inez Kelley and loved everything about it.  Its the first book in her new series The Baddest Boys in History, and you know what that means?  Now I have to wait forever for the next book!  So in the mean time, I’ve harassed Inez just enough to where she agreed to answer a few questions…

HC: First, can you tell us a little about your new book The Bastard, the first book in your new series The Baddest Boys in History?

IK: This was a story I wasn’t sure anyone would like. One part history, some not-so-nice-guys and a few weird angels. Toss in some sex, a few religious tones and stir with a big old romance stick. But I took a chance and it does seem to have hit a vibe with many people. The book has been likened to the Old Skool BDB by JR Ward, Kenyon’s ‘DARK HUNTERS’, Showalter’s ‘LORDS OF The UNDERWORLD’ and Neil Gaiman’s ‘AMERICAN GODS’.

While I have read Ward’s BDB, I’ve only read two books by Kenyon, and have never read Showalter or Gaiman. I just wrote what I wanted to read.

HC: It becomes obvious pretty early on in The Bastard that many, if not most of the characters are inspired by real, remarkable people from the past.  Are you a history junkie or what?  Where did this idea come from and how much research have you already put in to creating this series?  And do you worry about the liberties that you take about what we all believe to be fact about these people and their history?

IK: I am a history junkie! I hated high school history class which was just memorization of dates and battles spewed in a monotone structure, but college and personal study let me dig deeper and explore other aspects of history, the real stories and facts, not just the dates.

The story idea came from a two people, friends from two different parts of my life. One was a writer friend who suggested that a certain bad boy in history (that is not included in my series – but I reserve the right to write about him later) was beyond redemption. At the same time, a friend from a parenting board asked me on a ‘books we’re reading’ thread why all bad boys series had to be vampires (it did seem that way years ago). Those two statements merged in my brain and I started researching possible characters for a vague idea. Three years later, here we are.

As for how much research, about three years worth before the book went live and it is still ongoing. I wanted to make sure the plot lines and story arc in my head were logical and feasible. I have a file on my hard drive that is about 400,000 words long of just information, on every aspect of the series. Less than a quarter of it will make it into the story as recognizable history but I’ll know it and it helped shape the characters. Some of it appears but it small tidbits, like the décor of Erik’s apartment.

The liberties I took never bothered me. I tried to stay very true to what ‘history’ tells us about these people but history can be very vague and very contradictory. I exploited that. I was able to take more liberties with Zale, Myth and Nomad but even then, there was an accepted pool of mythology and customs. So I adhered to as much of that as I could. It was a little like getting a coloring book with basic simple drawings and it was my job to make that plain round apple look life-like.

HC: You probably have already recognized this, but here at TBG we read and review predominately LGBTQ stories.  So I have to point out that Rex is an out and proud bisexual male.  Have you explored pairing him with a man for his HEA?  And if not, can we expect to see other LGBTQ characters later on in the series?

IK: I love Rex. He is sexual, period. There is a scene in upcoming The ADDICT that shows him in a sexual act with a man but ultimately his destiny is with a woman. Even then, she is unique. Her name is Tia and, in her first life, she dressed and behaved as a man. Being a woman is what got her killed and she isn’t too keen on turning into a girly Mary Sunshine now.

Her character is as far from Lacy’s as imaginable. Rex asks her if she is a lesbian. She replies she has never been to Lesbos. In her time, lesbians came from Lesbos and there was no sexual connotation of that word. The words aitis or trepesthai would have made more sense to her. She is just not interested in sex with either gender… at first.

One thing I found during my research that was interesting is that homosexuality/bisexuality was vastly more accepted in ancient times than more modern eras. Also, different cultures viewed it differently but few considered it outright wrong. Not to say that it was completely accepted as the norm, but it doesn’t seem to have carried the same stigma as it does/did in more modern history.

Just like nudity, it was just something there. You might not parade it but you weren’t ashamed of it. There were social obligations to meet, but if one could fulfill those, then the fact that their preference was for the same gender was pointless.

We meet openly gay and bi Righteous later in the series as well.

Although Rex is openly bi, he is not the only main character who has engaged in homosexual acts. More of that will be revealed as the series progresses. I do want to mention that history colors things. For example, once imprisoned, Joan of Arc was promised her freedom if she ceased dressing/behaving as a male. She tried but couldn’t conform and reverted to her male attire, knowing full well it would send her to her death. Could she have been transgender? To me it is possible. And in my mind, she is not the only historical figure who that label might apply to.

HC: I know this series is all about “the baddest boys in history”, but will that include any of the Righteous? Because those boys are pretty bad themselves!

IK: Yes, we meet several. Some are jerks, some are not. And not all are ‘boys’. There were female Forsaken at one time and we see some female Righteous in the series.

HC: In The Bastard, the story is set in West Virginia, but the Forsaken Leap around the world to faraway places like Israel and Nicaragua in their fight against the Third.  What kind of exotic locales can we expect to see in the future?

IK: Oh, many. One underlying concept of this series is that all mankind is threatened by Samael, not just the USA. So of course, the story must venture outside the US district. Two places I have tentatively placed scenes in are Cambodia and Madrid.

HC: Can you share with us some of your future plans with the series (with as little spoiler detail as possible)? How many books do you already have planned out and will that complete the series?

IK: 1) Omen is not a shifter and will never be human, but he is more than you see.

2) One Forsaken goes stark-raving mad, as in break out the straight jacket, foaming at the mouth, shove his ass in a padded room.

3) Samael becomes a Daddy… and that ain’t a good thing.

4) There will be six books in the series. I don’t see myself going further than six. Too many series go on too long. I know each main couple and the full over-arcing plotline. The individual romance stories are sketchy after book 3 but that is okay at this point. They will come to me.

HC: I expect that you already have it planned out, but I just want to say that I want Zale’s book NOW!  He has to be the baddest of the bad in my opinion and I can’t wait to see all that ice melt.  

IK: Zale is like an onion. Too strong, too harsh and too bitter but as you slowly peel away the layers, the sweeter, milder inside is revealed. But then again, he is an asshole and there is lots more of that to see.

HC: And my final question is just for fun: What does your workplace where you write look like? Are there any weird or interesting things you surround yourself with? Any quirks you have that gets the inspiration flowing?  

IK: I just moved 700 miles and sold most of my old office furniture. I plan to redo a new office as soon as I can. For now, I write on a desktop sitting on an old scarred and nicked computer table. I have about seven little plastic geckos I call my Muses that keep me company. I normally write in silence and prefer to write at night. I am mostly nocturnal, a hold over for working midnight shift for over a decade as a 911 Dispatcher. I write in the dark, with one lamp burning. Too much sunlight kills my thought train for some reason.

About The Bastard

In the battle between good and evil, humans have never been more than collateral damage. Now they are prey. Mankind doesn’t need a hero. It needs a sinner.

Corrupt. Wicked. Nefarious. Contemptible….

The Baddest Boys in History are back!

You read about them in school. Now learn the truth. Real men. No vampires, no werewolves, no magic. Just down and dirty raw power —sin to sin, evil to evil, bad to bad. They fight for humanity. It was that or eternal damnation.

They agreed to risk their souls. No one told them they would lose their hearts.

THE BASTARD

Vike died in blood, in battle, in betrayal. His ruthlessness was second only to his brutality. Now one woman makes his blood sing and he’ll stop at nothing to save her. He only has to face half of Hell to do it.

Lacy is unknowingly descended from an ancient Holy line. Someone is slowly destroying her life and wants her dead. A fierce Viking comes to her rescue, and in his arms, she finds more than safety.

If Vike can’t protect Lacy, he’ll have to kill her. And for a bastard, what’s one woman worth when the entire world is in jeopardy?

Available in Print at: Amazon & Barnes and Noble
Available in eBook at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, All Romance eBooks & iBooks

About Inez Kelley

INEZ KELLEY was born and bred in the mountains of West Virginia. She currently resides there with her lumberjack husband, their teenage drama queen, Spawnetta, and the Demolition Duo – Damien and his twin, the Omen.

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Inez has kindly offered up two books for this giveaway:  ebook copies of The Bastard and Coming Clean!  There will be TWO winners!!

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Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway, except to verify your Rafflecopter entry.

Don’t forget to check out Heather C’ review of The Bastard to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!