Author: sharisakurai

Shari Sakurai is a British author of paranormal, horror, science fiction and fantasy novels that almost always feature a LGBT protagonist and/or antagonist. She has always loved to write and it is her escape from the sometimes stressful modern life! Aside from writing, Shari enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to (loud!) music, going to rock concerts and learning more about other societies and cultures. Japanese culture is of particular interest to her and she often incorporates Japanese themes and influences into her work. Shari loves a challenge and has taken part and won the National Novel Writing Month challenge ten times!

The Writing Process Blog Hop

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I’m taking part in the Writing Process Blog Hop today. For those who do not know what this is, authors answer a few questions and then tag authors to answer the same questions the next week, and also introduce the author who tagged them.

The author who tagged me is Sarah Roberts, the co-author of Rokula, which is the first book in The Rokula Saga. You can find out more about Sarah and her work by visiting her website or on Goodreads.

What am I working on?

I am currently in the process of editing my second novel, Perfect World, which will be released on 19th July.

Demon’s Blood, my first novel, will be released in print in July and will be available to buy at Hyper Japan.

I am working on sequels to Perfect World and Demon’s Blood. I’m also drafting an outline for a male-male romance/vampire novel, which I am going to write for this year’s NaNoWriMo.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

My work rarely falls into just one category. For example, Perfect World is classified as science fiction but it has a superhero theme and a male-male romance storyline too. I feel that the different elements and genres I combine tell great stories that are quite unique.

Why do I write what I do?

I’ve always loved reading and my favourite genres are horror, science fiction and fantasy, and those are the genres that I love writing in most too. For me writing is a form of escapism and I love nothing more than to loose myself in the stories and worlds that I have created.

How does my writing process work?

If I’m honest I don’t really have a writing process until the first draft is complete! I never use plotlines. I know where the story starts and where it will end; the journey is just as much a mystery to me as it is to my characters when I first start writing!

Once I have completed a first draft I will go back through it and edit it and this will become the second draft. I leave it a few weeks/months and then come back to it afresh and start preparing a final draft. This is then printed, gone through and edited again to become the final version ready for proofing and then after that publication.

Introducing…

Teshelle Combs, author of the award winning YA action/romance novel, “The System,” and contemporary fantasy novel, “Core.” You can find out more about Teshelle and her work by visiting her website or on Goodreads.

Stuart Keane, author of horror/suspense novels “The Customer Is Always…” and “All or Nothing” (to be released 30th June 2014). You can find out more about Stuart and his work by visiting his website or on Goodreads.

James E. Parsons, author of science fiction novel “Orbital Kin”. You can find out more about James and his work by visiting his website or on Goodreads.

Melissa Veracruz, author of contemporary romance novel “Absolutely (Larson series)”. You can find out more about Melissa and her work by visiting her website or on Goodreads.

VAMPS Live, 28 March 2014 @ KOKO, Camden, LONDON – Shari’s thoughts!

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I’ve been to three VAMPS lives now including this one. My first one was in Paris in 2010, and I went to the London show at the o2 Academy, Islington last October. This one was my favourite of the three.

I really liked the venue. Being an old building it had that oldy-worldy feel to it . There were a couple of floors so you could go up there or onto the balconies. I always say that I want to go upstairs at lives but once we’re in there I change my mind and head for the mosh! So that’s where we ended up!

The Howling (support band) had come on when we went down into the mosh. I wasn’t that keen on them personally and I do always feel kinda bad for support acts as the majority of people are there for the main act only and are really just waiting for them. It felt like that at KOKO too but I think we were a pretty good audiance for them and everyone applauded them when they finished.

After they’d finished there was a brief wait whilst the stage was got ready, etc, and then VAMPS came on!

The first song was Devil Side! I think it’s a great choice for the opening song as it’s got a real party kind of feel to it. Redrum followed, which is one of my faves from their first album!

I also love that they still perform some of HYDE’s solo works. They played Dolly and Midnight Celebration, which is another of my faves.

They also played World’s End (the Japanese version is called Ahead), which I also love! It’s such a catchy song, I often dance to that when I’m at home too!

The atmosphere was amazing. VAMPS lives are always special but there was something about KOKO that made it even more so. There are few bands out there who can really connect with their audience as VAMPS can and it kind of feels intimate even though KOKO is over 1,000 capacity.

They played Trouble (Shampoo cover) that always gets the UK crowd going even more! VAMPS version of this is brilliant and is more rock and less pop than the original version. This had everyone singing along too!

The live was also streamed in cinemas in Japan like at the o2 Islington, but unlike last time I didn’t notice the cameras as much for some reason. Maybe I was just used to them by now lol!

The last song played was Sex Blood Rock ‘n Roll. By this point we were so near to the speaker that when HYDE climbed up onto it he was so close to us!

After the live ended we went and got some tour goods! I got the t-shirt and the mirror keychain. The t-shirt has longer sleeves and I actually prefer that style to the usual short-sleeve shirts. On the mirror keychain it has the concert date engraved in it.

And my epic get of course was K.A.Z’s guitar pick!

It was an awesome night and one of my most favourite out of the concerts that I’ve attended. VAMPS are back for Download in June and we’re all hoping for more lives later this year too! 

 

Debut Novel: Demon’s Blood

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Demon’s Blood is a vampire novel. It focuses on an origin of vampires and also the human side of the supernatural beings, and how they deal with the darker sides of their immortal lives.

“Demon’s Blood has an interesting combination of different characters and conflicts that these characters face,” says Shari Sakurai. “There are characters who embrace their eternal lives and have no qualms about drinking blood to survive. Yet they are not without their demons. You also have characters for which it is a real struggle and are constantly battling with their instincts and their more human natures.”

Demon’s Blood is set in the fictional city of Norfield in southern England. Japanese vampire Kokawa Taku and his English lover, Thane Bremen, were forced to flee their home in Tokyo after being discovered by vampire hunters. When the novel begins they are already settled in Norfield, however, both are battling their inner demons. Thane is haunted by the events in Tokyo and suffers from reoccurring nightmares. Yet unknown to Thane there is more to those events than he is aware of. As a consequence Taku is struggling against something much darker, something that could ultimately destroy him.

Demon’s Blood is available now in ebook format from most major ebook retailers.

The above article was taken from the February 2014 edition of the sharisakurai.com newsletter. To join the mailing list please visit www.sharisakurai.com