My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews: Hunterland by Dana Claire: Review, Interview

Hunterland by Dana Claire

Publisher: CamCat Books (February 7, 2023)
Category: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy
Tour dates: February 13-March 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1792361357
Available in Print and ebook, 310 pages

Description Hunterland by Dana Claire

Supernatural meets Nancy Drew in Dana Claire’s New Young Adult Novel Hunterland

Liam Hunter has warded off hungry vampires, slayed monstrous beasts, and put agonized spirits to rest since he could hold a stake. When trouble comes through the Hunterland message board, alerting them that nurses are dying at high schools across Wisconsin in a string of fishy “suicides,” the Hunter family hits the road to save the
day.

The trail leads to Falkville Falls, where Liam clashes with Olivia Davis, whose maddening family seems inexplicably embroiled in this haunting mess. Olivia has always mothered her little sister, Pepper. But when the Hunter family opens her eyes to the hidden underworld of real monsters prowling the dark, she realizes she can’t protect Pepper from this newest threat by herself. Can the two families work together to uncover who or what is responsible before the next murder, or will this vicious death cycle have no end?

Grab your stakes and your rock salt. Monster hunting class is in session.

Review Hunterland by Dana Claire

'Hunterland,' by Dana Claire is a YA paranormal thriller that creates a mesmerizing sense of intrigue right up front.

Why is there a dead body in the local high school at Falkville Falls? Who is this young man who appears to be arriving to investigate said dead body and why does he seem to be so confident? These are all questions that are answered by unraveling the plot of the story, and by the end, the questions all have satisfactory answers. But, just to get you interested, I'll answer one now.

Who is the young man? He is Liam Hunter, a supernatural detective who follows his father and younger sister to Falkville Falls on the trail of a mysterious monster who seems to be killing school nurses and other staff. The story is told through his POV and that of a teenage girl named Olivia Davis, who is one of the students that finds the dead body of her school's athletic advisor in the beginning of the novel.

Initially, when Liam and Olivia meet, they seem to hate each other. She is justifiably suspicious of him and he is just confused about why she doesn't seem to be as receptive to him as most girls his age. But eventually they find a way to come together to solve the mystery of what type of supernatural creature is terrorizing Falkville Falls and put an end to it.

This book subverted a lot of my expectations going into the story. I've never read another paranormal YA that had such an interesting and unpredictable plot, while also having the mainstays of the genre.

I love a good romance and this one truly pulled out all of the stops as far as that aspect was concerned. A great story with a really thrilling ending, 'Hunterland,' is well worth picking up!

Interview with Dana Claire

What initially got you interested in writing? How did you decide to make the move into being a published author?
My interest in writing started as a zealous toddler creating imaginary worlds between the pages. My room overflowed with books, a sea of rainbow-colored spines. And every night, my mother and I would cuddle and read together. I’d construct my own version of my favorite bedtime tales and my parents would happily play along.Later, my mother encouraged me to pursue a life-long dream to be a published author and write stories that would appeal to young people. We had made a promise to co-author a book together, but unfortunately it never came to fruition. After I graduated college, my mother became fatally ill dying two years later of cancer at a relatively young age. It took some time before I processed my grief, but I knew that my writing dreams needed to be fulfilled; as much for myself as for my mother. But the pain of her loss was too great that I didn’t revisit our shared dream until 2020. Determined to make good on my promise to my mom to become a published author, I buckled down and wrote the stories that had consumed my mind for years. My first book, The Connection, book one of a trilogy was published later that year and won the Young Adult Moonbeam Award in 2021. Every time I get overwhelmed or think about giving up, I remember my mom. I think about what she’d say and inspiration kicks back in. Sometimes when I’m writing, I’m tearing up, wondering if she’s over my shoulder inspiring the words on the page. And when I’m finally finished with a book, I always find a piece of her inside…
What attracts you to writing young adult paranormal and science fiction, etc?

I love teenage angst, love, conflict. No one that age has to worry about a mortgage or a 9 to 5 job. It’s all about the boy or girl they like, the teacher that gives them a hard time, the coach that helps them outside of sports, their friends, etc. At that age, their fears, needs and wants are all very different than adults. I like exploring the passion that comes along with that. Remember your first kiss? The nerves. The first time you had a crush. Heart fluttering. Your first date? Sweaty palms. All these moments feel so “big.” And they are, respectively speaking, that is. I like to live in that drama. Now throw in the end of the world, aliens, vampires, pirates, hidden identity or something like that and you have even more fabulous drama to add to all the other teenage excitement. I say that’s a HUGE win and a really fun world to build!

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

Many of my stories showcase two worlds coming together for a common goal. I hope readers feel empowered by my characters and their journey to work together regardless of their differences. At the end of the day, they are fighting for what we all are, the freedom to be who we are, love who we want, and live in peace. It’s a powerful message and one very relevant to current times. I didn’t set out to have a reoccurring theme like this, but I was raised to love all and I believe that comes through in my writing. I’d like to think readers will be left with that feeling and root for harmonization.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

The fans! My most rewarding part of writing has been interacting with my readers. Whether that be on social sites, emails, reviews, etc., they make this lonely art form not so lonely at all. The feedback and reviews have been so incredibly supportive that I wish I could prep for a book launch all time. I love getting videos, posts, pictures and reviews from my very creative fans and using their content to share with others. Hands down my favorite part of the process is having the honor and opportunity to interact with my readers, learn from them, grow as an author because of them, and create a community with them. You guys are the best!!!

What do you find most challenging about writing?

The most challenging aspect of writing for me is time management. If I could write all day and night, I’d be one happy camper but because of my day job, friends, family, working out, I need to balance. I’ve been much better at carving out time in my office dedicated to uninterrupted writing hours but it’s still a daily, weekly, and monthly struggle for me to fine enough time, especially when I have a deadline.

What advice would you give to people want to enter the field?

I love helping people. It’s my passion so I’d love to be asked more what advice I’d give to new authors or those considering the profession. I have so many little nuggets of information to pass on I could talk about it for an entire week and still not be done. But I’ll shorten my answer to save the readers from my soapbox. Aspiring authors, hear me roar! Take the time to learn the industry. Go to conferences, online/virtual events, speak to other authors, and do your research. And stay positive! Let me say that again, stay positive. Do not let self-doubt cloud your ability to fulfill your dream. You are good enough. Your story does need to be heard. And you do have an audience for it. Many writers get caught up in the insecurity of a lonely occupation. Make friends in the industry by joining writer groups, going to events, and staying connected online. My success as a writer is only partially from my deliciously captivating stories, the rest is from the love of my fans, beta readers, my friends, and my family. Without them, I’d be still living my stories in my head rather than seeing them in print.

What is next for Dana Claire?

I have a lot going on in 2023, including three new novels, Sideliners, War of the Land, and HunterLies (book 2 of the Hunterland Series). I also just reopened my street team, Dana’s Darlings. The Darlings and I will be working on promoting a lot of backlist books as well as my new eCommerce store, ShopGiftsforBookLovers.com, a place where you can purchase gifts for the book lover in your life or even yourself. And finally, my biggest announcement yet. I’ll be spearheading Book Brush’s, a marketing platform built for authors, move into the education space. I’ll look to take a proactive approach to drive revenue growth while expanding the company’s literary industry footprint and raising brand awareness. As of February 20^th, I will be Book Brush’s Chief Operation Officer fusing my passion as an author and my profession as a marketer into one. And lastly, I have a book optioned for TV. It’s in its initial stages but we are hopeful it will turn into something. A lot is moving and grooving for me but none of it could be possible without my readers. I am forever grateful.

About Dana Claire

DANA CLAIRE is an award-winning author whose stories explore identity, fate, and destiny in the crossroads of romance and adventure. Her love of romantic tension and the supernatural effortlessly translates into spine-tingling action and unforgettable characters. She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her adoring husband living her dreams: writing books, telling stories, and changing the world, one reader at a time.

Website: https://danaclairebooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danaclaire143
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaClaireBooks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordanaclaire/

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Giveaway Hunterland by Dana Claire

This giveaway is for 3 author signed print copies and is open to Canada, the UK, & the U.S.. This giveaway ends on March 23, 2023 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only. a Rafflecopter giveaway