LM Pruitt-- Shades of Gray

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She is the author of Shades of Gray: A Jude Magdalyn Novel, available on Kindle and through Amazon.com in September, and Shades of Desire, available in November. She is currently at work on New Moon Rising, a new series featuring Cari Gravier.

Jude Magdalyn Henries has what some-okay, many-would call an unconventional life. Orphaned at birth, raised by nuns, teenage runaway, fake tarot-card reader-there's very little about Jude that's normal. Jude plays hard, which means she has to work at least semi-hard, but when she accepts an invitation to do a private tarot reading, "unconventional" takes on a whole new meaning.
Almost nothing shocks Jude anymore, but when she finds out that she's the last in a line of matriarchal leaders of a magical group, shock is definitely what she feels. The Covenant has been waiting for Jude to come into her power for the last twenty-five years. Then there's the war between vampire factions for the city of New Orleans. Jude and the Covenant must choose a side, and choose it fast. In the end, the fate of the city hinges on one final battle from roof top to Bourbon Street to the bottom of the Mississippi River.

What will readers like about your book?
Shades of Gray is written from the perspective of a woman that's not that different from most of us. Maybe her background is a little crazy, but she likes to drink and party and curse like a sailor as much as the next guy-or rather girl. Jude is that girl that everyone is shocked by and at the same time they wouldn't turn down an invitation to head to the local dive bar with her. In short, she's fun, compelling, and people won't want to stop reading just to see what she'll say next.

Why did you go indie?
I actually addressed this topic on my blog earlier this month. I love tradition, but I also love innovation. The advent of e-readers such as the Kindle and the Nook have allowed for more affordable publishing which in turn is allowing for a wider audience. My books are available in both paperback (through Amazon.com) and Kindle formatting, a nod to both tradition and innovation. The decision to go indie was also influenced by a tighter economy-agents and publishers aren't going to be as likely to take a risk as they were in earlier decades. While I understand this, I believe in the work I've produced and the story I've told. Going indie is the best way to get that story out there.

Who are your favorite authors in the genre?
Do I have to pick? Off the top of my head, I'd say Laurell K. Hamilton, Rachel Vincent, Patricia Briggs, and Charlaine Harris.

Blog: http://www.lmpruitt.blogspot.com