Alex, can you introduce yourself?
I’m Alex Noziak, part-witch, part-shaman, total magic-wielding screw up with an uncanny ability to make things worse. I’m also part of a fledgling covert Agency called the Invisible Recruits. Six women recruited to fight preternatural bad guys and keep the world safe from humans who didn’t even know the stuff of nightmares is as close as the next stranger, the dark alley ahead, the cashier whose smile is forced.
Was it only a few months ago I thought being in prison sucked? That was a piece of cake compared to what I’m dealing with now—deranged, power-hungry druids, demons with plans to annihilate all humans and a sexy, arrogant, warlock.
Okay, that last one isn’t that bad. Most days. Even if Bran, my lover, sometime friend, is still one of the biggest complications in a complicated life.
What about your childhood? Any favorite memories?
I grew up in Mud Lake, Idaho, the youngest of five, with the four older being all boys. They all happened to be wolf shifters, like my dad. He was part-shifter, full Shoshone shaman. My mom was the one who gifted, or cursed me, with magic. She was a born-to-the-blood Celtic witch. She also abandoned the family when I was five. As for good memories, I was blessed with the best brothers in the world, unless I was doing something they didn’t want me to do. Then they became pains in the backside. But they did teach me everything I know about hardscrabble fighting, how to keep going when I really, really wanted to give up and curl into a fetal position, and what honor, courage and responsibility really mean. Doing the hard thing when it needs to be done.
Can you tell us a little more about Bran?
Bran looks like a cross between a Halleluiah prayer answered and one’s best wet dream. Thick dark hair, killer sky-blue eyes, cheekbones that make my own Shoshone facial structure look flat.
Danger. Seduction. And trouble with a capital ‘T’. Woman trouble. My trouble.
Have I mentioned that warlocks and witches are sworn enemies? Plus warlocks are an iffy bunch. Arrogant. Egotistical. Selfish. And that’s on their good days.
Right. Anything you want to share about your Agency missions?
Let’s see. First mission happened before we were even out of training. A traitor had joined the ranks of new recruits and I had to figure out who, and what, she was, before she sabotaged the Agency before we’d had our first mission. Then I was tasked to enter the world of the rich and hoity toity—Bran’s world—looking for someone behind a series of worldwide thefts. But the problem was bigger than secrets stolen. Bigger and more deadly. Good news was I met Bran. Bad news, I met his conniving cousin who turned out to be a Grimple. Nasty creatures. From there the missions start to blur. We went after the Weres holding my oldest brother captive while they were experimenting to find a way to drug and control preternatural beings. Just about died, more than once, but we did get Van, my brother, back. Just in time to go after a druid who wasn’t afraid to use anyone, human and non-human, in his quest to free a two thousand year old demon. Oh, and I forgot the crazy djinn we crossed paths with in Africa. It’s been a really busy few months.
Sounds like it. Any plans for the near future?
Is staying alive a plan? I’m actually off on a suicide mission to the Underworld with my best friend and fellow teammate, Kelly McAllister. Mandy Reyes, another teammate, is also along on the assignment, which doesn’t bode well for any of us. Mandy has hot Latin blood, a mouth like a stevedore, the patience of a gnat and is a spirit walker. Spirit-walkers have no souls so can cross that thin line between the human world and the spirit world, but do so at their peril. It’s one thing to be able to communicate with spirits from the human side, a whole other thing to cross into their playing field. All the spirits had to do was catch a spirit-walker unaware and they could hijack their human shells. One second, long dead, the next, back among the land of the living.
We’re going after an ancient demon with no idea if we can find him, find him in time to stop his plans to unleash havoc on the world, or find a way back.
Wish us luck.
You can read more about Alex Noziak, and the other members of the Invisible Recruit Agency in any of the first six novels and two novellas published by Cantwell Publishing. The first story in the series Invisible Prison is currently free on all online book retailers. Watch for the next novel in the series, Invisible Secrets, in late November.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on November 19 for the chance to win a copy of INVISIBLE MAGIC, the novel where Alex meets Bran and life gets complicated, very quickly. A hardback copy giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, an e-copy to anyone.
About the author
USA Today bestselling author Mary Buckham writes Urban Fantasy with attitude. Love romance, danger & kick-ass heroines? Find it in her Invisible Recruits series! She also writes the Amazon best selling WRITING ACTIVE series for writers WRITING ACTIVE SETTING and WRITING ACTIVE HOOKS Find more info here: www.MaryBuckham.com or www.InvisibleRecruits.com. Or friend her on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads.
This is a different genre for you 🙂
Hi Gram and thank you for stopping by! Do you mean this is a different genre for Dru or for myself? Or for Alex? Since I also write writing craft books, and need more coffee, I’m easily confused 🙂
Wow this sounds like the beginning of a great series! Thanks for the chance!
What a great response Terri! It is a fun series and the deeper I get into writing more the more exciting and hang-on-to-your hats the stories become. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds amazing, would love to read/win this book
Thank you Debbie ~ by posting you’re in the drawing for the book and the first novella in the series – INVISIBLE PRISON is currently free so it’s a great way to dip your feet into Alex’s world. I appreciate your stopping by and posting!
Wow! Not a dull moment n her life!
LOL! Libby you nailed Alex’s world to a T! It actually can be exhausting to write. 🙂 Some readers have described these stories as combination romances, mysteries and thrillers — a little something for readers of all those genres plus the paranormal/preternatural world elements. 🙂
Dru ~ thank you so very much for hosting me, and Alex, today. She keeps tapping me on the shoulder to say “Did you tell them about . . .” Who knew she’d loved to be interviewed so much!!
I love this series. Been a fan for a while. I highly recommend Mary’s books. This was a fun “interview” with Alex. I love reading her point of view.
Hi Brenda! Lovely for you to stop by and share. Alex is a hoot and it’s so fun to have readers who enjoy getting to know her as much as I do!
Love the series, Mary! (But then, I think you knew that already *winks*). I have a question for Alex, though. Alex, you and Kelly are about as opposite as can be, yet you two are close friends. Why do you think that is? And why do you have a problem with her dating your brother? LOL.
Hey Maggie! Great questions. I think for Alex, Kelly is someone she initially saw as needing protection given Kels is so darn nice and friendly and assumes the best of people (which, as you know, is not Alex’s approach to life) 🙂 But a lot of folks underestimate Kelly’s strengths and as Kelly embraced her own kick-ass-attitude the friendship hit a few bumps. As for Kelly and Alex’s brother Van – well it’s that protective instinct of Alex’s again. She doesn’t want her brother hurt and while Kelly might not intentionally hurt him falling in love has consequences (as Alex knows well) and she’s trying to spare Van that as well as Kelly because Van doesn’t have a great track record with love either. Hope that helps!
What an ingenious way to introduce Alex and your INVISIBLE RECRUITS series to new readers! Invisible Magic was my introduction to the Urban Fiction Genre. Mary’s writing is exceptionally good and will pull any reader in. The characters in her books are very well developed, as you can see from this blog. Mary Buckham is a gifted writer who draws you into the pages of her books until you feel you are part of the story!
Thank you Claudia! I love writing flawed characters (ow! Alex, stop smacking me!) okay, characters that are three-dimensional, and exploring their fears, vulnerabilities and even strengths that don’t realize they possess. I’m glad they are as real to you as they are to me! Thanks for stopping by to post!
Wow. What a woman!
LOL! Connie – I just wish Alex would share some of her stamina with me. I’ve got her snark in spades but a little extra energy to keep up with her would be nice 🙂 Thanks for visiting today!
Mary – What a fun post! I love Alex, and Kelly too.
Gail
Thank you Gail! Coming from a fellow author this means the world to me. You rock!
Hi Mary! Love reading your interviews and your books. Thanks for sharing with us.
Brenda ~ I really appreciate your support. It’s reader like you that keep authors writing (no matter what our characters put us through). Thanks so much!
I love this series! Great characters, action, adventure, and humor make the series a fun read. One of my favorite authors!
Thank you Melissa ~ made my day! Of course Alex says – what else could you expect from a Noziak Appreciate your taking the time to visit!
This looks like a great book….. but it is an autobuy already, just look who wrote it! 🙂
Ah, thank you Mary! You made my day 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to visit and share.
This Recruit book is another exciting Alex adventure. Grimples..I love it and I bet we all have a touch of Grimple hanging from our family trees.
LOL! Nancy I’m not sure we admit in public to having Grimples as kin. And, in spite of what she was, Bran did mourn her death and he wasn’t all that happy with Alex as a result either. So many challenges for this witch/shaman to overcome!
I haven’t read this one yet(I do own it though) but LOVED Invisible Fears featuring Kelly McAllister. It sucked me as a BIG fan!
Hi Denise! it’s been really fun following two very different personalities who inhabit the same world but in very different ways. Alex is the kick-ass, smart-ass gal we want to call when we’re in dire danger. Kelly’s the nicer, rule-follower until others are in danger and then the rule book goes out the window! And they’re best friends, most of the time. Neither let me catch my breath 🙂 Thanks for coming by to share!
Alex is so awesome! Great interview! Amazing series!
Hey Heather how fun to have you here! Alex is giving yo a thumb up too! Thank you!
I love Alex and the world she lives in. Being a book ninja is probably the closet thing I will get to that kind of excitement though! I will admit that I have only read Invisible Prision and then had the honor to beta read Kelly’s new adventure. The other books are all on my to be read list. I can’t wait to meet Bran he sounds like a yummy piece of work and a great match for Alex!
LOL! I’m with you. Sometimes the excitement that Alex lives is enough excitement for me, too. I’m glad she’s off saving the world because that’s too big of a job for us regular humans 🙂 Thanks for being a Ninja and enjoying what you’ve read of the series!
Interesting storyline! Thank you for the contest!
Glad you enjoyed Betty. Thank you for stopping by and posting!
have the first 2.. cant wait for the 3rd
Thanks Sher! I’m typing as fast as I can 🙂 and with readers like you it makes it a pure delight to write! Thanks so much!
contest is closed. Thanks Mary for interacting with my readers.
Thank you Dru ~ it’s been a real pleasure!