Blog Tour + Author Interview + Review : The Darkest Desension (Breaking Insanity, #3) by Courtney Lane

Blog Tour

The Darkest Descension

(Breaking Insanity, #3)

by Courtney Lane

Dec 7th - Dec 11th

The Breaking Insanity saga concludes with an explosive and bittersweet ending….

With the world around them spinning out of control, Nikki and Eric will decide how far they are willing to descend to obtain what they want the most.

Nikki faces a tough situation that changes everything she thought she knew and tests her fragile limits. In order to get what she wants, she must do the one thing she swore to never do.

Unable to fight his nature, Eric quickly realizes he’s losing a fight against something he can’t control. Despite increasingly dire circumstances, Eric refuses to relent. He will fight to regain control of what he lost….by any means necessary.

  

Welcome COURTNEY LANE!!!

BC~ Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. Courtney Lane , congratulations on your success with the series. I know I was anxiously awaiting for what came after Sordid Promises once finding out you’d decided to give us more... What inspired you to write this series and what drew you to these dark and damaged characters?

It’s my pleasure. Thank you for having me.

I’ve always been fascinated by the darker sides of life and human desires. From a very young age I have been such a huge fan of superheroes and super heroines. While I always fell in love with the hero/heroine, I was utterly fascinated by the villain.

My stories contain darker themes because I feel it’s the best way to dive into the psychology of the characters. I’m a sociology and psychology enthusiast. The themes I include in my stories allow me to explore what intrigues me the most about human nature.

The Sordid Promise came about from a hodgepodge of elements. A movie, a question, and a pending case. I mixed it all together and created The Sordid Promise.

BC~ Any hints on future releases you have planned? Will there be spin-off stories involving certain characters from any of your other series?

I’m currently bouncing between five different novels right now. I have plans for a paranormal book that takes place in the same world as The Vamp Experience Series (temporarily unpublished). A character from TVE will have a cameo in the new book.

I’m also working on the followups to The Sect. It was unexpected, but as I reread the story and chatted with one of my beta-readers, I realized Keaton’s story was far from finished. There will be four books in the series.

BC~ Which is your favorite scene between Eric & Nikki anything you would like to CONFESS?

Oh, that’s a tough one. My favorite scene in The Darkest Descension happened after the ordeal in the car. It was a very crucial turning point. My second favorite would be when they were sharing their secrets with each other during the bathroom scene in The Starkest Truth.

I can confess.. this will probably get a lot of gasps, but I didn’t like Eric until the end of the The Darkest Descension.

BC~ What part was the most difficult to write?

Writing for Eric in general is difficult. He’s not a hard character to write, he’s just very hard on me mentally and emotionally.

BC~ What can we expect next?

My next release will be The Rebirth of Sin, the second book to follow The Sect. It’s a harsh, jarring, and raw story of Keaton’s continuing journey. Whether she’s evolving or devolving—it will have to be discovered when the book releases in February. Expect the completely unexpected with the new installment.

BC~ What/Who was your inspiration for “The Breaking Insanity Series”? We fans know Eric is a manipulator and a killer but was there any truth behind any of the characters: possibly some real life experiences told to you and elaborated on a bit , purely fiction, or a fabricated scenario triggered by events?

Minor pieces of Eric were loosely derived from someone I used to know. The other characters were inspired by what I know of psychology, news events, and my own experiences with mental illness. The rest is purely fiction.

BC~ I know you mentioned in your opening to The Starkest Truth how you wrote it as it was meant to be.. No influences ~ I for one was a huge fan of TSP but do have to admit TST while still suspenseful and secretive was a lot more to the point – Although while still answering questions managed to create more.. Yes still a total Mind Fuck – not that I’m complaining ☺
I’m a glutton for punishment.. What’t the biggest difference you think your readers will see?

I hope readers will see my growth as a writer. When I look back at The Sordid Promise, I see a lot of flaws and a lot of room for improvement. I am my own worst critic, so I’m constantly trying to improve my craft and make my stories tighter and more in line with the books I enjoy reading.

BC~ What type of books do you read? Genre?

I love fantasy, psychological thrillers, true crime stories, mysteries, contemporaries, sci-fi, autobiographies, occasionally horror, and the classics.

BC ~ I saw you’ll be attending the Submit and Devour signing in Miami 2016, do you have plans on attending any other signings? (I’ll be there BTW and can’t wait to meet you in person)

Some things happened this year (after I signed up) that make me a little uncertain if I can still attend. I’m trying my best to make sure I can. There are so many people I would love to meet and chat with in person—especially you :)

I may attend more signings in the future once things settle down in my personal life—at least once a year.

BC~ Who is your most favorite character from any of your books, and why? I know that’s like asking a mother to choose her favorite child, but I won’t tell anyone!

I look at my characters as entities instead of extensions of myself, and some of those entities surprise me by turning into monsters. LOL.

I definitely have my favorites and sometimes it changes with every book. My number one favorite will never change: Porter Hanson from Punk Shock Love Society. He was the easiest and the most enjoyable character to write about. If ever there was a model for my idea fictional boyfriend and husband, it would be him. He exemplifies unconditional love, patience, and undying loyalty. He’s damaged but not in a way where it completely debilitates him. He’s an alpha male, but not over the top with it. Love him!

BC~ Well obviously we need to know more about Eric’s character.. GAhhh that man had a dirty mouth on him.. How may I ask do you come up with those scenes, lines, scenarios? Hahaha

I have a very dirty imagination ;)  So much so I would love to write a purely smutty book one day. If I’m stuck on a one-liner, I’ll usually ask my husband.

BC~ Was there anyone you used as your Muse? (real person/actor)
I know while reading I tend to imagine my own characters – start making a list of fave attributes, features etc. ..well you know … anyone you’d like to share ☺

I naturally build the physical attributes of a character in my head. There was only one character I had a living muse for before writing him, and that was Elias Cari from Delusive.

The live visual muses for Eric and Nikki didn’t exactly exist when I wrote The Sordid Promise. As a hobbyist graphic artist, I was able to build them from composite photos. A reviewer showed me her muse for Eric, and it was very close to my vision for Eric. I haven’t seen “my” living and breathing Nikki yet.

BC ~ And Nikki... loved her! It was bitter sweet seeing her gain her ground in TST and then watch it crumble and slip through her hands.. I definitely don't want to spoil anything for future readers so I’ll stop there… She was such a complex character more so than Eric IMO.. So fragile yet so strong, So blunt she was like an open book – but yet so methodical at times she would carefully choose her words..

I’m so glad you think so. I think sometimes we inherently believe that a strong character has to fit a certain set of attributes to be considered strong. I don’t believe that you have to be the stereotype for a strong woman in order to exemplify inner strength. It comes in many forms, and I believe that Nikki has always been quietly strong. It’s not easy to go to battle with your mind everyday.

BC ~ I have to CONFESS and don’t mind in the very least…. this series is Phenomenal!!! A fantastic dark read I have always recommended and will continue to do so.. And You’ve made it that much better with the continuation and the background history on Eric.. THANK YOU!!

Thank you for your support! I appreciate it so much.

I tend to take a lot of chances with my work, and I’m grateful for every reader and blogger who enjoys my work.

Thank you for having me <3 This was a fun interview :)

The BREAKING INSANITY Series

The Sordid Promise

(Breaking Insanity, #1)

***Warning: Contains graphic language, frequent graphic sex, violence, and very dark themes.
Can be read as a standalone.

When physical pain allows you to escape your reality; what do you do when the pain is no longer strong enough to quiet the emotional ache?

Diouana "Nikki" returned to her hometown six months ago to tend to her sick mother. She thought she'd left her "baggage" behind her on the opposite coast, only to find that it never left her side. As her self-destructive thoughts begin to consume her, her mother -- realizing Nikki's torment -- pushes Nikki to complete her last wishes.

Eric Brenton, Nikki's new neighbor, lives in a dark, chaotic world that is easily hidden behind his model good looks and cocky demeanor. Unapologetic about his dirtier intentions, he sets his sights on Nikki with an offer to help her. But his help comes with very unorthodox conditions and a huge price.

And Eric...comes with an extensive black box warning label

The Starkest Truth

(Breaking Insanity, #2)

This is not a romance.

After her recent nuptials, Nikki Brenton is quickly thrust into a world she once avoided. Unable to adjust, her unhealthy addictions begin to tempt her and threaten to poison more than her sanity.

Nothing has ever been peaceful for Eric Brenton, and his life with Nikki is no exception. The past he suppressed has returned to wreak havoc on his life. He quickly discovers he can’t avoid his past, because it’s ready to attack him where he is most vulnerable.

When the truth is as subjective as reality, the line between trust and doubt is tested; for Nikki and Eric the line may come dangerously close to disintegrating.

Content contains descriptive violence, graphic sex, coarse language, and scenes that some readers may find objectionable. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

  

COURTNEY LANE has been creating her own little world since she was very young. When she was eight years old,  she began to bring her worlds to life with a pen and paper.

Although she's had a few short hiatuses, writing has been her passion for a number of years. Until 2013, she'd always viewed her writing as a personal hobby and a purgative process: She never thought about sharing her very personal works with anyone outside of her friends and family. On October 8, 2013, she took the plunge into self-publishing and began making her works available to the public.

While many of her works touch several different genres, she has an  archetype when it comes to the female protagonists in her stories — they have to have certain brand of strength, be deeply flawed, and harbor layered personalities. In her books you will find themes that reflect the darker side of life with a tremendous amount of depth and complexity. She also has an affinity for characters that aren't necessarily the girl or boy next door, or the people you'd encounter in everyday life. In other words, she prefers to explore characters who aren't easy to fall in love with.

Currently, Courtney can be found either working on her next book, playing the latest role-playing game on her X-Box (preferably a game by BioWare), or spending time with her family.

  

  

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