Interview & Giveaway with Erin Kellison

Hi Erin, Welcome back to Anna's Book Blog! It's a pleasure having you here again. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself? It’s a pleasure to be back again! And thanks for having me. J I’ve always loved to read, always wanted to tell stories. I asked for a typewriter for Christmas when I was nine (then sat and stared at the blank page not knowing how to start). I attempted my first book when I was eleven. I have those pages in a folder out in the garage. I should dig them out and post them one day. But it wasn’t until I had a kid of my own that I completed my first book.

Fire Kissed is your newest release, can you tells us a little about it and the series? Fire Kissed is the first book in my new Shadow Kissed series. It’s set in the same world as my original Shadow series, but the focus has shifted to a group of people with magic (what I call Shadow) in their blood. They are what I call mages and are organized in hereditary Houses with a history of magical ability. As magic floods back into our modern world, these Houses are rising in power because they can cope with and exploit the dangers that come with a new age of darkness. Magekind’s arch enemy is the Order, the organization of angels on earth who are dedicated to the well-being of humankind. The Order has always fought against Shadow. In Fire Kissed, we have a first, unlikely and… umm… temperamental union between a mage and an angel.

Here’s the blurb:
Fae Fire

It is Kaye Brand's power to wield. But outcast from her kind, she's been selling herself to the highest bidder - money for her survival in exchange for a magic glimpse into the flames of the future.

Angel Ice 
One of the angelic Order, Jack Bastian has no use for a female like Kaye, as provocative and unexpected as her blazing beauty. Yet he has no choice but to hire her to uncover the secrets of his sworn enemy and her former fiance, Ferrol Grey.

Magekind 
War is inevitable between the defenders of the Order and the mage Houses who threaten to engulf the world in Shadow. For Jack, mage-born Kaye is off limits, no matter how hot the impossible attraction between them. But in the coming darkness, beset by danger and desire, everything is about to change...

What is your writing day like? 

The truth? I hit snooze on the alarm about five times until I am awakened by a lightning bolt of panic to either get the kids to school or to pick up the house because the baby-sitter is coming in nine minutes. (Yes, the babysitter gets the benefit of my cleaning up.) Eat breakfast while hitting email and FB. Turn on Freedom to shut myself off the Internet because I have no self-control to stay off the Internet on my own. Open my story file, stare at it until I start reading, revise what I am reading until I get to the blank page, then keep going until Freedom shuts off. Then I look at email and surf until a new bolt of where-has-the-time-gone? goes through me, and turn on Freedom again. And write. I’m usually well into a groove by the time I have to turn into a mom again and have to tear myself away from my laptop (mildly cursing, once or twice crying).

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read?

I like to read everything. Really, everything. Lately I’ve read Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, Justin Cronin’s The Passage, and Kate Douglas’ Dream Bound. Enjoyed them all. I think I’d like to head into historical territory next. I’m taking suggestions.  :)

Since becoming published, what has been your favorite part of the process? 

Easy. Getting to do what I love—write stories—as my JOB. Working in pj's is another perk.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book? 

1. A good sense of my main characters and the basic plot points
2. Snacks (used to be peanut m&ms, but at the moment have a 100 cal pack of Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie Crisps)
3. Quiet

Can you tell us about your experience with being signed to Kensington/Zebra? 

I have had a great experience with Kensington—the team there is fantastic—but I love Alicia Condon, my editor. I worked with her at Dorchester, where my first books were published, and now have the privilege of her insight and counsel again. I have learned so much and can’t thank her enough.

Am I correct in thinking that The Shadow Kissed Series is spin-off from The Shadow Touch series? Will we be seeing any Shadow Touch characters in this new series?

The Shadow Touch novella series (Shadow Touch, Shadow Play, Shadow Hunt, and Shadow Untitled) occupies the same world and shares some of the same characters from both my original Shadow series (Shadow Bound, Shadow Fall, Shadowman) and my new Shadow Kissed series (Fire Kissed, plus), but right now I don’t see Cam and Ellie being featured in upcoming books. Maybe they will… I just don’t know. My intent was to use the novellas to bridge the original series with the Kissed series that I’m working on now.

If you could give your lead characters one piece of advice, what would it be? 

I’d caution them: Just when you think everything is going to be a-okay, watch out!

If you can, please tell us what is next for you? 

I’ve just finished up Shadow Hunt (Shadow Touch novella #3) and I’m going to dive in to Mage Kissed (Shadow Kissed #2) for the rest of the summer, early fall. I’ve got a couple of conferences coming up, too: RWA Nationals in Anaheim (HUGE Multi-author Book signing open to the public on July 25. For more info, go here: http://www.rwa.org/cs/literacy_autographing) and I’ll be at Authors After Dark in New Orleans in August. It’s a great con for lovers of romance and also has a book signing. For more info, check out AuthorsAfterDark.org.

For excerpts and more information, please come find me at: Erin’s website: www.ErinKellison.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErinKellisonAuthor Twitter: www.twitter.com/EKellison

Fire Kissed can be purchased at these retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Despository | IndieBound

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Erin I have a copy of Fire Kissed to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to everyone (Int'l too) The winner will be announced on July 17th. Good Luck!