Hello, how are you today? Tell us about yourself.
Hi Rebekah. Thank so much for having me on your blog! I’m very excited to share my experiences and new book with you and your readers.
I guess I’ll start with telling you all a bit about myself and what I write. Currently, I’m a stay at home mom of two energetic boys, a German pointer puppy, and a cat with too much attitude. I live with my kids, critters, and husband, in the full-of-life city of Calgary AB, Canada.
With the help of my publicist, Mickey Mikkelson, I’m launching my first book, Harmless, September 12th; an event to be held at the Owl’s Nest in Calgary. It’s been quite the journey to get this far and I can’t wait to see what the next few months hold.
So, I mentioned my book… Let me tell you a bit about it. I think my back cover synopsis explains it best.
HARMLESS
YA, Paranormal, Thriller
Be careful what you wish for.
After moving from Vancouver to isolated Hazelton, BC, high school senior Rachel Barnes hopes she’ll finally find closure and a sense of direction after tragedy has torn her family apart. When she and her friends discover the old spirit box her grandmother gave her, they see it as a chance to wish their troubles away. But the Great Spirits—deer, crow, bear, and the mythical wendigo—give away nothing for free.
So instead of worrying about fitting in and finding a boyfriend, Rachel finds herself in a race to control the malevolent spirit who’s taken up residence in Mason Allen, who she fears and craves in equal measure. What began as a harmless game forces Rachel to confront her past—and offers her a future she never imagined.
Step into a reality that is not as it seems in Book 1 of the Harmless series.
I have never seen a deer that looked so mystical and threatening. That’s an amazing cover. Can you tell us what inspired this book?
The inspiration, or more so, idea, came from a spark about writing a book about a box that grants wishes. Now, that idea is very plain and I have obviously built on it a lot. The inspiration for growing this idea came from my love of reading.
My favorite thing, as a reader is finding the little moments and details in a story that make that piece of fiction into something almost real. I tried very hard to tell the little stories within the story in this book; to make Harmless something––believable.
The spirit box, in Harmless, contains four spirit animals; a bear, deer, crow, and wendigo. Each white except for the last. I thought to myself, where could a fabled box like this exist? Was there a legend? Are there any place in this world that have populations of these animals? YES! Hazelton BC! Where the story is set.
In the area surrounding Hazelton, there are populations of Kermode bears (spirit bears). There, they number more than any other place in the world. Kermode bears are black bears born white and in some indigenous cultures are fabled to bring omens. I felt this town was the perfect setting to make my bit of fiction a little more real.
After that explanation I'm sure I know this answer but I will ask anyway to be sure. Are you a pantser or a plotter or both?
Both. I try very hard to be a plotter, but sometimes an idea comes to me and I just have to go with it. I think my tendency to lean towards pantser is what makes my stories pleasantly unpredictable.
Writing like that, I know, make it unpredictable for the author too. You learn about your story as it comes out, and not before. What is one life lesson you have learned as an author?
Being an author is like owning your own business. You make the product, market it, promote it, and hopefully sell a ton of it. I’ve also learned that it’s all in the details. You have to take the time to understand every aspect of what you are undertaking if you want to succeed.
I love Young Adult books! I know, some people will argue that YA is more of a style then a genre, but that’s what I like to read. What do I like about YA? The pacing of the story; it’s fast and ever changing. The characters; they are going through firsts and big changes. And most often, YA is written in first person, which gives the reader a sense of closeness to the story.
I will read almost anything that’s considered YA.
Well thank you for this look into your journey as an author. Is there anything you want to say to your fans?
I’m working hard to get book two of the Harmless series out by next year. So hang in there! You’ll soon be able read what happens next with Rachel, Mason, and Nate.
Thanks for answering my questions, Katherine. I hope your debut goes smashingly well, but I won't make a wish about it. I hear wishes can get tricky.
Once again, thank for having me Rebekah. Happy reading and writing everyone!
Katherine
And how could we not like an author with a kickass profile pic like this one?
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