Summer Splash Book Blog Tour ~ Author Interview ~ Carol Ann King
- Catherine Banks
- Jul 18, 2016
- 8 min read
Summer Splash Book Blog Tour
Make your summer reading SIZZLE with these HOT reads from FRESH new authors!
Author Interview
Carol Ann King
Do you have a favorite genre to write?
Fantasy! If I can make it up, I write about it. My books are all young adult in language and content. If you are looking for Fifty Shades of Grey, I can’t help you. My books are more like Fifty Shades of Blushing.
Do you have a favorite genre to read?
I love cheesy romances, the ones that aren't erotica, but you can tell what the characters are doing. I also enjoy fantasy, paranormal and horror.
What is your writing process? Do you have a writing routine?
Best place for me is at my father’s desk. He was a lawyer and had a big, old, wooden desk that now resides in my living room. It makes me feel at home to sit and write.
As for routine, I probably need a better one. Once I sit down, there is no stopping me. It’s getting there that can be a problem. I do NaNoWriMo in November every year. That, to me, is major motivation. I find I work best under pressure and with time constraints.
I have a hard time putting aside the day to day life problems and just sitting down and writing. Sometimes I let the things around me distract me a little too much. Once I settle at my writing laptop, I am good for hours.
What is the most surprising thing you have heard from your fans?
I think the most surprising is when a reader tries to predict the outcome of the series. They are always way off and come up with some interesting ideas.
What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?
Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter. I answer all of my social media.
What would you say is your favorite thing about becoming an author?
Readers make the greatest moments. I get chills when someone says they like my books. The best, however, has to be when someone wants to have an in depth conversation about the plot and includes their predictions.
Can you tell us 5 random things about yourself?
I love frogs
I own a gecko green jeep
I have a Groot collection
I love purses and own way too many.
I am a Halloween fanatic.
Speed Round:
1. Favorite Food: pasta
2. Favorite Color: I don't have one. I like all colours.
3. Favorite Animal: dogs
4. Favorite Book: Treasure Island
5. Favorite Movie: The NeverEnding Story
6. Favorite Drink: Margarita
7. Favorite Restaurant: Gus & Guidos
BOOK SPOTLIGHT
Title: The Portal Prophecies: A Keeper's Destiny
Author: C.A. King
Series Name: A Keeper's Destiny, Book One
ISBN: 0993913148
Page count: 266
Genre: Fantasy
Price: $0.99 ebook
Author Bio:
C.A. King was born and raised in Halton County. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her two sons. After the loss of her loving parents and husband, Ms. King was devastated. She decided to retire from the workforce for a year or two to do some soul searching. It was during this time that writing became her passion. She found she was able to redirect her emotions through her writing and in 2014 decided to publish some of her works. Today her creation, The Portal Prophecies Series comes to life. Book One, A Keeper’s Destiny, Book Two, A Halloween’s Curse, Book Three, Frost Bitten, Book Four, Sleeping Sands and Book Five, Deadly Perceptions are currently available for purchase. Book Six is scheduled for release this fall.
Blurb:
The main protagonist, Willow, is a teenage girl growing up on her own in a magical world where the events of the past are a mystery. A series of events set her and her friends on a journey like no other, leading them to a new understanding of themselves, their feelings and their abilities. As they begin to unravel all that previously transpired, they find themselves the sole opposition to a plot that could destroy all existence. The one clue they have is a book filled with hundreds of predictions called ‘The Portal Prophecies’. Deciphering them however, will not be an easy task. Written by someone from their past, the pages are lined with riddle like poems. Even worse they appear to be in no particular order.
Each book is based on a different prophecy leading our heroes and heroines to new places and new friends while experiencing growing pains along the way. The entire series, delves deep into the understanding of magic and self-discovery, all the while questioning the right versus wrong equation on personal levels.
As the books progress, readers will find some new explanations for old tales, myths, legends, folk lore and unusual phenomena that could just make them question the validity of stories we all have grown up with. Vampires, Witches, Ghosts, Monsters, Santa Claus, Atlantis, Elves, Dragons, Faeries, find out the alternate truth to them all.
How long did it take to write the book?
3 months for the first draft.
What inspired you to write the book?
I had some tragic moments in my life. I am an avid day-dreamer. Closing my eyes one day, this world evolved in my mind. I saw the characters, how they moved, how they interacted. Each one came to life. It was the world I wanted to run away to. A place I wished I could live in. I not only wanted to share that with others, but I need it to help battle depression.
Did you do any research, and if so, what did that involve?
The wonderful thing about Fantasy is there isn't a lot of research. No one can argue with you about whether you are correct or not if you made up the details.
It's like building your own monster at Halloween for decoration. Since it is your creation, only you know what it is supposed to look like.
What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?
A place to escape to for a while when things are hard in real life.After losing my mother, father and husband in a short time, I decided to take some time off work and do a bit of soul searching. I have always been a daydreamer with a vivid imagination. One day I started doodling and it turned into a story. I found writing eased the pain. So I kept writing. I knew the stories were good because they had kept me happily daydreaming for years.
If I have a bad day and close my eyes. I can travel to a world where things are just a little brighter and get lost there for a while. I want to share that with my readers. When they need to forget about the present even for a few minutes, I want them to be able to grab one of my books and smile again.
Where can we go to buy your book?
Any other links or info you'd like to share?
Excerpt from book:
Everything was happening so quickly. One minute Willow was talking to her friend Ashlyn and now here she was standing in a lavish room face to face with the boy from the forest. His piercing blue eyes were staring straight into hers, as if seeing her soul.
“Hello,” he said with a smile. “I was wondering if we would ever meet again. Tell me how did you escape the necrid fire?”
“How … how did you get into my dream? What happened to my friend?” Willow barked.
“How?” he laughed. “You called me here. Actually, seems a little unfair you know my name and I don’t know yours.”
Willow realized earlier she had thought of him for a brief moment. “Lance … your name. I was thinking of the forest and what happened. That was enough to call you here?”
“Yes, but how exactly do you know my name?” Lance moved to the back of a chair and rested against it waiting for a reply.
“I heard someone call you in the forest when I was running away,” she said.
“So, back to the beginning, You know my name, but what is yours?” he said.
“Why did you do it? Why did you destroy my home?” Willow asked ignoring the prince’s question.
“That is a long story. Why don’t you tell me how you escaped?” he asked getting a bit aggravated.
That seemed to be an ongoing theme for her with boys, she aggravated them. Willow’s mind turned to a similar conversation she had with Mike. She decided after remembering the duct tape that she needed to come up with an answer for the prince. “I … don’t know,” she answered with a sigh. “I know I was in an accident and a doctor sedated me so I could rest. If you had let my friend stay longer she might have told me more.” She wasn’t really lying about that, so even if he had the ability to sense an untruth he wouldn’t question what she had just said. She wasn’t about to give him more information than she needed to. He may be cute but she wasn’t stupid.
Do you have a Favorite Quote from the book or series?
“Be careful not to lose yourself in a world you have created with magic, for it is in our own imagination that reality can sometimes become the illusion. ~ Drakondia ~ Sleeping Sands” ― Carol Ann King, Sleeping Sands
What is in store next for you?
This fall the sixth book in my series comes out. That is the final book. You can expect a spin off series, but the main plot of this series comes to an end.I have been asked for a cookies and treats cook book, which some of my characters may help out with. I am hoping it will be ready before December.I have two brand new series underway. The first, Tomoiya’s Story, is an alien/vampire tale. The second Mer-Alliance, is you guessed it, mermaids. Both looking at 2017 dates.
I also have a blog of interviews which will continue and I am writing a weekly column for Books & Quills Magazine.
Tell us about your cover - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.
Each one has something to do with the book, but doesn't give away any spoilers. My son designed the original book covers and Michelle for Eyes of a Crow designed my collector covers http://crowskin.wix.com/eyesofacrow#!illustration-work/r5gp3
Why should we read this book (or series) and what sets you apart from the rest? / What makes your book/series unique?
People need to decide this for themselves. There is magic throughout my series and magic throughout our own existence. We need to harness that magic and make the world a better place.
One of the ways I try to incorporate that idea into everyday life is through my swag. My books have environmental issues woven into the plot. There are also great trees (right now Tree of Justice, Hope, Freedom and Love). What better swag could there be than tree seedlings. You get to plant your own great tree for whatever you need and spread a little magic to the environment. It's a win-win.
Who would you recommend this book to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?
People do die sometimes.
Who is your favorite character? Why?
Obviously, Willow, the protagonist will resonate with readers. As for supporting characters ~ Jade ~. I love her! She evolves so much through the series that you won’t know she is the same girl by the end. It’s a spoiler but she has a big role to play.
I am going to cheat a bit here. I recently had a question on Goodreads about characters and the following was my answer.
I think of my characters like children. In the beginning of a series, they are in their “raw” form and that is deliberate on my part. I want the reader to be there and actually see what makes them who they are.
In my personal opinion there isn’t enough time in one book to experience the growing pains of life. In a series, however, you have a chance for not only the protagonist to learn, but, also really delve deep into expanding on the supporting characters as well.
It’s important to me, that if a person takes the time to read my books, they can fully invest their emotions into every aspect. When you meet a character, they have a purpose and aren’t just there for page filler. To me, there is nothing worse than having someone introduced into a story and never hearing about them again.
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Carol Ann King
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