Author Interview with Karen Kincy + Giveaway!

Hey guys, and welcome to Day 1 of the Crossroads Tour!  For the rest of the month, I will be posting interviews with YA authors who are part of the tour.  I will also be hosting a giveaway (which you can enter today), that will end on Halloween.

Don't forget to check out the Wolfy Chicks blog for today's research question!  You need all 16 correct answers in order to be entered in the grand prize giveaway.

 
 

A shameless nerd and lover of snark, Karen lives in western Washington, where she recently graduated from The Evergreen State College. She ripped off her hometown of Snohomish, WA for the fictional locale of Klikamuks, where Other takes place. When she’s not at her computer, writing, she’s probably out in the forest with her notebook, writing, or on a photography expedition with her trusty digital camera. She likes to imagine werewolves lurking among the trees.


Karen is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger, Inc. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

 
 

Connect with Karen:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Can you tell readers one unique thing about yourself?

I grow Venus flytraps on my kitchen windowsill. And feed them mosquitoes that tried to feed off of me. They’re part of my collection of plantlings.

How long did it take you to write Other?

About two years, I think, with maybe another year of solid revisions. It’s all kind of hazy now, since I drafted it within a few months, let it sit, revised, let it sit more, etc. Rather like kneading dough and letting it rise, then finally getting to bake it.

Who is Gwen's favorite singer/band?

Good question! She seems like a Coldplay sort of girl. Maybe some Evanescence, too.

What time of day do you typically write?

In the afternoon and evening, though I have been known to stay up quite late when the words keep on flowing. In the morning, I’m usually too groggy and/or curious what’s in my email inbox, so I do that before settling down into a writing routine.

Is there one question you wish bloggers would ask you about but don't? What is it, and how would you answer?

Well, bloggers have been pretty good at asking almost everything! But not this: “What do you think makes a strong female character in young adult fiction?”

I think girl protagonists get a lot of flak. Particularly in paranormal romance, where guys get judged almost entirely by sexiness, but girls are trashed for being too spineless or too bitchy. Yes, it’s hard to make an everyday human girl shine beside a gorgeous paranormal dude with amazing charisma and an exotic history ten times as long as hers. So often the girl doesn’t even try, and just feels breathless and swept away by the overwhelming guy. In this case, I think the girl narrator acts as an envelope for the reader’s feelings, rather than a character in her own right.

But I think authors can do better than that. Sure, fiction can be an escapist pleasure, but it doesn’t please me to imagine dating a guy who’s spectacularly “better” than me and consumes my every waking moment. I have a life. He should have one, too, that doesn’t involve brooding and gazing deeply into my eyes, which is only nice in reasonable doses. Ahem.

Anyway, to get back on track, I’d much prefer a heroine who holds her own against whatever guy she stumbles into. Even if she’s human, she’s definitely not “ordinary,” because frankly I’ve never met an “ordinary girl.” Everybody has their own passions and strengths, and I’d love to meet a fictional heroine who brings some great ones to the table. That would add sizzle to any story, romance or no romance.


Thanks for stopping by Karen!

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Sorry, this giveaway is now CLOSED.

Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.

When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.

 

Purchase OTHER:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Borders ~ Book Depot