The Curse Girl
When Bee is imprisoned in a magical, cursed house because of her father's selfish choices, she has just one plan... escape! But she must solve a riddle and help her fellow prisoners break the curse that binds them all before she can leave, and that is proving more difficult than she originally thought thanks to the bitter young master of the house, Will.
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person might end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing weather and threat of monster attacks, or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and treachery just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest, a young man from beyond the Frost named Gabe, Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
In this humorous collection of fairy tale mashups combining modern day technology with fairy tale sensibilities, Rumpelstiltskin and Red Riding Hood are married and running a royal wedding planner venue, Rapunzel has been rescued from her tower and is about to start her happily ever after, and the Grimm Brothers are a group of notorious thieves who are forced to rescue a kidnapped princess in order to avoid execution.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate Avery Ellison loves long walks, late night phone calls, and reading while it rains. She thinks ice cream cake is the perfect combination and she has a love/hate relationship with the sultry climate of her hometown, Atlanta.
1. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer as soon as I knew that was an actual occupation. I think I was about six or seven. Telling stories for a living has always been my ultimate dream job.
2. Do you have a favorite character? Which character did you have the most fun writing?
I have several favorite characters (from everything I’ve ever written), but most of those books are still unpublished. In The Curse Girl, I enjoyed writing Will’s character the most.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Crazy and all over the place. I prefer to work at night (and my writing is MUCH better when it’s quiet and there are no distractions), so when I’m drafting out a novel I often stay up till 3 or 4 AM and sleep in till noon. Everyone thinks I’m a lazy bum :)
4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
They just come to me. Other than when writing sequels (which I’m working on right now), I’ve never had to sit down and think, Okay, what is X book going to be about? I get so many book ideas that it’s almost a problem. They distract me from the books I’m trying to write. :)
5. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I find honesty challenging sometimes—writing is such a raw, open, vulnerable place to put yourself, and when I think about how all these people who know me will read what I’m writing, sometimes it’s scary. But I try to stay true to the story and my artistic vision rather than worrying what someone might think.
6. Is there someone in your life who inspired you to write?
Was there another author or a teacher who encouraged you?
I’ve always been inspired by stories. Certain authors, too—Flannery O’Conner lived in Georgia, too, and I’m a huge fan of her writing. Megan Whalen Turner, Daphne du Marier, a lot of female authors.
I had several teachers in elementary school and high school who always just assumed I’d be an author someday, and their confidence in me helped a lot.
7. What book are you reading now?
I just finished reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think I’m going to read Angelfall by Susan Ee next. I’ve heard fantastic things about it.
8. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I spend way too much time watching TV and hanging out online. I love to read, of course. I like gardening and playing the piano. Lots of things.
9. Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I JUST released my newest novel, a YA fantasy/dystopian with horror elements. It’s called Frost (The Frost Chronicles, #1) Right now I’m hard at work on the sequel, Thorns. Here’s the summary for Frost:
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.
Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?
10. What were your feelings when you first saw the finished product of your first book?
It was amazing and overwhelming but at the same time I didn’t feel any different, kind of like the way you feel after your 18th birthday.
11. What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Books on writing (Elements of Style, On Writing, The Fire in Fiction, etc) are absolutely invaluable as part of the author’s ongoing education. Also, I don’t know if this counts as a “tool,” but beta readers, critique partners, and editors are absolutely essential for helping writers see the weak spots in their own writing. There are a lot of good editing tools available for online as well.
Contact Info:
Blog: http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/
Goodreads profile: http://goodreads.com/Kate_Avery_Ellison
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Katiewriting
When Bee is imprisoned in a magical, cursed house because of her father's selfish choices, she has just one plan... escape! But she must solve a riddle and help her fellow prisoners break the curse that binds them all before she can leave, and that is proving more difficult than she originally thought thanks to the bitter young master of the house, Will.
Will wants nothing to do with Bee or her help (and he certainly isn't planning on falling in love with her), but he might have underestimated just how determined and clever--and irresistible--she can be.
Frost
BUY ME: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords
Frost
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person might end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing weather and threat of monster attacks, or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and treachery just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest, a young man from beyond the Frost named Gabe, Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in serious trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel, and her village has nothing to do with them. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle her farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but each move she makes puts her in greater danger. Is compassion—and love—worth the risk.
BUY ME: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords
In this humorous collection of fairy tale mashups combining modern day technology with fairy tale sensibilities, Rumpelstiltskin and Red Riding Hood are married and running a royal wedding planner venue, Rapunzel has been rescued from her tower and is about to start her happily ever after, and the Grimm Brothers are a group of notorious thieves who are forced to rescue a kidnapped princess in order to avoid execution.
This collection includes the short stories "Once Upon a Wedding," "Once Upon a Heist," and "Once Upon a Beanstalk."
BUY ME: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate Avery Ellison loves long walks, late night phone calls, and reading while it rains. She thinks ice cream cake is the perfect combination and she has a love/hate relationship with the sultry climate of her hometown, Atlanta.
1. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer as soon as I knew that was an actual occupation. I think I was about six or seven. Telling stories for a living has always been my ultimate dream job.
2. Do you have a favorite character? Which character did you have the most fun writing?
I have several favorite characters (from everything I’ve ever written), but most of those books are still unpublished. In The Curse Girl, I enjoyed writing Will’s character the most.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Crazy and all over the place. I prefer to work at night (and my writing is MUCH better when it’s quiet and there are no distractions), so when I’m drafting out a novel I often stay up till 3 or 4 AM and sleep in till noon. Everyone thinks I’m a lazy bum :)
4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
They just come to me. Other than when writing sequels (which I’m working on right now), I’ve never had to sit down and think, Okay, what is X book going to be about? I get so many book ideas that it’s almost a problem. They distract me from the books I’m trying to write. :)
5. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I find honesty challenging sometimes—writing is such a raw, open, vulnerable place to put yourself, and when I think about how all these people who know me will read what I’m writing, sometimes it’s scary. But I try to stay true to the story and my artistic vision rather than worrying what someone might think.
6. Is there someone in your life who inspired you to write?
Was there another author or a teacher who encouraged you?
I’ve always been inspired by stories. Certain authors, too—Flannery O’Conner lived in Georgia, too, and I’m a huge fan of her writing. Megan Whalen Turner, Daphne du Marier, a lot of female authors.
I had several teachers in elementary school and high school who always just assumed I’d be an author someday, and their confidence in me helped a lot.
7. What book are you reading now?
I just finished reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think I’m going to read Angelfall by Susan Ee next. I’ve heard fantastic things about it.
8. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I spend way too much time watching TV and hanging out online. I love to read, of course. I like gardening and playing the piano. Lots of things.
9. Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I JUST released my newest novel, a YA fantasy/dystopian with horror elements. It’s called Frost (The Frost Chronicles, #1) Right now I’m hard at work on the sequel, Thorns. Here’s the summary for Frost:
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.
Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?
10. What were your feelings when you first saw the finished product of your first book?
It was amazing and overwhelming but at the same time I didn’t feel any different, kind of like the way you feel after your 18th birthday.
11. What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Books on writing (Elements of Style, On Writing, The Fire in Fiction, etc) are absolutely invaluable as part of the author’s ongoing education. Also, I don’t know if this counts as a “tool,” but beta readers, critique partners, and editors are absolutely essential for helping writers see the weak spots in their own writing. There are a lot of good editing tools available for online as well.
Contact Info:
Blog: http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/
Goodreads profile: http://goodreads.com/Kate_Avery_Ellison
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Katiewriting
I've enjoyed reading the interview! It's really fun and eye-opening to read author interviews as it provides us readers with some insights on the writing process. This made me appreciate the author's work very much. Sleeping in till noon? I don't think that it's a sign of laziness but it shows how hardworking you are in your works. Just let other people think what they want but hey, at least I know what really happened from the interview here. Good luck for future works! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteLove anthologies! This one sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that, it was most interesting especially the part about honesty - it is a difficult position wondering what people who know you will think.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading "The Curse Girl" and loved it. I will definitely be reading the others you have listed.
ReplyDeleteFun interview. I always find it interesting what times and places that writers find it best to practice their craft. I have always been a morning person, but understand when Kate said that sometimes 3 am is what is required to get away from distractions.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Kate is a brilliant author and one of my best writing friends. I am so happy for her!
ReplyDelete