Interview: Kristen Strassel, new adult author

Last week over at Aussie Owned and Read I interviewed Julie, half of the Undead Duo. I’m now thrilled to have her partner in crime, Kristen Strassel, to my blog for a visit. Kristen is a vampire smut peddler, hair band fan, makeup artist and lover of live music. Her debut release, Because the Night, came out last month, and the prequel, Seasons in the Sun, comes out on 4 December. That’s right: TODAY!

Available NOW on Amazon! And Smashwords!

Because the Night is set in Las Vegas. It seems like the perfect place for a bunch of debauched vampire rock stars; although it’s sunny I hear those casinos are so huge you can quite happily never see the light of day! How did you choose the setting?

Hi Cassandra!  Thanks for having me on here!  Las Vegas really chose me. I had a dream about ten years ago about a girl trying to make her way in Vegas. Something about the dream stuck with me so much I actually moved to Vegas to write a book about it! Turns out my friend must have left the TV on, because when I saw the movie Showgirls it bore a striking resemblance to the dream. But the experience was invaluable research for Because the Night.

Sure, there’s plenty of sunshine in Las Vegas, but it’s Sin City. Dark, sensual, anything goes. The more I started putting the story together, the more it couldn’t have been set anywhere else. What other city in the world could vampires capitalize on what they are without anyone really believing they had anything to worry about?

Tell us a bit about the leading lads, Tristan and Blade. Are they both vampires? Which is the sexy one on the cover? Because damn!

Tristan is on the cover, and I know, right? He’s a pretty reasonable facsimile of what Tristan looks like to me. Tristan is a vampire, and he’s the rock star. He’s always been trouble, which led him to the afterlife. Callie’s never been able to resist him, which brought her to Vegas. But Blade is the one who made her stay. Blade is everything Tristan isn’t. First and foremost, he’s alive. He leads a normal life, and understands there’s a time for fun and a time for responsibility. Tristan has no idea what responsibility even means.

Available on Smashwords!

I know you’re a huge live music fan. Did any real-life rock bands inspire Immortal Dilemma?

I love going to concerts. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of seeing your favourite band play their songs live in front of you. The emotion, the energy…it’s sexy. There’s no better word for it.

Immortal Dilemma was inspired by Motley Crue.  They’re perfect because even though there’s that undertone of debauchery, women love them. Nikki Sixx has died twice. So anyone who’s done that and lived to tell about it deserves to have a fictional character based on them. He was my inspiration for Tristan.

Everyone’s publishing journey is different. What is the number one thing you’ve learned so far on yours?

This is a tough question! I would have to say Expect the Unexpected. And adapt. When you’re writing your novel, everything is in your control. Once you make the decision to publish it, from the minute you send out that first query, you are handing control over to someone else. I think that the concept of “dream agents” and “dream publishers” as a debut author is exactly that—a dream. In the beginning, you work with the people who say yes. It’s just the reality of the situation when you’re starting out. You have to earn your bargaining chips. I never expected Because the Night to have the journey it did, but I’m happy with where I’m at and where the book is at right now. At the end of the day, you have to do what is right for you. You don’t have to answer to or apologize to anyone for what you do.

What’s it like having a childhood friend who lives near you as a crit partner? (Can you tell I’m jealous?)

Because the Night probably wouldn’t have existed without Julie. Remember I told you about moving to Vegas to write a book? Yeah, that book didn’t get written. Until Julie one night worked up the nerve to tell me she was working on a vampire novel, which is Running Home. I said, “You know, I’ve had one that I haven’t been able to put together in the right way and finish.” So we worked together, we finished the books, and we brought them to the world.

We get together about once a week these days. Pizza and adult beverages are usually involved. Our meetings have evolved as our journey has. Before it was just about the writing. Now business has crept in as well.  We don’t always agree on everything, but that’s what makes for a good partnership.

I asked Julie this and now I’m asking you: what’s the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you and they never do?

On my bio, I allude to the fact I’ve worked a lot of different jobs. It took me a long time to find my path in life. I think that’s why I’m so attracted to the New Adult category. I’ve started over a lot. College wasn’t for me, and I worked a lot of dead end jobs that I hated. When I was younger, I didn’t have the confidence to reinvent myself so easily, and at one point I actually had to come to terms with the fact that my dreams were never going to come true. The turning point for me was when I lost a lot of weight—almost 100 lbs. (which has since come and gone several times). It made me realize that if you wanted something badly enough, you could make anything happen.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee. Please and thank you.

Plotter or pantser?

Both, really. I pants until I hit a wall and then I outline what I’ve got and write down ideas for what needs to happen next.

Morning or night?

A very reluctant morning person. I have to be up sometimes in the 3 AM hour for work, and it’s always very unpredictable, so I don’t like to get too off schedule. But I do love the nightlife.

Sneaking into nightclubs to see bands since she was sixteen, Kristen has been researching Because the Night her whole life. Now she’s been to more concerts that she could possibly count. She gets an up close and personal look at the behind the scenes workings of the entertainment industry doing makeup and hair for TV, movies and commercials. She’s a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks and Blaine Beauty School. She enjoys watching football, decorating her house, and making wickedly decadent desserts she force feeds to all her guests. She does not have a Boston accent. You can find Kristen on Goodreads, at her blog or on Twitter.

Interview: Zara Hoffman, teen author

Today I’m interviewing Zara Hoffman, the amazing sixteen-year-old author of The Belgrave Daughter, which is being released…today! How exciting! Hi, Zara—welcome to my blog.

Your story has a combination of sorcery, angels and demons—three of my favourite things in a book! Tell us a little about Fawn, your main character.

Fawn is a strong young lady who values family, friends, and trust above all else. She’ll do anything for those she loves. She’s very intelligent, but tends to lose focus when Caleb is around. Oh, and did I mention she’s the most powerful witch on the planet? Talk about a heavy destiny to bear. And she’s only twenty years old—but at least she has her best friend Ivy and brother Alec to help her along the way.

What’s Caleb like? I’m imagining a hot bad boy, with motorcycle leathers and a pair of sunglasses—am I close? 🙂

Haha. I’m sure Caleb has taken up that appearance at least once or twice in his two hundred years as an angel, but he’s more of a laid back, jeans and a t-shirt guy when he’s with Fawn. He’s actually very similar to her in that he, too, loves his family more than anything and is willing to do many morally questionable things in his quest to reunite with them. But here’s a secret: he’s my favorite character of the story.

How do you want your readers to feel when they turn the last page of your book?

I want people to feel…hopeful? I’m sure when readers reach the ending they might want to throw things at my head, but I want people to feel disillusioned from the perfect romance that is in a lot of romance books, YA especially, and know that relationships are hard work—but not unattainable, and worth fighting for.

I know you researched traditional publishing extensively before choosing to self-publish. What was the thought process behind that decision?

My decision was in the making for a long time. While I loved the idea of being chosen by a literary agency or a publisher, the creative independence I’d be giving up didn’t seem worth it. For my first book, I wanted the story to be my vision, not some transformed version that wasn’t my intention. Also, I’m creative enough to know what I want on the cover and to format myself, and entrepreneurial enough to promote my own book, so I decided to go the self-publishing route. Maybe later in my writing career I’ll try for traditional, or maybe not. Only time will tell on that one.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned on your self-publishing journey?

That rushing is the death to creativity and progress. Okay, maybe that’s a bit melodramatic, but rushing through something just for the sake of being able to say “I’m done” only creates stress and hassle. It’s not worth it. Take the extra time, turn out a better book, and be happier in the end.

What advice would you give to other teenagers who are writing their first novel?

I would say to write the story in your heart. If that happens to be one that caters to a popular trend, or completely goes against it, just write it. You’ll only be happy with a project that inspires your enthusiasm. How else would you be able to survive the long haul of writing a novel? And don’t expect it to be perfect. Revisions and edits are necessary. It’s a fact, but even though it’s long and involves lots of work, you can make it fun! And it’ll be worth it!

The Septemgeminus Prophecy states: “A powerful sorceress with blood laced in gold sevenfold shall determine the fate of the world.”

Fawn Belgrave’s magical powers are the coveted prize in a bet between God and the Devil.

When she meets Caleb, the dark angel assigned to seduce her, Fawn’s life is turned upside down.

Zara Hoffman is a teen author. She spends most of her time doing homework and writing new stories. When she isn’t wrapped up in projects, Zara can be found relaxing with friends and family, listening to music, reading and writing, or playing with her dog, Riley. You can find her at her website, on Facebook or on Twitter.