Giveaway & Author of the Week Interview:Melissa Stevens

I cannot believe that we’re already in week 3 of our Author of the Week Feature. Where has the time gone?

Our first two weeks hosting RM Gilmore and Katherine Rochholz has been a blast. They’re such amazing women as well as terrific authors. I just wanted to thank them once again for their contribution, generosity and general awesomeness!

This week we are hosting author Melissa Stevens, the author of Change and Fight, a superb shape-shifting series. Our review of book 1 Change will be up in the next few days, so make sure you look out for it.

Melissa is generously giving away 4 copies of her ebooks, 2 copies of Change and 2 copies of Fight. As with all of our authors, we are also throwing an extra prize to the giveaway, a book up to the value of AU$15 from The Book Depository.

After Melissa’s interview, you’ll find the rafflecopter form. The best of luck and please recommend blogger and Facebook friends to us.

1. What inspired you to write your first book?  National Novel Writing Month, more commonly known as NaNoWriMo. In October of 2009 I got an email about it, I read it, thought the idea of writing 50,000 words in 30 days was insane, and I deleted the email. But the idea kept haunting me. It was a challenge I knew I could do. So I hunted it down and got started. That year I finished the 50k challenge, and was thrilled. I didn’t touch it again for almost a year when I told someone I enjoy writing. When they asked if I was published, I realized that writing it wasn’t enough I had to do something with it.
2. How did you come up with the title Kitsune Series? It’s the name of the race, the shape-shifters are called the Kitsune. When I started I wanted something unique, not like werewolves, so I started researching different words for different kinds of animals. I believe that Kitsune is Japanese, and means fox, there may or may not be some kind of legend about fox shapeshifters, it’s been several years since I did the research and I don’t recall completely. Either way, the word Kitsune spoke to me, it became the name for the species.

3. How are you the same/different from your main character? Actually we’re pretty different. Off hand, the only things I can think of that Nickie and I have in common are that we’re both from small towns (I actually grew up not far from where the books take place.) We both love to read, and our difficulty following orders.
4. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? That I can get lost online for hours looking up the smallest details… I avoid that now.
5. Brandon, is a pretty tasty character. What’s your type of man candy? My type of man candy? Hm. Chris Hemsworth, Channing Tatum (I’ve been watching G.I. Joe over and over to see him), Josh Duhamel, Alex O’Loughlin does that give you an idea?
6. Have you ever done anything strange or weird in the name of research? Actually done it? No… But I have asked some friends and family some really weird questions that fell in their area of expertise. Consider asking an cop friend this: If you took a pair of handcuffs and attached them to the seat loop on the floor of a van with a bike chain, then pulled till the cuffs were freed, what component would break first? Yes, I did tell them it was for a book, I didn’t want to be arrested for conspiracy to kidnap.
7. How long does it take you to write a book? Actual writing about four months so far, but by the time you add rewrites, copy edits etc. it takes longer to get it released.

8. What is your work schedule like when you're writing? Typically, that is when school is in, I get my husband and kid out the door and do whatever chores can’t wait, then sit down, put my headphones on, and crawl into my own little world. When school’s not in session (like now) I get the other half off to work, threaten to beat the kids if they don’t behave (they’re old enough they don’t need constant attention,) put my headphones on and crawl into my world. Some days things go really well, I work for hours, others I struggle most of the morning before finishing the things that need to be done, like laundry, dishes and cooking dinner.
9. Do you have any writing rituals? Rituals? Not that I can think of. I do require a large glass of something cold nearby, usually iced tea.
10. Who designed the cover(s)? I did, with some input from some of my friends, the pictures are of the area where the books are set, I took them myself. I wish I could have found something that more fit the story, but I like the ones I have.
11. What book are you reading now? Defying Pack Law by Eve Langlais
12. What new author has grasped your interest? My current new find? Laurann Dohner. I’m working my way through her books now, though, more slowly than I once would have.

Stalker Links:

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Google + 

Purchase Links:

Smashwords / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Shelfari 

a Rafflecopter giveaway