Young Adult, supernatural romantic thriller
Date Published: November 2013
Kate Archer is instantly drawn to Nick. He's handsome, smart, and interested in her - perhaps a little too interested according to Kate's brother. It's a good thing Nick is interested, or Kate would have died the night of the football game. Nick may have rescued Kate, but he can't stop the inevitable. Kate is changing; she just doesn't know it. She can't explain the visions and sensations affecting her body, but she can enjoy the pleasure of Nick's kiss - that is, until she learns the real reason he is with her. Betrayed by her genetics, Kate begins a metamorphosis that forces her to confront an unseen reality and claim her true destiny.
Interview
with Karen Tjebben
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in Scintillate?
Scintillate is the first book in
the Scintillate Series. It’s a young
adult supernatural romance filled with mortal and immortal beings. Kate Archer
is the main character. She’s fun, carefree, and has a big heart. She’s your
typical teenage girl, but things are changing. She’s experiencing visions and sensations that terrify her. Nick,
the new kid in town, befriends Kate. He inserts himself into her life and takes
on the role of her boyfriend. He knows what she is, has all the answers to her
questions, but he keeps the truth from her. When supernatural attacks are made
on her life, Nick is there to protect her. But can he protect her from her
destiny?
Can you tell us a
little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
Symbiosis is the second book
in the Scintillate Series. Haunting visions of the past plague
Kate. In an effort to maintain harmony within her relationships, she tries to
hide the knowledge the dreams reveal to her. Eventually, when the façade that
she’s so carefully crafted begins to unravel, Kate realizes that the past has
no boundaries, and it has stained her soul. It is then that the truth finally
sets her free.
Synchronicity is the final book in the Scintillate
Series.
While honing Kate’s Asteri powers,
Kate and Alex delve deeper into their relationship as they untangle Kate from
Sarah’s past. Zoe and Evan are entrusted with the task of destroying a magical
ring and finding a cure for a poison that threatens their existence, and Nick
is determined to free Hayden from the monster that imprisons her.
My
Savage Security books are a mixture
of romance and suspense infused with a healthy dose of creep factor.
Blood Kiss is about a woman who
is threatened by a stalker. Alisha is pro-active. She isn’t waiting around to
see what her stalker will do. She decides that she will protect herself. While
gun shopping, she meets Mike, a man with the skills and the heart to help her.
I love Alisha and Mike. They are both smart, assertive, and have big hearts.
Avenging Kiss is about revenge.
Summing up this book is more difficult. There isn’t one main character or hero.
Instead, Avenging Kiss explores the
reality that one’s actions don’t just affect that one person, but rather the
truth that actions have unintended consequences that can negatively affect
others. The problem/solution is resolved in Avenging Kiss, but some threads are
left dangling.
Coveted Kiss deals with the
fallout from Avenging Kiss. It can be
read independently of Avenging Kiss,
but it would be most enjoyed after reading Avenging
Kiss. Jack is in full alpha-male mode as he protects Bella in the aftermath
of Hazeem’s murder attempt. Logan discovers the history behind Adita’s actions
and learns how to forgive. Hazeem realizes that he’s not as brave as he thought
he was. And the men of Savage Security must hunt down the terrorists living
within their community.
Stolen Kiss focuses on the
romance between Cole Savage and Julia Romero. The men from Savage Security are hired to look into a suicide. They
discover a damning photo which launches their hunt for a murderer. Cole must
reconcile his desire for justice with the burning ache in his heart for Julia
Romero. Enlisting her help as a realtor, they work together to find a new home
for Savage Security while the hunt for the killer continues. As the men
discover more victims, they piece together the clues and realize that one of
their own may be in the sights of a ruthless killer.
Grace’s Kiss will be released the
summer/fall of 2018. It focuses on Ryan Mark’s relationship with Grace Berry.
Ryan is everything Grace has avoided in her dating life. He’s wild, cocky, and
has an air of danger that takes her breath away. But as much as she’s attracted
to him, she’s also intimidated by the sexy confidence that oozes from him.
After a bumpy start, she realizes that she has more in common with the buff
alpha than she ever expected.
I am currently working on Lizzy’s Kiss. It will be the
last book in the Savage Security Series.
The book focuses on Lizzy and Tyson. After doing her civic duty by sitting on a
jury, Lizzy is added to a kill list when the person the jury condemned to
prison is murdered. Tyson appoints himself Lizzy’s guardian after she barely
escapes an attack on her life. Together, they must locate and stop the man who
is killing off the jurors.
How long would you
say it takes you to write a book?
It
takes me about four to eight weeks to get a rough draft down. After that, I
have several rounds of edits to do. Then I send my book off to my beta-readers.
Once my book is returned with their edits, I go through and add more details to
firm up the story. The entire process typically takes me between four to six
months. To use my time wisely, while waiting for edits or for the cover to be
finished, I typically work on more than one book at a time.
What is your favorite
childhood book?
I’d
have to say The Lion, the Witch, and the
Wardrobe. This book is
fantastic on so many levels. Children can enjoy the story because the characters
are young, like them, and they get to travel to a fantastical world filled with
magic and talking animals. Adults can enjoy the story for the symbolism and
religious themes that are subtly woven throughout the story. This story opens
the door to conversations with children about forgiveness, trust, honesty,
integrity, love, and commitment.
If you could spend
the day with one of the characters from Scintillate,
who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character, where
you would go and what you would do.
I’d
have to say Nick. I love the bad boy in him. Maybe that’s because in reality I
never flirted with or ever considered a bad boy as possible relationship
material. But I love Nick’s sense of humor and his willingness to dance on the
gray line between black and white
What made you want to
become a writer?
I’ve
always thought it would be cool to write a book. In college, (while studying
elementary education) in my literacy courses, I’d peruse the picture books and
nonfiction children’s books and dream about writing my own book. At the time,
it seemed impossible, but as the internet expanded and companies like Amazon
grew, the dream started to take shape and become a reality. When my twin
daughters went to kindergarten, I set aside time each day to dedicate to
writing. Surprisingly, the story that unfolded in my head was not for
elementary students, but it was better suited for young adults who enjoy
supernatural thrillers. When I finished the first series, The Scintillate Series, I
transitioned to adult romantic suspense and began The Savage Security Series.
Just
for fun
(a Favorite song: Don’t really have one
(b Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice
(c Favorite movie: Pride and Prejudice – BBC edition with Colin
Firth as Mr. Darcy.
(d Favorite tv show: I love Dexter
and Game of Thrones
(e Favorite Food: Sea salt caramel covered in chocolate or
peanut butter and chocolate ice cream sundaes.
(f Favorite drink: Dr. Pepper
Thanks so much for visiting
with us today!
About the Author
Storytime always captivated Karen. As a child, she fell in love with books that transported her to different worlds and introduced her to new creatures. As a teacher, she encouraged her students to explore different times and new worlds through literature. Now, when Karen isn’t living in reality with her husband and daughters, she can be found creating an alternate reality filled with creatures and worlds that she hopes will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers.
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2 comments:
Thank you for spreading the news about the SCINTILLATE book tour and the Amazon Giveaway. I appreciate your support.
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