A Violet Fire
by Kelsey
Quick
GENRE: YA
Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
BLURB:
"There is not a
single dull moment in this book... A Violet Fire has all the ingredients to
become the next Hollywood movie about vampires." — Readers' Favorite
"In the Vampire
Stratocracy of Cain, human blood is scarce. For centuries, councils have sought
to assuage the blood shortage by enslaving and breeding humans, turning them
into profitable supply units for the rich and the abled.
Today,
eighteen-year-old Wavorly Sterling is officially a supply unit, bound to serve
her blood willingly to her master for the rest of her life. One of only few
humans that was not bred in Cain, Wavorly knows freedom better than anyone, and
she is determined to escape the clutches of her oppressors—despite the allure
of forbidden love."
Excerpt:
He grabs the hair on the back of my
neck and pulls down, exposing the breadth. My mind leaps to my years of night
terrors; to that vampire from ten years ago; to my mother changing before my
eyes into one of the fallen. I nearly forget to breathe while terror floods my
veins.
He’s going to turn me into one of
them!
“No!
You can’t!” I scream as he lowers his face to the crook of my neck and
shoulder, his hot breaths sending chills along my skin—as if each and every
inch knows the horror that lies ahead.
“I can,” he says.
My fingers grasp at his immovable
arms that have me locked against him. I pull and push with as much might as my
hands can muster, to no avail. If I am dirt, he is steel.
Interview with Kelsey Quick
As a writer, what
would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Either a turtle or a sloth. I’m seriously so slow
methodical when it comes to writing, that I actually get on my own nerves!
How many hours a day
do you put into your writing?
Right now, none. But that’s because I am focusing all of
my efforts on the marketing and promotion of this current novel. When I’m in
writing season, I will most likely be spending 1-2 hours per day drafting, or
about 1,000-2,000 words per day.
Do you read your book
reviews? If yes, do they affect what you write in the future?
I do read my book reviews. There are many authors who do
not, and many professionals who have advised me not to, but truthfully… I think
that is horrible advice for all authors, especially self-published ones.
The reason being because publishing, at the end of the
day, is a business, not a daycare, and it’s such a blessing that your
audience gladly tells you upfront what they expect in their future purchases by
way of their reviews. Whether they all moan and groan about certain tropes or
offer up their wishes for more of a certain character, they are donating their
valuable time to analyze your work. Because of book reviews, I’ve learned how
to manage expectations; I’ve decided to put more effort and care into Savvy and
Gemini’s characterization; I’ve scaled back Wavorly’s dislikeable traits; and
I’ve added in two full scenes to explain some short-comings. They most
definitely affect how I write in the future, and I believe—to a certain
extent—they should.
I really think it’s a missed opportunity if I decide to
forego feedback for the sake of my thin skin. And let me tell you, over the
last six months, my skin has gotten pretty rough and thick.
Do you leave hidden
messages in your books that only a few people will find?
Hmm, what a fun question! I don’t think… I don’t think
so. I do leave in some pretty theme-heavy lines for people who want to figure
out why the curtains are blue, but other than that, not really! I think if I
wrote contemporary, I would have more of those types of easter eggs in there.
Can you
tell us a little bit about the characters in A Violet Fire?
The characters in A Violet Fire are all very
different and they tug on your heart strings in different ways. Of course,
Wavorly is the sane one of the book—the one we most relate to since she’s the
only human who condemns vampires for enslaving them. Savvy, another supply unit
in Wavorly’s class, is the very essence of purity. She has a good heart and a
solid foundation, even if that foundation is brutal and sad enough for us to
sympathize with her. Zein is a powerful pureblood vampire, and everything
mysterious about this book. He personifies what we don’t know and lures us in
with his teetering shifts in cruelty and compassion. He also fits the
well-established vampire archetype of “tortured soul” which really makes the
final scenes of A Violet Fire twisted, to be sure.
Can you
tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the
future?
I don’t have much planned. I take my writing
day by day. But I will say that I am working on the sequel to A Violet Fire, as
well as a fun New Adult contemporary that is a reverse-gendered take on
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Do you
allow yourself a certain number of hours to write or do you write as long as
the words come?
Oh man, I wish I had the problem of writing
too much. No, I let myself write for as long as the words come, as these times
are so valuable and rare.
Do you
have a certain number of words or pages you write per day?
When it is writing season, I force myself to
write 1,000-2,000 words per day, no matter the presence of my muse.
What
inspires you to write?
Honestly, being alone in the wilderness. It
really pulls me from the tunnel-vision of the day-to-day and opens me back up
to creative possibilities.
Would you rather
Read fiction or
non-fiction?
Fiction,
I am an escapist.
Read series or
stand-alone?
Stand-alone
makes me feel more accomplished, but series pulls me in and allows me to get
lost for an extended period. I would say series.
Read Science fiction
or horror?
Science
fiction! I love dystopian.
Read Stephen King or
Dean Koontz
Stephen
King, he’s so crazy with his talent and skill. I hope to become 25% of the
writer he is one day.
Read the book or
watch the movie?
Watch
the movie, only because I have mild ADHD and prefer vibrant color and scenic
displays.
Read an ebook or
paperback?
ebook
for the most part. But I love owning physical copies.
Be trapped alone for
one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi
only?
I
think in a room with a computer and Wi-Fi, only because I know that,
psychologically, having no human interaction for that long would result
negatively.
Do a cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?
Do a cross-country book store tour or blog tour online?
I
would definitely love to do a cross-country book store tour! I love meeting
people who want to meet me!
AUTHOR Bio
and Links:
Kelsey
Quick is a novelist, artist, and businesswoman who loves her husband, huskies,
and video games. Since the age of two, Kelsey has been bound and determined to
create. From traditional impressionist paintings, to digital comic creation;
from fanfiction to full-length novels… her desire for crisp and prime escapism
is never-ending. A Violet Fire is her debut novel, harboring the idea she’s had
and held dear to her heart for over a decade.
Pre-Order
Links:
Giveaway:
$25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
8 comments:
Great post and I appreciate getting to find out about another great book. Thanks for all you do and for the hard work you put into this. Greatly appreciated!
Do you play the scenes of what you are going to write your book while in bed listening to music sometimes or the sound of rain? Does music give you inspiration?
Sounds like a fun read. I hope your book is a success.
Great post - excellent!
Good Morning! Thank you Avid Reader for Hosting and thanks all for coming to be a part of my tour! I'm here to answer any questions you might have for me, so feel free to ask. :)
Much love,
Kelsey
Thank you James, Bernie, and Lottie. You guys rock :)
Sara, you always ask the best questions! Music is a must for me to get the creative juices flowing both in writing and in thinking up scenes! I actually find myself having the best ideas while driving and listening to aesthetic playlists, or while running and listening to those same playlists! It's rare for me to be able to sit in bed and just think about my scenes. Usually I get too restless and my mind jumps too much.
Sounds like a good read.
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