Spotlight On Author: Kerrelyn Sparks

Happy Friday Everybody,

THE CONTEST PORTION OF THIS AUTHOR INTERVIEW IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED.

Finally! I get to post the interview with Kerrelyn Sparks. I was planning to last Friday, but unfortunately my computer had issues.

I have been enjoying Kerrelyn's books for awhile now, but I had the pleasure of meeting her recently at one of her book signings. She is incredibly nice, funny, encouraging and a delight to be around.

You, my dear readers, have a special treat today. Not only do you get this awesome interview to read, but if you leave a comment in the comment section (with your first name and email address--I won't be able to contact you if you're the winner if you don't leave your email address) I'll put your name and email address in my contest box for Friday night's drawing for a chance to win Kerrelyn Sparks' Be Still My Vampire Heart. Below (after the interview) you'll see the rules of how to enter, please read them carefully.

So, without further ado, I present to you, Kerrelyn Sparks, author of the paranormal romance series, Love At Stake:

Me:  You have a new Love At Stakes book coming out in March entitled, Vampire Mine. Could you tell us a little bit about it?



Kerrelyn:  "Vampire Mine" is the tenth book in the Love at Stake series. It features Connor Buchanan, a Scottish vampire, as the hero. After 499 years of existence, Connor has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He’s been watching his friends—those poor romantic fools—plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. Nothing on earth can make him fall in love.


Marielle is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these feelings—for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?


Me:  What drew you to writing vampire stories?


Kerrelyn:  I love romance and comedy, and since vampires seem both romantic and funny to me, they suit me perfectly. Who else but a vamp could lose a fang and risk becoming a lopsided eater for all eternity? Who but a vamp could cook like a fried egg if you forget to close the blinds? Only a vamp could say, “I’m too sexy for my cape, too sexy for my fangs…”


I have fun with the shape shifters, too. There’s a werewolf named Phil, a Brazilian were-panther who dances the samba, and a were-bear who was a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears.


Me:  For Fun: What's Your Favorite Cookie?


Kerrelyn:  Homemade chocolate chip cookies!


Me:  What advice do you have for aspiring authors? (this is a question I ask everyone I interview)


Kerrelyn:  1. Study the craft of writing and keep practicing. You may not get your first book published. You may not get your tenth book published. But you will improve over time. Here are some books I found very useful:
"The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield
"Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass
"GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict" by Debra Dixon
"Scene & Structure" by Jack M. Bickham
"How to Write a Damn Good Novel, II" by James N. Frey
"Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Browne and Dave King


2. Read a lot. Read great books from all genres. Soak it in so you can acquire good instincts.


3. Study the business of writing. Learn about publishers and agents. Learn how to write a dynamite query letter. And make sure you can finish the book!


4. Join a writers’ group like Romance Writers of America. You can find them online at http://www.rwanational.org/. They have local chapters and online chapters. They hold conferences where you can meet editors and agents. They run contests where the final entries are seen by editors and agents. (That is how I acquired my first sale).


5. And finally-- Never give up!


Me:  Can you tell us what the future holds for the "Love At Stake" series?


Kerrelyn:  The series is currently contracted for twelve books. "Vampire Mine" is the tenth book, and it releases March 29th. I just finished writing the eleventh book, which will release at the end of October 2011. It’s untitled at this moment, but features vampire Gregori as the hero.


Me:  Anything else you'd like to add?


Kerrelyn:  Please visit my website at www.kerrelynsparks.com. You can read excerpts from all the books. In the Vampire World section, there are book trailers to watch, vampire games to play, and a forum where readers chat with each other and me. I also have a fan page on Facebook with lots of fun photos! Leave a comment here for a chance to win a signed copy of "Be Still My Vampire Heart". Good luck!

Note from Bethany: Remember to be sure to include your first name and your email address in the comment section, please. Thank you. I'll be closing to entries at 9:30 p.m. Central Time (so if you're on the East Coast you have until 10:30 p.m., if you're on the west coast you have until 7:30 p.m.). Be sure to check the comment section before posting or emailing me to see if I've closed the contest if it's near 9:30 p.m.

If you have any questions or have any trouble posting (some people have reported they had trouble posting comments on here from time to time) please be sure to email me.


Have A Fabulous Friday!