Saturday, June 14, 2014

Interview with Katrina Monroe, author of Reaper

Hiya peeps! Melange Books took a chance on me about five years ago and opened the door to make my publishing dreams come true. They've given many authors that chance since then, so I wanted to give props to Melange this month by interviewing several of their authors. You'll find some great insights, tips, and new books to read along the way. Enjoy!

Katrina Monroe
Where are you from and what do you do when you’re not writing?

I’m originally from Florida, but I currently live in Minnesota. I traded sweat and mosquitos for frost bite and
bigger mosquitos because, obviously, I am a glutton for punishment.
When I’m not writing I’m usually working , momming, or plotting revenge of some sort.

How did you come up with the idea for this book/series?

REAPER started out as a short story called BARD, about a man who has to reap a child. Then, my best friend and writing mentor, Renee Miller, came up with the BRILLIANT (sarcasm) idea to participate in NaNoWriMo, just to see what all the fuss was about. Short story became novel, became REAPER.


Tell us about the writing process—what were your favorite and least favorite moments?

My favorite part is always the initial plotting and research. The potential is endless! It’s when I get to be at my most obnoxious and over the top. It’s later, when I’m cutting and chopping and discovering how much that plot REALLY isn’t going to work, that I start to hate life, and consequently, the WIP.

What’s your favorite cure for writer’s block?

I am of the belief that writer’s block isn’t a thing. There’s no wall between you and inspiration. I do, however, occasionally fall prey to writer’s burnout. Burnout, to me, is when a writer gets so engrossed in the stress of making word count or approaching a deadline and the love of the work just kind of falls away. It’s happened to me a thousand times and the best cure is always to walk away and do NOTHING writerly. I read or binge-watch a favorite show on Netflix (Once Upon A Time is FANTASTIC) and before I know it, I’m ready to get back into the game.

Can you please share an excerpt?

Coming in September!
The only difference between Vlad’s office and the cubicles the writers occupied was a heavy, steel door impenetrable from the outside without the key or permissioned entrance. Oz raised his fist to knock, but it opened before he could make contact.

“Come in, Oz.”

Oz sat on the opposite side of a plain, wooden desk. The computer monitor took up most of the space next to an empty inbox.

“Looks like it’s your lucky day.” Vlad leaned back in his chair. His gut was a mountain.

“Looks like.”

“A trainer is on the way to pick you up. If there’s anything you want to take with you, though I can’t imagine what, now would be a good time to grab it.”

Oz considered his calendar, but shook off the idea. They could have it. “Where am I going?”

“Dirt-side, kid. You can kiss the tappity-tap brigade goodbye.”

Dirt-side. Earth. Home. It was about time.

“To do what?”

Vlad smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Reap.”

What’s your next/current writing project?

SACRIFICIAL LAMB CAKE, another urban fantasy, is set to be released from Red Adept Publishing sometime next year. As far as current projects go, I’m knee deep in two WIP’s: one a retelling of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, tentatively titled, ALL DARLING CHILDREN; and a second about a DMV worker who is abducted to Canada for the purpose of making fake ID’s titled THE FORTUNATE AND TIMELY DEATH OF CLIFF ARMSTRONG.

Here’s a totally random question for you:
 I'm on a silly haiku kick, so come up with your own silly haiku, but you must include the word “swamp”.

A haiku? Seriously?
Hell’s sake. Okay. How about:

Mosquitos and dung
Breathing in water—swamp air
Florida winter.


I knew you could do it! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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BIO:

Katrina Monroe is a novelist, mom, and snark-slinger extraordinaire. Her debut novel, REAPER will be available September 2014 from Melange Books.  Visit her at her blog: www.authorkatrinamonroe.wordpress.com, or follow her on Twitter, @authorkatm.

2 comments:

  1. Fantastic interview. Reaper is one of my favorite books and I was honored to be a beta reader. Can't wait until Oz and Bard are out in the world. :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great Interview and sounds like a really good book.

    ReplyDelete

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