In 10 words or less can you tell us about Katerina Trilogy? A duchess hides a secret: she can raise the dead.
How did the idea of Katerina Trilogy come to you? I’ve always been fond of Russian fairy tales, especially the stories of Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave. I’m also a huge nerd when it comes to Imperial Romanov history.
Why did you pick the time era and place for your trilogy, and why are these things important to your story? I fell in love with the late Imperial period- the years of Faberge and Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy- as well as old Russian fairy tales. Since the aristocracy of the late nineteenth century were obsessed with the occult and I wondered what life in the late 19th century would have been like if tsars had possessed magical powers like the tsars of the old legends.
Which character was your favorite to write? Count Chermenensky. Poor count!
Which book in this trilogy was easiest for you to write and why? I’d have to say the second book was the least difficult to write, even though I expected it to be the hardest. As a bridge between the first and last books, I was worried I would feel stifled by the story line, especially since I already knew how the trilogy would end. But I found myself enjoying the characters in The Unfailing Light as I got to know them better.
How long was the publishing process for you? From the time I signed with my agent until we received the offer from Random House took eighteen months. From signing the contract to publication of TGS was another twenty-two months.
Was The Gathering Storm your first finished novel? Or did you write anything before this trilogy? I wrote a Middle Grade fantasy, a Middle Grade contemporary, and two contemporary paranormal YA’s before having the courage to write TGS. It was an idea I’d held on to for a while because I was scared I wasn’t a strong enough writer to tackle it. I finally reminded myself that first drafts were for discovery, and took the plunge.
Do you have any ideas for other books you want to write or do you have other books in the works? Yes! I’m currently finishing two books for my agent: another historical fantasy and a contemporary paranormal.
Now I have some quick questions to get to know you!
Phobia or fear? Aliens!
Guilty pleasure? Chocolate-filled croissants. Bread and chocolate- my two favorite things in the world.
Strange quirks? I like Catalina dressing on my pizza. It’s a regional (Gulf Coast) thing.
Facebook or Twitter? FB, though my accounts are linked and I spend way too much time on both!
Most visited online website? Tropical Weather Underground. I’m a weather nerd.
Kindle or Nook? I have a Nook but since I received an Ipad and have both apps, I try to be democratic and buy some Kindle books and some Nook books.
Preferred weapon? “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side.”
Favorite youtube video? James Blunt - My Triangle, or pretty much any one with muppets.
Top 5 authors that inspire you? Toni Morrison, Meg Cabot, Tom Robbins, Maggie Stiefvater, Christopher Moore.
Top 5 fave movies? Underworld, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Illusionist, Lost in Austen, Wristcutters: A Lovestory
Five books you’ve read recently that you’d recommend? Tessa Gratton’s The Blood Keeper, Tiffany Trent’s The Unnaturalists, Sara Reese Brennan’s Unspoken: the Lynburn Legacy, Gina Rosatti’s Auracle, Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death
Top 5 fave books? Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophie, Tolkien’s The Return of the King, Eudora Welty’s The Robber Bridegroom
Favorite TV show and/or movie when you were a kid? Bewitched reruns.
The Unfailing Light – Blog Tour
September 24th: Smitten Over Books
September 25th: Casey’s Crew
September 26th: Much Ado About Books
September 26th: The Streetlight Reader
September 27th: Infinite Reads
September 28th: The Hiding Spot
September 29th: Girls *Heart* Books
October 1st: Mom Reads My Books
October 2nd: Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
October 2nd: The Book Review Club
October 3rd: The Book Review Club
October 4th: Kimba Caffeinated
October 4th: My Life is a Notebook
October 5th: My Life is a Notebook
October 6th: Candace’s Book Blog
October 7th: Reader Girls
October 8th: Bookish
October 8th: Peace, Love, Books
October 9th: YA Bibliophile
October 9th: Reader Girls
October 10th: Wastepaper Prose
October 10th: Imaginary Reads
October 11th: Imaginary Reads
October 12th: Well Read Wife
October 15th: Libby Blog
October 16th: Cracking the Cover
October 17th: A Bookish Libraria
October 18th: A Novel Review
October 19th: In the Best Worlds
October 20th: Tripping Over Books
Lush and opulent, romantic and sinister, The Unfailing Light, Volume II in The Katerina Trilogy, reimagines the lives of Russia's aristocracy in a fabulously intoxicating and page-turning fantasy.
Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.
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15 comments:
what a great interview and I love the cover.
I love the setting and time period for this series. I haven't seen many (any?) YA HF that takes place in Russia. I liked the first book, but I loved the second book! That's interesting that it was the easiest to write.
Lots of great books on the favorites recently read list!
So excited to read this next book! The cover is gorgeous :)
Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
So ecxited for the new book to come out! I hope I win it!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! New follower! Your blog design is so effing cute! :D
The cover is beautiful! Loved the interview. This sounds like a good series. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to read this series. Sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
Wow, this sounds like a fantastic book, I hadn't heard of this series. I'll have to check it out.
Great interview! Interesting that the second book would was the easiest for her to write. I feel like the middle of things is always the hardest for me. I don't think I have read any Russian fairytales but Gathering Storm has had my eye for awhile. I'm kind of scared of aliens too ever since Independence Day! LOL I love Meg Cabot and Maggie Stiefvater and hope to read Masque of Read Death soon.
Ty so much!! Ive been dying to get my hands on the 2nd book! I LOVED the Gathering Storm! :D
I've heard about The Katerina Trilogy, but haven't had a chance to read the books. The cover looks beautiful and the synopsis sound great. I'm adding both books to my TBR list. All the best.
I love the interview that you had with Robin Bridges. My favorite part is when she told us about books she's read recently that she really enjoyed. What an awesome list, Unspoken The Blood Keeper, Auracle, Masque of the Red Death, and The Unaturalists. Many of these are on my wish list, and now they are confirmed good reads!
This looks like an amazing new book and I love the cover. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
This trilogy sounds really interesting! I'm definitely bumping it up on my TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Great interview! I loved the first book in the series, can't wait to read the 2nd one!
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