Kiera Cass interview, rec of Amanda Hocking's 'Ice Kissed'
Join me every week as I share a few shout-outs on romance author goings-on, related events and recommended reads.
LET'S MEET YA AUTHOR KIERA CASS
Michelle: Before beginning a new project, what are some of your traditions or other ways to get going with the creativity?
Kiera: There isn't always something, but this year is the first time I've had to switch between two different narrators for two different projects. So I've been giving them each their own thing. So for Eadlyn, the heroine of The Heir, she has a special lotion I put on, and I also will wear a crown. For Kahlen, the main character in The Siren, I have a different lotion that has a watery smell, and I also listen to ambient ocean sounds. I try lots of tricks to keep it fun!
Michelle: Did you ever keep a diary or journal? If so, are they destroyed or do you bring them out to read and giggle?
Kiera: I did keep a journal through the end of high school and in college. I actually started because of the movie Cruel Intentions! And I can't remember what they were, but when I got a new journal, it got a new name so it felt like I was writing to a friend. I did actually go through and eliminate a lot of stuff, saving the best of what I had in a new journal. I was going through a dark time and decided to weed out as much negativity as possible. And, yes, there's plenty of embarrassing stuff in there! Like why did I like that guy for so long? UGH!
Michelle: Do you have a playlist that you listen to while writing The Selection series?
Kiera: I listen to tons of music when I write, and I like to make playlists for my books. It's lots of the same stuff like the Fray and Ed Sheeran, but they're just comforting sounds for my soul. A friend sent me a site that has ambient sounds, and there's one set to the Slytherin common room. It sounds like a fireplace, being underwater, and something bubbling. It's great! And, yes, I really am a Slytherin!
Michelle: What is the most memorable fan experience you've had that you're willing to share?
Kiera: I'm having more and more run-ins in the bathroom. That's always kind of weird. Like if I'm not feeling well, and I come out of a stall, and people want selfies ... that's rough! But I try to be polite. I'm a fangirl myself, so I know you can't always control where you get excited. A word of advice: Respect boundaries, and everything else is cool!
Michelle: Thank you so much for allowing us a chance to see into your creative world. For more information about Kiera Cass, visit www.kieracass.com.
ROMANCE RECS
The Selection Series by Kiera Cass
There is a category of YA books designated for the reluctant reader, and I would suggest that Cass' Selection series should be added to the list (if not already there). This is a series that breezily invites you in to sit and stay awhile. The story line is deceptively light with a pageant-like setting to determine the next princess of a dystopian nation. Reading the four books in 48 hours satisfied my need to binge-read this series.
The Selection, book one, is the introduction to the main characters and the rules of this unique "game of life" that come with hints of danger, as choices must be made. There is the YA angst, but also the scramble for independence that is not always logical or neatly gained.
The Elite
By book two, The Elite, the competition of the male romantic leads for America's attention is in full swing. I had my favorite, and it killed me not to sneak a peek at the end to satisfy my curiosity. The danger was amped. Threads of suspense were added with the right tone to push the characters toward each other and their goals, while the consequences pulled them apart. It was during the reading of The Elite that I settled down with America for the long haul.
The One
The One, book three, feels like it is the wrap-up to America's self-awareness. Instead, it is a pivotal ending after the "what if" to the "what now" that lies beyond the end of the Selection process.
Cass neatly goes through and brings some closure to this intense drama with the sad and very final curtain calls for some. Thanks to Cass' entertaining epic, I felt as though I'd walked the palace halls and grounds. I got to know the staff and the guards. I picked my favorites among the girls. And I knew who I wanted America to be with at the end.
The Heir
In The Heir, book four, the family saga continues with America's children, and more specifically, Eadlyn, the next queen of Illéa. She is not America. Her spunk and brashness come from a place of entitlement that brings its own energy to this new seedling in the series.
Having a similar setup, but with a very different set of circumstances, is a credit to Cass' creative instinct. Now the young men have to experience a bit of what the women endure to be selected by a royal. The danger hasn't diminished. Remember those riots, well, the citizens are more restless and more violent. The intensity hasn't waned. In other words, fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride for the next installment of the Selection series.
Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking
Amanda Hocking's Ice Kissed follows up Frostfire in The Kanin Chronicles. The consequences after the previous story's cliffhanger launch this story. Not to worry, a new reader can jump in and not get lost in the plot about this young tracker and her desire to fit in.
But first, kudos to Hocking's world-building talents as seen in her brand of paranormal and fantasy stories. She doesn't duplicate with cookie-cutter scenarios and rely on bland worlds to grab and hold our attention. The cast is robust and filled with complicated lives and desires. The alliances and loyalties are tested in wonderfully wicked ways throughout the story.
Without giving away any spoilers, this series ain't over. Excitement galore awaits the fearless Bryn.
About Ice Kissed (courtesy of St. Martin's Griffin):
In the majestic halls of a crystal palace lies a secret that could destroy an entire kingdom…
Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It's a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare.
The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that's been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it's also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing the mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level--one neither of them is prepared for.
As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it'll change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.
OUTLANDER ON HEA
The popular Outlander recap is back. Join Mandi Schreiner and me to catch up and join in with your thoughts about the popular historical drama airing on Starz.
Michelle Monkou loves writing her sexy, complex heroes. Her website is michellemonkou.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook.