Welcome, Readers!! So excited today to be part of the blog tour for
GRAVEMAIDENS
Have you plunged into this gorgeous fantasy yet?? Well now's the perfect time!! Full of danger, deathly ritual, sisterhood, and romance, this is a world you can easily get lost in.
Today I'm so pleased to have a fun interview with author Kelly Coon for you all!
Interview with Kelly Coon, author of Gravemaidens
•Describe
Gravemaidens in 5 words:
Fierce females, friendship, perseverance, and hope! =)
Fierce females, friendship, perseverance, and hope! =)
•Who was
your favorite Gravemaidens character to write---and who gave you the most trouble?
Iltani was absolutely
my favorite to write. I wrote whatever popped into my head, whether it was
sarcastic, mean, challenging, or witty. In real life, I have to bite my tongue
a lot, but Iltani never has to. Haha! Sometimes, it’s fun to let loose, behave
badly, and say exactly what you want to say, consequences or not.
It was tough for me to
write Nanaea. She’s a little bit difficult to root for at first, because she’s
so interested in the glamor and honor of being a Sacred Maiden, but once you
get to know her (and pay attention to the clues), you’ll see why she really
wants the honor and it might not be what you think. =)
• Where
is your favorite writing spot? Coffee shop? Kitchen table? In the park
surrounded by people?
I write the best in my
home office with all my notes and stuff around me. But, I can write anywhere.
I’ve written in the car on a road trip—not driving, of course—in planes, at
coffee shops, in restaurants, in the car while my sons are at different sports
practices, and even on the treadmill, sweating onto my phone. haha
•What
kind of books did you read as a teen?
I read anything I
could get my hands on, but I read a TON of murder mysteries. My mom and
grandpa, both of whom kind of inspired by love of reading, used to be into
James Patterson, John Sanford, Jonathan Kellerman, and John D. McDonald. (That
is a heck of a lot of Johns). I read every murder mystery in the library I
could, and when I finished, my mom and grandpa and I would discuss.
In middle school, I
read Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and the occasional romance novel I’d sneak in
when my mom wasn’t paying attention. 😉
• Is
there anyone special, a teacher or mentor, who inspired you on your path to
becoming a writer?
I
had two teachers specifically who believed that I would be published, and I
held onto their belief with both of my hands.
In
high school, I wrote a piece for a teacher named Dawn Wheeler to try to get on
the yearbook staff. She pulled me out of another teacher’s class and was
laughing so hard in the hallway I thought she was going to choke. She said,
“You wrote a political satire. And it’s good!” She told me I’d made the
yearbook staff with flying colors and that she was keeping that sheet of paper
in case I ever became published. She made me feel like maybe I could be
successful at this little hobby of mine.
In
college, a professor named Dr. Jacob Blumner read one of my essays and kept me
after class. He looked at me really thoughtfully and said, “You know, you’re
gonna be published one day. I can already tell. Probably before you’re thirty.”
Then he told me to stick with it because I had a gift. I didn’t get published before
thirty—he was off by four years—but his belief in me really pulled me through
some tough times.
Thank you so much, Kelly!
{About The Author}
YA author Kelly Coon is an editor for Blue Ocean Brain, a member of the Washington Post Talent Network, a former high school English teacher, ACT test prep book author, and a wicked karaoke singer in training. She adores giving female characters the chance to flex their muscles and use their brains, and wishes every story got the happy ending she's living near Tampa with her three sons, brilliant husband, and a rescue pup who will steal your sandwich.
