Q&A Interview and Giveaway with Shea Berkley

Hello everyone!  Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are proud to welcome new, up-and-coming author, Shea Berkley, to our sites today.   

Shea is the author of the new Young Adult series KEEPERS OF LIFE.  The series currently consists of "The Marked Son", Book #1, and we can expect Book 2 "The Lost Prince" in August of 2012, and Book #3," The Bastard King" in August 2013.  

Shea Berkley started out writing nonfiction (not so fun!) and quickly moved into fiction (totally fun!), and knew she’d found her calling. (Her family were thrilled she’d found friends to play with, even if they weren’t technically “real”). She’s still pleasantly surprised that people are willing to pay to read her stories. J

Besides writing, her many diversions include kickboxing, reading awesome books, and hanging out with her loud and rambunctious family. With five kids (all girls), her biggest job is making sure that the little darlings don’t harass the neighbors, and playing dumb when the cops come knocking on her door.

For those of you that have not heard of the KEEPERS OF LIFE series, let’s give you a little synopsis of the 1^st book:

Summary of “The Marked Son”:

Seventeen‐year‐old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he’s never met, he had no idea what. 

When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents’ farm, he knows he’s seen her before…in his dreams. He’s felt her fear-- Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.

Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he’s completely insane or he’s about to have the adventure of his life, because where they’re going is full of creatures he’s only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death…

Darynda Jones, (author of First Grave on the Right) said that “Reading Shea Berkley is like watching magic unfold before your eyes.  THE MARKED SON is written with such intrigue and depth, I could not get enough of this delicious tale. I’m hopelessly lost and can hardly wait to see what jewels Berkley has in store for us next.”  So, if you have not read "The Marked Son", you should definitely go purchase it now.

So, now that you know more about the "The Marked Son, let's get to know more about Shea and the KEEPERS OF LIFE series shall we?

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Shea!  Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.  We are excited to help with the promotion of "The Marked Son".

Shea:  Thank you for inviting me here. It’s been a crazy month since The Marked Son hit the stores.

Book Monster Reviews?LITERAL ADDICTION:  We like to start out by finding out a bit more about our guest author, and then we’ll dig into the book… 

Q1):  Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find out on the Internet?

Shea: Secret #1: I’m a wicked Jane Austen fan. Between my fallen angels and I, we have every one of her books and seen every movie about her books and some that just mention her.

Secret #2: Ever since I was a child living on Air Force bases, the sound of B52s and C-130s makes me feel safe. I love the rumble they make in my bones, and I have no problem going to sleep when they pass overhead.

Secret #3: When I was little, a boy teased my friend, and I got so mad, I punched him and made him spit blood. Bad little girl, bad memory, but I’m a changed girl now.

Q2):  How long have you been writing?

Shea: A little over ten years now, though when my youngest got sick and had to take chemo and be homeschooled for a few years, I quit writing to tend to her until she got better. She did. Yay!!

Q3):  What inspired you to start writing Young Adult Paranormal fiction?

Shea: I’ve always read YA fiction. I read what my kids read and then discuss the books afterward, so it wasn’t a big leap to start writing YA. My fallen angels were very insistent that since I was a writer, it was my motherly duty to write them a story they wanted to read. I caved to their pressure. They can be very persuasive when they’re angry. (grin)

Q4):  What did it feel like to be holding the finished copy of your book?

Shea: The heavens opened up and a beam of light shone on my cover and angels wept. I got shivers. Seriously. Would I lie?

Q5):  If you could list 3 things that never fail to make you smile, what would they be?

Shea:

#1. My children just being who they are and not caring what others think of them. (honestly, I have the weirdest most beautiful kids alive)

#2. My dog and cat. They play fight and the cat wins a lot. So humiliating for my dog, but she’s a lover, not a fighter.

#3. A good, witty comeback.

Q6):  First, we have to say WOW!  5 kids!  Can you please tell us, what's a typical day like in the life of Shea Berkley?  Where do you find the time and/or energy to write?

Shea:  Quick disclaimer: all references implying my children are the spawn of Satan or have criminal intentions or are evil in any way other than that cute impish way all children act when being darn adorable are just the figment of this author’s imagination. Really. Well …

The time I write is when all my little fallen angels leave for the day.

The energy to write comes from caffeine; cola, coffee, chocolate, and lots of it. A typical day for me begins way too early and ends way too late. In between writing I try to make a dent in the mountain of laundry that never disappears, clean the messy pit that is my house, workout and a dozen other things. Apparently the little hoodlums that sprang from my loins expect me to slave for them, which I do ‘cause I’m a good mother, but I deal… just barely. (grin)

Q7):  How many hours a day do you generally write?

Shea: Typically, I write about five hours a day, Monday-Friday. If something really awesome shows up, I will totally ditch writing, but since that doesn’t happen too often, I’m pretty much in front of my computer all day. I don’t work on the weekends because that’s family time for me.

Q8):  What are some of your hobbies or things that you like to do when you're not writing?

Shea:  I’m a kickboxer. I’ve been doing it for a little over two years now. Totally fun for me even though I can barely move afterwards. Even though I love the sport, I’ll never do it for real. Aside from causing that kid to spit blood, I’m not violent by nature, so it’s more of a workout.

When I’m free, and not hitting a 150 lb. bag or my sadistic trainers, I like to move, like hike, or play touch football. If I’m in a non-moving mood, I’ll watch movies, read, paint, sit back and talk with my family and friends. Pretty much chill. There’s nothing better that sitting around at dusk talking smack with friends.

Q9): What are you reading now?  What’s next on your TBR list?

Shea:  (gasp!) Shhh, I’m not supposed to be reading anything right now until I turn in my next book, so don’t tell, but I’ve been reading the sides of cereal boxes, city buses and even the adverts that come in the mail.

I have a ridiculously long TBR pile. I’ve been looking forward to reading THE HANGMAN’S DAUGHTER for ages.

Q10):  What is one quality that you feel all heroes and heroines should have?

Shea:  Interesting lives. Seriously, I have a short attention span, and I find it hard to read books were nothing happens. I don’t do normal days very well. Something abnormal better be putting a twist into the main character’s life in order for me to keep reading. That doesn’t mean paranormal, it just means something unexpected better be happening. Personal growth is a must in my opinion.

Other than that, heroes must be heroic and heroines must be active participants in the story. No wimps, please. 

Q11):  Can you please give us some more information about what the KEEPERS OF LIFE series entails?

Shea:  The series is based on the main character, Dylan, and his journey to accept who he is. He then has to figure out whether he wants to accept the tasks others present him, or chose his own path. It’s not always easy and he makes mistakes and gets sidetracked a few times. Danger is ever present and more than one life is at stake throughout the series.

Q12):  Since "The Lost Prince" and "The Bastard King" release dates are quite some time off, can you give us a brief synopsis of each book?

Shea:  Ooo, I don’t like talking about the books I’m writing. I can say this, The Lost Prince is about Dylan and his fight to free Teag from those who are trying to take control after Navar’s death. The Bastard King is about Dylan trying to save those who he least cares about, and fighting against those he thought he could trust.

Q13):  Will the KEEPERS OF LIFE series be a trilogy or do you have other books in the works? 

Shea:  At present, it’s a trilogy, though I never say never. If a continuation of the series is wanted, I’d have to have a long sit down and think before I agreed to do it.

Q14):  What can we expect as the series progresses?

Shea:  Adventure, chaos, mayhem, danger, love lost, love found, love denied, betrayal, sword fighting, fist fighting, loads of magic and tons of creatures. It should be fun!

Q15):  Is there anything you would like to say to the readers out there today?

Shea:  I apologize for being a slow writer. My five fallen angels take a lot of work to keep them out of trouble, but I am writing as quickly as I can. I’m also very grateful to everyone who has taken a chance and read my book. It’s incredibly difficult for a new author to get attention in this business because there are so many books out there. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd.

Book Monster Reviews?LITERAL ADDICTION:  Shea, thank you so much for being with us today!  We’d love to have you back in August 2012 to help promote "The Lost Prince" if you’re interested….

Shea:  Thank you again for inviting me to chat. I had a great time. For those who like epic fantasy, I have a book, TORREIN: AGE OF FEAR, coming out November 2011 from Variance Publishing. It’s suitable for ages 10-110 and a really fun read. Other than that, if anyone wants to talk more, you can connect with me at: Facebook / SheaBerkley.com / Goodreads / RubySlipperedSisterhood.com

Book Blurb for Torrien by Shea Berkley

What if the only hope of saving a magical world depended on an ordinary  boy?

Taelyon is a land divided; its mortals distrust those different than them; its wizards live indifferent to the suffering of others to see the danger on their doorstep.  The battle for dominance is never far off, and death is a daily fear provoked by King Hcaon the Younger's inability to lead. 

Torrein’s parents are powerful wizards, and Torrein's greatest fear is that he'll be denied the gift of magic.  When magic is denied him, he's chased from his own village by those he used to call friends.  Alone and wandering in a world he doesn't know, Torrein doesn't understand that his destiny is far greater than any he could have achieved if magic had been granted him. What plagues him is a desire he can't have - to be with his family and live his life in peace.  

Peace is not easily found in Taelyon.  The destiny Torrein fights lies in a prophecy soaked in blood.  To claim his rightful power, he must calm his fears and face those who want him and his people dead.  Everyone has been blinded to the real evil in their midst, and it will be a fight till the end of the age to reclaim Taelyon's freedom.  Though it's hard for him to accept, it’s up to Torrein to protect those who have been deceived, and to make sure the evil in their midst doesn't destroy them all.  

Shea has offered to give away an eBook copy of "The Marked Son" to a lucky Book Monster Follower.
To Enter, make sure you’re a follower of the Book Monster Blog and you leave a comment on this post with a valid email address.  Any comments without an email address will NOT be entered into drawing.

Want a 2nd chance to win??  Go to the LITERAL ADDICTION website (http://www.literaladdiction.com/authors-corner.php#/) make sure you read and follow their entry rules, and enter to win the contest on their site too by leaving a comment with your email address on the Interview post.

GOOD LUCK!!!