Interview & Giveaway with Kimberly Frost

Kimberly Frost Interview Intro:

Hello Book Monsters and Literal Addicts! Book Monster Reviews and LITERAL ADDICTION are very pleased to welcome author Kimberly Frost to our sites today.

Kimberly has a great bio on her website that we borrowed and pasted below for you to get to know her a little better.

About Kimberly:

I imagined fantastic scenes in my head from the time I was old enough to string thoughts together. It didn’t occur to me to write them down until I was about ten. My stories weren’t really complete. They were more like anecdotes that might be collected in someone’s memoir…if that someone were rich and famous, larger than life, and being chased by aliens, spies, or the mafia.

Initially, I wrote to entertain myself and my childhood best friend. She was an audience of one for many years, which was enough in the beginning. Later, I decided I wanted my readership to be a bit larger, so I began to focus on getting published.

I went to a boot-camp style writing retreat and discovered a few missing pieces of writing craft that I needed to properly finish a novel. For several years, I researched things and wrote several drafts of a story, honing my craft. Then I went to a writers’ conference and pitched the story to an agent who took me on as a client.

A few months later, my humorous fantasy, Would-Be Witch, sold to the Berkley Publishing group. Since then, three books in the Southern Witch series have been released: Would-Be Witch (February 2009), Barely Bewitched (September 2009), and Halfway Hexed (February 2011).

I followed that first series with a paranormal romantic suspense series featuring archangels, human-vampire half-breeds, and descendants of the ancient muses. The first story in the “Etherlin” series was “First Light,” and it is part of a multi-author anthology called TIED WITH A BOW. The anthology hit #23 on the New York Times Trade Fiction Bestseller List. The first novel in the series All That Bleeds (January 3, 2012) was a Barnes & Noble Romance “Must Read.” All That Falls, the second novel in the new series, was released earlier this week.

There will also be other new stories, including a Southern Witch novella, coming out in 2012, so if you’d like to be updated when there are new releases, sign up for my newsletter!

As mentioned above, Kimberly is the creator of two incredible series, SOUTHERN WITCH and THE ETHERLIN.

To keep you up to par on the two series, we've posted the synopses of the books in both series below.  Let's go check them out….

SOUTHERN WITCH Series

"Would-Be Witch"

SOUTHERN WITCH, Book 1

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In the small town of Duvall, Texas, 
the only thing more troublesome than gossip—is magic.

The family magic seems to have skipped Tammy Jo Trask. All she gets in the way of the supernatural are a few untimely visits from the long dead, smart-mouthed family ghost, Edie. But when her locket, an heirloom that happens to hold Edie’s soul, is stolen in the midst of a town-wide crime spree, it’s time for Tammy to find her inner witch.

After a few experiences in dysfunctional magic, Tammy turns to the only one who can help; the very rich and highly magical, Bryn Lyons. He might have all the answers—and a 007-savoir faire to boot—but the locket isn’t the only legacy passed down in Tammy’s family. She also inherited a warning…to stay away from anyone named Lyons.

"Barely Bewitched"

SOUTHERN WITCH, Book 2

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Messing with magic can spell disaster!

Welcome to Duvall, Texas, where Tammy Jo Trask has just unleashed an accidental Armageddon.

Tammy Jo’s misfiring magic has attracted the unwanted attention of WAM, the World Association of Magic. Now, a wand-wielding wizard and a menacing fire warlock have come to Duvall to train her for a dangerous mandatory challenge. But is there more to their arrival than they claim?

When a curse leads to a toxic spill of pixie dust, the town comes unglued and the doors between the human and faery worlds begin to open. To rescue the town and to face the impossible magical test, Tammy needs the help of incredibly handsome Bryn Lyons, but WAM has declared him totally off-limits. To avoid deadly consequences, Tammy probably ought to follow the rules this time…

On the other hand, rebellion is an old Texas tradition.

"Halfway Hexed"

SOUTHERN WITCH, Book 3

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Duvall, Texas.

A small town that’s about to be in some big trouble.

Pastry-chef-turned-unexpected-action/adventure heroine Tammy Jo Trask is finally ready to embrace her mixed-up and often malfunctioning magic. Too bad not everyone wants her to become all the witch she can be.

First, there are the local residents who form a scripture-spouting posse and kidnap Tammy to “defend” Duvall against witchcraft. Next, someone saddles her with a secret package chock full of dangerous visions, just as the president of WAM—the World Association of Magic—arrives with his entourage to investigate her. And who worse to examine Tammy’s entanglement with off-limits and drop-dead gorgeous wizard Bryn Lyons than his ex-girlfriend? Not to mention that the clash between the locals and the magical visitors leads to a series of unnatural disasters that may doom them all.

Will Tammy Jo’s magical synergy with Bryn be enough to help her save the town or will her enemies succeed in putting Tammy out of commission for good?

One thing’s certain: this would-be witch is ready to rumble, Texas style…

THE ETHERLIN Series:

"All That Bleeds"

THE ETHERLIN, Book 1

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They should never have met.

In a glittering community in the Colorado Rockies called the Etherlin, the descendants of the ancient muses live behind a wall that separates them from the dangerous creatures that crave them.

Alissa North is inspiration made flesh, so she should never have met Merrick, a deadly half-vampire enforcer, but when they do meet, the connection is instantaneous, and an illicit flirtation is born. He sends her secret gifts. She writes him secret letters.

The long-distance friendship was never supposed to go any farther. But when she is kidnapped and thrown briefly into his world, everything changes. Now Alissa realizes he’s the only person she can trust, and Merrick finds he’ll do anything to protect her, even risk his life by crossing the wall.

As both worlds close in on them, Alissa knows that getting caught with Merrick could cost her everything she’s ever cared about, but giving him up proves harder than she ever imagined…

"All That Falls"

THE ETHERLIN, Book 2

Released on June 5, 2012

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She should never have touched his blood…

The Etherlin muses have long served as a source of divine inspiration.
Now their world stands between the forces of Heaven and Hell.

As his muse, Cerise propelled her musician boyfriend to the heights of fame, but when he died under mysterious circumstances her powers vanished. Now she’s plagued by disturbing half-formed memories of his final night…until she meets Lysander who seems to hold the key to restoring her memories and abilities.

Fallen archangel Lysander is consumed by his quest for redemption until it leads him to the captivating Cerise. Now his thirst for revenge is rivaled only by his passion for the woman he can’t resist.

Bound by blood and stalked by a deadly enemy, will they pay the ultimate price for succumbing to their passion?

WE know!  They all sound phenomenal and you’re totally hooked!  Before you run off to start ordering the books or adding these awesome series to your TBR list, let's get to the interview so we can find out more about the amazing woman behind the books….

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Hi Kimberly!  Welcome to Book Monster and LITERAL ADDICTION!  Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to stop by and celebrate the release of "All That Falls" with us today!   We’re so happy to have you with us!

Kimberly: I’m delighted to be here. Thanks for having me!

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  We always like to start out by getting to know our guest authors a little bit better.

Q1)   Can you tell us 3 things about yourself that we can't find out on the internet, in your bio, etc?

Kimberly: I work for the CIA. I do not eat sushi. I have saved a life. (Two of these are true. One is not. Can you guess which one?)

Q2)  What are some of your hobbies or things that you each enjoy when you’re not writing or taking care of other author business?

Kimberly: I love to travel. Some favorite places so far: Ireland, Napa Valley, Paris, Florence, Lucerne (Switzerland), Chicago, Austin, St. Pete’s (Florida), New Orleans…I could name so many.

I also love to hang out in my own neighborhood. I can sit in coffee shops and on restaurant patios for hours, writing, people-watching, hanging with friends, etc. I love to discuss books, movies, and television shows.

I really like learning new things. I’m fascinated by past eras and the world at large.

Q3)  Do you have any interesting writing quirks, or things that you must have with you to begin the writing process?

Kimberly: No, that’s one area where I’m really flexible. All I need with me is my brain, which I conveniently never forget to pack. I can write on a treadmill, standing in line at the grocery store…literally wherever. I do like to have a pen and paper or a laptop nearby when I really get going though, so I can capture notes on the scenes as they unfold.

Q4)  What are 3 things that never fail to make you smile and 3 things that never fail to piss you off?

Kimberly:

Makes me smile: 

1. My nephew

2. Season 1-3 of The Big Bang Theory

3. Psych

Pisses me off:

1. Cruelty

2. Gridlocked traffic on my way home from a nightshift

3. The fact that many delicious things have thousands of calories per bite.

Q5)  What are some of the books you have in your TBR pile right now?

Kimberly: Nothing but Trouble by Rachel Gibson, The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown, Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen, New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb, Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn. Sister by Rosamund Lupton. Soulless by Gail Carriger. Also, the new Madeline Hunter historical romance and the new Susan Elizabeth Phillips contemporary romance are on my to-buy list so let’s count those, too.

I tend to read a real mix of things. Romance, mystery, and urban fantasies are my favorites, but I read a fair number of Pulitzer prizewinners, memoirs, and book club selections as well.

Q6)  What are some of your favorite TV shows and movies?

Kimberly: Too many to name. Way too many. It can actually be summed up by saying I love quirky characters, mystery, humor, magic, and action.

Off air: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, The Dresden Files, Life, Veronica Mars

On air: Psych, Burn Notice, Castle, Grimm, Bones, Big Bang Theory, Justified, Game of Thrones, White Collar, Downton Abbey, Murdoch Mysteries

Movies: You’ve Got Mail, While You Were Sleeping, Elf, Stranger than Fiction, Wonder Boys, The January Man, Ghostbusters, Pride & Prejudice BBC mini-series, Emma, Harry Potter series, Hunger Games

I really could go on for hours. You would be bored. I’ll stop now.

Q7)  If you could have one super power, which would you want it to be and why that one?

Kimberly: Flight. There are other, very cool super powers, but I dreamt of flying as a kid and that still resonates with me to this day. The closest I’ve come so far to open air flight is parasailing and it was amazing.

Think about the possibilities of being able to fly… A villain’s chasing you…you fly away. A traffic jam, you fly over it. Having always wondered the secret location of the Bat Cave, you spot the Bat Mobile and can totally tail Batman home without being seen.

Q8)  If you could spend the day with any one of your characters who would it be, and what would you want to do?

Kimberly: That’s a tough one! Given the chance, I would hang out with most of my characters. If I hung out with Southern Witch Tammy Jo, I’d get to laugh a lot, have adventures, and eat tons of fantastic pastries. Win! If I hung out with Alissa the Etherlin muse, she could inspire me to write my best book ever. Win! If I spent the night with Merrick or Lysander, either one would ruin me for all other men. Score! If I spent the night with Bryn, I could learn to write spells and fall in love. Score! If I hung out with Rollie the snarky cross-dressing vampire from my SW series, I’d laugh non-stop, hear the best gossip, and get the wardrobe makeover of my life. Win! There is no right answer to this question, but there are a lot of fun ones. J

Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Now we'd like to ask you more about your books and series:

Q9)  For readers who have not yet read your SOUTHERN WITCH series, can you please tell us what the series is basically about?

Kimberly: I think of it as a “coming of age in the world of magic” story. Tammy Jo Trask, a small-town Texas girl comes from a family of witches, but she’s always lacked the gift—until now. When the family locket, which is linked to the soul of the family ghost, is stolen, Tammy attempts spell-casting to recover it. Unfortunately the spells go horribly and humorously wrong. Next thing she knows, she’s fighting werewolves and becomes involved with a gorgeous wizard that she’s supposed to avoid, all while desperately searching for the locket before her aunt’s ghost is lost forever. As the series progresses, Tammy discovers why her powers malfunction, falls in love and keeps kicking butt and taking names. It’s a lot of fun.

Q10)  We know you mentioned in your bio that you have an upcoming novella planned for the SOUTHERN WITCH series.  Can you tell us about the novella and if you have any other full-length novels planned for the series?

Kimberly: What’s the novella about? Something really good. What is that? Um, I’ll get back to you. ;) I’m actually hard-pressed to summarize stories I’ve already finished, let alone ones that are in process.

In terms of future works, I’m usually a big planner, but at the moment I’m just brainstorming and taking my time. Last year was a writing whirlwind for me, so it’s been great to slow down.

That said, I do feel really privileged to have readers who want more of my work. On Facebook, they often ask when there will be new stories. I love that. And I can relate. I’ve been there as a reader, waiting for the next installment of my favorite series to come out. I look forward to giving readers more of what they want. Whether that will be one Southern Witch novella or several, more novels or not, I can’t say just yet. I only know I have a number of new story ideas and hope when they’re released that readers will be there to snap them up.

Q11)  Can you please tell us about your new ETHERLIN series?   

Kimberly: The first story, ALL THAT BLEEDS, is a star-crossed lovers’ story. Alissa’s an heiress living in a walled city, a celebrity muse with a secret whose life is in danger. Merrick’s the ultimate dark hero (a half-vampire enforcer) who’s been crazy about her since they met. When she is kidnapped, he rushes in to help and takes advantage of the opportunity to get close to her. They have to work together to unravel a mystery and, ultimately, to survive. Merrick is one of my favorite heroes ever. I find him complex, compelling, and sexy.

The second book, ALL THAT FALLS, has a premise I really loved. The back story involves a rock star who died under mysterious circumstances. His girlfriend who was his muse lost her powers when he died. Now she’s desperate to uncover what happened and to have her magic restored. At the same time, a gorgeous (but fallen) archangel is striving tirelessly for redemption and, under the threat of a prophecy, avoids women. Then he meets her. The hero and heroine are both very strong, outspoken characters so everything about their interactions is passionate and volatile. It was a delicious, steamy story to write.

Q12)  What was your inspiration behind these two fantastic series?

Kimberly:

At the time when I was brainstorming WOULD-BE WITCH, I’d been reading a lot of humorous mystery, paranormal romance and urban fantasy and I loved many of the elements from each genre. I wanted to blend them together in a fresh way and to bring readers an experience that I myself enjoyed as a reader.

With the Etherlin series, I’d been reading paranormal fiction for years and had begun to notice trends and similarities. I wanted to create a series that had a different look and feel to it, so I decided on muses and a walled city. I wanted two classes of creatures…the pure and the fallen. I love historical fiction and thought that it would be interesting to have an alternate history. What if something happened that changed our world? And what if the several world religions had their basis in reality? It’s a much darker series with a lot more world-building, and that was fun to play with. Of course, I took care not to overwhelm the main stories with back story. It’s just the backdrop for where we begin. The 2012 doomsday predictions may have been an inspiration for the “bat plague/world-in-peril” back story.

Q13)  Do you have any other upcoming projects that you can share with us?

Kimberly: I think it’s better if I don’t talk about the ideas I’m brainstorming because I don’t know when each project will come together and be released. It’s not fair to whet a reader’s appetite and then take years to deliver. (At least I try not to do that.)

Q14)  Is there anything specific you would like to say to your readers while we have you here today?

Kimberly: Thank you for reading! You’re the reason I write stories. J

  

      Book Monster Reviews/LITERAL ADDICTION:  Thank you again Kimberly for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and chat with us.  We would love to have you back again to help you promote your next release if you're interested.

Kimberly: I would love that. And congratulations to you on putting together such wonderful sites where readers and authors can get together.

If you would like to find out more about Kimberly and keep up with her latest news, you can check out her Website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads.

  

Kimberly is graciously giving away a signed copy of any book of the winner’s choice in either the Southern Witch or Etherlin series to six different winners. Three winners from Book Monster and three winners from LITERAL ADDICTION (over on their site).       

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