1. What 3 things would you like readers to know about
you? 1) I’m
not a serious person—I spend way more time telling really bad jokes than
probably anyone you know. 2) I’m a hopeless romantic. 3) I read almost as
music as I write.
2.
Tell us about
your books. Genre, titles, any favorite characters? WIP’s, upcoming releases? I have four
releases out now that are part of The
Star Child series—The Star Child,
After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher. They are all Young
Adult ParaRoms about a seventeen-year-old prodigy, Kellen St. James and a
Celtic goddess, Calienta. In the series, Kellen and Calienta are busy fighting
The Children of Danu the faeries of Ireland gone bad. Together, they must fight
to save the world from Arawn, the Lord of Faerie, and later, a new big-bad, the
Star Catcher. The final book in the series, The
Star Catcher, was just released on Bovember 10th, 2013, so now I
am working on polishing a new YA Novel that incorporates my love of both music
and spooky things.
3.
Is there a common
thread in your books? How do your values show up in your writing? Jungian
philosophy? What do you want readers to take from your writing? Yes. I think the common thread is that no matter where you
come from, what’s happened to you, you can choose who you want to be and how you
want to act. That being said, I’m also a certified Myers-Briggs instructor, so
I do truly believe in a lot of Carl Jung’s teachings. Particularly, this notion
that you are born with certain preferences in terms of how you prefer to
interact in the world. I had fun type-watching my characters. I know all of
their MBTI types, for example.
4.
What do you look
for in a good book? In what ways would you say your books exhibit these
qualities? An
escape. I like reality to a point, but generally, I want to go to a world that
takes me out of my own. So I usually seek out books that are set in different
countries or worlds. In The Star Child
series, all of the books are set in places I’ve visited, like Ireland, Maine,
etc. They were all escapes for me. I broke the mode with my most recent WIP,
though. It’s set in my hometown of Pittsburgh.
5.
What are some of
the best social media, marketing, and publicity tips you’ve come across? Don’t talk about
yourself constantly. I try to employ that whenever I can. Also, and this is my
own personal take, I look at the people I meet on social media as just
that—people. Not social media connections. I wouldn’t meet a stranger for the
first time and say, “Hey, I’m Stephanie Keyes. Buy my book.” That seems rude
and pushy. I just try to be myself and hope people have an interest. If they
do, it won’t be because I’m trying to shove my own agenda down their throats.
6.
What are some
things you know now about writing and being an author that you wish someone had
told you at the very beginning? The importance of a goof critique group! I wrote for five
years before I caught on to the idea of joining a critique group. I have
learned so much from the experience. My writing has developed tremendously
since I first attended and I’ve made some life-long friends. There is something
to be said for getting to know like-minded people.
7.
Along that same
line, what are some of your favorite resources? Writer’s Digest was the first resource I
ever found. Definitely check out their website. World Literary Café is
fantastic. Also, search out groups in your genre and see what they have to
offer.
8.
What lifts your
spirits when you’re discouraged? Nutella.
Author Bio
Stephanie
Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently
includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and the soon
to-be-released finale, The Star Catcher (November 2013), all from by Inkspell
Publishing. Mrs. Keyes is hard at work on a new YA Paranormal Romance.
When
she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker,
teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep
her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of
eleven years.
Mrs.
Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information
Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She
is a member of the Society For Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
(SCBWI), as well as a featured author in Love a Happy Ending Lifestyle Magazine.
Contact
Stephanie
Book Links
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