...and don't forget to leave your comment at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Keeper of the Gate !!
It’s All
About the Book…
**Please
tell us about your current or upcoming release.
Keeper of the Gate follows Annalisa Harold a
high school student who struggles with self esteem issues and depression. She’s
never really felt as though she belongs among her peer group. Over the years,
she has had several relationships but none of them ever lasted or felt right.
Devin, a mysterious dark hair senior with luminous aqua eyes, comes into the
picture and Anna feels strangely drawn to him – this type of connection has
never happened for her before. Anna soon finds out there’s more to Devin than
good looks and his weird obsession with the Bible, and the sense of loneliness
she felt her entire life is finally explained. Anna spends a good portion of the
book searching for answers about her past with Devin and struggling to accept
her true identity. Amid this turmoil she begins an adventure into the City of
Fire to reseal the gates of Hell. The story is a roller coaster and I won’t let
you off until the very end so hang on!
**What is
this book’s genre? Is this the genre you
usually write in? Are there any genre’s
you haven’t written that you’d like to try?
Keeper of the Gate is a paranormal romance/fantasy. If you've read any of my other novels you'd know I'm slightly obsessed with all things paranormal so yes, this is the genre I usually write in. I would LOVE to try my hand at Science Fiction and have had an idea for a story floating around for a few years.
**What
inspired you to write this book?
I
talked about this at length in another blog visit. My oldest daughter was the
one who inspired me to write this story. When I told her I was going to dedicate
my latest book, Keeper of the Gate, to her because she had inspired me to write
it, she crinkled her nose and said, "Book? What book are you talking
about?" I had to laugh, and hold onto the nearest solid surface. The
heated conversation we'd had so many years ago about what type of book I should
write next was just a fleeting moment in her life. She had no idea I'd spent
the last two years writing a story based on her desire to read a love story
with angels. After some prompting and bugging - and possibly some tap dancing
and head stands - Kristen finally nodded weakly and smiled.
"Oh sure, Mom, that's right." Her eyes skirted as she struggled to recall any memory of the conversation we'd had. "That book. Now I remember. I thought it was about ghosts are something?"
"Oh sure, Mom, that's right." Her eyes skirted as she struggled to recall any memory of the conversation we'd had. "That book. Now I remember. I thought it was about ghosts are something?"
Boy oh
boy the things we do for our kids!
**How did
you pick its title? Did it come first or
did you have to write the story first?
The
title for Keeper of the Gate actually came well before I had the idea for the
book. Many years ago, when I worked in a call center selling credit cards,
there was a term we used to describe people who screened our calls: Gate
Keepers. Every time I heard someone say this, ideas for stories would start. I
guess the title has been on the back burner for over ten years!
**Who is
your favorite character of this book and why?
I
think this is a tossup between Devin and Anna, the main characters. I love Devin
because he is utterly devoted to Anna and suffers so much for her. Anna is
flawed, much like most of us, and I love how real that makes her.
**What
was the hardest part of this book to write? Can you share an excerpt from that
part?
Without
giving away too much, one of the most difficult parts to write was when Anna
secretly follows Devin one day, determined to get answers. She does get the
answers she wants but ends up witnessing something horrible that changes her
forever. The torment Devin endures for Anna really tears at my heart. It was
difficult to see him suffering.
Excerpt:
“Please, Father.” Devin looked up at him,
body shaking uncontrollably as he pulled his arm from the old man’s grip. “I
must continue. If I do not. . .” he paused, head wavering as though he were
going to pass out. The old priest moved forward but Devin held a bloodied hand
up and boomed. “No! Stop! Do not assist me.” Silence. I held my breath as he
continued. “If I do not show penance, I will not be able to stay here. She
needs me, until she is strong enough to come back to us.”
**What is
your favorite part of this book? Can you
share an excerpt from that part?
Questions
like this are tough because I have many favorite parts. I had to scan through
the manuscript and the following section really stood out because it happens
not long after the excerpt in the previous question. This really showcases
Anna’s stubborn side.
Excerpt:
Devin shook his head and stared at me through
the hair hanging in his face. Face stained with tears, eyes puffy from crying,
in an instant my heart melted for him and I felt like crying again. Damn
mixed-up emotions. He frowned and wiped his hair out of his eyes with trembling
fingers. “You shouldn’t have come.” Voice quavering, he gestured to the door.
“Just go. I . . .” he stammered. “I don’t want you to see me like this. I-I’ll
be fine.”
“No!” I stomped my foot like a child. “There
is no way I’m going anywhere before I know you’re okay.” I drew a shuddering
breath. “And while we’re on the topic?” I crossed my arms after tucking my hair
behind my ears. “What was that? I’m
not leaving here without answers! No chance!”
Screw him.
“You don’t need to worry about that. Forget
it.” His beautiful liquid eyes held mine. “It’s time for you to leave now.
I––I’m going to be okay. Okay?”
Narrowing my eyes, I shook my head. “No! I’m
staying.”
“Why do you have to be so stubborn?”
“Because,” I fired back. “There’s something
seriously wrong with you.” I held his gaze challengingly and he looked away
defeated. “I’m not leaving until I know you’re okay. Until I get the answers I
came for . . . until, until . . .” I was stammering and clenched my fists at my
sides to ground myself. “I’m not leaving. Deal with it!”
**Did you
have any special rhythm or quirks while writing this?
As a writer I find I’m inspired by music – new stuff and
old. Often times, if I’m suffering from lack of motivation or even the dreaded
writer’s block, I scan through the songs on my i-pod until I hear a song that
propels me forward. If this fails, I’ll plug in my i-pod and take a long drive
with the music cranked. My parents live 50 minutes from us so that’s a great
reason to jump in the car. It might seem strange but my quirk would be that I’ve
worked out more than a few issues driving on the highway. For Keeper of the
Gate I found myself on many cross country drives as I tried to work out tough
spots. My parents loved all the visits!
**Is this
a stand-alone book or is it part of a series?
If so, we want to hear about it and what’s next in the series. If not a series, what comes next to be
released?
When I started writing this book I wasn’t thinking far
beyond the first one. As I neared the end, however, it became apparent I had to write more books. There are so
many possibilities for sequels I’m grappling with where to start. I really miss
Devin and Anna and feel like I need to get them back right away.
Paula it was a pleasure having you and please come back any time !!!
*****
Keeper
of the Gate
Paula Kennedy
Evernight
Teen
Paranormal
Teen Romance, 63k
Anna, the girl with flaming red hair
and attitude to match, always felt like an outcast. In her final year of high
school, when she can’t even connect with the right guy, she meets mysterious
bible-loving Devin and feels strangely drawn to him.
There’s more
to Devin than good looks and his weird obsession with scripture, and Anna
finally understands the emptiness she’s felt her entire life. Join Anna as she
searches for answers about her past with Devin, struggles to accept her true
identity, and begins an adventure into the City of Fire to reseal the gates of
Hell.
Author Bio:
Born and raised in
Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Paula has a B.A. in
psychology, a B. Ed. in the primary, junior, intermediate and senior
divisions, and a vivid imagination. She spent her early years
listening to the stories of her father, a well-loved high school
teacher and creating tales of adventure for her two younger sisters.
She is a wife and mother to four amazing children.
“I am a mother, a wife, a teacher and a writer. Life does not get any
better than this!”
psychology, a B. Ed. in the primary, junior, intermediate and senior
divisions, and a vivid imagination. She spent her early years
listening to the stories of her father, a well-loved high school
teacher and creating tales of adventure for her two younger sisters.
She is a wife and mother to four amazing children.
“I am a mother, a wife, a teacher and a writer. Life does not get any
better than this!”
*****
Giveaway: 1 Ebook copy of Keeper of the Gate
Please leave a comment on this blog
to enter !!!
Thanks for having me!
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