Awesome Romance Author Kristal Hollis

Looking for a great romance author to read? This week my guest author is Kristal Hollis.

For my interview, Kristal answers questions about how she became a Harlequin Nocturne author and why she writes paranormal romance. She also gives us a sneak peek at the first book in her new wolf-shifter series: AWAKENED BY THE WOLF.

Hi Zara! Thank you for inviting me meet your readers.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?  I grew up in a small agricultural town in South Florida where there wasn’t much to do for most kids, but I inherited my mother’s love of reading. So, there was no lack of adventures for me. I moved to Central Florida after college and married. When my husband became seriously ill, I took a leave of absence from work to be home with him. In between home health care visits, I began writing a paranormal story as a means of “escape” from the real-life drama around me. As Hubster got better, I discovered a love for writing romance. I returned to the day job, and I’m still learning how to balance work, writing and fun time. If not working or writing, I’m usually hanging out online or in person with friends, watching a movie with Hubster, making a mess in the kitchen or spoiling our two furbabies. I’d love to say I crochet, or knit, or do any of those cool crafty things, but the truth is I have two left hands when it comes to arts-and-crafts.

What was the most interesting place you every visited?  I love exploring new places. I would say the most interesting place I’ve visited is Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. My sister and I were walking with a friend in a Midlothian forest and we ended up at the chapel. At the time, the historic site was just beginning to undergo renovations (which are now complete). The interior left me speechless and I’m fortunate to have taken photos of the iconic sculptures, carvings and engravings inside. Sadly, today no photography or videos are allowed to be taken of the interior.

Where is your favorite place to write? In the recliner in our family room is where I get the most words written. The furbabies snooze on the floor beside the chair. Through the double French doors, I can see the inspiring woods behind our house. And I’m close to the kitchen for snacks. I also have a home office that has a view of the woods, but I use that space to develop characters, plot story arcs, and organize writing-related tasks.

Tell us about your book. Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?  AWAKENED BY THE WOLF is a wolf shifter romance set in the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Georgia. Although the town of Maico is fictional, I drew inspiration for the Walker’s Run territory from real places such as Helen, Hiawassee and Young Harris, Georgia and Hayesville, North Carolina.

The Wahyas, wolf shifters, in the story have very close pack ties and they’re all about family. It was natural for me to tap into the dynamics of my own close-knit extended family when orchestrating the pack’s functionality. ABTW has a little of everything…romance, suspense and a lot of family drama.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?  ABTW is the first book in the Wahyas of Walker’s Run series. I designed the series so that certain characters can and will make appearances in future books. Two core themes will be consistent through-out, as well. One is family—whether by blood or bond, the heroes and heroines are seeking to find where they truly belong. The second is empowerment. The fiercely independent heroines are on individual journeys to forge their future, all on their own. Falling in love isn’t in their plans. They’ll need to learn love doesn’t have to be a distraction from their dreams, but can be an enhancement.

Do you have a new book coming out soon? AWAKENED BY THE WOLF was released in June (2016). I recently learned book two in the Wahyas of Walker’s Run series, RESCUED BY THE WOLF, is scheduled for release in March 2017.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? When I began querying agents/editors, resoundingly I heard “Paranormal doesn’t sell.” I found that ridiculously hard to believe. I love paranormal stories and I know lots of people who do too. What I learned is that paranormal DOES sell, but it’s a hard niche to break into for traditional publishing. Like the heroines in my stories, I didn’t give up on my dream. I kept writing. I also entered ABTW into the RWA Golden Heart contest in 2015. Amazingly, the manuscript (formerly titled HOWLIN’ HEARTS) finaled. Within weeks, I received a call from the senior editor at Harlequin Nocturne and she offered me a publishing contract. So, my advice to aspiring writers is Write What You Love and Never Give Up on Your Dreams.

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AWAKENED BY THE WOLF by Kristal Hollis

Blurb

For Cassie Albright, discovering werewolves do exist isn’t as terrifying as knowing that the naked wolfman in her bedroom is about to derail her future. Desperate to overcome her impoverished upbringing, Cassie is determined to finish her college education–her first step toward becoming a successful, independent business owner. And she’ll be damned before she lets Hell or high water or the Devil disguised as the sexy, wealthy, Brice Walker muck things up.

Returning to his pack after five years of exile, Brice Walker isn’t expecting to find a stubborn, human female sleeping in his old room. Nor is he prepared for the mating urge her scent triggers. As the reality of finding his true mate burrows into his being, he’ll defy his powerful Alpha father for the right to claim her and will face a deadly enemy to protect her. But Brice’s greatest challenge will be convincing Cassie that he isn’t her downfall, but her destiny.

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Buy Links:

Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Books A Million |  iTunes 

Learn more about Kristal and her books here:

Website: www.KristalHollis.com

FB: www.facebook.com/kristalhollisbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kristalhollis

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/kristal_hollis

GoodReads:  www.goodreads.com/kristalhollis

Amazon: amazon.com/author/kristalhollis

If you have any questions or comments for Kristal, please post them below, and she will get back to you.