GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Interview: Keri Arthur Fireborn Book Tour + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Interview: Keri Arthur Fireborn Book Tour + giveaway

Today we have the amazing and very busy Keri Arthur to talk about Fireborn, the first in a new series. What had her delving into the phoenix mythology? What would she do with an invisibility cloak? And does she prefer Pepsi or Coke? Read on my flock...

Sharon: For those who don’t know, tell us a little bit about your new series and Fireborn.

KeriFireborn is the story of Emberly, a phoenix blessed (or cursed) with foresight. When she sees the death of the man she once loved, she steps into alter fate. In the process, she becomes involved in not only the investigation of her boss’s murder, but the efforts to recover his stolen research--research that could forever change the human race--before it falls into the wrong hands.

behold the fantastic!
Donna: The cover for Fireborn is fantastic. Did you have any control over it or were you just pleasantly surprised? More importantly did you strike the pose on the cover when you saw it?
Keri: I didn’t strike a pose, but I certainly did a happy dance! I was asked for suggestions and/or scenes that would work for the cover. There’s one scene where Emberly goes to the rooftop of her building and shifts into firebird form, and that’s basically a snapshot what you’re seeing on the cover. The fabulous Tony Mauro did the cover, and if you go to his website (http://tonymauroillustration.com/galleries/book-covers/ ) and scroll down, you can see the full picture; that’s actually Melbourne in the background!


Sharon: What sparked (see what I did there?) the idea for a series about Emberly, a Phoenix? And clever name for a Phoenix by the way <G>.
KeriAnd you have no idea how long I scrolled through baby name sites looking for a suitable name <g>. Basically, I just wanted to write something other than vampires and werewolves, so I spend a lot of time on many different myth and legend sites. The idea of a phoenix--capable of being born time and again out of the ashes of its past--snagged my muse’s interest, simply because of the story lines and history it could offer a character. Plus, there’s not a lot of stories out there at the moment that feature a phoenix as the main character :) 

Donna: I noticed on your blog that you are continually apologizing for not blogging enough. Do you think that sometimes with all the social media outlets now, it might be too much of a good thing? How do you keep up?

KeriWell, I think it’s obvious I don’t, hence the constant apologizing! Lol. I’m also really bad at answering fan email, which is why I have a warning on my website that while I look at emails, I don’t always answer them. It generally depends on where I’m at with my writing, and how busy I am. I tend to concentrate more on Facebook and Twitter (and Google plus when I remember it), simply because they’re just so much easier to check and reply to. Plus, I’ve been blogging for so long now I think I’ve run out of interesting things to talk about!

But yeah, I do think the constant pressure to maintain a media presence can be dangerous, simply because it becomes a time-sink. In the end, the only thing that really matters is writing a book that people want to read, and if Facebook, Twitter and whatever else becomes the next big thing gets in the way of that, then writers need to step away.

Sharon: If I let you borrow my invisibility cloak for a day what would you do?
KeriGood question! And I’m not really sure...it would be nice to get some great close up shots of the wildlife around here without them getting spooked and running before I could take a shot. But it would also be nice to tag around after some of my favorite actors, just to see what they were like in real life:)


Sharon: *snickers* Uh, huh...you mean like what kind of shampoo Chris Hemsworth uses, cause that is something I would like see...

Donna: You've got a really great site. I loved the Aussie Speak section. Do you have any funny miscommunication stories?

KeriThere was one time when I had to fill a hire car up in the US. Here in Oz, when the pump clicks, it’s generally just a warning you’re getting close to full; we ignore it and go to the second or third click. The pumps I used in the States weren’t like that, so when I ignored the click, it overflowed everywhere. I couldn’t find a bucket of water to wash down the car or disperse the stuff on the concrete, so I went inside and asked for a bucket of water to wash down the petrol. The attendant looked at me blankly; I explained it again, still a blank look. So I said, you know, that stuff you put in the car that runs the engine--I spilled it everywhere. “Ah,” he said, “You mean GAS!” LOL. In Oz, gas is LPG--liquefied petroleum gas, which is actually a gas, and used in heating as well as to run cars. 
in case anyone was confused when Keri mentioned Oz
Sharon: what in the world is chicken chippies? (yes, I stalked your twitter feed)
KeriChicken chippies is slang for chicken chips -- potato chips (or crisps in the UK). Australian’s often get confused in the US when we see chips on the menu, because here it also means hot chips (fries). So when we see burgers and chips, we’re expecting hot chips (fries) not a packet of potato chips! (That is a really weird custom, you know. Lol) 
we will be serving these babies down in the dungeon afterwards

Donna: Culturally, what do you think is the biggest difference between the U.S. and Australia?
KeriI actually don’t think there are many major differences, although I do think the Australian sense of humor doesn’t always translate well in America. And, of course, the gun culture here is very different--Australian’s certainly don’t think it’s their right to carry guns on their person. Our government bought in strict gun regulations after the Port Arthur massacre in the mid 1990’s (in which 35 people died). As a result, there have been no massacres since (there were 11 in the decade before the new rules came in), although there are still gun-related crimes (bad guys will always get guns, no matter how strict the rules).


The main differences are only minor though; for example, while we Aussies love our pets and are more than happy to take them with us to beaches, parks, and on camping holidays, we would never (and indeed are not by law allowed to) take them into supermarkets, restaurants (unless there is outdoor dining), hotels, clothing stores or on public transport (unless it’s a certified guide dog). The serving size of food is also vastly different--we have much smaller servings here in Oz.


Sharon: Got any TV shows you are looking forward to this Summer and Fall?
KeriI’ve got a lot of shows I have to catch up on--Castle, Game of Thrones, and Arrow, just to name a few. But new show wise, I’m looking forward to Constantine, The Flash, Forever, Gotham, and NCIS New Orleans (because I love the city and enjoyed the NCIS intro episode). 
Sam will always be Flash to me...no judging!
Sharon: You like going to craft shows, are you a crafty person? What do you like to buy/make?
KeriI actually don’t make anything myself, but I love hand-made stuff, be it jams, honey, art, or clothes. It not only supports home producers, but it generally either tastes better than anything you could buy in the supermarket, or is totally different to anything you’d find in a clothing store.

Rapid Fire 

all together now...awwwww!
Donna: Platypus or kangaroo?
Keri: I’d have to say Kangaroo, simply because they’re everywhere where I live. And baby roos are very cute.


Sharon: Coke or Pepsi?
KeriNeither by choice (I’m a water or tea woman) but Pepsi if I had to drink one 
Sharon: YES! *balloons and sheep fall from the sky. Sharon looks at Donna* You've got to clean that up :P

in case you don't speak Aussie

Donna: Forest or swamp?
KeriForest. Less mozzies.

Sharon: ship or plane? KeriDepends on where I was going, but plane if I wanted to get there relatively fast (Australia is a long way from anywhere. Lol)


Donna: Vanilla or Chocolate?
Keri: Vanilla if a milkshake, Chocolate if hot


Sharon: fried or baked? 
KeriBaked. Always. Unless we’re talking chips (fries)


Donna: Early bird or night owl?
KeriEarly bird


Sharon: rainbows or storms?
KeriBoth?

Donna: Chocolate milk or hot chocolate? 

KeriHot Chocolate. Always

Donna and I would like to thank Keri for talking with us today. She also has a flock load of other series for you to try, including the Dark Angels series.



Fireborn
Emberly Pearson isn’t just a phoenix who can take on human form at will, she’s also cursed with the ability to foresee death. So when her dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent it from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus. Now all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research is stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames…


About the Author:
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Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than twenty-eight novels. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and has won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.

11 comments:

  1. That's hard because I really don't need to hide. I'm a right in your face person so it would have to be something not in my normal life. How about go behind the scene of the White House.

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  2. I've always wanted to know what my children's school days were like, so most likely go and take a look there >.<

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  3. I'd also go behind the scenes at the White House :) or rob a bank... lol... hard to decide! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Well, now that I'm mature, I guess I wouldn't be visiting the boy's locker room. Hmmm, I can't think of any place I'd need to get into or people I would want to eavesdrop on.

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  5. Visit places and do some of the things mentioned in my favorite books that I'm to chicken to do in person.

    Damaris ;)

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  6. I would go see if Johnny Depp is as handsome in his pictures as in real life

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  7. I would go down to Washington DC and get into Congress and the White House and leave little post it notes everywhere saying, "Are you REALLY working today or just pontificating?"

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  8. I would go out into the world and visit places that your normally not allowed to go and maybe play some little pranks on people. Can't really think of anything else to do with it unless it was bulletproof as well because that opens up a whole other world of possibilities. Thx for this giveaway!!! =)

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  9. Sneak into all those top secret places and see what really goes on.
    This series sounds fantastic.

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  10. I'm not sure, but I'd probably figure out some places I'm not supposed to be and sneak in there, and I'd eavesdrop on lots of interesting conversations.

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