The Lupie Warrior
by Kristen Collins
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Kristen is your simple introverted girl, except for the fact that she suffers from Lupus. She has a simple
life with a simple routine and that's how she likes it. Or so she thought... Derek is a workaholic
businessman and is extremely focused on the family business, but his family harbors a secret.
At the bidding of his family to joyride on the way back from a business trip in Texas, he stumbles across
the geeky and adorable Kristen wrapped up in southern grace. At a bar in a small town, something draws
him towards her direction.
Is love at first sight real or will her own secret turn him away?
**Only 99 cents!**
I'm a Native Texan, born and raised close to the heart of the great Lone Star state. I am 31 years old,
and I was born in January of 89' and got to grow up during a great time. I honestly don't consider myself
a Millennial, and really hate that title. Also I'm a part-time working secretary and a full-time
mother/housewife, as well as a Lupus Warrior.
Having Lupus, means a life of inside living, and the sun is known as my arch-nemesis, my personal
kryptonite. I wanted to leave a legacy behind, something my kids could one day look back on and say,
yeah my mom did that.
Thanks to the encouragement of friends and family, I found a passion in writing paranormal romance
books. Anything fantasy usually suits my novels and I tend to be able to reach anyone in multiple genres.
Most of my story ideas come to me in the most unexpected time and places, such as my dreams. They
will plague me non-stop until I get my rear up and write it out.
I like to explore new types of characters such as Sandmen and Boogeymen for example. I really wanted
to give them their own world, such as A Sandman's Forbidden Love.
God has granted me success that I never imagined was possible., which led me to my obsession with
the paranormal. Now, I know shifters aren't real but Angels are another story. So Angels are also a part
of my obsession, I will sit on the computer doing extensive research on both Sandmen and Angels trying
to get my facts straight.
Then, on the side, I create Art Journals that can be cross generational from thirteen to sixty years
younger. My goal with these types of books is to reach people who need that extra feel good in their
lives.
Author
Interview
Let's
get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is
your age?
Where
are you from?
The
Greatest state there is! Texas! I was born in Humble but raised in
Llano, Texas until I married my best friend at 17, then we moved to
his hometown up the road, San Saba, Texas.
A
little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I'm
a Native Texan, born and raised close to the heart of the great Lone
Star State. I was born in January of ‘89 and was able to grow up
during a great time. I honestly don’t consider myself a Millennial,
and really dislike that title. I'm a part-time secretary and a
full-time mother and wife, as well as a Lupus Warrior.
Having
Lupus means living my life indoors, and the sun is my arch-nemesis,
my personal kryptonite. I want to leave a legacy behind, something my
kids could one day look back on and say, “yeah, my mom did that!”
Thanks
to the encouragement of friends and family, I found a passion for
writing paranormal romance books. Anything in the realm of fantasy
usually suits my novels and tends to be able to reach a large
audience in multiple genres. Most of my story ideas come to me in the
most unexpected times and places, such as my dreams. They will plague
me nonstop until I sit down and write it out.
I
like to explore new types of characters such as Sandmen and
Boogeymen, for example. I enjoy creating all the facets of their own
worlds, such as in A Sandman’s Forbidden Love.
God
has blessed me with a success that I never imagined was possible,
which allows me the freedom to explore and create with intense focus
in paranormal fiction. Now, I know Shifters aren’t real but Angels
are another story. So Angels are also a part of my focus and
research. I will often sit on the computer doing extensive research
on both Sandmen and Angels, trying to learn as much as possible about
them.
In
addition to fiction, I create Art Journals that are
cross-generational from thirteen to ninety years young. My goal, with
these types of books, is to reach people who need that extra
encouragement and quiet reflective stillness that journaling can
bring into their lives.
Tell
us your latest news.
I
am currently working on edits of my soon to be the newest release,
book four of the Hybrid Love Anthology Throne of Storms & Ashes.
Then I will be working on a Standalone in that series that‘s for
children of middle school age and up, Monsters Under The Bed. Then I
plan on working more on my Untold Series Novelettes, they are
flipbooks about women of the Bible and their stories from their
perspectives. I also have a 3rd
series
that I have two more books till it’s completed. The Elsewhere
Series, Down The Rabbit Hole and Goldilocks are out and available on
Barnes and Nobles and Amazon. Legend of Red is the third book in that
series, I’m hoping to release it in Spring of 2021.
When
and why did you begin writing?
I
wrote my first book in 2016, I wrote A Sandman’s Forbidden Love and
Grimm Love at the same time, completing them both in a month’s
time. I was pretty depressed with what I had accomplished in my
life up to that point, aside from being a mom and wife, which I love
and am grateful for in this life. Family is everything to me. I had
felt like I wasn’t someone they could be proud of or worth bragging
about? I know that sounds silly but my books gave me something
tangible to point to.
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
I
think for myself, when I started getting reviews and even readers
reaching out to me whether it was through Facebook or by email.
That’s when I knew that I was doing something worth wild.
What
inspired you to write your first book?
Like
I mentioned before, I have Lupus and have had it since I was five
years old. When I first started writing A Sandman’s Forbidden Love,
I was very ill. I could barely stand much less stay awake during the
day because the fatigue was so strong. I had become bored with
Netflix binging and I had these same dreams plaguing me over and
over, again and again, nightly. So I decided to put fingers to a
keyboard and start typing it out, before I knew it in a month’s
time I had two rough drafts of books completed and ready for an
editor.
How
did you come up with the title?
Actually,
it’s really funny that I got this question. You know those
book-name-generator games on Facebook, especially in release parties.
Well, ironically that’s how I came up with the last title in the
series.
Do
you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style
or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Nope.
How I write is from what I have learned through other authors by
studying them.
How
much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone
you know, or events in your own life?
All
my books have some kind of experience from my life in it. I don’t
believe my stories would be half as good as they are without the life
experiences I have lived.
To
craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the
process?
I
wish! A Sandman’s Forbidden Love takes place in another realm, two
actually that are created from my own mind. Grimm Love takes place
mostly in Ouray, Colorado and The Child with Silver Eyes takes place
in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. I had to do quite a bit of research online
and even a few people I met through the Internet to make sure I was
pretty accurate with my small mountainside towns.
Who
designed the covers & edits?
Rachel
Olson from No Sweat Graphics has done all my covers except Throne of
Storms & Ashes, which I won from Liz Himsworth at LKO Designs. My
Editor is Suzette from My Write Hand VA, she’s the gal I go with
these days when it comes to editing my books.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I
think from within my books to my readers, whether in life or death
that everyone can have their own happy ending.
Are
there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is
your favourite writer, and what is it about their work that really
strikes you?
That’s
hard to answer because I love so many Indie authors and the way they
uniquely write their stories. Elisa Amore is my favorite author with
her series The Touched Saga. I love the original and new spin she put
on death angels and forbidden love, she is an inspiration to me and
so many other Indie Authors out there.
Outside
of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to
become a published author.
Suzette
and Rachel have been with me for years now and encourages me, they
helped me whenever my career was threatened to be pulled apart into
nothing.
Do
you see writing as a career?
Yes,
I do. I love writing; it’s a passion of mine that I enjoy
thoroughly. I hope one day it will be all I do but until then I
appreciate that I am able to do it at all.
If
you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your
latest book?
Nope,
I think readers will be very excited to read it if they have been
following the whole series because you get to know all the details
from every forbidden hybrid’s perspective.
Did
you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
If
your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
It
depends on which book of mine we are talking about… The Child With
Silver Eyes, I would love for Jason Momoa to play the lead man,
Hashke (pronounced Ash*Ke) A.K.A. Ash Stormcloud.
Any
advice for other writers?
For
all new writers, lean on the writing community, other Indie authors
especially because they will be your support system and show you the
way.
Anything
specific you want to tell your readers?
As
an author, I truly hope you enjoy and get lost in my stories! I want
my books to be a means of an escape for nayone who reads them and I
want you to fall in love with the same characters I have over the
years.
What
book are you reading now?
Currently,
I am finishing up reading the Bible. I had a goal to read the entire
Bible in a year and today I am 11 days away from accomplishing that
goal!
Do
you remember the first book you read?
The
first books I remember truly picking out and reading on my own were
The Green Rider by Kristen Britain and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowery
Do
you have any hobbies?
Art
is a hobby of mine, it led me to create 2 published art journals, The
Follow Art Journal Series.
What
TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Anything
supernatural, the whole paranormal fascinates me to no end. I enjoy
other shows like The Walking Dead, The Masked Singer, NCIS, Coroner,
The Good Witch, Virgin River, and V Wars, Prodigal Son, Criminal
Minds and so on...
Favorite
foods, colors, music?
Chinese
food and wings! My favorite color is blue/green and I love Christian
music by Hollyn, Casting Crowns, For King and Country, Mandisa and
TobyMac
Imagine
a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Just
be a mother and wife, I can’t imagine anything else with my life
after writing other than God and my family.
You
only have 24 hours to live, how would you spend that time?
I
would spend it wiht my husband and kiddos, fishing and camping and
watching movies together. I would want ot make as many memories as
possible with them.
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