11 Things You Didn’t Know About Kailin Gow:
1) She used to design and make jewelry during college, and she sold enough to pay for textbooks.
2) As a teenager, she used to get up at the crack of dawn to go fishing with her brother.
3) She grew up surrounded by guys.
4) She took kung fu, piano, violin, languages, and ballet classes for years; and even went through a vigorous violin and music theory scholarship program.
5) She has a weakness for dresses and boots, and she has her favorite designers.
6) Her husband was an executive at a major high-end luxury retailer and fashion house.
7) Her husband is her best friend.
8) She went to law school and was encouraged to become a litigator.
9) Some of her family is in politics.
10) She was voted to be the person most wanted to be stranded with on an island by her college class group.
11) She confesses to being a geek, a dork, and a nerd; but she’s proud of it!

Hey yaReaders,

We’ve added a new feature to our Book of the Month and Indie Author of the Month slots. Going forward, you’re going to be treated to a personal blog post from the main character of each slot. So stop by and see what your characters are up to! We’re excited to debut this feature with a little note from the fabulous Jim Morgan from this month’s Indie Book of the Month, Jim Morgan and the King of Thieves by James Matlack Raney.

Enjoy!

Journal Entry

8^th of October

I can hardly wait for tomorrow! Finally my father will be home from sea! I just know he’s going to be so pleased with how grown up I’ve become. In fact, I see no reason that he wouldn’t think me ready to become Lord Morgan immediately. Or maybe another title in the meantime, like a Duke? Or perhaps he could just have me knighted? After all, I know everything I need to become a Lord (no matter what Phineus says!) Which is another point I shall have to bring up to my father. How is it that such a tired old stinker like Phineus became the Morgan family tutor? He’s such an impossible bore! Aunt Margarita is giving me my real education anyway. Just last night we were eating chocolates and talking about how out of date most of the members of court are these days. They aren’t even wearing the newest shoes from Austria! Honestly, it’s sad. Well, tomorrow can’t come soon enough. I plan to be sitting on my horse, Destroyer, when father arrives. If that doesn’t impress him I don’t know what will.

Journal Entry

9^th of October

I’m so furious I can barely write these words! My father has been back one day, just one, and he’s banished me to my room. Me! The future Lord Morgan sent to his room like a common boy. And without any supper! This is barbaric! Alright, so there was a small incident with the horse, the gardener, and the party decorations, but how could that possibly be my fault? I’m sure somehow Phineus set me up for this. He’s always been saying that things were going to change when my father got home and I just know that he planned for all this to happen. He and all of the servants were in on it together! And the way they made me look like some sort of villain in front of my father. Me? I only sacked the servants who deserved it! But then came the worst part. I overheard my father talking to Aunt Margarita, and apparently on his latest voyage my father found a treasure – a treasure he planned to keep a secret from even me! His own son! A treasure Aunt Margarita said would rival that of the King of England. Well, this simply won’t do. I’m going down to my father’s study right now and I’m going to find out about this secret treasure. Besides, when I become Lord Morgan any treasure that’s my father’s will become mine anyway!

Melissa Starr is the author of Phoenix. You can find out more information about Melissa Starr at her website.

Dogs or cats?

Dogs, I think. They’re easy to talk to, don’t talk back and aren’t real picky about their owners…then again I have a few things in common with cats, lol. I tend to be pretty finicky, like my comforts and I’m real choosy about who I get close to. But if I have to pick I’d say dogs.

The Hunger Games or The Mortal Instruments?

Definitely Mortal Instruments, love Cassandra Clare and what she’s done with the slayer type characters. Oh, but wait. I love Hunger Games too!!! Don’t make me choose! Okay, Mortal Instruments, but I can’t promise I won’t change my mind when I’m done reading Mocking Jay! ;P

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Can I say both? I like to swirl my choco & vanilla ice cream together until its like soft serve…guess it’s the kid in me!

Now let’s get down to business:

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing in the 5th grade, short stories, poetry and such but I’d say my freshmen year in high school is when I decided it was something I really wanted to pursue.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Hectic when I actually get to write! When I write I tend to zone out and my family loses me for awhile, lol, but it’s hard to fit it in so my schedule goes like so… Get kids up, off to school, clean my house, sit and write until around 11:30 am, get lunch with the hubby, sit and write until 2:45 and the pick up the kids…it’s all down hill from there, lol. So, when I get a weekend where I get bit by the “bug” I fall off the map & the fam has to fend for themselves.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Hmmm. I’d be lying if I said never but truthfully if the words aren’t flowing I step away from the keyboard. I don’t force it. It comes and I write or it doesn’t & I don’t. Hard to experience block if you don’t write til the bug bites.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I jot down the general idea of what I want to write about and hit key points that I want to remember and how I’d like it to end, so the bare skeleton I’d say but I fill it in as I go and sometimes the story changes on me as the characters progress.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I’m following Phoenix; Phoenix Elite Book 1 up with Ruhk’s Rising; Phoenix Elite Book 2. Book 2 is bound to make a few readers angry because the main character, Elora is stripped of her strengths and literally has to find herself through the rising of this race she knows nothing about. Most of my readers have counted on Elora to be spunky, opinionated and strong but this book is going to flip some of my readers on their heads. I should shush now because I’ll give too much away!

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

I think that a little of my life’s experiences have seeped through but it is ninety-five percent fictional.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

I’d say when Elora starts to lose her identity. She’s losing everyone & everything around her and succumbs to the charms of “the new guy”. This guy seems to know more about her than she’s comfortable with making her feel even more vulnerable but in the same instance she is highly attracted to him and begins to lean on him for support. I love this particular part because I can identify having lost a brother when I was in my teens and then leaning upon someone you believe will always have your back only to find that’s not the case.

What are you currently working on?

I recently signed contract on Ruhk’s Rising; Phoenix Elite Book 2 and have set aside Book 3 for a bit while I pull something older off the back burner. It’s a new series and I’ve almost completed the first one. This WIP is entitled Therian Cursed; An Equinox Novel. If you know anything about Therianthropy you’ll automatically know what it’s about. If not…we’ll I shall not keep you in suspense. It’s a shifter novel.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Wow, um…don’t ever EVER give up on your dreams. Be true to you and know that saving yourself for THAT one special person is way cooler than fitting in. I totally think abstinence should be the “new black”, lol. AND if you’re a victim of being bullied in any shape, form or fashion, get help. And if you happen to be the bully, there’s help for you. You can stop. Seek counseling. I understand there are those out there who suffer from abuse and neglect and find it in some way theraputic to pick on others but you are your own person and the cycle must be broken. You should always treat people with respect and how you would want to be treated.

What is currently in your To-Be-Read-Pile? I actually have a few different things I desperately want to read. I fell in love with Kendare Blake’s, Anna Dressed in Blood and can’t wait to read the sequel, I also want to get started on Richelle Mead’s, Bloodlines. Love her Vampire Academy series.

Giveaway: Head on over to this link to enter the giveaway!

 

Follow the rest of the tour here!