Hi Friends! Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Holly Kelly to the blog. Her book, Rising, gave me the incentive to submit my own book to Clean Teen. It’s a fun, paranormal romance read, and I’ve been wanting to go back and re-read my signed copy. (Yes, be jealous.) Here’s a little more about the series…
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About The Author:
Holly Kelly is a mom who writes books in her spare time: translation–she hides in the bathroom with her laptop and locks the door while the kids destroy the house and smear peanut butter on the walls. She was born in Utah but moved around a bit, living in Kansas, Texas, and Hawaii where she studied marine biology. She’s now back in Utah–“happy valley”. She’s married to a wonderful husband, James, and they are currently raising 6 rambunctious children. Her interests are reading, writing (or course), martial arts, visual arts, creating Halloween props, and spending time with family.
Author Interview:
Where are you from?
I was born in Utah but moved around a bit—living in Utah, Kansas, Texas, and Hawaii. Hawaii was my favorite place to live. I absolutely adore the ocean and would love nothing better than to live close to the shore again, but alas I’m back in landlocked Utah—but my husband and I have aspirations of someday buying a winter home in Fiji.
When and why did you begin writing?
It’s funny, but I’d never considered writing fiction until nine years ago—when I started writing my first “practice novel”—I actually wrote three of those. And no, they will never see the light of day. That ship has sailed.
Why did I begin writing? Well, I’d always been an avid reader, but it never crossed my mind that I could write a book myself. Then eight years ago, I read something Stephenie Meyer wrote. It was rough, it was unedited—it was a scene her publisher cut from Twilight. When I read it, I thought it was horrible. And then the thought struck me. I bet I can write better than that. That moment, I opened up Microsoft word and started writing. I didn’t think it over. I didn’t plan it out. It was an impulsive thing. But then, once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. And when I wasn’t writing, I was imagining scenes in my head, thinking out characters, and basically spending my time in the world I was creating. And this is how I live even now—always with one foot in the real world, and one foot in the world of my imagination.
What inspired you to write your first book?
What books have most influenced your life most?
This is a really hard question! I simply love books—paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, romance… there are just so many. It’s easier to say what authors have influenced me. My favorite author is Amy Harmon. She writes mostly contemporary and a few paranormal. Her books are powerful! I’ve never read an author who has more heart than Amy Harmon! With her books, you laugh, you ball your eyes out, and you become so involved with the characters, that you literally feel you are inside the story. Some of my other favorites are J.K.Rowling, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Julie Garwood, Janet Evanovich, Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Mull, and Rick Riordan.
What are your current projects?
What would you like your readers to know?