Featured Author - February // K.A. EMMONS

   It's finally the 24th, which means its time for the second post in my series of featured authors - and guess who we've got here to chat with us, my friends? The incredibly talented indie-author K.A. EMMONS.

A few epic Kate-things you should check out: 

He’s spent his life running from who he is. She’s been trying to escape her past for 100 years…
 
Born with unexplainable abilities he struggles to control, college student Ion tries desperately to integrate into his new school and finally put his dark past behind him. But after making a serious enemy, which leads to an accidental rendezvous with the mysterious old man next door— and his hauntingly beautiful but troubled young protégée Hawk, Ion realizes his life will never be normal again.

Late one evening, Hawk drags him by the hand into a closet-turned-rabbit-hole to an extra dimension, and Ion finds himself stumbling involuntarily into a secret society of training for “anomalies,” teenagers with a special set of abilities. Just like him.

As they train to become Protectors of future Earth, battling each other as well as their own demons, both Ion and Hawk begin to realize that they are far more alike than they realized. Unsettlingly so.

When the Dimension is shaken by an unthinkable betrayal, will an ancient prophecy bring Hawk and Ion together—or will a deadly threat hidden in plain sight cost them both their powers… and their lives?

her debut novel, The Blood Race

her author site, kaemmons.com

kate's beautiful instagram, @emmonswrites

Savannah Grace: Hey, Kate! Thanks for taking some time to stop by and chat today - I'm excited to get this interview going. And we'll start with the first question first - what are a few quirks about yourself that people might be surprised to know?

K.A. Emmons: Oh, good question, Savannah! Three quick things come to mind:

I think people would probably be surprised to learn that I am not a big fiction reader *at all.* In fact, it’s a very, very rare sight to see me with a fictional book in my hands. I don’t read very often in general, but when I do, I love reading non-fiction military books, biographies, spiritual, and self improvement books.

I’m also a martial artist - which is something I’ve very passionate about, love doing, and highly recommend! I live a very active lifestyle, in part to offset the thousands of hours I spend sitting at a desk.

And I am also an activist! My sister Abbiee and I co-founded a student organization called Blue Freedom, a non-profit about keeping cetaceans out of captivity, and protected in the wild. We even made a film about it called ‘Voiceless’, which is available for free on Youtube.

image credit: kate

Grace: Alright, so I've been following you on social media for some time now, and I was still surprised by every one of those facts! It's super cool that you take martial arts (and Blue Freedom sounds awesome) - and what, you don't read fiction much?? Wow, I didn't see that one coming xD. But it's cool that you still love a ton of non-fiction books ;). Alright, here's the question that I'm dying to ask now that I know you don't read fiction very often - where did you get your idea/inspiration for The Blood Race?

 
Emmons: The idea for The Blood Race came out of left field - literally just dropped into my head one day. I’m a very visual person, I could literally just see the whole thing in my head like one big panoramic snapshot. The inspiration behind the story stems from an concept that I believe in with every fiber of my being: that we are powerful beings. Far more powerful than we realize. That we are complex and gifted - that we each have a ‘warrior within’.

Grace: That's seriously so epic, I love how you were able to see the whole thing in your head! And your inspiration behind the story is so epic <3. When did you decide that you wanted to self-published The Blood Race?

 
Emmons: It was actually after the first draft was written in its entirety. While The Blood Race is the first novel I’ve published, it’s not the first book I’ve written. I was literally smack in the middle of marching down the trad-publishing process with another novel of mine (a stand-alone, yet to be published), and in short, it was a nightmare. I had this very positive, hopeful outlook on the traditional publishing industry that just did *not* match the reality of the nature of the beast. My work was being compromised just to “fit into the box” of what my manager at the time knew the industry was looking for. But I’m a rebel to the marrow of my bones and I really didn’t care what the industry was looking for. In fact, I resent many of the standards of the industry, which have, in my opinion, degraded beyond all reason. I have very, very, principled spiritual and moral beliefs, and I wasn’t going to compromise any one of those standards. So I pulled back on that book, and decided that I was going to indie publish from here on out. I am a huge believer in indie publishing, because it’s the future. It really, really is. Everything in the current market is pointing to indie publishing, and I would be the first to attest to the fact that this is true based of the success I’ve had with The Blood Race already. This is but the cutting edge of where the market is headed. And it’s a beautiful and fulfilling thing to have control over your own art - rather than allowing it to be chewed up by the machine, just so it can fit into a box. I’m a huge supporter of indie publishing for that very reason.

Hawk, one of Kate's characters (image not mine)

Grace: "I have very, very, principled spiritual and moral beliefs, and I wasn’t going to compromise any one of those standards" You go, girl - I love how you won't compromise your beliefs just to get into the traditional publishing industry. And I agree about the indie publishing getting bigger in leaps and bounds, so many people are doing incredibly well with their indie published books.

Alright, about the inside of your gorgeous debut novel - everyone who’s read your book raves over the epic characters. Do you have a personal favorite out of all the characters you’ve written?  

 
Emmons: Well first off, thank you - it’s always so touching and humbling to hear that people love and connect to a character that I had the privilege to create.

Oh, man. This is a TOUGH question! Can I even answer that? I feel like I’m publicly choosing my favorite child, haha! Hawk, Icarus, Fin and Sensei. I wouldn’t really give an order to that list, but I love those characters with a passion. They’ve taught me so much - especially in the coming book Worlds Beneath. The concepts and areas of growth the characters go through in the series are not things that I’m like “been there, done that” about. The struggles and the pain and the warring with the thoughts and self talk - am there. I’m growing through those things myself. I’m learning to deal with those myself, and oftentimes I will write a line, sit back, and be like “wow, God… I need to apply that to my own life. Thank you for that.”

I can so relate to C.S. Lewis when he said “I never actually made a book. It’s rather like taking dictation. I was given things to say.” My brain and intellect as precious little to do with it; I often feel as though I am just sitting back and watching the words roll out - and learning just as much from it as the characters themselves are.

Sensei, another of Kate's characters (image not mine)

Grace: So can I just mention how epic your character's names are? I can already tell that I will ADORE them <3. And its so neat how you're learning right along with your characters - I always love and admire books like that, where you can tell the author didn't just write it, but that they've really been there. Though, honestly, I feel like that can sometimes make the book harder to write - but the end result is always worth it ;). Out of all three books in the trilogy, which was your favorite to write (and which was the hardest), and why? 

Emmons: My favorite is book two, Worlds Beneath. It was also probably the hardest, because the story is so personal and something I feel so, so strongly about. I think it’s always going to be harder to write the things that are true and real for us - truth is a complex, beautiful, layered thing. It’s easy to write something that has no meaning. It’s easy to write what everyone wants to hear - or what the market is looking for. It’s easy. What’s hard is to get quiet with yourself, to unplug, disconnect, and dig deep inside yourself and ask your maker what it is you were put on this earth to say. It took me a long time to write the book (about a year), because it was a learning process for me, and it embodies things I was working through (and am still working through) myself.

Grace: And now I know for certain that Worlds Beneath is going to blow The Blood Race out of the water - whenever a book is both the hardest to write and STILL the author's favorite, it's bound to be amazing ;). I'm so excited for it to release, Kate!  

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what were some of the songs you listened to while writing The Blood Race trilogy?

Emmons: It really depends on how I feel at the time, and what my headspace is looking like. Sometimes I need closed doors and total silence to focus, other times I’m overthinking and I need to get out of my head. I find that I write best when I think least, so sometimes I will literally distract myself to snap out of my thinking mind and get into that zone I need to be in. I listened to a LOT of Hans Zimmer and Steve Jablonsky. Soundtracks like Dunkirk, The Last Knight, etc. Other times you can find me listening to heavy rock, haha. It really depends on what headspace I’m in. I released the playlist for Worlds Beneath on my spotify, all songs I listened to while writing the book, and curated in a soundtrack-like style. 

Grace: Yeah, same here - though, for me, I only listen to music while writing at night, oddly enough xD. Hey, do you plan on putting more books out there after The Blood Race trilogy is finished?
  

Emmons: Absolutely. Writing is how I understand the world and myself. I don’t write because I want to, (though of course I do), I write because I have to. That might sound a bit dramatic, but for me there were never truer words spoken. Writing has always so encompassed who I am as a person, how I learn, grow, how I talk to God, how I learn the things he’s given me to learn. Writing is a gift that I don’t take for granted, and while I’m a firm believer in the fact that I am not defined my the word ‘writer’, that I am above all defined as a child of God, I will never stop writing, and putting things out there. I feel an extremely strong conviction to do this forever.

Grace: So I didn't expect such an epic answer to a question like that, but WOW you put that perfectly! I love love love everything you said, especially about not taking writing for granted. I think we do that a lot, and we really shouldn't. Alright, last question and then we'll let you get back to writing your epic books - who are three of your greatest inspirations, and why?

image credit: kate

Emmons: My parents, Martin Luther, and Martin Luther king, Jr. My parents because my mom is an iron woman. She’s always been the one who will speak what she believes is right even when she’s in an uncomfortable circumstance, and she never, never, never gives up on anything. Literally, I have never seen her give up when solving a problem. She’s an extremely spiritual person, and she’s fostered that in me all my life. I give her so much credit for nurturing that rebellious hunger in me for something more. My dad because his work ethic is next level. My dad has taught me so much about dreaming huge and rolling up your sleeves and doing the work. He’s a superhero and a true visionary. Martin Luther because he was such a rebel with so much light to speak - he risked so much to speak and stand for truth. I’ve devoured a lot of his writings and he’s an amazing example to me. MLK, Jr, for many of the same reasons. He gave his life for what he believed in - standing for truth even when the tidal waves of opposition were crashing down. And most of all, because he faced all of this from a firm foundation of LOVE. That is so important, and something I constantly aspire to do.

Grace: That's epicness, and I love that your parents are two of your greatest inspirations <3. ... aaaand I think that's the last question! It was awesome having you here, Kate - you're such an awesome person, and I hope that everyone who reads this gets inspired by your epic words. Thanks for taking some time to chat with us today! Keep being awesome <3.   

Kate: Thank you so much for having me on your beautiful and inspiring blog, Savannah Grace! Keep shining that light <3.  
 

When she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run. Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series. She lives in the often-snowy hills of rugged Vermont with her husband and dog named Rocket.

   Kate's such an epic person, you guys - if you haven't checked out her debut novel yet, you really need to (and the cover is epic, so that always helps ;)). I hope you guys had a ton of fun reading that interview. I've got some more epic author-ly stuff coming up in early March, so if you guys enjoyed reading this, you'll want to come back and check it out ;).

   But ANYWAYS I'm getting sidetracked - I hope you guys were inspired by this and that it was a lot of fun to read. Keep being awesome <3. 

~ Savannah Grace

which do you read more often - fiction or non-fiction? 

chat with Kate in the comments!