Monday, August 6, 2012

Interview & Giveaway: Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn

UFI welcomes Carrie Vaughn Author of The Kitty Norville Series. Thanks for Joining us!!

 
What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I'm not sure -- I've done so many interviews and posts at this point I can't imagine there's anything people don't know.  My blog readers know, but other people might not, that I'm a fan of GI Joe.  Comic book, cartoon, everything.  One of the first pieces of extended fiction I wrote was GI Joe fanfiction.  No, it doesn't exist anywhere online.  It's on notebook paper in a file somewhere, and that's where it's staying.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I have a bunch of hobbies.  I sew and craft.  I watch movies.  I try to get outdoors, hiking and such, every now and then.  I walk my dog.  I ride horses, I scuba dive, but I don't get to do these two as often as I would like.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

All of it!  There are different times when I like different parts of it, but really, the whole process is exciting to me, from getting that spark of an idea to finally revising a rough draft into something cohesive.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

The routine isn't as important as just writing *something* every day.  I try to be flexible.  But I like having music on when I write.  I have to know how the story ends before I start, so I know where I'm going.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

Oddly enough I don't read a whole lot of urban fantasy/paranormal.  I tend to go in different directions from what I'm writing.  But I do enjoy books by Patricia Briggs, Diana Rowland, and MLN Hanover.

How would you pitch the Kitty Norville series to someone who has not heard of it before?

The series is about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk radio advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. Adventures ensue.  

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the Kitty Norville series is set in?

It's pretty much just like ours, is the way I think of it.  The first page of the first book could be our world exactly, and it's only slowly revealed that there's more going on under the surface.  My whole idea for the series started by asking, "Okay, what would things *really* be like if vampires and werewolves were real?"  That's why I end up writing about Senate hearings and reality TV and scientific conferences, because those are the things that would really happen.

Do you have a favorite scene in Kitty Steals the Show?

There's a bit in the climactic confrontation that I think is one of the most horrific things I've ever written.  I'm quite pleased with it.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

Kitty's always my favorite -- she'd better be, the whole book is about her!  I'm not sure who is the hardest -- I like a challenge so I always seem to enjoy the tough nuts.  The vampires are certainly interesting -- trying to make them mysterious, ancient, and experienced without making them stereotypes, and trying to bring something new to the vampire mythos is challenging.

Kitty Steals the Show is book number 10 in the series. Do you find it easier or harder to write as the series gets more books under its belt?

The hardest part is trying to keep track of everything I've already done.  I'll find myself writing a scene and wondering if I had a scene similar to it in a previous book, so I go back to check on things a lot more than in the earlier books.  Each book is still fun and challenging and I still enjoy writing them.  But there's a lot of history now to keep track of.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

I've got more Kitty books planned -- I just finished the twelfth novel.  I'm also working on a sequel to my superhero novel, After the Golden Age.
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Find Carrie and her books
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Kitty Steals the Show
Kitty Norville #10
Kitty has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the First International Conference on Paranatural Studies, taking place in London. The conference brings together scientists, activists, protestors, and supernatural beings from all over the world—and Kitty, Ben, and Cormac are right in the middle of it.

Master vampires from dozens of cities have also gathered in London for a conference of their own. With the help of the Master of London, Kitty gets more of a glimpse into the Long Game—a power struggle among vampires that has been going on for centuries—than she ever has before. In her search for answers, Kitty has the help of some old allies, and meets some new ones, such as Caleb, the alpha werewolf of the British Isles. The conference has also attracted some old enemies, who’ve set their sights on her and her friends.

All the world’s a stage, and Kitty’s just stepped into the spotlight.
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 *US ONLY*
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