1. I read that you grew up in California and your grandfather had a vineyard. What was a typical day like for you as a child hanging out in the vineyard?
I played a lot amongst the vines. They were planted in rows and it was fun to run through them. I would sit in the little ditches under the vines and snack off the grapes. There weren’t any kids my age, so I made up stories to keep me busy. The vineyard was sold when my grandfather died, now houses are in its spot. Sorta sad. But nothing last forever.
2. You wrote a lot as a child. Can you share one of those story ideas and would you ever bring one of them back for a “possible book” idea?
I have a story with a girl with a photographic memory. I wrote it in High School. It’s took place in the near future then 2000. Not sure, if I’d write it or edit it. I have so many projects swirling around in my head; it’s a matter of finding the time to work on them. Ideas were never my problem. It’s time that’s my enemy.
3. I saw that you are a fan of Janesen Ackles (me too, since his time on Days of our Lives), but if you could choose what stars could play the Freakvilles characters Kasey and Josh, who would you choose?
Oh, yes he was great as Eric Brady. I liked him on Dark Angel, too. Big fan girl, never met him though. Hum, casting FREAKSVILLE is hard. Would need someone who is 16 and can do a British Accent for Josh. No clue there… Not Pattison, he’s too well known as Edward. Kasey would be harder. Maybe Emma Stone? It would have to be someone with a quirky spunk.
4. What is your favourite thing to do to relax after a hard day of writing?
Relax what’s that? Since selling FREAKSVILLE my life has been pretty crazy.
5. Can you share with us what you are working on right now?
Really rough unedited teaser? This isn’t final but it’s a scene taken from FURRY & FREAKED, book two. I really like Ruby and Kasey. They play off each other in a fun way. They are complete opposites but common goals bring them together as friends. Ruby is blunt, she’ll tell you how it is, and everyone needs somebody like that.
I think this is somewhere in chapter five… Kasey is alone at her new school. Valkyrie is Ruby’s pet name for her. You’ll have to read the series to find out what it means.
**** Chairs screeched signalling the mass exodus of the final bell and end of the school day. I hung back pretending to dig through my backpack waiting for the last student to leave the classroom. I didn’t want to run into Clay and his gang. I’m not one to hightail it from ghosts or teenage werewolves but, heckling was something I was never good at swallowing.
“You’re going to miss the bus, Valkyrie.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as Ruby materialized next to me. Her jet black hair was pulled into two short pigtails streaked with navy blue. She ran her hands down her black and navy plaid pegged leg pants studded with massive amounts of safety pins, until, she came to a zipper and proceeded to remove a mint, not before blowing a piece of lint off it first.
“Here,” She said thrusting it my way.
“I don’t want it. No telling how long it’s been there. You died in the seventies, right?” I replied hoisting the backpack over my shoulder as I ignored my personal poltergeist. As I weaved in and out of the desks until I was out of the classroom and in the hall. Ruby followed with her blue combat boots hovering an inch or so above the floor.
“As if, 1988. Take it or I’ll cram it down your throat! Don’t think I won’t do it. Your breath smells like something died.” She took a step closer and sniffed, curling her upper lip in disgust."I stand corrected you reek. What’s in the backpack? A body?” “Could be, if you keep it up.” Ruby and I had this little verbal wits match. I really liked that about her. *** Furry & Freaked, Kitty Keswick
Freaksville by Kitty Keswick Publisher: Leap Books (January 8th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 328 pages Series: Freaksville, book #1 High school is hard enough when you’re normal. There’s peer pressure, book reports, the in crowd and the enormous zit that has a life of its own. Having a family whose skeletons in the closet lean toward the paranormal is not a topper on anyone’s list. Sophomore Kasey Maxwell is busy juggling the typical teen angst. Add visions, ghosts and hairy four-legged monsters into the mix and you get FREAKSVILLE. It’s a wonder Kasey has survived.
Every woman in the Maxwell family has the gift of sight. A talent sixteen-year-old Kasey would gladly give up. All she wants is a normal life. Shopping and talking about boys with her best friend and long-time sidekick Gillie Godshall consume her days. Until Kasey has a vision about Josh Johnstone, the foreign exchange student from England. The vision leads her into new waters, a lead in a play, a haunted theater… and into the arms of the Josh. Yet, both Kasey and Josh have secrets lurking in dark corners. Can Kasey’s new romance survive FREAKSVILLE?
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