1. Can you share with us how you juggle raising 4 kids and writing? Any tips?
Careful planning and lots of organization! My kids have always been on a schedule… it was the only way I could get anything done or have some"me" time: -) I also learned to become the queen of multi-tasking. As far as writing, when they were little, I would write during naptime. When they outgrew naps, I would write during quiet time (they had to go somewhere quiet and watch a full movie while resting, and then they could come out. If they came out before it was done, they had to go back to naps. Worked like a charm). Now all my kids are in school, but I still tend to write in the afternoon. I guess I'm just conditioned that way, so that's when I'm most creative. Always schedule"me" time, or you will go crazy. When mommy's happy, everybody's happy; )
2. What has been the most surprising part of the writing, publishing, and promoting process for you?
The surprising part of writing has been discovering I can write a lot more genres than I originally thought. I love light and funny, but I always thought that meant I could only write romantic comedies or chick lit. I never realized I could still keep my voice and write light and funny stories in both UMG action adventure stories as well as adult cozy mysteries. It's been fun stepping outside of my box, and who knows, I just might try something else as well: -) As far as publishing, I never realized how long it takes for a book to hit the shelves. A year is actually a quick turnaround these days. And for promotion, I had no clue how much work is involved on my part and how little control a writer has over how much his or her publisher is willing to do. Yet promotion is everything when it comes to a book's success, especially in the first sixty days. Thank goodness I love promotion, but the key is to balance promoting a book while working on your next work in progress. Not an easy task.
3. The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused is a very unique story. Have you had any other ideas that are unique, but you are more hesitant to tackle them?
I never lack for ideas, and I've learned over the years to go for unique. The more unique the better. However, the publishing world is fickle. They don't always go for them, but that doesn't mean they never will.The key is to keep coming up with premises that are different until one sticks. But don't chuck the rest, keep them and keep going back to them. The publishing world works in cycles. What's oversaturated now will come back around in five or ten years, so that great idea you had for a certain type of book is never really dead. It's just dormant, waiting to be reborn: -)
4. Can you give us a few hints as to what Samantha may face in book 2?
In book two, FEARLESS June, 2011, Samantha Granger has finally come to terms with being different. The only way to keep her situation under control is to stay far away from Trevor Hamilton or risk bringing Digital Diva out of retirement. She gets her wish when the goverment gets involved. They've discovered Sam's identity and threaten to expose her if she doesn't cooperate. She's whisked off to Washington DC to a special school for gifted students called IPR (Institute of Phenomenal Research), where she discovers she's not alone. Only, when a mole threatens their very existence, it's up to Sam and her fellow Phenoteens to save themselves.
5. Your other series is described as a"Paranormal Adult Cozy Mystery"; can you tell us a little about it?
TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES (August 2011) Sunshine Meadows is a big city psychic who moves to a small town in Upstate NY to open her fortune telling business, inheriting a haunted house and a strange cat residing within. Sunny gives her first reading to the town librarian and discovers the woman is going to die. When the woman flees in teror, Sunny calls the police. Only, the hard nosed cynical detective is a"non-believer". He finds the librarian dead, and Sunny becomes his number one suspect, forcing her to prove her innocence.
6. Is it difficult to jump from writing a middle grade book, to writing an adult book? What are the challenges of those transitions, if any?
Both my heroines are fun quirky characters and the stories both have humor and a bit of romance; however, the tone and pace are different. My Samantha Granger books are fast paced and full of action and adventure. Whereas my fortune teller books are slower paced and have that Murder She Wrote cozy feel to them. When I finish one book, it's refreshing to write something different. Keeps things fun and interesting so I don't get bored, and writing never becomes a chore. The most difficult part is making sure my language sounds age appropriate. I don't want Sunny sounding too young, or Samantha sounding too old: -)
7. What is next for you and what are you working on now?
FUSED is out on the shelves, FEARLESS is finished and comes out in June, TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES is fiinished and comes out in August. Right now I am working on book 3 of Samantha Granger, FREEDOM, which will come out in November of 2011, and then after that I will start book 2 of my fortune teller series, CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL, which will come out in May of 2012, followed by TROUBLE IN THE TAROT CARDS which will come out in February 2013. Phew! Deadlines galore. Careful what you wish for, people, but I'm not complaining: -)
Thanks so much for listening to me ramble, people, and please let me know what you think of FUSED! I love hearing from my readers: -)
The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused by Kari Lee Townsend Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (November 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Middle Grade Paperback: 192 pages After Sam is fused with her cell phone, she's ready to conquer the world! Or at least the 8th grade…
When Samantha Granger touches a meteor while talking on her cell phone, her life is changed forever: her body now has all the capabilities of her phone (GPS, phone, text, camera). She secretly calls herself a"Digital Diva" as she rushes to answer emergency calls. But will her identity be discovered when sparks fly (literally!) between her and Trevor, her dreamy crush? Samantha has to get a handle on her abilities and quick, because when Sam gets kidnapped and the entire town is in danger, she is the only one who can save them.
The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fearless, book 2 of the series, will be out June 7th, 2011.
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