I caught the lovely Katie Hayoz, and she graciously agreed to an interview. On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, she’s releasing Immersed as a part of The Falling in Deep Collection.
Order Immersed. It’s out today! Happy Release Day, Katie!
What is your favorite writing music?
I have to write to dead silence. Or maybe white noise, like a fan or the hum of the refrigerator. Music makes me lose my concentration.
Where is your favorite place to find inspiration?
My favorite place WOULD be in my very own writing room with a fantastic view of the mountains and a glacial stream. However, I don’t have that. So…I find inspiration where I can get it, usually at the kitchen table staring out at the parking lot and alleyway below. A lot of weird characters pass through there.
What was your inspiration for Immersed? Tell me about your characters.
First is the medieval myth of Melusine. There are several stories, but the one that stuck with me was the French one where Melusine was cursed by her mother for killing her father. Plus, she’s the mermaid on the Starbucks label – Melusine has two tails. The other inspiration was the history of Chicago. In the 1850’s, Chicago was literally sinking. The city was built on marshland, had no proper drainage and was a cesspool of disease. So the city officials raised the streets up by several feet to put in underground plumbing. Houses followed…though not everyone could afford to raise their home. You can still see “sunken” houses in Chicago today! I had to use that setting. Just had to. And so that’s where Melusine lives and works.
Any advice for new writers (like me)?
Get into a good critiquing group. Find other writers who are honest and like your work, but aren’t afraid to tell you when they think you’re doing it wrong. Because we are steeped in our own thoughts and words, other sets of eyes are vital to making our work the best it can be. That said, despite how much you rewrite and get critiqued, you will end up thinking of the perfect way to fix something in the novel only AFTER it’s published. But, by then, it’s time to move on.
Make your library ecstatic. Order Immersed. 🙂
Blurb:
What if love turned you into a monster?
Forget petticoats and demure female behavior. Melusine Doré prefers armored corsets and knives and slays evil creatures for a living. The grim and gruesome don’t frighten her; she’ll take on a cyclops or a dragon and not even break a sweat. But when her rival, the charismatic Levi Cannon, comes to town, all her buried fears begin to surface. Melusine realizes she is in danger of something much more horrifying than facing blood-thirsty beasts – she’s in danger of falling in love. Because love alone has the power to reveal a secret terrible enough to completely shatter her world.
Set in the muddy streets of 1850s steampunk Chicago, Immersed by Katie Hayoz is a dark yet romantic fantastical romp. It is a stand-alone novella, but the first in a series of adventures that follow Melusine on her quest to rid the world of monsters…and her struggle to come to terms with every monstrous facet of herself.
About Katie:
Katie Hayoz was born in Racine, WI, the youngest of six kids. Originally, she wanted to become pope (for the awesome hat and fancy robes), but quickly realized reading – then writing — was her true religion. She devours speculative fiction like she does popcorn and black licorice: quickly and in large quantities.
Meet Katie:
Get VIP access to Katie’s releases, giveaways and news:http://www.katiehayoz.com/p/mcembedsignupbackgroundfff-clearleft.html
Connect with Katie on her website: www.katiehayoz.com
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Love mermaids? Looking for a great beach read? The Falling in Deep Collection, a collection of 15 unique tales of creatures of the deep, is rolling out the first novella in their collection at the end of May.
From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the Falling in Deep Collection are bringing you mermaid tales like you’ve never seen before.
Every week beginning May 26th, 2015, we’ll be releasing one unique, never-before-published novella! Each novella will feature our favorite creature of the deep: mermaids.
The Falling in Deep Collection (May – September Releases)
Scales by Pauline Creeden
Ink: A Mermaid Romance by Melanie Karsak
Of Ocean and Ash by A. R. Draeger
Deep Breath by J. M. Miller
At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie Wells
The Mermaid’s Den by Ella Malone
How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes
The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless
An Officer & a Mermaid by Blaire Edens
The Water is Sweeter by Eli Constant
Cold Water Bridegroom by B. Brumley
Immersed by Katie Hayoz
Siren’s Kiss by Margo Bond Collins
To Each His Own by Anna Albergucci
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