AUTHOR INTERVIEW & SIGNED GIVEAWAY - KATE BENNETT

KATE BENNETT

AUTHOR OF

INEVITABLE

Hi Everyone!  A little while ago I had the pleasure of reading Inevitable by Kate Bennett.  The book is her debut published novel and is getting well received around the blogging world. Kate is currently embarking on her book signing tour in the States. Check out her blog for dates and venues. 

Hi Kate and welcome to Novels On The Run.

Congratulations on your debut novel Inevitable.  Thank you so much for sending me a copy to read (and lucky me got a signed one!! YAY!).

So now for the questions…….

  

1.      How was the journey into being an indie published author?  And….if you knew how it would be(good or bad)…..would you do it again if you were a debut author?

The truth is that I didn’t even know the route I had gone was considered “Indie”!  I am a wimp, first and foremost, and had gone two full years from the time I finished the last word of Inevitable until I finally submitted it to a publisher.  I came in contact with Amira Rock Publishing because one of their authors was doing a book signing at my local Borders.  The author there gave me her publisher’s email address and I emailed a few chapters of Inevitable that day. 

After reading the first couple of chapters, Tessa LaRock asked for the whole book.  Before I would send the rest of the book, I made Tessa call me.  I asked her a bunch of questions, but the bottom line was this:  I did not want to pay to have my book published. She assured me that they weren’t going to charge me for publishing.  I sent the rest of Inevitable and about a week later, I had a contract in my hand! 

The only bad thing about my experience is this:  I have to basically do my own marketing.  That, I do not like.  Otherwise, it’s been good.  I’ve met some awesome and supportive people and do not regret doing taking the leap.

2.    Is there a little bit of you in a particular character? If so, what trait and/or which character?   

I believe that each of the characters in any of my books has a piece of me in them.  In Inevitable, I definitely share a lot of personality traits with the two protagonists, Carina and Jared. 

Those closest to me would say that Carina’s boldness in the first chapter is very me; I am brazen and flirtatious in the right setting.  Being single again for the first time in 8 years has proven to me that while I didn’t realize it at the time I was writing it, I would’ve done exactly what Carina did in the first chapter.  

Then, there’s my other personality (Yes, I have two.  I’m a Gemini after all).  To the core, I am a romantic and at times can be considered codependent, like Jared, ha-ha! 

A side character that has a little of me in her is Jem.  Three words for you:  THAT’S SO PENNSYLVANIA!  I would definitely say that.  

  

3.    I read in an interview you did recently that Inevitable ended where you felt it should and there is no planned sequel.  Not Happy Jan!!! (Aussie saying!) You cliff hangered me right when my enjoyment in the story was at an all time high!!!  I had gone through lovers anguish, cried like a baby and then you cut me off right when there was some amazing hope!!! Any chance that you could change this or is it a done deal with the ending?

Sorry, Marissa, but it’s a done deal!!   I can’t expand on the end.  I feel it is very important to allow the reader to make their own conclusion on this one.  If anyone wants to email me after reading to get my thoughts, I’ll be happy to tell you how I would want the story to end, but I won’t publish it!

4.    Loads of writers have music as their muse…..what is your motivation when you write?  If it is mostly music…..do you have a “most influential” artist that inspires you?

(I checked out your playlist on the blog and have to admit-----YAY! For Chris Isaak ).

I love to listen to music while writing.  The Inevitable playlist is a good sampling of the music I like to listen to while writing.  I would say that The Fray and Matchbox Twenty are two of my favorites for writing. 

5.    In terms of marketing for Inevitable…..how much do you have to do yourself and is it daunting to self promote your work or do you find it quite easy to “sell” something that you are so passionate about?

I touched on this a little bit above.  I have to do A LOT of self promotion and it’s absolutely daunting.  I did my first book signing last Friday and that was very, very difficult.  I think most writers would agree that we like to express ourselves through pen or keyboard and not sit there and say, “Hey, check out my book.  It’s fantastic and I’m confident that you will love it!”   I do feel passionate about Inevitable and even though I’ve  received a lot of positive feedback, it’s still hard to sell it.  That’s why I need people like you to help! THANK YOU!

6.    On your blog your bio states you are now working on your next book…….can you let us know a bit about what we can look forward to?

 This is not entirely accurate.  I have the next book written.  What I should be doing is editing my next book… but I’ve been lazy!  I am the worst editor in the history of the world.  I am okay with my creative writing, but my technical writing is severely lacking. 

The next book I will be looking to get published is called “Lucky Livie” and it is book 1 in a 3 book series called The Westwood Series.  It’s about a girl that moves from New York to L.A. to attend UCLA.  On the plane, she meets a boy that she deems to be very attractive, but he’s not very nice to her.  But they keep bumping into each other and it turns out that he’s very famous and assumes on the plane that she knows who he is.  How could she not recognize him?  I guess you’ll have to read to find out!

I came up with that idea because I was having a conversation with my little sister about how I could be sitting next to Daniel Ratcliffe on an airplane and have no clue that it was him.  I’m serious… I’d probably just think, “This kid looks familiar.”  And NO, the main guy in this book is NOT based on Daniel Ratcliffe.  Is that even how you spell his name?

7.    Have you ever personally had a complete “fan moment” when you have met someone famous?  (Who, when and did you shamefully do the girly excited thing??)

 No, only in my dreams!  

8.   Can you give us a brief rundown of an average day in the life of Kate Bennett – Author?

 6:00 AM – hit the snooze button and curse under my breath wishing that I could sleep until at least ten o’clock

6:18 AM – finally get up, very begrudgingly

Oh wait, this could get lengthy.  Basically, Monday – Friday, I work a day job as a Licensed Insurance Sales Assistant.  I love my bosses to death and enjoy my work environment very much.  But I’m not going to lie; I wish I were a millionaire and I didn’t HAVE to go into work… haha

After work, I have to do the mommy-thing with my 5 year old daughter.  That includes anything from homework, to going to the park, to grocery shopping.

I am newly single this past year and have been having a lot of fun going out with friends and even a few dates.   I don’t have a lot of time to sit at home and write, but that’s okay because the experiences that I’m having now will help to shape my next novel. 

Any spare time that I have after all that is dedicated to some form of promotion for Inevitable.

Thank you Kate for taking time out of your hectic schedule to chat and answer a few questions for everyone.

Thank you, Marissa!!!

SO NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY.......

 Kate has graciously signed a copy of Inevitable for us to giveaway.

For your chance to win

1. Fill out THIS FORM

2. Be a Novels On The Run GFC follower
3. Tweet the comp for an extra entry

4. Cross your fingers!!!

Entry is open INTERNATIONAL - Yee haaa!!

Entries close Midnight 21st May 2011 (EST Australia)