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I am
thrilled to have author Conner Kressley here today. Conner is an avid reader
and all around lover of storytelling. His book "The Breaker’s Code"
is the first in the epic "Fixed Points" series that pits free will
against fate and true love against good intentions and bad situations.
When he’s
not writing about teenagers who have way too much on their plates, Conner can
be found in the back roads of Georgia watching old movies, geeking out over
books (comic and otherwise), and planning the next of his (some would say way
too frequent) trips to Disneyworld. He also loves nature, stories where people
are running for their lives, and all things "Southern".
JET:
Can you tell us about your most recent book?
But of course. It’s called Taken By the Beast, and it’s a New Adult re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast. It’s interesting, steamy, and original. But
it also has enough winks and nods to really satisfy fans of that well known story.
JET:
What drew you to the romance genre?
Love is what drives us. It’s in everything we do. We
fight for love. We die for love. I don’t really understand how people are not drawn
to it. Plus, I love fairy tales and I adore taking what’s familiar and twisting
it into something new.
JET:
What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?
Just getting started. There had always been a stigma
to self-publishing that pushed me away from it. I thought that, if I didn’t have
an agent or a traditional contract, that what I did wasn’t worth anything. The ironic
part is, once I shrugged those outdated ideas away, they started coming.
JET:
What was your favorite moment in the journey?
I should say making the USA TODAY Bestsellers list.
Any normal author would. But honestly, my favorite moment was when I realized that
there was an actual audience of people out there who loved what I did. The minute
I started getting fan mail, if that’s what you want to call it. That’s my favorite
moment.
JET:
Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?
Stephen King, Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling. Terry Brooks
was a god among us. And, though he’s not an author, Joss Whedon was a huge influence
in my formative years. I’m also obsessed with the Iron Druid series at the moment.
JET:
When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?
About five years ago. Stuff happened in my life that
changed my trajectory, and I knew that-if I wanted to be happy- I was going to have
to make that happiness for myself.
JET:
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting
fact you uncovered?
I make most of it up, so I don’t really do a lot of
research. That’s the beautiful thing about scifi and fantasy. I did make up a small
town (Crestview, Georgia, for my book THE BREAKER’S CODE). Turns out it was a real
place though. So, after I found that out, I went back and tailored the story to
fit the actual town. I hope to go there one day.
JET:
Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?
The Breaker’s Code books are really dear to my heart.
I’ve been with those characters for such a long time. They’re like friends. So anytime
I stop writing them, I sort of miss them a little. Does that make me sound like
a lunatic? I miss my invisible friends. That being said, Taken By the Beast is one
of the strongest books I’ve ever writer, and that’s thanks in large part to my co-writer
Rebecca Hamilton. She’s a gem, and we’ve really nailed down the best of both our
respective worlds with this series
JET:
Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?
Be open. Listen to people, and don’t be defensive when
it comes to constructive criticism. And don’t give up. There’s always going to be
an audience for good writing, whatever the genre. Oh, and be prepared. It’s at least
twice as much work as you imagine it’s going to be.
JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the
big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten... starting with Paper
or Plastic?
Plastic, though that isn’t very conscious
of me, is it?
JET: Steak or Tofu?
Steak. Like, twice a day, if I can
get it.
JET: Beach or Mountains?
Beach. That’s an easy one.
JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?
Both, but Country more often. There’s
a lot of inspiration in that music for me.
JET: Leather or Lace?
Um…no comment
JET: Angels or Demons?
Angels, of
course.
JET: Paper or Digital?
Digital. It
would be hypocritical of me to say otherwise
JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?
Horror movies.
They’re a good excuse to put your arm around someone
JET: Twilight or True Blood Both got pretty bad
at the end, didn’t they?
JET: Coffee or Tea?
I’m way too Southern not to say tea.
And the sweeter the better.
JET:
Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're
working on now? What's next?
No worries at all. I enjoyed it. Right now I’m working
on the Breaker’s Resolution (Book 4 in the Breaker’s Code series). It’s a lot of
fun and probably the book most of my fans are awaiting the most. In addition, I’m
working on the Taken By the Beast sequel, Sleeping with the Beast. I think people
are really going to enjoy that. And very soon, I’m going to go into full swing on
book 2 of my Alpha/Omega series (The Hourmaker’s Wife). It’s a Young Adult time
travel series. It has a lot of adventure and is probably the funniest of all my
books. The first one ended with a big shocking reveal and I’ve been getting letters
asking when the next one will be ready. I’m happy to say, very soon.
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Conner Kressley and his work at the following
places: http://connerkressleybooks.weebly.com/
Until
next time,
Ciao.
JET
