Q&A with #Fantasy #Romance Author Kinley Baker (& C*ntest)

Today, I’d like to welcome author (and former fellow Castles & Guns blogger) Kinley Baker, whose books Ruined, Denied, and Freed, are all available from Crescent Moon Press. Kinley lives in the Pacific Northwest. You can learn more about her and her books at her website, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

ABOUT DENIED:  When invaders brutally massacred the women and children of the Varner, Caleb witnessed loss and destruction on a scale few can comprehend. As the leader of a race on the brink of extinction, his only hope for survival is gaining acceptance into the Shadow Shifter Kingdom. Struggling with new customs, he meets Tabitha, a woman who challenges his limits. Refused the right to join the king’s guard because of her gender, Tabitha must be stronger than the men to prove she deserves to be the first accepted female Warrior in the kingdom. She believes Caleb will help improve her abilities, until she learns her goals conflict with the foundation of his culture. When the realm is attacked, Tabitha and Caleb must come together not only to fight, but to find the strength to win against an evil with the potential to destroy everything they revere most--including each other.

ABOUT RUINED: Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's. Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded. But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive. Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire. 

ABOUT FREED: After mortal invaders slay a Shadow Shifter woman, Queen Ella knows there is more blood on the horizon. As the most powerful Sensitive in the village, Ella has always known she’s destined to save the kingdom. But her task seems impossible. She must move the Well of Souls to a new realm to save her people or risk failing the Ancestor gods. The woman King Falon loves will never love him back, despite a binding marriage built on regal decorum. Falon’s first duty is to his people, and he only wants to provide the Shadow Shifters with a safe future. He must assert his power to gain the respect of the warriors. Harder still, King Falon must accept the salvation of his people lies with his own Queen Ella, a woman who speaks madness... a woman he’s always loved, but hardly knows.

Welcome, Kinley!

Give us the “elevator pitch” for your book.

Two warriors battle head-to-head in a clash of cultures, wills, and hearts.

Describe your favorite scene from the new book--and why is it your favorite?

I love a lot of the scenes with Caleb and Tabitha in Denied. They’re trying so hard to come to terms with their contrasting belief systems. They’re from two different realms. It’s a struggle the whole way through. My favorite scene is probably the one where they meet for the first time. They’re supposed to be destined per Caleb’s cultural bonds, but we find out there’s nothing easy about their relationship.

What was the hardest scene to write?

Tabitha is injured and suffers a long-term injury, and it was a tough scene to write. I wanted to dig deep and reach the core of her pain. I hope I did her struggle justice.

What’s on your nightstand or top of your TBR pile?

J.L. Langley. I love her Sci-Regency Series. I just want to hug her characters and be their best friends forever.

Favorite book when you were a child.

I love(d) Nancy Drew.

Book you've faked reading (Moby Dick is leading the votes on this question!): 

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. The wit went over my twelve-year-old head. I tried to read it for seventh grade reading points. I did, however, pass the test.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I hardly ever look at the covers anymore because I buy so many books on my Kindle. I appreciate awesome covers, but when I go to buy a book, the characters have to grab me in the blurb. Especially now with so many amazing choices out there.

Book that changed your life:

The Giver by Lois Lowry. This book made me realize the significance of a socially constructed world. And all the Harry Potter books. I own a wand and secretly want robes to trend mainstream. Probably why my characters wear robes in this trilogy.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

I’m a chronic re-reader. Knowing the plot ahead of time is relaxing for me. I probably wouldn’t choose one to read again for the first time. I love re-reading too much.

Favorite book about books or writing:

I swear by Save the Cat by Blake Snyder.

Thank you for allowing me to visit, Suzanne!

Where to find Ruined and the rest of the series:

Kindle  Barnes & Noble

There is no giveaway associated with this blog tour but, luckily for you, I have a book hoard I’m always trying to pare down. So leave a comment and win a mystery book from your genre of choice! I think Kinley’s series sounds awesome, don’t you?

Up to five entries possible: +1 for comment, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow, +1 for a Tweet or RT about the contest, +1 for a Facebook follow. Contests end at midnight CDT U.S. on Saturday.