Happy Sunday everyone! I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far. So, I am here today to bring a really fun This or That Author Interview w/ Kelan O'Connell. She is a new self-published author who has recently came out with her new novel "Delta Legend" - A YA crossover novel which is in Urban Fantasy genre in a rural setting with a unique element of historical fiction. Suffering no shortage of action, carnage, romance, and laughs, this eBook appeals to a broad range of Young Adults and Crossovers. I am so excited to be able to share with my readers a interview I have done with Kelan. This is my first time doing this type of interview so I hope this will be a fun change-up for everyone and something I can do again. Ooo, and the best news is that Kelan being the sweetheart she is has offered my readers a amazing giveaway prize pack! Awesome, right? I know! For more detail on how to win and what you can win please stick around until after the interview for full details. About Delta Legend:
When 16-year-old Oakland California teenager, Calvin Pierce, makes a bad decision and winds up getting arrested, his mother is quick to take action. Determined not to lose a second son to the drug and gang violence of the inner city, she sends Calvin to spend the summer working for his great uncle in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.There in the predominately-white region of agriculture and recreational boating, Calvin’s a fish out of water with a chip on his shoulder. But when severed body parts start floating to the surface, his summer of proving himself takes on new meaning.Something deadly is lurking in the deep, murky waterways of the Delta. Now the daunting task of containing the living incarnation of a mythical creature falls to Calvin and his ragtag posse of oddball characters.
Which do you prefer - Reading or writing? You would have to give me a tough on right off the bat, Beckie. While I truly love the process of writing, it’s also my job, which means work. Reading on the other hand is a mini vacation. Work or Vacay? VaCay any day!
Pen or keyboard? Keyboard! I’ve always hated my handwriting. Most of my friends, as well as my mother, have really lovely handwriting. I never did. When I was in my twenties, I gave up on cursive altogether and started writing in all caps. But I still hate to write by hand, especially in an important card where I usually blow it.
Free trip to Spain or Alaska? Since the next “Legend” after Delta Legend is going to be set in a snowy environment, from a research standpoint I should probably say Alaska, but I’m going to say Spain. I want to travel abroad more and I’m a huge tapas freak.
E-book or Print? Both! I liken this debate to the war between the North and the South. It’s over. And in this instance, both sides win. It’s not an either or situation, it’s both. Perhaps the bigger questions is, will we ever see staged reenactments of the war between physical books and eBooks?
Writing from home or someplace else? When I began writing the novel version of Delta Legend (it was originally a screenplay) I was living in a tiny cottage in the Sonoma Wine Country of Northern California. It was the perfect live/work space for me at the time. Then, when I was about three quarters of the way through the process, I reconnected with my very first boyfriend from when I was 18! (Another Face Book hook-up.) We’ve been back together for almost two years and now live together. Tom’s a sound engineer and his studio is attached to our home (which was his). So, if he’s tracking an album, there can be any number of musicians wandering about. While it can be a thrill to see a famous rocker in your kitchen, this is not conducive to writing. So, about a year ago I got a little office space not far from where we live. It’s pretty cool to have a place that’s exclusively a writing space.
Coffee or Tea? COFFEE!!! I’m amped on caffeine and swilling more as I type this. Mornings only though.
Laptop or Tablet? Again, both. Laptop for writing and iPad for staying connected while being a bit more untethered.
One voice or alternating POVs? Ooo, this is a really good one. Alternating POV’s please. One of my favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver, is a master of the alternating POV. Though Delta Legend is written in third-person narrative, I still allow myself to jump in and out of character’s heads, letting aspects of my narrative reflect their personality in the moment.
Being eaten by Zombies or being bitten by a Vampire? Bitten by a vampire. They still have a slight edge when it comes to sex appeal. Someone with cold flesh gnawing at me or someone with rotting flesh? Um, I’m gonna go with cold.
Female lead character or Male lead character? As a reader, I like both. As a writer, male. I think we need more guy-oriented stories in YA. I was raised with three older brothers (no sisters) so writing for a male main character isn’t all that tough for me. Not that there aren’t plenty of female characters in Delta Legend—Mei Li carries the primary female dynamic in the story. But the fact that my book appeals to both guys and gals thrills me to no end. Reading is sexy. Guys who figure this out are way ahead of the game. Think about it; guy sitting outside a coffee house, drinking a latte while reading a book or guy standing on the corner texting? How’s that for a THIS or THAT? I’m pretty excited about having a book that both sexes can relate to, and who knows, maybe even connect over.
Good or evil? Good vs Evil. Good wins out, of course.
Write during the night or write during the day? There was a time when I used to be able to write late into the night, but these days I tend to limit it to daylight hours.
Buy online or buy in a bookstore? Both. In person, I try to support Indie Bookstores. My favorites are Book Passage in Marin County, CA and any of the Copperfield’s Books in Sonoma County, CA. Heaven on earth. Of course, as an Indie Author with an eBook, I’m also an eReading freak. I love being able to instantly have a book or sample of a book sent to my Kindle so I can start reading within seconds.
Stand alone or series? Love a good series. That way you can string your addiction out for a bit longer. Sadly, even these end too soon. In my case, I’m creating a brand that’s a mix between a stand alone and series. While I love Calvin and the gang, I’m going to step away and let them live their lives a bit while I write a new “Legend” with different characters in a different setting. The series aspect lies in the shared formula: a main character who gets thrown into a completely foreign environment, a mythical creature linked to historical fiction, a sprinkling of romance, action, and carnage. And of course, plenty of laughs with more whacko characters and unlikely heroes of various ages and races.
Telepathy or Telekinesis? Telekinesis. I’d much rather have control over objects than people. Think of the fun pranks you could pull! And truthfully, if I had to overhear all the frenetic stuff going on in other people’s minds, I’d lose it—too much like a bad reality show!
Thanks for a really fun interview, Beckie! That was a truly creative THIS or THAT!
Your most welcome, Kelan. I had a lot of fun as well and thank YOU for doing this interview with me!
As a young adult, Kelan O’Connell spent her summers aboard a family houseboat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Apparently, she still harbors suspicions about those deep murky waters. Though she’s been writing in one form or another since the age of 20, Delta Legend is her debut Young Adult Crossover novel. Kelan began writing in college, creating character monologues as a way to stand out in auditions while also cranking out sketch comedy. She holds a degree in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University and has worked in the Entertainment Industry in Northern California and Los Angeles, among her many other day jobs. She currently lives in Northern California with her partner, Sound Engineer/Producer Tom Size, and the incredibly spoiled pets of Camp Runamuck.
Yay!! Time for the giveaway!! Kelan is going to give away one e-book copy of her book with a personal note of thanks to the winner, a 13 x 19 framed poster that looks like the book cover. Kelan says: It really is a cool poster as the graphic artist worked in multiple layers so the "eye" has a lot of depth when you see it in person. The winner can choose to have the poster autographed if he/she would like. Finally Kelan is giving away a origami crawdad.
View Poster (without frame) | View origami crawdad
- One Winner will take everything home!
- Open to US and Canada. (sorry INT)
- Main entry - Follow by GFC or via e-mail.
- All other entries are optional but will improve your chances.
- MUST use Rafflecopter form below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Thanks for stopping by! I'm following back :)
ReplyDeleteAmber @ Fall Into Books
Great interview! I love the giveaway.
ReplyDeletelaura thomas