Check out my review for “The Escape Room” by Megan Goldin under “Mysteries” – It’s amazing.

Check out “Take Down” by Jess Anastasi in the LGBTQ+ page – a 5 Sparkler romantic suspense from Dreamspinner Press

The question most often asked of authors is “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s the question we dread the most because there’s no simple answer. Or, rather, there is.

Everywhere.

Writer’s often talk about their muses. That little spark that gives us the brilliant idea for our next story, or to push us past a stumbling block in our current one. It can be anything or anyone. A headline from a newspaper article. A homeless person stumbling down the street. A mother-to-be waddling around a store picking out baby supplies. A line from a song/TV show/movie/book.

Our muse gives us the idea and we run with it. For instance, this morning, my husband read an article to me from the paper about a Dutch custom of taking children out to the woods at night and dropping them off for them to find their way back to camp. That sounds horrifying to me… and yet, it sparked an idea. One I’m going to add to my file of ideas for the next time I get stuck. For me… that article and my husband pointing it out, was my muse for the moment.

Muses are fickle, but if you’re careful, they’re all around you. You just have to look and listen. Be aware of everything and everyone.

So where do I get my ideas? From my muse…who is everywhere and everything.

There’s a new review in “Mysteries” – a 1929 British cozy by Frances Brody. Check out “The Body on the Train”!

There’s a new review – FOUR by Tia Fielding – found under the LGBTQ+ heading. Interesting story. Take a look!

What made you decide to become a writer? I don’t think anyone chooses to become a writer-it just happens. In college, several of my English professors said, “Hey, you write really well. Ever consider writing a book?” Young and focused on other things, I rolled my eyes; however, as time went on, I started messing around with poems, then songs, and now I’m an author. I guess those professors knew what they were talking about after all!

How long did it take to get published the first time and how did it happen? After I completed my first novel, “The Rings of Faolan-Emeralds,” I started researching publishers on the internet. There are many great publishers out there, but I wanted someone noted for working with their authors. This was my debut novel and I knew I needed guidance and help. The Wild Rose Press was the only publisher I submitted my first book to. After almost a year of edits, I landed my first contract!

What would you do differently the next time? The only thing I might do differently is complete an entire series before submitting the novels. I’ve noticed a trend where authors who write series are putting all books up at once. As a reader myself, I like the idea of not having to wait for the next book in a series I’m following.

What advice would you give an aspiring author? I’ve only been writing for a few years, but I have learned a few things along the way. Never give up, don’t take anything personal, constructive criticism will help you become a better writer, listen to your gut, and market like there’s no tomorrow!

Who is your favorite character in your book and why? I love Elise Faolan from “The Rings of Faolan-Emeralds.” She is an independent, educated, strong woman who’s not afraid to admit when she’s wrong.

Do you eat comfort food when writing? If so, what food inspires your imagination? There is always a can of Diet Mt. Dew, something chocolate and a little salty by my laptop when I’m writing! LOL  I graze the entire time I’m lost in a world I’m creating. I really don’t know why, but it’s a terrible habit!

What about music? Do you listen to anything while writing? What? I am a huge music fan! I always listen to my favorite artists in the background while writing. If I’m doing an intimate scene, I listen to something sultry with a great beat. I also like to listen to something sensual when writing the first chapter of a book because it sets the tone or mood for the entire story.

What hobby do you enjoy when not writing? I started coin collecting several years ago. The hobby escalated quickly from state quarter maps to Morgan silver dollars. There’s something calming about working with coins. The hobby helps center my mind and I like the texture of the coins beneath my fingertips. My husband basically took over the hobby while I’ve been writing, but I still like to touch the coins when I have time.

What is your favorite book that you’ve read? I am a huge Christine Feehan fan. I’ve read every book from her “Dark” series and anxiously await each new release. “Dark Prince,” the first book in that series, gets to me every single time and I’ve read it multiple times. There’s something about the main character’s loneliness that makes my heart ache, and I’m a vampire lover as well.

You’re on a remote island with no electricity. What do you do to write? This would be a fantasy come true for me! I can’t say I’d only write one piece. I could see myself writing a few songs as well as a romance novel-maybe a modern-day pirate.

What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why? I would love to try writing a horror story. I’m attracted to the paranormal world, so in my mind it seems the logical next step.

BLURB for The Rings of Faolan-Rubies

From the first, Michael Faolan and Natalie Terrence knew they were destined to be Lycan mates, but constant danger in Michael’s life keeps them separated. They are stalked by the hunters, a group of men who plan to eradicate all Lycan as vermin. Natalie refuses to acknowledge the bond that she has with Michael until hunters burn down his barn and he is gravely injured. She cannot resist his call, even with the threat hanging over his head.

Michael Faolan has secrets of his own, but he is happy to accept Natalie’s ministrations. Their attraction ignites into flames of passion as they continue to fight the hunters. Could his secrets dampen the hunger Natalie feels for her mate, or can they use that desire to build a family and forge a love so strong no man, woman, or beast can tear them apart?

EXCERPT

Michael stepped closer to the wall when she slipped under her covers. He braced his hands against the stone. Sweat ran down his back and disappeared into the waistband of his loose jeans. The scent of her arousal drenched his body. He soaked it into his pores and his mind. His eyes glowed silver in the darkness. The predator rose to the surface quickly. His canines dropped over his lower lip. His body trembled all over, on the cusp of losing control. He rode the edge somewhere between man and wolf. His teeth snapped together before he collapsed on the floor to embrace the change.

Bones cracked and popped in the darkness. Black fur covered his skin as his body reshaped itself. His face elongated into a black snout. Huge paws formed where his hands and feet had been. Thunder clapped loudly above Heather Ridge. He was thankful for it as his body slammed into the wall. He held on too long before allowing his wolf to emerge. Now the beast was restless and edgy. Natalie’s scent still saturated the air even though she was asleep. His wolf growled low and deep with her so close.

LINKS

www.kristalharris.com

https://www.facebook.com/kristalharrisauthor/?modal=admin_todo_tour

https://www.instagram.com/kristaldawnharris/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18576974.Kristal_Dawn_Harris

https://allauthor.com/author/kristaldawnharris/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kristal-dawn-harris

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CwONvZkbiKG2MS4Ygiqvg?view_as=subscriber

https://www.thewildrosepress.com/authors/kristal-dawn-harris