Why I Love Khloe Alwell, and You Should Too

During my launch of THRIVE, I started the process of revamping - or rather rewriting - my Khloe Alwell series.

I fell in love all over again.

I had forgotten how rich and complex the books are. I forgot the nitty gritty of all the characters. I forgot how damn sexy the boys are. Like...really. I forgot how much I totally love Laran.

In talking with a friend about my love of Laran, she grinned.
"Have you ever heard Anne Rice talk about Lestat?" she asked, twisting her lips.
"No," I said, raising my brows.
"You talk about Laran the way she talks about Lestat. Like, you really love him." Her eyes sparkled and I grinned sheepishly.
"Laran is my dream man. If they ever did a TV or movie adaptation of these books, I might have problems. My marriage might be in trouble. I mean, I think I might fall in love with Laran. I might forget the poor guy was just an actor."

And it's true. But the other guys are nothing to sniff at. I mean, I love them all for different reasons. All my characters are family to me. But Laran is... something else.

And because I love him, love all of them, I had to publish a second edition. I didn't do the best job I could have when I first published these books, so I went back. Hopefully I'm doing my characters justice. I want readers to fall in love with Khloe. To hate her attackers, get angry with her, to bite their lips as she yearns, and to cringe as she tries to reject with grace. I want them to ache when Laran enters a scene. To grumble with Constantine. To saunter with Freyr. I want them to glow with Dani.

I want readers to get bloody and bothered and caught up.

This is why I am so pleased that second editions of THE BROTHERS and LOVERS AND RIVALS are now for sale on Smashwords (and soon after on all major online retailers).

If you haven't explored Khloe yet, I invite you dive in, see humanity as you've never seen it. Explore climate change in a way that you never imagined. See myth, faith, love, sex, and high school in a wild story of self-discovery and empowerment that shows what girls are made of - the stuff of legend.

THE BROTHERS Author Q & A

In an effort to share with you a bit more about the process I went through to write THE BROTHERS (the book giveaway this week!) I thought I'd put out a little question and answer. Enjoy!

Where did you get the idea for this book?

This is a little weird, but bear with me. I think the idea for this series has been simmering for over 10 years. I actually know a set of 3 brothers from my high school who were direct inspiration for the Grechs in MANY ways (Though if you met the real life brothers, you'd realize they are not the Grechs. There are just some similarities.). The real people who inspired the Grech brother characters were/are an awesome group of people and I found them fascinating. Still, I couldn't just write about three brothers. I needed something else. Well, I've always thought that if I held my hand out at just the right time, at just the right moment, I might be able to push through to the other side of reality – to something more or different. This is an ancient idea that comes up in many myths and legends around the world. The Scots call places where you can see through this veil “thin places.” Just because we can't see these things, doesn't mean they aren't there. From that idea, it seemed a short step to a girl with connections behind that veil and Khloe was born.

What traits and other tidbits do you share with your main character?

Ha! Khloe and I have probably too many similarities. The outfit she wears in the first chapter is actually one I wore quite often in high school. We both sing. We both paint. We both have dark hair and hazel eyes. I wrote her this way because as a little girl I hated how many main characters, dolls, actresses were blond or had blue eyes. I wanted someone who looked like me – so I wrote Khloe to look like me. As far as her lack of confidence in her appearance, I think that is not just something I shared with her as a teen, but something that most teenage girls (and women!) struggle with regularly, even when they're gorgeous. Beyond that, I think Khloe's less snarky than I am and my family has always been perfectly in tact.

Did any of your inspiration for this book originate in your real life experiences?

The high school is actually based on my high school in Albany, NY. Anyone who went to Albany High will probably recognize pieces of the school in the descriptions of the place. The town is just a generic New England town. There are tons of little places like this in New England where I spent many nights performing in music venues or days exploring museums or other little known attractions. The mythological references come straight out of descriptions of myth and legend.

What made you decide to self-publish?

I wanted to finish something myself. This was the first book I wrote and the first I published. I have said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm an impatient person and I like to wait for no one. Besides, the idea of doing all this work just to have it shaved down to something not remotely resembling my vision for the story was unappealing. I like keeping creative control.

Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book?

I mentioned it a few times, but this series heavily draws from myth and legend. I've always loved the old stories – from pretty much everywhere. Researching ancient cultures and specific myths, gods, and goddesses was one of the most enjoyable parts of writing THE BROTHERS. There is so much overlap between different cultures (like thunder gods – seems everyone has a thunder god) it made the concept of different ethnic Seelie easy to create.
 

Do you have another project in the works? If so, what is it?

This is the first in the KHLOE series. As of now, three of the four books intended in this series are completed. Hopefully book 4 will be available next year. I'm over half-way done with the third book in THE ROLLINS PACK, my other young adult series. I also have a couple adult/more mature books that could be stand alones or part of new series (I haven't decided). It's probably going to depend on how popular the first installments become (so if readers demand sequels, I will likely give in!). We'll just have to wait and see.

Author Q & A: Lilith and Ammon

This will be included in my media kit. However, as I was writing it, I thought you might be interested in reading my answers to these questions. Enjoy!

Where did you get the idea for this book?

LILITH AND AMMON is both a prequel and the third book of the KHLOE ALWELL SERIES. As such, it is a combination of a myth from THE BROTHERS and the legend surrounding the main conflict of the Otherworld. When I first wrote THE BROTHERS, I didn't realize how important Lilith's story would be to Khloe, the main character of the series. However as I wrote the second book, LOVERS AND RIVALS, I realized the reader needed to know Lilith's story, and understand exactly why the Otherworld was split into two factions – Seelie and Sidhe. Could you understand the series without it? Probably, but you'd miss some really interesting and important insights into the characters in Khloe's time.

What traits and other tidbits do you share with your main character?

I definitely see myself in Khloe, the main character of the series, but I actually see myself less in Lilith. Lilith is a person who refuses to see what is right in front of her because it makes her feel so uncomfortable. She is scared of change, and that isn't me at all! Lilith does however make impetuous decisions – something I'm known for doing. Then when she does finally come to accept her relationship with Ammon, she works really hard to bring people together and resolve conflict, a theme throughout the Khloe series and something very close to my heart.

Did any of your inspiration for this book originate in your real life experiences?

My inspiration for this book came more from my love of mythology and creation stories. Myths hold truths for people, even in metaphor. I enjoyed tying a number of myths into Lilith and Ammon's story, including some irreverent Biblical references. As to the complicated social structure in this book, it is less like my life and more like daytime television!

What made you decide to self-publish?

I don't like the idea of having to subject myself to the capricious rules of the publishing industry. Though it would be nice to have someone else do the marketing and editing etc, the price to do so seems high. Also, I like the immediacy of self-publishing. Yes, producing a book takes time, however it takes less time when I only have to rely on myself rather than a series of corporate approvals.

Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book?

Again, this book draws heavily from mythology. I would say the most influential books for this series as a whole are THE SEVENWATERS SERIES and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS. Marillier and Clare have interesting voices that I find enjoyable for different reasons. I often find myself somewhere between them.

Do you have another project in the works? If so, what is it?

The real question is, when don't I have another project! This series has one more book to complete Khloe's saga (which I hope to publish in 2014). Meanwhile I'm working on another young adult series, THE ROLLINS PACK, which focuses on some other themes near and dear to my heart (gender and family). That series uses my favorite of the paranormal creatures – werewolves. I also have a couple of adult stand-alone novels that are partially finished which I'd like to complete in 2014 (think: mutants and angels, but not together!). On top of that, I have several non-fiction projects I'm developing, based on my professional experiences as well as growing up in a very religious family. It's a lot, I know, but I can't seem to stop!

RH Negative Fun and Complications

If you didn't know already, I'm actually magical.

Okay no, not really. But I am apparently a human-ancient alien hybrid. That's right folks! I'm part reptile! Or something... :-/

If you didn't get the overwhelming sarcasm of the last paragraph, you might be Californian, or just reading, but rest-assured, it was sarcastic.

But seriously, I am (according to the latest two rounds of blood tests from two separate lab companies) rh negative. In the U.S. we only make up about 15-16% of the population. And there are reasons for this. Because well, rh negs like myself, our blood doesn't do positive - like, at all.

When positive and negative blood mix...they clump in a weird way. This is because negative blood will attack the positive blood. You can imagine the kinds of problems this might cause in transfusions etc.

Christian unfortunately doesn't know his rh status, which means he has to get tested before 28 weeks into my pregnancy. If his blood is negative, then I don't have to get an extra series of shots. If he is positive, I do...or my baby could die.

Alright, the first baby probably won't die. But the second could.

This is because if the baby is positive and my blood and the baby's mix, I could build up antibodies to reject future babies, or just make them terribly sick. Either way I look at it, we're about 1.5 months out from him needing to be absolutely certain his blood is one way or the other.

When I got my own blood test back, my mom didn't believe it. She is positive. My dad is positive. I just happened to be the 33% unlikely offspring of two +/- parents. Lucky me. I will blame my grandparents for this one (my maternal grandmother and probably my paternal grandfather, though I'll never know with that one).

And their legacy? What exactly is this fun little factor that I have that makes pregnancy just a little more complicated? Where did it come from?

Well, they think it may have come from Neanderthals. Or at least, that's the going theory that doesn't yet have scientific proof (that part of the gene hasn't been sequenced yet). The reason people think this strange and rather useless blood factor came from Neanderthals? Well, most people like the idea of something that could kill babies coming from a foreign group. That would be an easy explanation. The only other explanation I could find is simple goofy evolution.

Most people like this idea that rh negative blood makes them special. It's a fun little theory (or science fiction). I've read all kinds of strange things about rh negative blood people, connecting all kinds of random traits to this blood type.


The most popularly spouted of these are the physical characteristics and the psychic/empathic/electrical ones. I've also read a lot of stuff connecting ruling classes to rh negative blood - blue bloods.

Damn.

So let's just, for shits and giggles, go through one of the more extensive lists I've found.

1. Hazel eyes? Check. 
2. Ion shielding? Going with no (what the hell is that?!). 
3. Reddish hair? Check. I've always had natural red highlights. 
4. Low blood pulse and body temperature? Does the inability to control my body temperature count? I'm going to...check. 
5. Low blood pressure? Check. 
6. Sharp sight or hearing? Well my sight sucks, but my hearing is actually off the charts (I've had it tested), so check. 
7. Pronounced intuition? I'm loathe to say this one, but check.  
8. Extra rib or vertebrae? Not to my knowledge. 
9. Love of space and science? Check! But who doesn't? 
10. Sense of not belonging? Check. But I always attributed this to being, well, different in my approach to life - not to my genetics!
11. Piercing eyes? Uh, based on anecdotal evidence provided by third party observers, I will check.
12. Paranormal occurrences? Damn. Check.
13. Psychic dreams? Check. In my family, they're actually called "an Alexis."
14. Truth seeking? Check. But who doesn't?
15. Desire for higher wisdom? Check. But again, isn't this common?
16. Enhanced empathy? Check, though I wish I didn't.
17. Compassion for humanity? It depends on the day...I guess check.
18.   Higher mental analytical abilities? You mean, am I smart? Yeah. I'm pretty smart. Check.
19. Mission in life? Sigh. Check.
20. Psychic abilities? Do we have to talk about this again? I feel weird. Check.
21. Unexplained scars? What the hell do scars have to do with anything? NO!
22. High sensitivity to EM and ELF fields? Lol. Yeah, I'm actually an EMP. DOUBLE CHECK!
23. Alien contact? Psht! No!

So out of 23 weird separate characteristics popularly attributed to rh negative people, I've got 19 of them.

Oh, and just so we're clear on the ruling class business, yes, my family has blood ties to European nobility. So if we add that, I'm shooting 20 out of 24. Sheesh.

While I'd love an explanation as to why I break phones, computers, and dishwashers, or regularly have clairvoyant dreams, I don't connect these things to my blood type. The only thing that I absolutely do connect to my blood type is the very real and dangerous possibility of making my baby sick (s/he just started kicking to remind me why I would take preventative measures to protect the kiddo). So unless (or until) science somehow proves that I'm related to the Nephilim or the Annunaki, I'll just chalk the high correlation of traits to coincidence.

It is coincidence...right??? Please tell me this is just coincidence. I don't want to be anecdotal proof of these fringe theories!

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Laran

*SPOILER ALERT* Read Lovers and Rivals!

Yes, Ceres, Lugh, Myrddin, and all manner of characters are important, but Laran is key. Besides, I can't hold myself back any more. I just have to write about him.

Laran was named for the Etruscan god of war. I wanted a lesser known god name, but something that wasn't too far out there. Accessibility in Laran's case was important. This was especially true because he is Khloe's love interest. However it wasn't the only reason. I wanted Laran to be very Sidhe, but also a bridge to humanity and the Seelie. He is both of the forest and of the Sidhe.

The fact that he is the lord of his province and the lead trainer of the Sidhe military at 23 years old speaks to his prowess and power. We know from his conversations with Khloe, he wasn't meant to take over Kolmarden at such a young age. However as his parents are both dead, he ends up becoming lord anyway. Despite his youth, people follow him. He has a natural ability which allows all kinds of people to accept him immediately (Seelie, Sidhe, or human).

Even though he is well loved and tends to do the "right thing," Laran is kind of a bad boy. He is the only Seelie or Sidhe discussed to have a tattoo. He wears human band tees in the Sidhe court, and jeans around the veil. At a young age, he said he went to the human world to go to concerts of his favorite bands.

He's prickly, but he's also a gentleman. Unlike Freyr or Constantine, he doesn't feel the need to possess Khloe. He lets her be her own person, and relishes in it. Still, his over confidence irritates Khloe on occasion. It's what makes their dynamic so much fun.

P.S. I'm very excited to dig into Laran's abilities in book 4. In the mean time, you'll have to satisfy yourselves with the upcoming back story in Lilith and Ammon!

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Toran

I have a special place in my heart for thunder gods. It's probably why I just watched Thor again, despite myself.

Of course, the name Thor is a little overplayed. So I decided to go with something different. Taranis was a little too much for me, especially considering as I had already decided on Laran for the love interest in Lovers and Rivals (Laran and Taran? Please!). However, a mixture of Thor and Taranis might work - thus, Toran. It also reminds one of torrents, which was along the lines of thunder gods.

That said, I didn't emphasize Toran's abilities in Lovers and Rivals. In fact, I haven't given him specific abilities beyond those commonly ascribed to Sidhe and typical god kings. There was no reason to until this point. However, fear not good readers! Book 4 is going to show more of Toran's abilities, as well as those of other characters like Laran (I get shivers just thinking about it).

Even though we don't delve into the prince's abilities, we do see what kind of person he is. Toran is a good brother and a good son. He is loyal to his family, his friends, and his people. Because of this, he is sensitive to his obligations as the heir apparent of the Sidhe. However, his relationship with Dani could throw a wrench in things, especially when combined with his sister's newfound destiny. Ultimately, we won't see how these things play out until we get to book 4 (still trying to figure out the working title...).

I'm excited.

P.S. If you want some additional reading fun check out Book 3 - Lilith and Ammon - later this year. Ask yourself, who is the previous incarnation of Toran?

Character Bios: Lovers and Rivals, Camulus

I decided I should finally start giving some character bios for Lovers and Rivals. In that vein, I started with an unusual choice (and one I didn't expect to even write) - Camulus Remicapra.

Every guy needs a best friend. For Toran, Khloe's brother, Cam is that man. Camulus is named for a Roman god of war, but a more obscure one than the well known Mars. I wanted a name that was a little more unusual but could be shortened to something accessible in the human world.

Even though Cam is human friendly, Camulus himself is a bit goodie-goodie and rarely ventures into the human world. Despite that, he would gladly do whatever Toran asked of him, even if it meant disobeying his father.

While Cam primarily plays Toran and Laran's foil, occasionally he acts as a foil for Khloe. In the castle garden, for example, when Khloe and Cam have a conversation, their interaction helps to show just how unusual Khloe really is.

Just as Leo or Julian are models of what it means to be Seelie, Cam is a model Sidhe. He contrasts starkly with characters like Macha, who he hates. Most importantly, however, he contrasts with Laran, who has a perverse love of human culture.

The Brothers - Jacket Summary

Because I've been hinting at this for some time, I figured I should actually do it and give you a taste of the book. So here is a little book jacket style summary of The Brothers which will be available as an ebook the beginning of June. More details to follow!


"First know, every legend is true."

Khloe Alwell was always an outsider.  Moving from town to town with her frequently absent mother and academic step-father, she never fit in.  Everything changed the September before her sixteenth birthday, when Khloe found herself in a small New England town starting yet another new school.  There she befriends three strange brothers who introduce her to a world where human myth and legend are watered-down histories of an older more powerful race hidden in plain sight. Drawn to Khloe, the brothers and their childhood friends will help her uncover her parents' complicated past, come to terms with ugly truths that plague all people, as well as discover Khloe's true identity and her importance in the world under the veil.

Clubwear and Heart Rate Monitors - Skanky v. Sexy

They are a match made in heaven.  You see, when you look at clubwear, you need to monitor your heart rate.  Your heart will literally stop because you're in such a state of shock, OR you'll suffer your first bout of arrhythmia, OR you'll reach your maximum heart rate, die, and therefore need to resuscitated.

I've been checking out clubwear for my book (and my own morbid fascination with tiny dresses that I will never be psychologically ready to wear).  The heart rate monitors (HRM) are to help me with my fitness goals when I no longer have access to a treadmill with an HRM. It makes sense.  Completely.  Totally unrelated and yet....

Strangely enough, they work together.

Looking at clubwear reminds me of something my dad once said to me when I was growing up.  "You can't wear just anything.  The law might say you can, but the truth is you're inviting a certain kind of attention and it isn't good."  He was talking of course, of the difference between skanky and sexy. Many people are unaware there is a difference.  This is how you will find some women saying, "I wear what I want.  You still can't leer/touch/harass/assault/rape me." I say those women are delusional.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that women should be held liable under the law for wearing slutty clothing if they are attacked. However, just like taking heroin is a bad idea, so is dressing like a ho.  Don't be a ho - wear a frickin opaque shirt and some pants! Those are words to live by.  That and learn the difference between skanky and sexy.

'Ho' or 'skanky' is qualitatively different than 'sexy.' A woman can be sexy without dressing like she's free to any passersby.  She can be sexy without looking like she's recently contracted multiple venereal diseases by sleeping with half the football team. 

Sexy can be fun and exciting - but it is never cheap.  Cheap is what we call 'skanky' and the difference necessarily elicits different kinds of responses from those observing.  A woman who is skanky does not command respect from those who see her.  She is telling people with her clothing that she doesn't care about her body and therefore anyone who sees it shouldn't and can do whatever they want with it.  It's not the kind of message you want to send.

Maybe if women wearing clubwear could monitor other people's heart rates, they would be sensitive to the acute impact their clothing has on the people around them.  Of course these women are choosing to wear horrible dresses because they want to attract attention.  They know that much.  The problem is when a woman is shocked by how much attention she is attracting, especially when it is negative, which it inevitably is.

So hook the lady up to the king of surround sound heart rate monitors (which doesn't exist at this time but science is magical and perhaps one day it will be possible) and let her see what happens when someone sees her ass hanging out the back of her skirt.  Let her see how people respond when both boobs are coming out of the neckline and arm openings of her dress.  The direct feedback she would get would let her know that no, it is better to use that dress as a dust rag than to wear it.

The fault or inaccuracy to this proposed method of education, comes when someone experiences extreme disgust as opposed to arousal.  Both of these things could result in a high heart rate, arrhythmia, or heart stopping shock. In either case, of disgust or arousal, the dresses are dangerous. Really these outfits could be considered health hazards.

The moral of the story is, you should not wear ho dresses.  If you do, be prepared for potential leering/groping/harassment/assault and suing for any damages to the observers' health (or emotional damages incurred because of relationship troubles due to observing skanky dresses).  Instead of wearing that horrible degrading dress, go home.  Have someone tutor you in the art of self-respecting sexy, and take up ballroom dancing. 

St. Patrick's Day - From An Irish-American Perspective

I'm in the middle of research.  This is taking me very close to Irish Culture and also far away.  But in the spirit of Irish Americans and Irish pride, I'll offer a few tid bits that I've discovered recently.

St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated to some extent for approximately 1000 years in order to honor St. Patrick's life. There are theories postulating that several bishops' lives were rolled into one legend about a single person, St. Patrick, however there was at least one historical person named Patrick.  This is because while there are many legends and stories about the saint, there are few primary sources to support claims about his life.

When you think about St. Patrick's day, usually the first thing we think of is the shamrock.  This actually references a parable the saint used to explain the Trinity when Patrick spoke with the Irish people.  It seems strange to think that a Christian reference would lose so much of its meaning, and yet become such a cultural icon. 

While the holiday is generally associated with the saint himself in Ireland, the Irish diaspora uses St. Patrick's day as more of a celebration of Irish culture and the nation of Ireland.  Often people will say that anyone can be Irish on St. Patrick's day, though someone who is ethnically Irish might be upset with such sentiment. One of the most important symbols of Ireland is not in fact a shamrock, but the harp.  If you've ever been fortunate enough to listen to Gaelic, you know it is a musical language full of beautiful vowels and rolling consonants.  If you've read anything about Celtic culture, you also know that poetry and song has always been a part of life.  The harp has been a staple instrument for Celtic music for a long time, being one of the oldest instruments in the world.  It's on the label of everyone's favorite Irish beer. Harps are much more universal than shamrocks.

I've always been a harp kind of girl, never having been Catholic, but always having been part Irish. For me, someone in the diaspora, St. Patrick's day is more about celebrating Irish culture and the rich and beautiful history of the Emerald Isle. So I'll listen to some fiddle, harp, and maybe some hand drums.  I'll drink a nice dark stout, and I'll dream of the Fir Bolg and Tuatha de Danaan. Also I'll wish my sister-in-law a happy birthday.  Seems like a reasonable plan for an Irish-American.

Water Legends - The Selkie

One of the things I really enjoy about writing is research.  My short stories in particular are taking me in directions that had previously lived on the fringes of my consciousness.  In the spirit of discovery I am immersing myself in a variety of things, including folk stories, historical accounts, and film. 

My current exploration involves the myths of selkies.  Selkies (which can be spelled and pronounced in a number of different ways) are shapeshifters who generally take on the shape of a seal.  The stories are almost always tragedies - the boy might get the girl, but only until she turns back into a seal and leaves forever.  The message tends to be that a sea woman will always leave, and her children will almost always inadvertently help her do so.

Obviously the stories are to meant to deal with what happens when a woman leaves a man (as this is how the majority of the stories go) as well as the wonders of the sea.  Living in a place where the seasons are rough and the sea is rougher, it would be nice to know that a selkie might happen upon you and help you get to safety during a storm. 

There is something about the water, that calls to us.  Water is life.  The majority of our bodies are water.  The majority of our world is water.  Beyond that, it is clear, and yet hides so much in its depths.  There, suspended in that great moving mass is a world within a world, so much of it still undiscovered.  So much under the surface is shrouded in mystery that it follows we would still tell ourselves stories of sea monsters, mermen, and kelpies.