Interview with Kara Swanson

I just love this quote!!

I'm so excited for this interview!  I was given the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of The Girl Who Could See and let me just say - IT'S SO GOOD!  And no, I'm not getting paid anything to say that - it really and truly is!  I'll have my full review posted in about a month, but I read it in one sitting and afterward, kinda looked around like "I'm really still here?"  I felt like my world had shifted, but there I was, still sitting on the couch, like I had been for the 2 hours before that moment.  SO good!  Anyway, gushing aside, are you ready to get to know Ms. Kara Swanson a bit better?  Then proceed. :)

About Kara:

As the daughter of missionaries, Kara Swanson spent sixteen years of her young life in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Able to relate with characters dropped suddenly into a unique new world, she quickly fell in love with the speculative genre. At seventeen, she released a fantasy novel, Pearl of Merlydia. Her short story is included in Kathy Ide’s 21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Mom. She has published many articles, including one in the Encounter magazine, and she received the Mount Hermon Most Promising Teen Writer award in 2015.

I don't think I said so earlier, but this is a great photo of you, Kara!   

Now, to pester you with questions.  ;)

About yourself:

Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?

Extrovert, but I definitely still need quiet time to myself.

One word you would use to describe yourself?

Vivid. I want to live in a colorful, vibrant, genuine way.

 That's a beautiful description! 

Your favorite color?

PURPLE

Purple is pretty great.  And my sister's favorite color, too.  ;) 

Something quirky about yourself:

I raised eight wallabies (mini kangaroos) as the daughter of missionaries in the jungles of Papua New Guinea.

Okay, now I need pictures!  That sounds adorable!  Google, here I come . . . .

Look at the adorableness!   Awww!  Now I want one!  (photo saved from a Google search - all rights reserved)

We’re chocolate people around here, so what’s your favorite way to eat chocolate? (and if you say you don’t like it, then we might not be able to be friends . . . kidding . . . . mostly)

I LOVE chocolate. Anyway is great—especially in a bar, where I can just savor that untainted chocolate taste (with lots of sugar, of course).

With summer upon us, what’s one of your favorite summer activities?

Sitting out in the sun, the warmth cascading over my shoulders, reading my favorite book.

Oh, yeah!  I LOVE doing that!  It's like a bookworm's happy place, I think.  Either that or snuggled up with a blanket in a comfy chair. :) 

Your favorite genre to read?

Young Adult Speculative. (sci-fi, fantasy, etc)

I'm just recently getting into that genre, so I'm going to need some suggestions (as though my TBR pile isn't tall enough!). 

Do you have any go-to authors when you have a few minutes to just sit and read?

Yes! Mary Webber, Shannon Dittemore, James Patterson (LOVE his Maximum Ride series), Rick Riordan sometimes…

[adds those to her ever growing list]

What movie do you think you quote the most?

Its hard to say. I quote a lot of Marvel Movies…Princess Bride…Narnia/LOTR ☺

Yes!  It's obvious now - we're supposed to be best friends!  "Inconceivable!"  And the Marvel movies . . . . [sigh].  My post for Captain America says most of it, but I could probably manage another without running out of talking points.

When did you know writing was most than just a past-time or required school activity for you?

When I was 17 and I coauthored my first novel with a friend. I realized how much I loved it. Absolutely loved putting pen to paper and creating worlds! And I’ve been pretty much a goner since.

About your book:

I just love this cover!!  The first time I saw it, I was instantly intrigued and knew I had to read it!

What genre is The Girl Who Could See?

YA Urban Fantasy/Sci-Fi

If someone (me) asked you about your book, knowing nothing about it, how would you describe it?

It’s about a girl who has an imaginary friend who’s never left. Because she continually sees things that shouldn’t—can’t!—be there, the rest of the world thinks she’s crazy. Only, she’s not. She’s the only one who can truly see, and if she cannot find someone who will believe her “delusions” soon—the world will be destroyed. ☺

Oh, now see, I want to read it again!  Wanna guess what I'm doing with my afternoon? ;)

 What was your favorite part of writing The Girl Who Could See?

Hmmm probably writing scenes with Tristan, Fern’s imaginary friend. He’s this snarky warrior stud who is just so much fun to write. I also loved writing the very last scene of the book. You’ll have to read it and find out why!

Yes!  The last scene is wonderful!  I confess, I was really mad at you after what I thought was the last chapter, but it was all good after I realized I still had one more to go.  And who doesn't love Tristian?  Especially with that description?  

Your least favorite?

Having to rewrite large sections because the plot wasn’t explained enough. It was needed, but those scenes were just added details to make it flow better, and thus not very pivotal or fun to write.

Describe The Girl Who Could See with 3 adjectives:

Riveting, enchanting and dangerous.

I can vouch that those are very accurate descriptions!  

Do you have inspiration photos for Fern and Tristian?  

Yup! Here:

Fern Johnson

Tristian Hunter

Oh, that's a great photo for Tristian!  Captures him perfectly! 

I know this is probably an author’s most disliked question, but . . . . Do you have plans for another book?  After you survive the launch of this one, of course  ;)

Absolutely! I actually have about six novels just waiting to meet the world ☺ I’m not sure exactly which one will be first, and how it will come about, but you can definitely expect to see more from me!

YAY!!!!!!!

You’re in the midst of releasing this book and obviously promoting it, is there anything your readers can do to support you, other than buying the book?

REVIEWS! Reviews are SO helpful. Amazon, Goodreads…these help to sell the book and make the ranking higher J Also, talking about the novella on social media and recommending it to friends is always so appreciated, too! Thanks everyone J

Is there a question you would’ve liked me to ask that I didn’t?

Nope! These were amazing J

Yay!  Kara, thank you SO much for taking the time to hang out with me and letting me pester you with questions!  This has been a blast for me!  Since I think we're about done here, is there anything you'd like to add?

Thank you so much for having me, Sarah! <3 I so enjoyed the interview and love getting to spend time with you and any readers. Have a great day!

Thanks Kara, you too!  :)  And you'll have to come back, whenever your next book comes out, so I can gush over it and I can think up some new questions for you.

Find Kara on social media:

Online at www.karaswanson.com

Facebook: Kara Swanson, Author

Twitter: @kara_author

Instagram: @karaswanson_author

Thank you so much for everyone who took the time to hang out with us today and read this interview!  If you're now as intrigued as I was, there are links below (it's on sale right now for $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, just FYI.  Or free if you have the Kindle Unlimited thing)  and the back cover blurb.

Description:

All her life Fern has been told she is blind to reality—but, what if she is the only one who can truly see?

Fern Johnson is crazy. At least, that's what the doctors have claimed since her childhood. Now nineteen, and one step away from a psych ward, Fern struggles to survive in bustling Los Angeles. Desperate to appear normal, she represses the young man flickering at the edge of her awareness—a blond warrior only she can see.

Tristan was Fern's childhood imaginary hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced to consider the possibility that this young man is not a hallucination after all—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers.

Check it out on Amazon

Goodreads