Blog Tour: Interview with Kristie Cook, author of The Space Between + A GIVEAWAYS!!!

Title: The Space Between (The Book of Phoenix #1)
Author: Kristie Cook
Publisher: (April 5th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: When Life Falls to Pieces, Answers Lie in the Space Between

After a month-long dance tour through Italy, 20-year-old Leni Drago returns to Georgia to care for her great-uncle, only to find him gone, the home they shared empty and any evidence he ever existed wiped out. All that’s left is a journal she can’t open.

Jeric Winters has been searching for a piece of his past for over a year, only to reach a dead-end in Georgia. When an urgent and magnetic pull draws him out of his hotel room, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful dancer who’s been haunting his dreams day and night.

Jeric’s one to stay away from—a bad-boy, hit-it-and-quit-it type—but Leni can’t escape the fervent feelings between them. As their own existences begin to crumble around them and shadowy forms that are more monsters than men attack, they realize there’s more to the connection between them than physical fascination.

To solve the riddle their lives have become, they must embark on a journey that requires them to face their pasts and release their true souls. And they must do it fast—dark ones from another world are closing in, intent on killing them. Permanently.

Interview:

Kristie!!! My friend, I've missed you TONS!! I’m bloody ecstatic to have you here on my blog. It feels like it’s been forever and it probably has. Thanks for stopping for a chat about your latest and greatest – The Space Between, the first book in The Book of Phoenix series! (Review to post soon)

Thank you for having me! It’s always a pleasure to be here. I've missed you loads, too!

So, you have quite a few books under your belt now with the Soul Savers series – that I LOVELOVELOVE!

*blush* Thank you!

Can you talk about where the idea for The Space Between came from and the differences between writing the two series’?

The idea for TSB came from a dream my husband had when we were on a motorcycle trip in 2011. He didn't remember the details or the “why” about what was going on, but I took notes about his dream and my imagination ran with it. This new series, The Book of Phoenix, has a few similarities with Soul Savers – soul mate kind of love, good versus evil – but it’s also very different. In The Space Between, we have multiple viewpoints and two time periods (present day and 1989). Writing those pushed me out of my comfort zone of the single POV in Soul Savers (although Genesis gave me a taste of two narrators and writing from a guy’s POV, it was nothing like this). I’d done so many false starts with this book since 2011 that once I started writing it “for real” in November 2012, it just poured from me. The book wanted to be written.

Is it at all difficult to switch gears between the two stories and characters? And if not, what was the most difficult part in writing this novel?

My biggest fear was not being able to pull it off. I've read books with multiple POVs and stories, and it’s easy for the reader to become disoriented. Some authors do it very well, but many times, the books are confusing and difficult to read. So this was definitely a challenge for me. I couldn't come up with any better way to tell the story, though, so I had lots of beta readers to make sure I didn't lose the reader. The feedback has been wonderful, so I guess I pulled it off successfully. *grin* The other difficult part was writing from Jeric’s POV – he’s a guy, a potty-mouthed player, and to make it really interesting, deaf. I worked a lot on his part of the story to make him as real as possible (with some help from my 17-20 year old sons and their friends).

Can you tell us a bit about what we can look forward to in The Space Between and also a bit about Leni and Jeric?

Most common phrase so far: “Mind blown.” Or “Blown away.” The Space Between is really different than most books out there with all kinds of twists and a unique plot. I guarantee you won’t know where the title comes from until you get there. Leni gives the impression of being laid back and carefree, but she doesn't take crap from anyone and you’ll discover more under her surface as the story moves along. Jeric, on the other hand, is a “what you see is what you get” character and what you see is quotes like, “I don’t do girlfriends, unless they’re somebody else’s.” However, he does hide some heart-wrenching secrets. But part of the twisty plot is the story of another couple – Jacey and Micah, a fiery redhead punk girl and an ex-Marine with heartbreaking pasts, too. I really love this story – there is so much to it that all I can really say is “Please check it out.”

How about sharing a favorite line or two?

“Who goes out of their way to catch a falling object and then can’t even say ‘you’re welcome’?” I asked absent-mindedly as I stared after the retreating body that rivaled Alberto’s. No, scratch that. It totally beat out Alberto’s even on his best day.
“What an ass,” Alberto muttered.
“Rude, yes, but I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
“No, I mean what an ass that man has.” He let out a low whistle.

What are three things we don’t know or won’t know about both Leni and Jeric after reading?

Leni – She’d planned to attend Emory University in Atlanta but still hadn't decided whether to open a dance studio or go into medicine; her favorite colors are gold and blue; and Ghost is her first pet.

Jeric – He used to be able to play almost any song on nearly any instrument by ear; he loves snowboarding; and he likes to read (though he’d never admit to it).

For this new series, The Book of Phoenix, where do you see your characters over the next few years?

Oh, they have lots in store for them. New people to meet, souls to help and missions to accomplish, all while trying to keep their own bond intact.

And lastly, with the release of The Space Between, what are you working on next? And, when can I read it???

Haha – you know! Soul Savers Book 5! I do have a title, but I’m not allowed to release it yet. It’s due out on June 21st. Not long!

Thanks for hanging out Kristie. I promise to not be a stranger and I hope things going amazingly well on your UK Tour! Still so bummed out that I’ll miss seeing you in Liverpool by 2 weeks!! How that happened, I have no idea. Love ya tons!!!

I know, it’s such a shame we missed each other! The UK tour was fabulous. I hope you have a good time in Liverpool. Thank you for hosting me (again). And thank you to everyone for giving The Space Between a go!

About Kristie Cook: 

Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, a New Adult paranormal romance/contemporary fantasy, with the first four books, Promise, Purpose, Devotion and Power available now and the next book coming in June 2013. She’s also written a companion novella, Genesis: A Soul Savers Novella, currently available. Over 200,000 Soul Savers books have been sold, with Promise peaking at #54 on the Amazon Top 100 Paid list and at #1 in the Amazon Fantasy category.

The Space Between kicks off her second New Adult paranormal series, The Book of Phoenix.

Besides writing, Kristie enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband, three teenage sons, a beagle and a puggle.

She can be found at:

Author's Website & Blog | UK Fan Site | The Book of the Phoenix | Sour Savers Series | Twitter | Facebook

Order The Space Between Online:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Barnes and Noble | iTunes/Apple Books | Kobo Books

GIVEAWAY #1!!!

Enter to win a $5.00 Gift Card from Amazon OR Barnes and Noble! Winners Choice!

• ONE winner will receive a gift card

Rules and how to enter:

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.

Name & Email Address must be provided. (Easy Entry, just click the form & it does it for you!)

You must be at least 17 years old to enter.

This giveaway is open: INTERNATIONAL!!!

Giveaway ends: May 15th, 2013 (12:00AM EST)

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GIVEAWAY #2!!!!!!!!!!!

Kristie is giving away a $200 gift card and a bag full of swag & other goodies!!! Enter below!

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