1--What is the title of your latest release?
The book is called PEARL SKY, and it’s part of my Elemental Legacy series.
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Two mated wind vampires go home for the holidays, but home is a secretive hidden island off the coast of China. Ben and Tenzin immediately get recruited to solve an art heist that could have serious political consequences for the immortal world. And if you think finding presents for your parents is difficult, finding the right present for a 5000-year-old ancient vampire lord is way harder.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Penglai Island is a location that has shown up in other books in this series, but it was really fun to dig deeper into the secrets and behind-the-scenes of this mythic location. It’s almost like a bottle episode for TV, which felt really perfect for a holiday book.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I would absolutely hang with both Ben and Tenzin in real life, but I would also expect violence or to be pulled into a questionable ethical situation. Put it this way, I’d hang with them, but wear my running shoes.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Ben? He’s optimistic, curious, and powerful. Tenzin? She’s cynical, chaotic, and unintentionally hilarious.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned about aaruul, which is a kind of Mongolian milk candy. Ben almost gets a foot taken off by a very large dog when they’re trying to steal some. (Yes, they’re stealing candy from a dog.)
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I do both! I absolutely edit while I’m writing, but then I also do a first-pass edit after I’m completely finished with the first draft.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Indulgence? Anything with wild mushrooms. I love wild mushrooms.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I have a very nice office looking over my back garden that is very messy and has books and paperwork piled in there and I write in it about 30% of the time. I like to wander with my laptop when I’m working on a story.
10--Who is an author you admire?
SO MANY! Childhood idols would have to be Madeleine L’Engle, Ursula LeGuin, and CS Lewis, but for modern writers, I am a huge fan of Nalini Singh and read everything she writes. Ilona Andrews, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Grace Draven are also favorites.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
The first one that springs to mind is A Wrinkle in Time. I immediately identified with Meg.
12—Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I decided to self-publish when I first heard about it in 2011. It was the first time I heard about it and I was immediately intrigued. I never queried or submitted manuscripts anywhere. I loved the idea of overseeing my own creative and publishing process.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Has to be fantasy and sci-fi. All kinds. I love urban fantasy and high fantasy. Paranormal romance and paranormal women’s fiction. Anything that turns the real world on its head makes me happy. Except! Horror. I can’t. I’m a total chicken.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
I can’t pick just one. Maybe two that I rewatch the most are The Royal Tenenbaums and The Princess Bride. Also, anything by Guillermo del Toro. I adore his vision and aesthetic.
15--What is your favorite season?
I don’t know that I have one! I love being outside, so every season is kind of amazing, right? I love the flowers in spring and late rainstorms. I love a punch of heat and ripe tomatoes in my garden. I love to see the leaves changing, and I adore seeing the snow on the mountains and all my citrus getting ripe in winter. I can’t pick one favorite.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
My favorite way to celebrate pretty much anything is with a relaxed dinner party with lots of wine, great music, and my favorite people. And cheese. Lots of cheese.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I just watched Wednesday and I absolutely love it. I adore gothic anything. I also just finished Rebecca Roanhorse’s sequel to Black Sun, which is Fevered Star. That series is phenomenal.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I’m a Californian, so Mexican food tastes like home to me, but my husband is Ethiopian, and we live in Addis Ababa for part of the year, so I adore Ethiopian food too. But I’m very lucky, both California and Addis have really wonderful international food scenes. You can find everything.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
If I’m taking a writing break, I’m usually in the garden. It’s my absolute favorite thing to clear my mind.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m working on a brand-new series that I haven’t named yet, but the first book is called The Thirteenth Month, and it’s a contemporary fantasy about a time traveler who works for a very ancient order of mages. I’m excited about the time-travel, which is new for me, but it also has adventure, romance, and political intrigue, which I know readers enjoy in my Elemental and Irin series. It’s set mostly in East Africa, so I’m really looking forward to writing about my second home.
It was a friendly visit until a priceless artifact was stolen. Now Ben and Tenzin are up to their necks in secrets that can kill.
It’s not just any holiday season in the immortal world. Elder Zhang’s oldest servant is reaching the century mark and Ben and Tenzin are ready to celebrate, but no sooner do they land on Penglai Island than a mystery falls in their path. A valuable seal has gone missing, and the artifact was a gift from an ancient vampire who just happens to be heading to Penglai for a long-overdue formal visit.
The Elders of Penglai may have asked Ben and Tenzin’s assistance to find the lost treasure, but that doesn’t mean that eight ancient vampires, their immortal children, and all the humans who serve them will suddenly become open books. Penglai Island is secret for a reason, and the heart of that reason may just reveal the motive behind the theft.
PEARL SKY is a brand new Elemental Legacy story by Elizabeth Hunter, ten-time USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Mysteries, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.
Fantasy [1000 Words A Day Press, On Sale: December 6, 2022, e-Book, / eISBN: 2940165943775]
Elizabeth Hunter is a contemporary fantasy and romance author. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher.
She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Irin Chronicles, the Cambio Springs Mysteries, and other works of fiction.
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