Q: While browsing Amazon recently for more monster-themed romance, I happened on your new book THE UNSEELIE DUKE. The cover is fab and pulled me in right away, so I snagged it. However, the male protagonist, Izael, captivated me. I normally avoid fae-centric romance, but there’s just something about Izael. He’s as cray cray as some of the other fae characters I’ve read about in the past but a with a bit more charisma. What’s your inspiration? For this character and this series? Will it stop at being a trilogy?
Izael definitely came out of left field! I had written my first series set in my dark fantasy fae realm, Maze of Shadows, and figured that’d be it for me. But that insane nope-rope just showed up in my head out of nowhere and demanded to be written. It definitely pulls from Labyrinth, and some of my other favorite old fantasy movies like Legend. I also just tend to love writing insane male leads—they always make me laugh.
Q: I love the artwork for your books. Can you tell me a little about that?
Grace Zhu, my cover artist, is just fantastic! She came to me asking to illustrate the covers of Maze of Shadows, and I’ve tried to work with her as much as possible ever since. There is a lot of the artwork that I do myself, however. I come from a pretty weird mixed creative background, so I like to dabble in a lot of fields. To me, a few pieces of artwork can really help make the world feel real. I’ll often start with a sketch of the male character to get me going on a series.
Q: How are your Maze of Shadows books connected to your new Deal of Shadows series? What is the dynamic between the hero and heroine in that Maze of Shadows series?
They share a world and a few characters, but other than that, they’re stand-alone entry points in that narrative. Valroy and Abigail are the main characters in Maze of Shadows, and that story is set in the 1730’s. So they’re far more traditional in their speech and in their mannerisms than Izael and Alex. It’s more true High Fantasy if that makes sense.
Q: On your website, you talk about your love for villains as heroes. Can you talk a little bit about that? Why do you enjoy writing this type of hero?
I love villains. They’re so much more compelling to me than traditional heroes! They can make risky choices, strange decisions, and don’t have to apologize for being who they are. They can be insane, murderers, out for world domination, full on monsters - they aren’t limited by social constraints or morals. They also make a really interesting challenge - how to write them so that they remain villainous but keep them endearing enough to the reader. (Valroy toes this line something fierce in Maze of Shadows. But people seem to love the series. Maybe there isn’t actually a line. LOL!)
Q: If you could pick one of your books to recommend to a reader unfamiliar with your work, which one would you pick? And why?
I honestly think my best series, especially for new readers, is Harrow Faire, starting with The Contortionist. It’s a five-part series set in a spooky eldritch man-eating circus, and probably has some of my strongest characters I’ve written. Simon the Puppeteer isn’t easily forgotten.
Q: Other authors I’ve interviewed have told me that the kinds of books they enjoy reading are different from the kind of books they enjoy writing. What do you like to read? Favorite books? Favorite author?
I love sci-fi romance and monster romance! I love outlandish characters where the imagination is the only limit. Some of my favorite authors are: Lillian Lark, Finley Fenn, CM Nacosta, Ruby Dixon, Tiffany Roberts - and tons more.
Q: What are you currently working on?
I’m currently about halfway through the third book in my new Iron Crystal series that debuts in August through Second Sky publishing. It is a high fantasy romance series between the dark lord of Avalon, Mordred, and Gwendolyn, a human girl who falls into the middle of a war between violent elementals and a demon out for revenge. Y’know. Your typical stuff. After that, I jump back into book two of Deal of Shadows and Izael’s story! I hope to have that published in October of 2023.
Deal of Shadows #1
Enter a world of darkness and desire, where even true love comes at a deadly price.
In the twisted world of the Unseelie fae, dreams are currency and wishes are power. Izael, the serpentine Duke of Bones, a fae lord with a fierce reputation, finds himself desperate for freedom. And to get it, he only needs one simple thing—a deal with a human. When he sets his sights on Alex, a destitute witch down on her luck, he sees a chance to gain everything he's ever wanted.
Alex wasn’t expecting to lose her job. It was the last thing keeping her afloat. And now with no money in her account, and homelessness looming, she casts a spell and asks for help from anyone willing to listen.
She should have been more specific.
Now she has a handsome Unseelie fae begging to grant her deepest wish. As far as Alex is concerned, she doesn’t have one. She knows better than to trust him, but he convinces her to take a wager—for seven days and seven nights, they will split their time between Earth and Tir n'Aill. If she truly does not have a wish after those seven days, he'll make sure she never goes poor again and will leave her alone. If she loses, her wish is his to grant...and her soul is his to take.
As Izael and Alex dance around each other, the stakes grow higher and higher. Will Izael succeed in his quest to make Alex his own, or will she prove to be his downfall?
This series is an entrypoint into the same universe as The Unseelie Prince and Maze of Shadows. While familiar faces will appear, you can start here with The Unseelie Duke without missing anything.
Romance Erotica Sensual | Romance Fantasy [Self Published, On Sale: May 16, 2023, e-Book, ISBN: 9798393850623 / eISBN: 9798393850623]
As an USA Today Bestselling Author and award-winning designer, Kat has always been a storyteller. She delights in spinning stories of the sweetest nightmares to delight her readers with her unique twist of fantasy, horror, and romance. With ten years in script-writing for performances on both the stage and for tourism, she has always been writing in one form or another.
Also on her list of skills are artistic direction, scenic painting and props, special effects, and electronics. A graduate of Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Design, she has a passion for unique, creative, and unconventional experiences. In her spare time, she builds animatronics and takes trapeze classes.
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