I’d like to welcome Mia McKimmy, author
of The Sons of Sivadia Series to my blog today.
RW: Tell us about yourself, your family, where you
live, etc.
MM: I’m just a simple
southern girl, born and raised in Georgia, northwest of Atlanta. The
countryside is beautiful and referred to as the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
I’m married to a wonderful man, have two daughters and four grandkids, who I
have a real problem not spoiling rotten. I’m a retired RN, but work two days a
week caring for a delightful elderly gentleman.
RW: How many hours a day do you spend writing?
MM: I’m the type person
who gets easily distracted at home, either by housework, television, phone
calls, pets… you name it, and I’m distracted. The only place I can stay focused
is at my local library. I usually spend around six hours a day, three to four
times a week.
RW: Why did you decide to write? When did you
submit your first manuscript and what genre was it?
MM: I’ve always been an
avid reader. About six years ago, after I retired, I decided to write a story.
There was no question about what genre I wanted to write, since I loved reading
paranormal, sci-fi, and romantic suspense. Over the next year I wrote a book
that had all three. After attending my first conference, I discovered I knew
nothing about writing, and spent the next two years taking classes and reading
books on writing. After several re-writes, I published Leaving Sivadia a novella prequel to the series. The Sacrifice is the first full length
novel. Crucify My Heart is the next novel
and will release February of 2018.
RW: Has your life changed since you became a
writer? What’s the best thing about being a writer?
MM: It’s changed a lot
since my first idea for this series. If I’m not writing, I’m constantly
thinking about the plot or characters. I’m never far from a notebook and have
filled a suitcase with ideas I’ve jotted down.
One of the best things about writing is starting
with an idea and watching it develop on paper. There’s no better feeling than
being in the zone, when the characters take over and send you in directions you
never thought of before that moment.
RW: Who are your favorite authors? Who influenced
your writing?
MM: Anne Rice, Sherrilyn
Kenyon, JR Ward, Darynda Jones, Kim Harrison, Lindsay Sands, and Christine
Feehan are some of my all-time favorites. I devour anything written by them. As
for who influenced my writing, I’d have to say Sherrilyn Kenyon for her
characterization skills, and Darynda Jones for her humorous voice.
RW: Who are your favorite characters among the
books you’ve written?
MM: I think you have to
be in love with the hero and heroine of the book you’re writing, but during the
course of writing The Sacrifice two
of the secondary characters stole my heart. Kam and Iggy. And of course, they
will both be the stars of their own books. Kam is the hero of Crucify My Heart the next book in the
series. And Iggy is not far behind.
RW: What makes a good book? A great romance? Is
humor important in fiction and why?
MM: A good book makes you
cry when the characters cry, laugh when they’re happy, and root for them when
they’re down. If you feel like you’ve lived the story right along with them,
then that was a good book. And who doesn’t enjoy watching them fall in love and
get the happily ever after they deserve?
RW: How much does reader feedback matter to you? Do
your fans’ comments and letters influence you in any way? Do you have a
favorite comment or question from a reader?
MM: Reader feedback means
everything. There’s no better feeling than readers loving your story and
characters as much as you do. While negative feedback may hurt your feelings a
little, it’s also a learning process. As long as we’re learning, we’re growing.
And it takes growth to become a better writer.
RW: How much of your personality and life
experiences are in your writing?
MM: Most of my characters
have bits and pieces of my personality, likes and dislikes. Crystals and
gemstones are a passion of mine, and according to their healing properties, I
work a few into every storyline. For instance, bloodstone can be crushed and
placed in a wound to stop bleeding, and since rapid blood loss is the only way
Sivadians can die, every Protector is given one to wear once they complete
training.
RW: Tell us about your latest book. What motivated
the story? Where did the idea come from? What genre is it? Does it cross over
to other genres? If so, what are they?
MM: The Sacrifice is the first book of
the series. It’s a story of love, revenge, sibling rivalry, and the lengths we’ll
go to save the person we love.
I wanted to write a book about vampires, but there
were so many already written, I needed a different twist on the vampire
mythology. One Saturday an Ancient Aliens marathon was on TV, and the idea for
my guys to be from another planet was born.
All of the books are part of The Sons of Sivadia
series but can be read in any order. The
Sacrifice is paranormal romance with a twist of sci-fi. Crucify My Heart is paranormal
romance/urban fantasy with a heavy dose of suspense. It releases February,
2018.
RW: What can we expect from you in the future?
Where do you hope to be five years from now?
MM: I’m currently working
on a prequel to book three, followed by the full-length novel. I’m also
planning a prequel before book four. I’m not sure how many more books will be
in the Sons series. I have an idea for a spin-off series that I’m itching to
write.
RW: Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for
speaking to me.
MM: You’re
very welcome. It was my pleasure.
The
Sacrifice
The Plot
Will their love survive the
sacrifices that must be made?
Almost three hundred years ago, a
race of immortals fled the planet of Sivadia and came to Earth. When a war
divided their race, each side was led by twin sons of the Sivadian king.
From the moment Riana Martin meets
Cy, the dangerously sexy Sivadian Protector, she knows it will be hard to
resist him. From the first touch, Cy sets off a firestorm inside her heart and
soul.
Cy knows Riana is his destiny, but
since their father named him successor to the throne, his twin has been
determined to destroy him.
Can Cy protect Riana from his
brother…one of the most evil beings to ever walk this planet?
An Excerpt:
Cy opened the door
leading out of the game room and entered the main part of the pub. Alcohol,
sweat, and lust filled the air. Ladies night. Scantily clad women lined the
walls like trophies waiting to be taken home by whomever they deemed most
worthy.
Lust bombarded Cy
as a slew of eyes with heavy liner focused on him. He waved his hand through
the air and the lust stopped—at least the wanting directed at him. The ability
to control a human’s mind had its advantages, but could be a dark and murky
place. It definitely was not somewhere he wanted to hang around for long.
Maggie, a large-busted
human with flaming red hair, owned the pub and was bartending tonight. Heavy
lines on her face were proof of far too many years in this line of work.
“Hi, handsome.
What’ll it be?”
“Just give me a
house draft, please.”
She grabbed a
frosted mug and pulled the tap.
“Things been calm
around here, tonight?”
“It’s all good,
long as you and your boys come around occasionally to help keep these yahoos in
line.”
Cy took his beer
and handed her a twenty.
Maggie patted a
nine-millimeter pistol holstered on her right hip and grinned. “Between y’all
and Bessie here, I don’t get much trouble.” Her southern drawl was slow,
characteristic to people who had lived their entire lives in the Appalachian
Mountains surrounding Asheville, North Carolina.
Cy’s cell vibrated
against his hip. He dug the phone from his pocket. It was Oz, probably calling
to give him their nightly assignment.
“Hey man, what’s
up?”
“One of our scouts
spotted two feeders downtown.” Oz’s deep voice boomed in Cy’s ear. “The feeders
transported to several sites around town before the scout lost them.”
“Shit. That’s not
good.” Cy lowered himself onto a bar stool. “Do you think they know we have a
class of females coming in tonight?”
“If they’ve
located our compound, I’d bet my life on it. I hope none of the girls came in
early to sight-see.”
“Where was the
last place the feeders were seen?”
“On South Spruce
Street, but I’ve already sent four teams of Protectors to cover that area. Take
your team and start on the west end of Patton, and work your way toward them. I’ll
send more guys your way. And Cy, just in case Vind’s in town, watch your back.”
“Will do.” Cy
rolled his shoulders against the tight muscles in his neck. Damn my brother!
It’s past time to bring this war to an end. Three centuries of fighting Vind’s
army is enough.
Cy had enjoyed
living in Asheville, but if Vind had found this compound, they would have to
change locations again. If feeders got their hands on a compound full of
trainees, their once-bright futures would become nothing more than misery and
eventual death.
Mia McKimmy
Bio
Mia writes paranormal romance
novels reflecting her belief that everyone has one great love, and when you
find them, there’s no denying you have met your destiny.
Mia counts herself lucky to be
married to her true love. She is Mom to two grown daughters, and Nana to four
grandkids who have her wrapped around their fingers. She has a large collection
of crystals, and believes in their healing abilities. That’s why you’ll always
find them worked into her stories.
She is a former hairdresser, and
has a degree as a Registered Nurse from Georgia Highlands College. She’s a
native of the greater Atlanta area, and has always loved living between the
north Georgia mountains, and the beaches of Savannah. She believes it’s the
best of both worlds.
Book
Link:
Contact
Mia At:
Website: http://www.miamckimmy.com
E-Mail: mailto:miamckimmy@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiaMckimmy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaMckimmy
Amazon
Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/miamckimmy
