Kate Kaynak: Interview and Giveaway

Welcome to the kickoff of the very first Spencer Hill Press Giveaway Week! For those of you that don't know about Spencer Hill Press, here's a little background. Spencer Hill Press is an independent publishing house that specializes in science fiction, paranormal romance and urban fantasy for the Young Adult audience. 

With a host of talented authors and dozens of fantastic titles under its belt, Spencer Hill Press has become a veritable powerhouse. And, as luck would have it, yours truly is hosting the fantastic crowd with a whole bunch of goodies for all of you! Be sure to follow the week (through Sunday), and check out the great features and giveaways!

Welcome, Kate Kaynak - Author of the Ganzfield Series!
Find Kate on: Website. Twitter. Facebook.

1. What made you decide to become an author?

 I've been writing since I was in high school and college, but I only developed the ability to finish novels after my kids were born. I was a stay-at-home mother with three kids in diapers at the same time (seriously, we didn't so much have a family as have a litter), and I needed something that let me think at more than a Curious George level. I wrote my first novel in 2008, and my first *good* novel about a year and a half later.

2. What do you like most about being an author?

I love when the story is so vivid in my head that my characters give color commentary on the things happening in my everyday life. Maddie and Seth are especially snarky. E.L. Doctorow called writing "the socially acceptable form of schizophrenia," but it really is like having a bunch of friends hanging out in my head.

3. Series or stand-alone...which is your favourite to read, and why? I usually prefer a series, since I love spending more time in an amazing, interesting world. However, some stories really are just perfect as a single book, and to extend them detracts from the sense of closure. And I also hate when a series goes on too long, becoming repetitive and depressingly predictable.

4. How long did it take you to write Minder, and did you want it to be a series immediately? 

I wrote the first chapter (the scary one) in a day. I then printed it out and let those four pages sit on my table for weeks, wondering if I really wanted to write a story that started out with such terror--Maddie gets pulled into a van by some guys who want to do some terrible things to her. But the rest of the story was there, wanting to come out and show that people like Maddie can survive traumatic experiences and come out strong and whole, and that sometimes the bad experiences are what people need to show how strong they really are. 

Once I started the second chapter, I finished the rest of the book in just under two months. I'd originally envisioned the story arc as three books (which are now Minder, Adversary, and Legacy), but the characters kept wanting to do more stuff--so eagerly that the first draft of Accused (book 4) got written down in less than a month. The Ganzfield series is going to end after the sixth book, Soulmate, which is scheduled to come out in December. I may someday write a standalone from Seth's point-of-view, though, since his path diverges from Maddie's in Soulmate, and I'd love to tell his story.

5. Describe Minder in 5 sentences or less, please! 

Ganzfield is a training facility for teenagers who carry the gene for special abilities like telepathy. A simple medical treatment enhances their skills, so we have a bunch of kids who can set things on fire with a thought or heal with a touch. But every high school has its cliques, and Ganzfield has a group of students who can use mind control and who pretty much run the joint. Then Maddie shows up, and she's immune to them... and can kill with her mind if she gets too upset. Fortunately for her, Trevor's there to keep her from losing it--and to give her a reason to live.

6. Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

 I love that you've been hanging out with my imaginary friends.

Kate has generously offered an advanced copy of the brand new edition of Minder (pictured here).

This giveaway is open internationally, and it will end promptly at 12 AM, EST on January 31, 2012.

 As always, you do not have to be a follower to enter, but it is always appreciated!

 Still want to enter? Click HERE to fill out the form!