Interview with Kiana Hettinger, Author of Light Of Embre

What can you tell us about your new release, Light Of Embre?

Light of Embre is a fantastical start to an intense paranormal romance trilogy. There’s magic, royal rivalries, kidnappings, and of course, lots of sex. Sex is actually how people hone their magic powers! And when our heroine, Princess Sarel, starts to exhibit these powers, she’s torn between two possible mates. One has been chosen for her and one is way beneath her royal status. And none may survive their captors.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I grew up reading my mom’s old Judy Blume and Nancy Drew books. I was always drawn to the strong emotions in Judy Blume and the intrigue of Nancy Drew. I knew very early on that this was what I wanted to do.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

I’m in love with A Court of Thorns and Roses. I’ve read the series twice now. I think it has everything a paranormal romance should have. Another favorite is Caraval. It’s shorter than most fantasies, but her writing is almost lyrical.

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

My first guest would absolutely be Sarah J Maas. I think I’d ask her about her degree and how much it’s helped her. I’ve always wondered how amazing it would be to go to school for writing. Of course, while I have her, I’ll try to get a good teaser for her next book.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

I love getting lost in a scene. I dive head first into my work and feel like I’m there, living through whatever my characters are living through. Sometimes that’s scary, but considering what I write… it’s usually quite fun.

What is a typical day like for you?

I know people say this is bad, but the first thing I do is check my Facebook Reader Group. I’ve forged some great friendships with some of my readers and I love to start my day with them.
Then it’s time for coffee! Sometimes I walk a bit, especially if I’m about to write an emotional or difficult scene. But usually, I get right to work. I’m at my desk by 7:30. I’ll still get some walking in during the day, between scenes.

I have this thing where I write a scene in one sitting. I don’t let myself up until the scene is done. And I’ll at least write the first sentence of the next scene and any notes. Then I’ll get up and walk around.

I like to do writing sprints with some of my online writing friends. My favorite site is MyWritingClub. I thrive in competition and some of those writers can put up some impressive numbers. I can’t let them beat me! Then, at the end of the day, I paste all my work into Scrivener. I’ve tried so many writing platforms and I still come back to Scrivener. I feel at home, there.

What scene from Light Of Embre was your favorite to write?

Well… I’m sure you can guess which type of scene is my favorite. But for this series, my favorite parts have been the different magic systems. It’s been a lot of fun to build complete magic systems, which I learned from watching the Brandon Sanderson classes on YouTube. I think taking his classes has helped me round out my worlds more. The romance is still the core, but it has a strong backbone.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

My favorite thing to tell myself is, “Some like it hotter.” Whenever I’m writing and I think it might be time to fade to black, I remember this mantra. When I first started writing romance, I was worried I’d go too far. But after getting to know my own readers and other fans of the genre, I know nothing in my pretty little head will be too scandalous for most of them. And there’s comfort in that. I’ve found my people.

Kiana Hettinger is the author of the new book Light Of Embre

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