Guest Blog: Blood Bound by Keshia Swaim

UFI welcomes Keshia Swaim Author of Blood Bound. Thanks for Joining us!!

Insanity Required?

            As soon as people find out that I’m having a book published, the questions start. “Where do you get your ideas? How did you come up with your characters? Why did you choose this setting/subject?” These are all perfectly logical questions, and I think that’s the problem. You see, authors, in my experience, are very rarely logical. In fact, I’m beginning to think a healthy dose of insanity is actually a job requirement. Don’t believe me? Here are my top three reasons that all authors have to be a bit on the crazy side.

3. Authors CHOOSE to spend countless hours slaving over projects that won’t land in a reader’s hands for years (if ever). With no guarantee of fame, pay, or even a pat on the back, we are willing to lose sleep, type until our fingers bleed, and stare at computer screens until our eyes cross. And not only do we choose to do this, we love it. We cry, scream, quit, and then write the next chapter. Makes sense, right?

2. Authors are emotionally invested in the lives of characters WE MADE UP. It’s not that we don’t care about our real-life friends, (the few that will still put up with us) it’s just that the problems in our characters’ lives are just as important. When our main characters figure out the solution to a problem (that we put them in) it is time for a celebration!

1. Authors hear voices. And that’s a good thing. These voices tell us what to write, what happens next, and almost always win any arguments over plot. Yes, we lose arguments with the voices in our heads. And when we complain to other authors about our bossy characters hijacking our plot they just nod in sympathy before mentioning the last time they had the same experience.

So, you see, it’s not that we don’t want to answer your questions about our work. There are no real “trade secrets” we’re afraid of giving away. We just really don’t have all the answers, even if we wrote the book.

Thanks for having me!

 Don't forget to download "Family Ties" the story that inspired my book. And, if you have time, visit me on Facebook, Twitter, or my blog, The Book Addict.

 

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Keshia Swaim grew up in a tiny Oklahoma town and, perhaps out of boredom, became an obsessive reader at an early age. After reading all the books the library had to offer, she began making up her own stories.

Like all good Oklahomans, Keshia attended the University of Oklahoma. She studied History, with a minor in Modern Literature, but her real goal was finding a husband. Two weeks after graduation she received her Mrs. degree as well.

She and Prince Charming still live in Oklahoma, where they've started a family. Between dirty diapers, Keshia tries to avoid reality as much as possible, stating that her own little world is a much more interesting place to be.

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Blood Bound

Starting college a year early is hard. Starting fae college and learning to protect the world from the Unseelie is harder.

Brielle Reed has always been an over-achiever, but this time she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Between her crash course in fae politics, struggles to control her new mind-reading ability, training sessions with the demanding Dr. Schwartz, and discoveries about the father who is still a mystery to her, Brielle finds herself longing for a chance at a normal life.

But she may not get that chance. Or chance at a life at all, for that matter.

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