Get to know the author of The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos, Kristin
D. Van Risseghem.
1.
What made you choose to write in this genre?
The
Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos just
seemed to flow out of me. I didn’t pick the story, it picked me.
2.
Who influenced you growing up?
My
parents, sister and friends.
3.
When did you know you were a writer?
January 2013 I
dreamed of the warehouse scene in Book 1. Didn’t think anything of it until the
next night I had the same dream in the warehouse. Woke my husband up and told
him about it. He said I should write it down. Of course I didn’t. The 3rd
night, I dreamed of the tattoo and knew I had to start getting it down on paper
so to speak. I started writing when I got home from work and wrote until the
wee hours of the morning, so 7-8 hours at a time. Go to sleep a few hours and
get up for work. Did that for 3 weeks. When I saw the final product, I knew I
was a writer.
4.
What inspires you?
I took a lit
course in high school and a reading one in college. Didn’t think anything of it
but enjoyed writing and reading back then. I started reading as something to do
before I met my husband. Then when Twilight came out, a group of friends
created a book club and it’s been downhill ever since. I read a ton. A few
years back, my cousin started writing and she asked me to (beta) read for her.
I did, but didn’t really know what I was doing. One of her friends asked me to
read one of hers too so I did b/c my cousin said that my comments were spot on.
5.
Do you have a process? If so, what is it?
Once book 1 was fully written, I joined three writing
groups and eventually created my own, too. But now I’m only in one of them and
I found another that I really enjoy. I have used both beta and critique
partners who do line-by-line edits, plus I have hired a professional editor to
do the final read through.
6.
Beyond children’s picture books, what is the
first real book you remember reading?
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
7.
What is the hardest part of the writing/publishing
process for you?
Editing, because it’s the most time consuming.
8.
What are you currently working on?
I planned The Enlighten Series to be a trilogy with two
novellas. I have the first novella, The
Masquerade, an Altar, & a Fairy, scheduled to release in August 2015.
But after this series? I’m not sure. I guess where ever the pen (or in my case,
the keyboard) takes me.
9.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
This might be a very common answer, but social media is a
must these days. You as an author need to be found by your readers. So I have a
website, FB-Author page, Twitter and Goodreads accounts. I do keep a personal
FB page separately though as I try to keep my professional/personal life
separate from my writing life. Brand yourself! You need to sell yourself and be
a believable and legit author before readers will take you seriously. There are
many free websites and places to help you, just make sure that it looks
professional. And when in doubt? Ask other writers. At some point we’ve all
been there.
10.
What is one thing you would like your readers to
know about you?
I’ve
been married for 11 years. Met my hubby at a bar at the Mall of America when we
both attended a mutual friends’ b-day party. I knew he was the one when I met
him. He proposed 7 months later. We don’t have any human kids, but we’re proud
parents of two calico cats (Daizy and Minnie). We had a dog (Sunny), but had to
put her down in July 2014 for her own health reasons.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND KRISTIN
Zoe Jabril could be just another 17-year-old girl attending parties with her friends and checking out cute guys—except her best friend is a Guardian Angel, and the boy she crushes on is a Nephilim, half-angel, both sent to Earth to protect her. A high school classmate happens to be a trendsetting shopaholic fairy. And now there’s a new werewolf in town.
Zoe has to deal with her feelings toward Shay, who spreads a strange electrical current through her body every time he touches her. Now Zoe is under constant attack from demons, trying to kill and stop her from fulfilling the Prophecy: a girl will be born who will unite the Enlightens to battle evil. Then on top of that, between boring homework and drama with girls at school, she has to control new found talents if she’s to prevent the devil from escaping Hell.
In order to do so, Zoe must devise
a kick-ass plan ASAP or watch everyone die, because she’s running out of time.
She turns eighteen in two months—the date Armageddon kicks off.
PURCHASE LINKS: Available NOW
