FEATURED AUTHOR: Kimberly Killion

Award-winning author, Kimberly Killion, writes sexy Medieval romances for Zebra Books. Her debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, was a RITA® nominee, and her second book, HIGHLAND DRAGON, went into a second printing before release. RT Book Reviews dubbed Killion as an author who writes “captivating romance with excellent pacing and characters who are honorable, intelligent and full of humanity.” Aside from writing, Killion teaches graphic/web design and serves as the President of the Missouri Romance Writers of America. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two children, a dog, three cats, and two dozen chickens. Please visit her website at http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

You write in the Medieval time era. Why did you choose this time frame and how does it enhance the stories?

I love the drama that goes hand in hand with the Medieval era. The struggles and decisions faced by the Highland laird were no small potatoes. People were always at risk, as was land and status. I like to write with a dramatic flare. I have a voice for it, and I think that’s what makes my stories so intense.

What is your favorite part of being a writer?

As the heroine, I get to fall in love. As the hero, I get to be strong, handsome, flirtatious, witty… As the villain, I get to be sadistic and twisted. And as the author, I get to play with people’s lives, make them cry, make them laugh, make them fall in love. And if I’m lucky, I might just inspire one person—the reader.

What was your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

Oh, wow! This is a difficult question. I love the “tree scene”, the “blessing of the bed” scene, the scene where Aunt Wanda says, “I’ve the mind to take a blade to your bollocks and have Mattie cook them slowly over the spit. Ye’ve nay use for them.”
But my favorite would have to be Calin and Akira’s initial meeting. She is being sold at a slave auction of sorts and is a wee bit pissed off about her predicament.

Here’s a snippet:

He crawled atop Akira on all fours, covering her from head to toe. Mocking their privacy, the guards lowered a gauze canopy—caging them like breeding animals on public display. She violently thrashed her head side to side, whipping a black web of hair to veil her features.

“Imigh sa diabhal, bastún,” Akira cursed at him in Gaelic. And then in French. “Focal leat! Retournez à la pute qui t’a accouchée!”

“I am nay a bastard, and my mother wasnae a whore.” Calin calmly corrected her expletives. Her obscene vocabulary both shocked and impressed him.

“To the devil with your black blood. May ye rot alongside the bitseach that birthed ye.”

“Nor was my mother a bitch.” Although Calin knew little about the woman who died giving birth to him, he felt a sense of honor to protect his mother from such heinous names. He exhaled dramatically, shook his head, and tsked. “How can such a vulgar tongue be placed betwixt the lips of such a bonnie fine mouth?”

In response, Akira spat on him. She then thrust forward, ramming her forehead into the bridge of his nose. The impact against his skull reverberated clear to his back teeth.

Hell and damnation, his bride was a hoyden!

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What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

That it’s hard. I think there is a misconception that writers just sit down and start typing. There is so much that goes into a story that non-writers don’t know about, like the research, the character development, GMC…just to name a few.

What is the best lesson you have learned from another writer?

I’ve learned perseverance. When you finish a book, and NY rejects it, you start another one. The old saying “suck it up and move on” applies here.

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?

Finding the time to be something besides a writer. I make time for writing, but sometimes my family suffers for it. If I’m not careful, my kids will be grown and gone while I’m sitting behind this keyboard.

What would you like to tell aspiring writers?

Perseverance. If you want it bad enough, it will happen. You must continue to learn. Find a critique partner or group. I found it easier to learn the craft of writing from reading ‘bad writing’ vs. ‘good writing’. Join online writer’s group and take classes. Read all the How-to books and never, under any circumstances should you ever give up.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I get up between 3:00 and 4:00 am every morning to write. It is the most peaceful time of day and all is quiet. Plus, I write in a camper that’s parked right outside my garage.J

Five questions about books:

One book that you have read more than once.
Julie Garwood’s THE SECRET

One book you would want on a desert island.
Teresa Medeiros’s HEATHER AND VELVET

One book that scared you.
Scott Smith’s THE RUINS

One book that made you cry.
HIGHLAND DRAGON (I sobbed through that thing while I was doing line edits)

One book you wish you'd written.
TWILIGHT

Our theme for this month is Time Management. Do you have any tips on making time for writing?

Turn off the TV and write.
Get off the internet and write.
Get up an hour earlier and write.
Stay up an hour later and write.
You have to want it to make it happen.

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Check out Kimberly's award-winning novel, HIGHLAND DRAGON, released Oct. 6 from Zebra books.



HIGHLAND DRAGON

Secrets and lies have a price that must be paid in blood through the generations.
Eighteen years after hiding the secret of his betrothed’s lineage, Laird Calin MacLeod must choose between avenging his father’s death and surrendering to the passion he finds in the arms of his enemy’s daughter.

"Fascinating…well-crafted romance. The appeal of Killion's characters comes from their honor, intelligence and humanity."–Romantic Times, 4-star review


Visit Kimberly Killion’s website for contests, excerpts and more: www.kimberlykillion.com

Now it's your turn. Kimberly is giving away an autographed copy of HIGHLAND DRAGON to one lucky commenter. She wants to know which authors have inspired you to write and what book did you read that made a long term impression on you???