Forests of the Fae: The Raven Queen
By K. Kibbee
Genre: YA Fantasy
A summer spent untangling a century-old mass disappearance, communing with ghosts, fleeing dark Fae Folk, and enduring her nefarious cousin Lexie would seem like tribulation enough for 13-year-old Anne, and yet her struggles have only just begun.
Though she’s closed Devlin’s Door behind her, something sinister has followed Anne from the other side. Her dearest friend Grace is not as she would seem. Something dark has taken hold of the girl . . . something not of this world. Ravens surround her, people mindlessly do her bidding, and wickedness drips from her lips. It’s only a matter of time before Anne uncovers her secret and with it, her vengeance.
Meanwhile, somewhere deep in the Forests of the Fae, the real Grace struggles to retain her humanity and escape the revolting Faerie body that imprisons her. With pet raven Onyx at her side, she is heralded a Queen, and worshiped by the very creatures that she despises. Set atop a throne of thorns, she feels all is lost, until a stranger with human eyes and a sorted past is shackled at her feet.
Though worlds apart, both girls must race against time if they hope to unravel the mysteries of the Fae folk and unmask The Raven Queen.
Q&A from the author!Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?
Well, it seems a little pompous to call it my genre, but the ‘Forests of the Fae’ series would probably be best fit into the YA fantasy genre. I’ve always been drawn to all things fantastical, so it’s a natural fit for me. I simply adore writing about wondrous worlds and magical places. My brain is a cornucopia of oddities, and it’s almost a relief to let some of them escape every now and again.
What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?
It’s an adage that’s been repeated by many writers but I echo it with complete sincerity—the hardest part about writing is . . . well . . . writing. Just breaking away from the daily hubbub of life and convincing oneself to sit down and put pen to page (or, these days, fingertips to keyboard) can be a genuine challenge. It’s so easy to get into the tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll do it tomorrow refrain and before you know it, tomorrow is never.
When and where do you do your writing?
I can write in a car. I can write in a bar. I can write on the subway. I can write any which-way! So long as I have a good set of ear plugs—just add coffee and a laptop, and I’m good to go!
What have you learned about promoting your books?
I can’t recall when or where it was that I read it—but when I came across the statistic that being a successful author is something like 20% writing and 80% marketing, I was aghast. Unfortunately, my writerly travels have proven just that. There are SO many amazing, talented writers out there who are vying for the same prize that you’ve really got to hustle to make your work seen. Now don’t get me wrong . . . if it’s drivel, all the marketing in the world won’t save it. It’s got to be good. VERY good. But even VERY good work needs aggressive promotion or it’s liable to end up in mothballs.
What are you most proud of as a writer?
Oddly enough, I’d say that I’m most proud of my battle scars. In my youth I often lamented my lack of success. I wanted to be that fresh-faced 18-year-old who ended up on the NYT Bestseller list with her debut novel. I went through a fair share of pouting when that didn’t happen. Then I pouted even harder when I realized that even a nod from a small, indie publisher probably wouldn’t come to pass. But after all that pouting and self-loathing, I pulled on my big girl panties and got to work. If it’s in you—this writer’s soul---it won’t be silenced easily. It may whine and fuss and make a dramatic spectacle of itself, but in the end, it will keep you going. And when you keep going and GOING and GOING, eventually you come out the other side a more seasoned and accomplished writer—with some pretty impressive scars to show for your travels.
If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?
I’m probably the umpteenth writer to drop this name but I’d be fibbing if I gave a different one . . . so . . . J.K. Rowling. That gal just impresses the heck out of me and the altruistic acts she’s performed by benefit of her success are beyond admirable. She’s talented, witty, diligent, and one smart cookie. I’ll always take cookies for dinner. ;)
As to topics of conversation . . . c’mon—it’s J.K. Rowling. You talk about whatever she wants to talk about!
K. (Kristine) Kibbee is a Pacific Northwest writer with a fascination for all things literary. Kristine’s passion for creative writing began in her early youth and led her to the doors of Washington State University, where she earned a degree in Humanities, with a focus in Professional Writing. Kristine followed her scholarly pursuit of writing with published works in The Vancougar, The Salal Review Literary Review, Just Frenchies magazine, and S/Tick Literary Review. She is presently a regular columnist for Terrier Group magazine.
Kristine’s novella, “The Mischievous Misadventures of Dewey the Daring,” was her first and only self-published release, and is still currently available on Amazon.com. Her middle-grade fantasy novel, “Whole in the Clouds,” was released in November 2014 and is being re-released by Incorgnito Publishing Press, with additional material, in October of 2016. The first installment in her YA fantasy series, “Forest of the Fae-Devlin’s Door,” was released in early 2016 with Incorgnito.
Kristine anticipates following the release of book two in the “Forests of the Fae” series (“The Raven Queen”) with a third and final installment, which will tentatively come to print in early 2018.
Kristine regularly engages on a variety of social media platforms and can be followed:
On Twitter @K_Kibbee
On Facebook @ facebook.com/KKibbeewrites
(#1)
GUARANTEED TO BLEED
(#2)
CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE
(#3)
SEND IN THE CLOWNS
(#4)
WATCHING THE DETECTIVES
(#5)
