Interview and Giveaway with Taylor Keating

Taylor Keating, author of The Guardian series is joining us today to answers questions about their recently released novel, Fair Game which is the third book in The Guardian series. Taylor Keating is the pseudonym of duo writers, Catherine Verge and Paula Altenburg. Fair Game is available now wherever books are sold! 

Hi ladies, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions about your new book/series! Can you give a short description of your Guardian series, for those who haven’t read it yet?

It all started out with the idea of a very smart heroine who unwittingly taps into a parallel dimension via cutting edge technology.   We tossed in some magic, some bad guys, a sexy, strong hero who is literally adrift, his body safe at home while his astral traveling spirit is enslaved by our heroine’s (and the world’s)  worst enemy.  Then we added a sidekick who sometimes steals the show.  We had fun creating a virtual world and putting our characters in grave danger.  Only then could we see who they really were and what they were made of.  

Can you give us the elevator pitch for Fair Game?

In war torn Earth, River Weston creates Hollow Man, a computer generated holographic program designed to protect humans in battle.  Except when it mutates with a virus, she puts her entire world in jeopardy and the only way to reverse it is to risk the life of the man she loves.  

Fair Game is the third book in the series, was it easier to write this book the third time around or harder?

I think this third book was the hardest to write because we really had to pull together all the threads we weaved through the first book, plus readers have been invested in these characters for three books and after torturing our hero and heroine we really wanted to make sure we gave everyone a satisfying ending. 

What is the writing process like? Example, how do you guys keep track of everything, the world building/layout? 

When we start a new story we create a story board and break everything down into chapters and turning points.  We use different color sticky notes for each character and another one for world building.  We don’t always follow it exactly but it is a guideline as we are writing.  As for the actual process when we’re deep into a story we talk on the phone almost every day.  I will write for a couple days a week, and then hand the work over to her.  She’ll edit what I wrote (she’s the grammar queen) and then she’ll add new pages.  After she passes it back to me, I’ll reread, and we’ll discuss direction etc before I add my new pages.  It’s a pretty good partnership, especially considering my weaknesses are her strengths and vice versa.  Although I must say, we’re both learning from each other and overcoming our weaknesses.

What actors would you choose to play some of your characters if your book were made into a movie or TV show?

Ah, such a good question.  I would love to see Kate Beckinsale play River, Karl Urban play Hawk and Timothy Olyphant for Nick. 

Taylor Keating (via Goodreads Profile)

Tell us three interesting things about yourself that can’t be found in your biography section. 

Paula snores and I don’t.  

Paula is the grammar queen and I’m not.

Paula and I have completely opposite tastes in movies. (Although we both love Justified and I’d like to see Timothy Olyphant play Nick in our books!) 

If you were shipwrecked on a desert island what 3 books would you want with you?

Cathryn: Well, I’d probably want a book on how to survive on a desert island (I’m so not the camping type!), another on how to build a raft and probably a good hot romance by either Shayla Black or Sasha White to get me through the cold nights.  LOL

Paula: This is a tough one! Something by Madeline Hunter, George R.R. Martin, and probably Kim Harrison’s latest.

What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoyed?

Cathryn : Well, last night I flicked on It’s Complicated with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin.  I laughed and cried.

Paula: The first two seasons of Justified, and the latest Batman movie. Hmm. I seem to have a thing for vigilantes. I’m really not much for television, though. I’d rather read. But my husband and I love movies. He’ll watch anything with me, including The Princess Diaries. LOL. And I’ll watch just about any movie too, except I’m not a big fan of quirky for some reason. I’ll watch certain things with people who enjoy them, but would never choose them myself. My husband wants to see ParaNorman but I’m kind of “meh” about it. Does that make me selfish?

What are you currently reading right now or what are some books in your TBR pile?

Cathryn: I just finished A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster, I’m currently reading a fabulous Young Adult novel Divergent.  Next up is My Soul to Keep, book four in Shari Kohler’s moon chaser series.    

Paula: George R.R. Martin’s A Feast for Crows. My TBR pile has a lot of new romance releases in it, everything from paranormal romance to historical. I’m a big Madeline Hunter and Sherry Thomas fan. And I love anything with “For Dummies” in the title. I’m not a biographies type of reader, but I love reading to learn new things. If it looks like a textbook I have to buy it.

What other projects can we look forward to reading from you in the future (as a team, and individually)?

We just put together a new Taylor Keating proposal and it’s in the hands of our agent right now.  We’re very excited about it and hope we can divulge the details soon.  

One half of Taylor Keating also writes as Cathryn Fox and Cat Kalen.  Cathryn Fox just released two books with Samhain Publishing, Wet in Whispering Cove and Brazen in Whispering Cove, and she has A lick of Flame (Sept 18) the second book in the Boys of Beachville series coming out next month.  Cat Kalen writes Young Adult and she has Pride’s Pursuit the third book in the Wolf’s Pride series coming out next month.  More information can be found here.  www.cathrynfox.com and www.catkalen.com

 

Paula Altenburg has the Demon’s Daughter, the first book in her three book Demon Outlaws Series coming out soon with Entangled.  More information can be found here.  www.paulaaltenburg.com  

Do you have any advice to aspiring writers?

Work hard, never stop learning, treat others with respect and give back to the writing community.  So many people have helped me along my journey and I will never, ever forget it.

Finish this statement: You’ll enjoy Fair Game if you like…books with action, suspense, magic and an incredibly hot hero!

**This or That questions**

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Vampires or Werewolf? Werewolf

Morning or Night? Morning

Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Baked or Fried? Fried, but will usually go for baked.

E-reader or physical book? Ereader

Comedy or Horror? Comedy

 To learn more about Taylor Keating

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Buy Fair Game at

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GIVEAWAY

US/CA ADDRESSES ONLY

 Tor Books has generously offered (3) copies of Fair Game to Short & Sweet Review readers! To enter, please leave a comment for Taylor Keating, and your email address on this post. Giveaway ends Saturday, September 1, 2012. Winners will be announced and notified Sunday.