Hello Readers! Today I bring you Erin Kellison, author of the Shadow Series. She describes her work as dark fantasy meets modern fairy tale. Stories have always been a central part of Erin’s life. She attempted her first book in sixth grade, a dark fantasy adventure, and she still has those early hand-written chapters. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature and went on for a masters in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on oral storytelling. When she had children, nothing scared her anymore, so her focus shifted to writing fiction.
Erin is a featured author attending Author’s After Dark in New Orleans. For more information about AAD2012, click HERE.
Also, keep reading to learn more about Erin’s release, Shadowman, and enter to win a copy! GIVEAWAY details are below.
Please help me welcome Erin to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Erin, welcome and thank you for stopping by.
Erin: Thank you so much for having me!
Twimom: I want to put this out there for everyone – I have not yet read your fantastic books, but I most certainly want to… The realm of ghosts and shadows you have created fascinates me. Will you please tell us more about the Shadow Series and the world you’ve constructed?
Erin: In my Shadow series, Shadow is magic and it has just started seeping back into the world from a place between the Earth and the hereafter called Twilight. It is the realm of the fae, who look with longing across the divide and they take every opportunity to attempt to cross. The Segue Institute, a research center dedicated to researching the element, meets the creatures of faerie head-on. They combat the ones that seek power or do violence, and they are seduced by those intent on beauty and passion.
Twimom: You have a new series, Shadow Kissed, set in the Shadow world (Fire Kissed, July 2012). Where will the new series take readers? Will the Shadow Series continue on its own path?
Erin: The Shadow Kissed world takes readers inside ancient mage Houses—families with Shadow in their blood. As the world darkens with Shadow, the supernatural powers of the mages quicken. They scheme to lead the world into what they call the Dark Age. Alliances are formed in the bedroom and out. I’m having a lot of fun superimposing old world structures on contemporary life. The original Shadow series focuses on characters that recognize the magic for what it is—beauty, power, and possibilities. The Kissed series amps the effects and explores what the world will become.
Twimom: Do you enjoy writing genres outside of the dark fantasy and paranormal genre?
Erin: Yes! I’d love to write historical and romantic suspense, and just recently I dipped my pinkie toe into science fiction romance with an anthology called, Hotter on the Edge, which is free at Smashwords in all e formats right now with promo code UW37U (elsewhere $0.99). I hope to have fun in other subgenres as well. I just need more time!!!
Twimom: Ooooh! Thanks for the heads up on the promo code! Your books have their own website named for the Segue Institute of your series. (Access the website HERE.) Did you create the site solo or work with someone else to create this fun?
Erin: Well, it just so happens that I have an in-home web professional at my mercy, my husband. He is very supportive and enthusiastic about my books and went crazy with the Segue site—I couldn’t stop him if I tried. I’m pretty sure he’s cooking up something for the launch of my Shadow Kissed series in July.
Twimom: You have attended Authors After Dark in the past and are a featured author in 2012. Why AAD? What are your favorite aspects of AAD?
Erin: I had a great time at AAD last year, which is why I am back. AAD is the opportunity to hang with people who love books like I love books. Who basically have the same crazy that I’ve got. I get to talk about my books, which is a great reason to go, but before I was an author, I was a reader. So I get to meet authors I love in person and discover new ones as well. It’s a great time.
Twimom: I always like to ask authors about their reading habits… What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was your favorite read in 2011?
Erin: See? I get to be a reader even on this blog. I enjoy all sorts of books, mostly genre fiction, though. I studied literary fiction at college, but I don’t get that I-must-gobble-this-book-right-now feeling when I read it. I read UF, Fantasy, SF, and PNR mostly, though I do enjoy mysteries and thrillers as well. Loved Moning’s Shadowfever. And A Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Ruthfuss..
Twimom: What upcoming 2012 releases are you most excited to read?Erin: Patricia Briggs’ latest Alpha and Omega book, Fair Game, came out this month. Read it the day it auto-downloaded on my kindle. Loved it.
Twimom: Erin, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you. I look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!
Erin: Was awesome to stop by and I can’t wait to meet you too!
You can find Erin on line at
More on Shadowman (Zebra books, Sept. 1, 2011)
Ghosts
They haunt the halls of the Segue Institute, terrifying the living, refusing to cross over. But one soul is driven by a very different force.
Love
It survives even death. And Kathleen O’Brien swore she would return to those she was forced to leave too soon.
Shadowman
He broke every rule to have her in life; now he will defy the angels to find her in death.The Gate
Forging it is his single hope of being reunited with his beloved, but through it an abomination enters the world. Leaving a trail of blood and violence, the devil hunts her too. Pursued through realms of bright fantasy and dark reality, Kathleen is about to be taken…
GIVEAWAY Thank you, Erin, for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About. Erin is graciously giving away one (1) copy of Shadowman. Please leave your comments for Erin by Thursday March 29, 2012, at 9:00 PM EST to be eligible for the contest. One entry per person, the winner will be selected from eligible entries using random.org. Contest is open internationally; please leave your email address so I can contact you. Thank you to Erin for this fun giveaway!
Hey Erin! Don’t enter me in the contest, I already have Shadowman, but I wanted to stop in and say Hi! Also, great interview… Moning, check, Briggs, check…I still have Wise Man’s Fear threatening to topple my TBR pile though. I guess that’s why we need those e-readers, huh? So we don’t get smushed beneath the heavy weight of paper 😉
Please don’t enter me, I already have all of Erin’s books 🙂
Just wanted to say thanks for an awesome post and I love your books!
HI! I am so in love with your books and get down right greedy to read them. I would love to win!
hanras@yahoo.com
Hi Erin. Love the interview. I am new to your books so please enter me into the contest. I look forward to getting to know your books.
Thanks for the chance to get to know you.
koonie2888 at yahoo dot com
I have not read any of your books and would love to start with this one. karinwerner50@yahoo.com
How have I not heard of these books!? The covers are great! I will be at AAD as well,must add these to my to buy list immediately!
Thanks for the chance to win a copy, see ya in NOLA 🙂
bluesun1218@yahoo.com
Hi Erin, don’t enter me in your contest I already own them all… I just wanted to say that your books pulled me in from page one and held me captive with every word. LOVE EM! Can’t wait till July for the next one.
Hi Erin,
I have not read any of your books, but they sound really interesting. I would love to start reading your books.
khayes4100@comcast.net
Great post. The world you created sounds so intriguing. I LOVE your website! I think your husband did a wonderful job with it! Thank you for the giveaway and opportunity to read your book. I have added it to my TBR.
🙂
trb0917 at gmail dot com
I would love to have a chance to read one of your books Erin! I’m going to add in my TBR pile your favorite books! Is always fun to know the books author’s are currently reading or the favorites! Thanks for the chance! 😀
ilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com
LOVE the series so far (and I have the gushing reviews to prove it), so I’m really looking forward to seeing how you explore everything in the Shadow universe in a different way.
sarawintersfiction at gmail dot com.