BooksChatter: ℚ Drink: The Killing Cure [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with début author C.S. Kendall to talk about her novel, The Killing Cure: Drink (27 September 2015, Booktrope Editions, 200pages), a Paranormal Romance, book one of The Killing Cure series.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

A big welcome to C.S. Kendall; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter.

What was the inspiration for The Killing Cure: Drink?

"The Killing Cure: Drink really started with wanting to write a book that tested the boundaries of one partner's love for another should something happen that causes the partner to take a dark turn and make decisions out of character. From there I thought about what could do that and decided it had to be something mythical . So, why not the famed fountain of youth? It seemed fitting that there should be a cost for eternal health and life."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Any art reflects the artist. There are bits and pieces of me in the main character Julia and bits and pieces of my relationship with my husband in her relationship with Charlie. I think authors can’t help but let some of themselves and their experiences in to what they write."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Drink - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"Shari Ryan is my cover designer. She’s very talented, and you can check her out here.

After going back and forth on a couple of concepts she came up with the idea of a clean, white background because we were working with black and red and it really popped against the white. I wanted something simple, a bit symbolic and open to interpretation. The hand on the cover holds a vial of water and within that water there are drops of blood, signifying that there’s more to the water, even something deadly. Plus, the hand holding the vial is spattered in blood. In The Killing Cure: Drink the fountain of youth grants immortality but also demands lives for the life it grants thus turning whomever drinks from the water into a killer. So, I liked the idea of the hands having literal blood on them. The flowers are supposed to signify the romantic component to the story, which is a strong emphasis."

Why should we read The Killing Cure and what sets it apart from the rest?

"The concept itself. A fountain of youth that demands life for the life it grants. It was a bit tough to categorize just because there really aren’t other stories like it. Ultimately, my editor suggested paranormal romance for the genre, but it definitely doesn’t follow suit with vampires, werewolves, shifters, etc, often found within the boundaries of paranormal works."

Can you tell us something quirky about The Killing Cure, its story and characters?

"Since the story really begins in 1919, I had to find names that were fitting for the period. My main character is named Julia, and Julia means “youthful.” That was on purpose, as she is the one who drinks from the fountain of youth."

Who would you recommend The Killing Cure to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone who enjoys the paranormal. It’s overall pretty clean (no sex, no swearing, etc), so even the young adult population might enjoy it, on up through adults. One thing to mention is that it does have a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but it is book one of the series and the second one will release early in 2016! So, there isn’t a long wait. :) Also, there is a murderous component, though it’s not too gory or graphic."

What do you like to write about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I’m all over the place. My ideas range from the supernatural to the gritty hard realities of life. Currently I have this series I’m working on, a middle grade fantasy adventure book, and a contemporary young adult novel based around a depressed teenage girl. I love writing all kinds because I think literature has a special power to either provide an escape or give the reader someone to relate to. I aim to do at least one of those things with what I write, and I enjoy providing both of those experiences."

What is your writing process?

"I’ve become (by necessity) an outliner. So that’s number one. Then I like to map out my book chapter by chapter accordingly to outline and then begin draft one. Actually, the part I love most is editing. I love being able to see my work through another person’s eyes because my perspective is from the inside and therefore very narrow. When I get edits back, I make myself a list of things I need to address and start ticking those off one by one. Then I look at overall language, sentence structure, etc."

What is in store next?

"Book two, The Killing Cure: Heal and book three The Killing Cure: Redeem will both release in 2016. That’s the plan, anyway. From there I have another paranormal concept and the the other pieces I mentioned above."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I have my cat named Sugar. You can find the selfie attached. :)"

Hello Sugar! He is gorgeous! He has come a long way from the tiny kitten I spotted on your Twitter feed :-) Thank you for sharing him with us! And I look forward to reading both Drink and its prequel, The Guardian, in your The Killing Cure series.