BooksChatter: ℚ Pirate Princess [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Catherine Banks to talk about Pirate Princess (12 October 2015, Catherine Banks, 441 pages).

"Pirate Princess had everything I love a book to have in it. I give it five out of five stars and a place on my favorites list!" - The Hopeless Reader

"Pirate Princess is a wonderful, engaging, coming of age tale of Tilia, born both royalty to the pirates and royalty to a land kingdom. Catherine does a wonderful job of weaving action, strategy, romance and adventure into a story that captures the imagination and keeps the reader engaged and guessing until the very end. Krisha Scannapieco" - KS Book Editing

"Pirate Princess is a delightful tale with twists and turns that will leave you breathless!" - Ellie Mack - Author of RED WINE & ROSES

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Tour Stops

Hello Catherine, welcome to BooksChatter.

I noticed that you do have a playlist that you use when you are writing; here at BooksChatter we love music, so I have shared it here for all of us to enjoy!
(Note: I was could not find three pieces on youtube: 'In Dreams' and 'My Shoulders to Yours' by Aroarah, and 'Ligths Out' by Helestorm.)

What was the inspiration for Pirate Princess?

"My friend, Jess, and I were discussing a royal who has a secret that makes her not as “royal” as the world thinks. We tossed ideas back and forth and then I figured out what Tilia’s secret would be."

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

"The only real “expertise” I have within this book is in regards to the horses. I have been around horses my entire life. "

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

"I absolutely love my cover! My graphic artist, Thomas Moralez, does amazing work and he did not disappoint on Pirate Princess’ cover. I wanted to make sure that we portrayed both the pirate and the princess aspects on the cover and the fact that Tilia was a fighter. "

Why should we read Pirate Princess and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"If you love adventures with strong female characters and fun, witty banter then you will enjoy Pirate Princess. "

Can you tell us something quirky about Pirate Princess, its story and characters?

"The names of the Kingdoms were actually me just mixing letters together until it sounded somewhat like a name. "

Who would you recommend Pirate Princess to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I recommend this book to young adult/new adult readers. There is a lot of fighting and violence so it may not be for everyone. There isn’t anything explicit in this book, but as their story progresses in the following books, things are likely to get a bit more steamy."

If you could / wished to turn Pirate Princess into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Esmeralda, Queen of Crilan and Tilia’s aunt, I would say either Charlize Theron or Kate Beckinsale.

Chloë Grace Moretz as Tilia would be awesome in my opinion.

Jared, King of Crilan and Tilia’s Uncle could be played by Chris Hemsworth or Brad Pitt. These two would be great for Rocco, King of the Pirates and Tilia’s Dad as well.

Johnny Depp or Chris Evans for Faxon, but I think Depp would do a better job of being the elusive Arch Mage.

Finn is the hardest for me. Maybe Zac Efron or Taron Egerton."

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

"I love fantasy and that is what I love to read and write. I’ve tried to write non-fantasy fiction, but somehow one of the characters always ends up being something other than human about halfway through the book."

What is your writing process?

"I’m a pantser, which means that I write by the seat of my pants with no outline or pre-planned events. For Pirate Princess I figured out a bit of basic information regarding the main character (if she had magic, where she was from, what her main life conflict was) and then I just wrote. I don’t plan ahead, except for maybe one or two specific scenes I envision. I find that I write my best when I just let the story flow as I write."

What is in store next?