BooksChatter: ℚ♫ Dancing In The Athenian Rain

Thursday, 11 February 2016

ℚ♫ Dancing In The Athenian Rain - Katie Hamstead

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Katie Hamstead to talk about Dancing In The Athenian Rain (9 September 2015, Soul Mate Publishing, 293 pages), a New Adult Time Travel Romance.
"A natural storyteller, Ms. Hamstead excels in plotting and character development... Donna's path is a non-linear one, filled with unexpected twists, turns and detours. An entertaining and inspiring read!" ~Joanne Guiduiccio, author of The Mediterranean Trilogy

"I enjoyed the historical setting as much as I loved the time traveling story. Excellent writing pairs with accurate research, making this book an immediate favorite of mine." ~Anne B. Cole, author of Souls Entwined

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

Hello Katie, welcome and thank you for joining us on BooksChatter.

To begin Katie has shared with us her music playlist for Dancing In The Athenian Rain - enjoy!

"Since the original story was written in 2004, many of the songs reflect that period."

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

"There is a fair bit of me in Donna, especially me as I graduated high school. I’d had some hard times with some of my “friends” and I tried to reflect that in Donna’s story. I also knew plenty of kids who had a hard time with their parents pressuring them at the end, to the point where they forced them into career paths they didn’t want to follow. Donna’s story shows that you can find your own path if you hold on and keep fighting, and it doesn’t have to be the path everyone else is following."

Can you tell us something quirky about Dancing In The Athenian Rain, its story and characters?

"The original version of this book I wrote during exams my 12th grade year, especially during my Ancient History exam. Usually, you’re allowed to leave once you’re done, but I just sat there and wrote. It was quiet, and I had my notes from class right there for reference. The published version has grown a great deal since that beginning, but the basic storyline has stayed the same."

Who would you recommend Dancing In The Athenian Rain to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I’d call this an upper YA/New adult, so 17-25-year-old females would definitely enjoy it. It’s a romance first and foremost, and a feel good one too. There is some light sex and violence."

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 enjoy New Adult and Young Adult, with definite romance, but there has to be a solid plot there as well. I write a variety of genres under those things, my favorite is in fact Magical Realism. But I love to read Dystopian and Urban fantasy as well. Give me something that I can escape into, and that’s what I hope to achieve when I write."

What is in store next?

"Athenian Rain is a standalone, but I have plenty of books available, and more to come this year. In fact, the first book in a seven book series is due for release the end of March, and I have 2 other novels in the pipelines as well, which I can’t announce because nothing is official yet. Suffice to say, there’s plenty more to come from me."

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 a beautiful dog named Addy! I picked her up as a puppy, the day before I found out I was pregnant with my first, who is now 5 ½. We had to give her meds when she was a puppy because her mother had ticks when she was pregnant and made the litter sick. You’d never guess it with how strong and healthy she is now."

Beautiful picture - both are smiling for the camera :-D Good girl, Addy! Sending lots of good scratches and belly rubs your way ;-)

Thank you for sharing them both with us!