BooksChatter: ℚ Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star: Thea Reeves [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Dmitriy Kushnir to talk about Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star (1 July 2019, Dmitriy Kushnir, 54 pages), a Young Adult novella, book one in the Thea Reeves series.

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || The Series || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Dmitriy Kushnir; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star?

"My ten year old daughter actually. She loves to read fictional stories, but doesn't like the violence that usually comes with them. Since I am a writer, I chose to write a series of books that would be interesting for her, but would not have the violence ... and so, the Thea Reeves series was born."

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

"Very little actually. This is the first book and the first series, which I am writing with the female lead, so this is a huge learning curve for me. All of my previous fictional book were written from a male perspective with a male lead."

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

"Once the first book of the series was completed, I knew I wanted to have a young girl with a raven on the cover.

I began searching on Google and found an image that I really liked. Once I paid for the necessary copyrights, I used the image to create the cover. The whole process did not take longer than an hour.

I approach all my covers the same way: if I like them, and if my friends and family likes them, I use them. If not, I try and try again, until I achieve the desired result."

Why should we read Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"First, all of the books in the Thea Reeves series are 18k words, meaning, each book can be read in approximately 2 hours, which is an hour long commute to work (or school) and an hour long commute home. I want each of the book of the series to be readable in just one sitting and in no more than a day.

Second, because the reason why you're reading blogs about books is because you want something new and exciting to read."

Can you tell us something quirky about Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star, its story and characters?

"One of the characters is based on a well known mythical creature. Not only based, but also is portrayed as that creature from Norse mythology specifically!"

Who would you recommend Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"This book doesn't really have an age restriction (since I am writing the series with my 10 year old daughter in mind). I think the "dirtiest" word I use is "shit". But since the book is FICTION, it should always be read and approached as such."

If you could / wished to turn Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star and the Thea Reeves series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I'm sure my daughter would love to play the lead (in about 6 years!), but as far as directing, I'd have to choose the same guys that directed Iron Man [, Jon Favreau].

Location can really be anywhere. Actors - I'd love to have Jeff Bridges in there, as a character or a voice."

Good choices; two of my all time favourites!

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

"Anything and everything. I'd love to write a horror series in the future, and I understand it would be very difficult to write, but I do not stick to just one or two genres when reading or writing."

What is your writing process?

"Everything I write about comes from imagination and my own personal knowledge and experiences. So when I sit down to write, I can write non-stop for hours, without having to consult any kind of sources."

What is in store next?

"Thea Reeves is a book series, and I am currently in the process of completing book 4. I hope to have at least 9 books by the end of the year.

I am also currently working (parallel) on a Spiritual book based on Ancestral Faith."

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?

"In our family we have 3 dogs and a cat. I cannot imagine a family life without an animal family member. It is a "must have" before anything else."

We can completely related to that (as we have 17 cats - 18 up until 23 June...)! And what beautiful fur-babies they are :-)

Lot's of head scratches and belly-rubs to all of them!