Author Interview and Giveaway with Debbie Kump

Welcome everyone. I would like to introduce Debbie, author of 7G and Transformed. Debbie is here today to answer a few questions and give away two e-book copies of her book, 7G, an action packed Sci-Fi Thriller. We’re also announcing the release of her new middle-grade book Transformed on the 15^th! All you have to do to enter the drawing is leave a comment. Winners will be drawn just in time for Christmas on December 18th and we will forward each winner a copy of 7G in whatever format you require for your e-readers. Remember to enter a comment to participate and your email address so we may contact you as a winner!

Thank you, Debbie, for participating in this interview and giveaway! I'm sure your fans would love to hear more about you!

Debbie, tell us your latest news.

Currently, I am in the middle of writing a high octane Young Adult Supernatural Thriller while teaching high school science and coaching youth hockey. Also, World Castle Publishing will release Transformed, my Paranormal Adventure for ages 10-14, in ebook and paperback on December 15!

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing in eighth grade as a way to cope with my family’s move from Georgia to New York. Writing down my speculations about a new home and school helped squelch my anxiety about the move. Yet as I pounded away at the keys of my mother’s archaic manual typewriter (with my fingers covered in ink and White-Out), I realized many other stories had begun developing in my mind. I continued to write and illustrate books all through high school, but put my publishing dreams on hold as I pursued my studies at Cornell University and a teaching career in Maui, Seattle, and the Twin Cities. When a genetic autoimmune disease flared in my eye and prevented me from holding a full-time position in the classroom, I decided to revive my childhood dream and see where it could take me. While composing my ideas, I strive to keep readers perched on the edge of their seats as they fly through the pages of my books.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing, I enjoy teaching part-time at our local high school; coaching my sons’ soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and baseball teams; and dogsledding with our three Siberian huskies.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I began writing Exiled to the North, my first novel to receive a publishing contract, following the death of our Siberian husky, Jack. In the process, I discovered that writing provided not only a means to cope with his loss, but a humorous reprieve from Minnesota’s grueling winters that batter the frozen north, bringing snow and blustery winds for more than half the year.

What do you think makes a good story?

For me, good stories are impossible to put down, making my pulse race through my veins as I embark on journeys with close friends. I also love rollercoasters of emotion: from laughing with the protagonists to sharing their pain.

How do you want readers to feel after they read your stories?

I hope scenes from my stories reappear in readers’ minds long after they finish the last page, making them wonder how they’d react if tossed into a similar predicament.

Who is your favorite character out of all the books you have written?

My favorite character out of my published books is Erik Weber from the Apocalyptic Thriller, 7G. An average college sophomore, Erik soon finds himself immersed in extenuating circumstances when a misunderstanding with his girlfriend coincidentally occurs on the cusp of a catastrophic national telecommunications upgrade. As I wrote this piece, I envisioned myself in his shoes, wondering how he would tackle the multitude of problems he encounters upon discovering everyone he knows and loves is dead.

What influences your creativity of your characters?

I enjoy people watching, often developing ideas for my characters from traits and patterns of speech I hear in casual passing. Once characters form in my mind, they take on their own entity. I can hear their voices in my head and imagine the expressions on their faces as they react to whatever situations I design. However, sometimes my characters surprise me and redirect the story in a way I had not previously imagined!

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Earlier this spring, my husband sent me an email that stopped my heart. It wasn’t until reading the email a second time that I realized his intent: the suggestion of a book plot that had developed on the way to work. My husband often provides the spark of creativity for my writing, where his few initial thoughts explode in my imagination, resulting in an intense full-length novel. After writing 7G from the perspective of multiple protagonists, I was inspired to expand this particular idea into a Young Adult Supernatural Thriller told entirely from a male point of view. Parts of the book materialize in my dreams and waking hours. I often me hear my characters’ voices in my head as I see the action unfold like scenes from a movie replayed in my mind.

What are some of the goals and future plans with your writing?

With a backlog of stories waiting to be told and writing a part of my daily routine, I can no longer imagine my life without it. I have always thrived on creative outlets to complement my analytical pursuits in math and science. Yet a bout with rheumatoid arthritis following the birth of my son makes activities like drawing and painting quite painful. Writing allows me to paint with words, transferring my love of art into a new form…one that I hope keeps my readers turning page after thrilling page.

For more information, please visit Debbie’s website:

https://sites.google.com/site/debbiekumpbooks/

Or find her on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie-Kump-Author/106841479415271