"When I'm not writing..." with Karen Kincy + giveaway!

Today's guest is Karen Kincy, author of the YA Other series from Flux. She's joining us today to promote the third book in this series, FOXFIRE, which came out earlier this month. Her books have been praised by authors like Carrie Jones and Julie Kagawa so you should give her series a try!

Keep reading to find out what Karen does when she's not writing and then enter the giveaway she has graciously provided!

You might find me slogging through Calculus, memorizing Chinese characters, getting my fingers bitten by bettas, catering to the every whim of a miniature panther, watering kumquat trees, skulking around rooftops as an assassin in a game, limping my way through 5K training, etc.

So obviously I'm a student, studying Calculus and Chinese as prerequisites toward a Master's in Computational Linguistics. I graduated two years ago with a BA in Linguistics, so don't ask me why I decided to torture myself with more school after I had so narrowly escaped. I may be addicted to learning stuff.

And I'm a loyal human servant to three aquariums full of bratty bettas, including a 20-gallon sorority tank with a bunch of greedy females, as well as a 13-pound, green-eyed black cat named Jiminy Cricket, who technically isn't a black cat because he has a white belly spot and is "defective," as my dad jokes. Jiminy is even more demanding and bratty than the bettas, since he will often commandeer my chair for more worthwhile pursuits than writing, like sleeping.

I'm also a gardener, if you want to put my obsession with plants nicely. Our apartment is overrun with things like citrus trees and spider plants. My husband has joked on more than one occasion that I'm turning into Poison Ivy. On the up side, that means I'd totally rock the naked-except-for-vines look. And I'd kick Batman's butt.

I'm technically, in theory, a runner. This is a new pursuit, since I decided being a writer involved too much butt-in-chair work. So I signed up for 5K training. My shins decided to mutiny and I got tendinitis at the start, though it's getting better now. I suspect my habit of walking several miles every day, often with a 25-pound backpack, has something to do with this. Anyway, I do seem to be increasing my speed and stamina, which come in handy for the zombie apocalypse.

Finally, I'm a gamer. I've been gaming since the wee age or six or so, when I snuck and played Doom until my mom caught me sleepwalking toward the computer and took it away. Right now I'm obsessed with Dishonored, where you get to play a totally bad-ass assassin in a plague-ridden dieselpunk city. I'm also a huge fan of Half-Life 2, Portal 1 and 2, Saints Row: The Third, Skyrim, and Team Fortress 2 (let's just say I'm that annoying pyro laughing maniacally). I also may have installed Dragon Age II and skipped the first game because I heard about Fenris and decided my character was going to seduce that sexy angsty elf. Ahem. I'm a bad person.

Bonus round! I'm currently watching Downton Abbey, Dr. Who, Breaking Bad, and Castle. My favorite characters are, respectively, Thomas, the Doctor as played by David Tennant, Jesse, and Nathan Fillion because he always plays himself in everything.

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Thanks for visiting us, Karen! It's been great getting to know you and I'm *thrilled* to hear you're doing Linguistics because that's what I study. :D

For more information about Karen and her books, check out her website or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Here's the scoop on FOXFIRE:

Tavian Kimura has never forgotten his kitsune mother, a shape-shifting Japanese fox spirit who abandoned him as a baby. While visiting his adoptive grandparents in Japan, Tavian learns his mother is still alive and that a faceless ghost is haunting him at every turn. The ghost’s warning is clear: Leave now. It is almost too late.

After a pack of vicious dog spirits attacks him, Tavian discovers that his paranormal fox powers are failing, killing him at an accelerating pace. Desperate to find a cure, he must track down his kitsune mother in Tokyo’s dangerous underworld. She is Tavian’s last chance to survive not only the fatal illness, but also the dog spirits who hunt him relentlessly.

Read an excerpt (scroll down)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

You should also check out the rest of the Other series:

Gwen Williams has been hiding a strange and fantastic secret: she's a shapeshifter. Although society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in her small Washington town who don't care for her kind.

When a new werewolf pack moves into the area, tensions rise—and Others start showing up dead, including someone close to Gwen. Despite the methodical murders, the police are ignoring evidence that suggests a serial killer. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen—along with a mysterious and sexy guy who happens to be a Japanese fox spirit—risks her life to find the murderer. But Gwen is already the killer's next target . . .

Read an excerpt (scroll down)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Brock Koeman had always loathed werewolves and Others like them. Then, while tracking a werewolf suspected of murder, he and his brother Chris were bitten—and infected with the very disease they despised. Chris is now fighting for his life in the hospital, but Brock faces another kind of battle: stifling the fierce urge to transform into a beast.

When werewolves kidnap him and the girl he loves, Brock discovers what it means to be Other—the thrill of unearthly powers, overshadowed by unrelenting danger. Brock begins to see the life that awaits him, but he must accept his new identity... before the wolf within kills him.

Read an excerpt (scroll down)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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Karen has graciously provided one (1) copy of FOXFIRE for a lucky reader!

To enter the giveaway, obey the Rafflecopter!

US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Do you guys have suggestions for who you’d like to see featured on the blog? If so, you can make your suggestions on this page. No guarantees that your favorite authors will be able to participate but we’ll try!

Authors, would you like to visit and share with us? Please email me at jennblogs (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!

Posted by jenn at 06:42

 Flux, giveaway, Karen Kincy, When I'm not writing  8 People left their mark

Born and raised in the Toronto area, Jenn moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, eight years ago for school. She's still in school (thankfully on another degree!), now trapped in her dissertation. When she's not dissertating, which happens more often than it should, Jenn spends her time reading, watching movies, playing volleyball, travelling, and enjoying the local music scene. Her latest addictions: yoga and Almond Crunch cereal.