When Copper Suns Fall Blog Tour: Author Interview

Introducing...

KaSonndra Leigh!

About KaSonndra

KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about teens doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.

She holds the MFA in creative writing, and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora’s Box (good writer’s block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

When Copper Suns Fall is her debut novel.

http://www.kasonndraleigh.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/kasonndraleigh

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5137209.KaSonndra_Leigh

http://www.facebook.com/pages/When-Copper-Suns-Fall-by-KaSonndra-Leigh/111665822268673

And her debut novel:

When Copper Suns Fall

The Blurb

In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city, alchemy is forbidden, and angels hide among the mortal. With a deadly virus ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish memories compels her to experience a past riddled with gloom, and now her brother is infected.

Chela’s only hope is the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect the last seven Light Keepers and the ancient memories they share. A group led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But can she trust this boy with the mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories?

With the Caduceans aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease.

In this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into a world as intriguing as The Mortal Instruments and a story as chilling as Enclave. Full of celestial creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.

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Hi KaSonndra, thanks for coming to the blog today!

1) Could you give me five words to describe yourself?

Mother. Dreamer. Sister. Friend. Omniscient.

2) When you're not being an author, what do you usually do?

Haha. I don’t think there’s ever a time when I’m not an author. I mean, there’s always a story or something happening in my head. I even have to carry around a little purple notebook to jot it all down. But at some point, I have to force my inner muse to be quiet. That’s when I like to spend time with my family and play Xbox games. Wanna know my favorite? You probably won’t guess, but it’s Tomb Raider and Halo. I even travel to competitions with my sons. I’m an eternal kid I think. :-D

3) How and why did you start writing?

I’ve always been one to tell stories. I mean, my grandmother used to listen to me make up some really big ones. My make-believe world was a great way for me to escape. When I was younger, life was different and not always so easy. So I escaped by using my imagination. Fast forward a bit. I attempted to write and publish my first story when I was 19. It was the worst story ever. No plot, no action, cardboard characters. Many years later, I decided to get a formal education because I want to teach in a foreign country one day. I decided to pull that old manuscript out of the drawer and give it a look-see. Well, I rewrote it and my love for writing was suddenly reborn. Just like that. I’ve always admired other writers like Anne Rice, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc. but to attempt it myself was really scary. In the end, I’m glad I did it though. I can’t myself doing anything else.

4) Wow, it really took a lot of guts to pursue what you really wanted to do. Can you briefly explain what When Copper Suns Fall is about?

The story follows Chela, a young girl who lives in a rebuilt society. She has recently learned that both she and her sick brother have certain powers. In Chela’s society, a place created from an apocalyptic war between good and bad nephilim, any type of supernatural power is illegal. Anyone thought to be related to a celestial creature will either be killed or exiled. So imagine Chela’s shock after she learned her father, a leader in the governing body, has been hiding his children’s secret. But in defense of Chela’s dad, I’ll say he had a reason for keeping them both in the dark. It’ll be up to Chela to save her brother without being discovered. Enter handsome, dashing demon slayer (*Ahhh* My type!:P) along with a best guy friend who’d walk the wire for her and Chela is all set!

5) What's the story behind it? Inspiration?

When I sat down and began writing When Copper Suns Fall, the story was a standard in-your-face, super-high fantasy. It came complete with blue creatures, unicorns, princes, and all that. Chela’s name was Cara and Faris had a name that has been overused lately. I wasn’t trying to be fad girl or the Lady Gaga of the writing world. But rather, I was trying to write the story I always wanted to read. One that came to life when my oldest son asked me: “What if angels that looked like people lived in a dystopian society?” The seeds were planted, the lights in my muse’s apartment lit up. The challenge was on. I asked myself: “How do I stick to an urban setting with fantastical elements, but bring my love of dystopia into play?”

6) Was When Copper Suns Fall your very first novel? If not, then what are the others about?

Copper Suns wasn’t the first novel I wrote. There were 3 others before this one. I guess that’s why people say it doesn’t seem like the author’s first novel because it’s not. There was the embarrassing one I mentioned in question #3. And then there was one I wrote about a girl from Louisiana. Finally, there’s a paranormal thriller/romance that’ll be released sometime around March of this year. It’s called Hacienda Moon. I’m very excited about that one.

7) Why Dystopian YA? Why not, say, paranormal romance or urban fantasy or dystopian adult fiction where the first two are the more trending genres?

Well, depending on who you ask Copper Suns is more of an urban fantasy than a dystopian. The magical element, city setting, kick butt heroines…all that adds up to urban fantasy. In question 5, I mentioned a blurb about this briefly. But the story is really a cross-genre between urban fantasy and dystopian. It was about giving the reader something different, something new. In the end, some people won’t get it, but others really really love it. That’s a wonderful feeling for an author of indie or traditionally published novels.

8) What is your favourite part/scene/quote/phrase in When Copper Suns Fall?

Ah, but there are so many I consider my favorites. I’d have to say the scene where Chela and Faris realize their affection for each other has grown beyond the standard protector/protectee mode is my favorite. There’s something that happens during that scene that’s just soooo much fun to go back and read again. :-D

9) Did you base any of your characters on real life people/experiences? Which ones?

Most authors will say that they didn’t. You know, legal issues and things are attached to those kind of statements. But in reality, we always do. You plot, story, and especially characters are extensions of your life experiences. In some small way, most stories are based on people we know or have met. At least, that’s my opinion anyway.

10) What was the hardest part in your path to becoming an author?

There were many obstacles. But I’d have to say getting readers to trust in a multi-cultural take on a young adult story has been the toughest. My characters are from multiple nationalities, there’s someone for everyone in the book. At first, I was told that would be an obstacle. But then, a magical thing happened. Fans, readers, haters (lol) from all over the world wrote to tell me how much they loved the characters. That’s a score in my book. Mission accomplished.

11) What is the one question that you've always wanted to be asked about in interviews? What would your answer to it be?

What movie do you think would’ve made a great book? This question is usually asked the other way around. Most people want to know about what book to movie did you enjoy the best, right? With that being said, I have no idea what my answer to that question would be. There’s just too many movies whirling around my little brain. LoL

12) Where can readers buy your book?

You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords. There’s also a giveaway going on at goodreads until 1/12 where you can win a paperback copy signed by me! Thank you for inviting me to your blog today. It’s been lots of fun.

Thanks again for coming, KaSonndra!

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If you'd like to find out more about KaSonndra or When Copper Suns Fall, you can visit her at:

Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

This is the last stop for this tour, and to see the full schedule, CLICK HERE. Thanks for stopping by!