Welcome, Keena Kincaid

Welcome, Keena! I'm so glad to have you here at From the Pages. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with us. I am looking forward to getting to know you, so if it's all right with you, I'd like to get right to the questions.

Where do you write?

I tend to move about a bit. Sometimes I write at my desk surrounded by bookcases (it’s a lovely office). Other times, I plant myself on the couch and write with the TV playing in the background. I’ve also been known to write on trains and planes (but not in automobiles). I spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter, so I learned to write anytime, anywhere, anyplace.

How did you celebrate your first contract?

I texted all my friends to let them know, and some of us got together later that week for a celebratory supper.

That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate!

Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on now?

I’m working on revision for TIES THAT BIND, my third book with The Wild Rose Press.

Tell us a little bit about your book, please.

It’s a sequel to ANAM CARA, set five years later in Carlisle, England. It tells the story of AEDAN ap OWEN, now a minstrel and spy. He’s a druid who doesn't believe in coincidence, destiny, or second chances. And against all the rules, he freely misuses his ancient gifts for his own gain.
Aedan is sent to Carlisle to investigate rumors of unrest in the north and dispatch the troublemakers. One there, he discovers someone is stealing Saints’ relics, murdering monks and plotting to assassinate King Henry II. And all clues point to the fiancé of the only woman he's ever loved.

LADY TESS of BRIDSWELL has no interest in kings or crowns, and refuses to rekindle her relationship with Aedan despite the yearnings of her heart. She knows all too well how he squanders his affection and misuses magic to manipulate others. But her resolution to stay away goes away whenever Aedan steps near.

She gives Aedan an ultimatum: magic or her. He renounces his magic, then discovers the would-be king possesses his own. Using the stolen relics to amplify his power, he wields it like a weapon against all who stand in his way. Meeting the traitor's magic with magic will stop war, but will it also destroy his opportunity to show Tess he has at last mastered the Ties That Bind him to her and to the ancient wisdom of his people.

Sounds intriguing! I know I'm already hooked! I can't wait to read the story!

The question most readers want to know but never get the chance to ask, do you ever write in your pajamas?

Yes. Frequently. If readers knew how long it takes me to get out of my jammies in the morning, they’d be shocked.

Any advice for an author just starting out on the writer’s journey?

It might sound flip, but my advice is: write the story that comes to you. So many people try to write what’s popular or what they believe will be easiest to sell, but this is a tough, fickle business, and we all know there are no guarantees. In my opinion, if anyone is going to spend year or two laboring over a story, then spend another year trying to find an agent and/or publisher for it, it should to be a story that’s rooted in your heart.

You’ve just won a million dollars. What would you do with it?

Oh, this the dream question in this economy. I’m going to dream really big and pretend the $1 million is AFTER TAXES. LOL! I would put half in the bank, CDs, etc. I’d set up a college fund for my niece and nephews, give “just splurge” gifts to other family members and probably buy a house on a rocky, windy beach somewhere. Finally, after quitting the day job, I’d pack up the laptop and travel the globe for about three years.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? This is a tough question. According to my mother, I inherited the gypsy gene. And given that I seem to move every three or four years, she’s probably right. At the moment, I’d probably pick Key West.

In the house—shoes or bare feet? Bare feet. Even out of the house if I can get away with it.

Do you speak a foreign language? I can order coffee in a dozen languages and find the washrooms in most, but other than that, conversations quickly devolve into sign language.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us today? I’d like to thank you for having me on your blog. It’s a privilege to share my stories with others. In addition to ANAM CARA, which is available now, my second book, ART OF LOVE, will be available March 27, 2009 in both print and electronic editions.

Also, feel free to email me with questions and check out my Web site for information about me. Thanks!

I'm so glad you visited with me, Keena. Thank you. It's been great getting to know you!

ANAM CARA--available
ART OF LOVE--coming March 27, 2009
http://thewildrosepress.com
http://keenakincaid.com/