The general idea was, okay, my characters found one another, they remember their past life together, but now what? What would it be like to try and have a relationship with someone you were married to in another life? What would be hard or easy about that? Just like in any new relationship, how do you bring your chosen partner into your existing friend group? And how do you learn to trust and work with people you’ve been told your entire life are untrustworthy enemies?
Katie Keridan – 3 October 2023
The Back Flap
Kyra Valorian and Sebastian Sayre have finally remembered their pasts as the former Felserpent Queen and King, and now it’s time for them to change the future—by reuniting the realms and bringing peace to Astrals and Daevals. But tensions between Aeles and Nocens have never been higher, and those of silver and gold blood are more divided than ever.
In addition to improving her recovrancy abilities and completing internship, Kyra is determined to uncover her father’s role in the evil Astral experimentation program, no matter the danger. As Sebastian learns to be in a relationship, he finds himself facing the traumas of two very different pasts, forcing him to make tough decisions about his chosen profession and who he wants to be. Meanwhile, Tallus, arch-enemy to the Felserpent monarchy, has also returned—and it will take help from Cyphers, as well as friends both old and new, to find and stop him.
As Kyra and Sebastian struggle to navigate the differences between their past and current relationship, one thing’s clear: part of fulfilling their destiny means accepting their fate. The choices they make will reach all the way into Death in this thrilling found family sequel to Reign Returned.
About the book
What is the book about?
Blood Divided picks up where Reign Returned left off…Kyra and Sebastian have finally remembered their pasts as the former Felserpent King and Queen, and now it’s time for them to change the future by reuniting the realms and bringing peace to Aeles and Nocens. But those with silver and gold blood have never been more divided, and peace seems impossible, especially since Tallus—arch-enemy to the Felserpent monarchy—has also returned with plans of his own. It will take help from Cyphers and friends both old and new to find and stop him. Changing the future means surviving the past, and the choices Kyra and Sebastian make will reach all the way into Death.
When did you start writing the book?
I actually started Blood Divided while I was still working on Reign Returned…when Reign Returned would go off to my editor, I’d make outlines, create new characters, and work on the plot for the sequel. I’m happiest when I’m writing, and I love waking up knowing I have something to work on. Once I turned in the final version of Reign Returned to my publisher, I was able to focus exclusively on Blood Divided.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took about eight months from the very beginning to the very end. My writing process is pretty straightforward: I start writing and create the best draft I can. Then it goes off to my editor, who is the most amazing person on the planet, and they send line edits and a feedback letter. I dive in again and revise, and then that goes back to my editor. They provide final feedback, I make the final changes, and ta-da! You have a finished book. Of course, that makes it sound far simpler than it actually is, but that’s the general process.
Where did you get the idea from?
I knew from writing Reign Returned there were things I wanted to explore more in the sequel, like Sebastian’s childhood, the experimentation center where Daevals are tortured, and the idea of choosing what kind of person you want to be. The general idea was, okay, my characters found one another, they remember their past life together, but now what? What would it be like to try and have a relationship with someone you were married to in another life? What would be hard or easy about that? Just like in any new relationship, how do you bring your chosen partner into your existing friend group? And how do you learn to trust and work with people you’ve been told your entire life are untrustworthy enemies?
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I knew I wanted Kyra to interact with the Dekarais, since they’re basically Sebastian’s surrogate family, and I wanted someone with golden blood to be plunged headfirst into a world of silver blood. Originally, I’d written a dinner scene where Kyra and Sebastian had a meal with the Dekarais, but it just wasn’t working. It was fun having the characters interact, and there were lots of humorous moments, but it didn’t advance the plot or reveal anything about the characters, so my editor finally said, “If you can’t find a way to rework this, I think we should cut the entire scene.” I was so determined to have that scene in there, I spent weeks, if not months, working on it, and it morphed into the party the Dekarais throw introducing Kyra to Nocenian society to start improving relations between those with gold and silver blood. I’m so happy with how it turned out because I consistently hear from readers how much they love the party scene, and it just makes my heart soar every time.
What came easily?
The dinner party at Adonis’s cottage…I loved having a chance to put Sebastian and Demitri together, knowing Sebastian would be so jealous of Kyra’s best friend and looking for any opportunity to be snide to him. Writing fight scenes is so much fun, and the part where Sebastian and Adonis spar after Adonis sort of-kind of protects Demitri practically wrote itself. I love when that happens.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I pull themes from my life and use them in my writing, but they’re never exactly the same. I had an abusive and traumatic childhood, although it looked very different than Sebastian’s, but writing about trauma through the eyes of a character was still incredibly cathartic for me. Every now and then I’ll borrow something I love about someone and gift it to a character if it works for them…for example, Sebastian is incredibly picky about how soft and comfortable his clothes and his sheets are, and that’s directly drawn from my wonderful husband. Kyra has freckles because my little sister has freckles. But for the most part, the characters are just who they are, as they’ve revealed themselves to me, and that gives me more than enough material to work with. One thing I don’t do is base villains off people I know in real life. Even if would be fun to write about someone who’s treated me unfairly getting what they deserve, I don’t want any part of them or their energy infecting my book.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Garth Nix has been a major influence on my writing. He was the first author I read as a teen who portrayed a female character rescuing a male character, and I felt like I’d stumbled into an entirely new world, where girls could do anything boys could, which I know probably sounds silly now but in the 1990s, it was pretty revolutionary to me. It’s hard to find someone who writes better fight scenes than Julie Kagawa, and I adore her Shadow of the Fox series. Cassandra Clare redefined dialogue and banter for me in the Mortal Instruments series, and I return time and again to The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and the Licanius Trilogy by James Islington when I need epic fantasy inspiration.
Do you have a target reader?
Absolutely, and I state it clearly on my website: I write for the reader who finds comfort in stories where it’s okay if the main character is different because that probably means they’re destined to save the world. I write for the reader trapped in their bedroom, dreaming of escaping their family, their town, their life, and sometimes, their self. I write for the reader who wonders if anyone will ever truly understand them.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I treat writing as a job, because it is my job, which means I show up whether I feel like it or not. Mornings are usually my most productive writing time, and then I’ll do yoga, have lunch, and either write more if I’m on a roll or do podcasts, interviews, and PR-related things if I’ve got something scheduled. Otherwise, afternoons are for Zoom meetings, reading, and replying to emails.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I am a big planner, so I love outlines. I usually start by thinking of the book in three acts and generally laying out what should happen in the beginning, middle, and end. As I start figuring out what events need to happen where, I sort scenes into chapters. I do a detailed outline for each chapter, which usually makes writing the chapter go much faster. My outlines definitely aren’t set in stone, and they can change as I’m writing, but I love having some kind of map, mostly to make sure I don’t leave anything out.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I start by just getting everything in my head out on paper. The first draft is nothing more than me working to get a feel for the story I’m going to tell, and if I focus on the minutiae of editing at that point, I lose the bigger picture. Sometimes I don’t even use complete sentences in early writing…I just make a list of characters or actions to include in the scene and something about the setting. When I’m in the earliest phases of drafting, I might be writing away and then get to something I don’t know how to describe yet, and so I’ll write “NEED SCENE WITH SEBASTIAN AND DEVLIN HERE” and then keep going. Once I’ve got a solid first draft, then I edit as I revise.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I want absolute silence when I write, which is almost impossible to find, so I wear noise-canceling headphones pretty much anytime I’m in front of my computer. When I’m not writing, though, I’m listening to Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, early 2000s boy bands, Sabo, or the Spotify playlist for Never Have I Ever.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents? What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I submitted the first book in my trilogy to agents, and it was actually their feedback that made me go indie. I kept getting positive feedback, but the book was still being rejected, and I got to the point where I almost wished there was something wrong with it because I could fix bad writing or a plot hole, whereas I couldn’t do anything about a book that was well-written but just not what that particular agent was looking for. And then I had three agents in a row tell me, “I love your writing and I love the story, but I’m not taking another YA fantasy author right now.” That really made me think, if the only thing keeping this book from being published is that I don’t have an agent, why should that stop me? The way I saw it, working with an indie publisher was a way to get my work out there and start building my brand as an author. I live in Silicon Valley, where everyone has a very entrepreneurial mindset and you’re encouraged to invest in yourself, so I try to have that same mindset when it comes to my writing.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My publisher, SparkPress, has a fantastic graphic design team because covers are so incredibly important. The cover needs to look good as a thumbnail on a phone screen, but it also needs to look good in real life. I’m incredibly fortunate that the design team always takes my vision for a cover into consideration, but I also trust them and know if they say something won’t work it’s because they’re professionals and know what will do best in the current market.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Before a book comes out, I work closely with BookSparks (PR team extraordinaire) to get word out about the book, usually through interviews like this one, but also through guest blogs and podcasts. After the book comes out, I switch to marketing mode and fortunately I can get help with that from my publisher or other authors. I also work with Bookinfluencers to do a book tour after the book is published (I do an ARC book tour prior to publication), and BookBub offers some great marketing opportunities as well. I always have a plan and a budget, but I also learn as I go and my marketing strategies will undoubtedly continue to evolve.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Consider your goals as a writer and what you want to get out of publishing your work. Are you looking to publish one book so you can see your story on your bookshelf or are you looking to create a brand and a career? If you decide to work with a hybrid or indie publisher, do your homework…talk to other authors who have used these services and get their feedback. Publishing will always be more expensive than you anticipated, so set a budget and stick to it. Know that it takes time to get your book out into the world and be patient. I’ve been told repeatedly the thing that sells your first book is your second book, and the thing that sells your first and second books is your third book, so it’s also a matter of consistently creating high-quality content…no pressure, right? (slinks off to bang head against nearest wall)
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on a ranch outside of Austin, Texas. There were ponds and pastures and woods and lots of wild animals. I used to go to the barn and read to my horse, and the earliest stories I wrote and illustrated were about a girl and her horse.
Where do you live now?
I now live in Silicon Valley, where I barely manage to tolerate the concrete jungle and terrible traffic. Once my stepdaughter graduates high school and heads to college, I can’t wait to move someplace more rural with better access to nature.
What would you like readers to know about you?
That I LOVE hearing from readers! I love when someone tells me something in my writing spoke to them or helped them in some way. People tend to start messages by apologizing for bothering me, and I’m like, “How could you saying something nice about my writing ever be a bother?!?” I’m crazy about fan art and will share it all over my social media, and I’m desperately waiting for the day someone writes fanfic about my characters because I’m going to feature it on my website. I know some authors have issues with people writing fanfic about their characters, but if you care enough about my characters to spend your free time creating new stories for them on Wattpad or AO3, you have my blessing and my thanks and don’t hesitate to let me know.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m making final edits to the last book in the Felserpent Chronicles trilogy, whose name I can’t reveal just yet, but it’s equal parts thrilling and heart-breaking to wrap up this story. I can’t wait to share it with readers!
End of Interview:
For more from Katie Keridan visit her website and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Get your copy of Blood Divided from Amazon US or Amazon UK.