Interview with P.C. Cast

Welcome December is a special time of year, and we also have some special authors chatting with us. Today we have P.C. Cast talking about her book Divine by Choice and some of her other works, and a little about herself. Coffee Time wants to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Cast. WELCOME, Ms. Cast

P.C., I have just finished reading Divine by Choice and wow, it is another fantastic book. Is this the last of series?

No, right now I’m working on DIVINE BY BLOOD, which will tie all 4 books, ELPHAME’S CHOICE, BRIGHID’S QUEST, DIVINE BY MISTAKE and DIVINE BY CHOICE together in one huge climax. It’ll be released September 2007.

Divine by Choice is the sequel to Divine by Mistake which is also a phenomenal book. Where did this concept come from; I guess you could say the inspiration?

DIVINE BY CHOICE was orignally my very first book, GODDESS BY MISTAKE (published in Aug 2001 by a small Tulsa press). When I sat down to write it I told myself that I was going to write the exact book I would want to read: A fantasy with a modern woman who acted like the women I know. Plus I wanted sex in the mix. So I created The Perfect World (for me), which means I mixed together Celtic mythology, Greek/Roman mythology, Italy, England, and added a spritz of Oklahoma magic. Wham! Shannon Parker and Partholon were born. The rest of the novel grew from the heroine and the world.

PC, Could you tell us about the new dark paranormal series you have just signed with Nocturne?

My Nocturne series is called AFTER MOONRISE, which is the name of my Paranormal Investigatory Team, home based in Tulsa – but it’s Tulsa in a world I’ve tweaked (kind of like Laurell K. Hamilton tweaked St. Louis). In my world psychic/ghostly happenings are commonplace, but only a select number of people can actually communicate and interact with spirits. Naturally, my team is a group of those people. The first novel deals with a serial killer who drains the psychic energy from the souls of his victims. What he didn’t bargain on was what would happen when one of his victims is a twin, and her surviving sister comes to my psychic detective for help in setting her sister’s soul free. The books are dark and very hot, and I’m definitely looking forward to writing them!

Also, would you tell us about the young adult book you coauthored with your daughter?

I love this series! It’s called THE HOUSE OF NIGHT. Book 1, which will be out in May (St. Martin’s) is titled MARKED. It’s my first venture into YA, my first vampyre book, and it’s my daughter, Kristin’s, first published novel. Lots of firsts! It tells the story of Zoey Redbird, who is Marked as beginning the Change, which will either culminate in her becoming an adult vampyre, or it will kill her. She leaves her high school and moves into the House of Night, with other fledgling vampyres. But Zoey is not your typical fledgling. She has been touched by the vampyre goddess, Nyx, and her destiny will change the fabric of the House of Night and the vampyre world. It’s slick and funny and cutting edge. It deals with real teenage issues in a paranormal setting. We just finished Book 2, BETRAYED, and I couldn’t be happier with the series!

I loved the way (new) Rhiannon is and how strong she is but in Divine by Choice, Clint, what happened to him and Shannon or is there a book for them?

Okay, first let’s be sure the names are straight. Rhiannon is physically exchanged for the modern woman Shannon Parker, who is our heroine in DbM and DbC. Even though almost all of Partholon believes Shannon is actually Rhiannon, she’s not. Rhiannon is a totally different (and not so heroic) character. I think what you mean is that you want to know what happens to Clint and Rhiannon. Well, at the end of DbC (and I’m not going to give a spoiler here), Clint chooses his destiny. It doesn’t change. What happens to him at the end of the book is really what happens to him. Rhiannon’s destiny is not complete yet, though, and you’ll find out what happens to her and Shannon in DIVINE BY BLOOD. I really can’t say more without messing up the end for those who haven’t read it!

I loved the mythical creatures in both your books, did you do a lot of research on Mythical creatures?

I do a ton of research, but I’m also an English teacher who majored in literature in college, so it’s a subject I’ve been familiar with for a long time. Actually, I enjoy research – it always gives me new ideas and opens up more books I want to write!

Going back a bit, in Goddess of the Rose, you put in front of the book; “This is for everyone who fell in love with the beast and was truly disappointed when he turned into a handsome prince.” I am one of those and I know of others. What do you think our fascination is with these “beasts”? Why do we love them so that we would keep them beasts?

I think many of us want the beast to stay a beast because during the story we truly fall in love with him, and not some handsome, princely shell of a man. If the author does his or her job (or screenwriter/actor), then we should accept Beast as Beauty eventually does, so of course we’re disappointed when he “changes” at the end. We loved him already!

I loved Shannon’s sense of humor, like seeing her ex’s head on a donkey? Do you have a sense of humor?

Hell yes! I’m hilarious.

P.C. What if anything do you do; to get yourself in the writing mood?

I remind myself that if I don’t write, I don’t get paid. If I don’t get paid, I don’t eat. That’s incentive enough. I love my job, but I don’t believe in romanticizing it. It’s work – just like any other work. If a writer is serious about making a career out of it, then she puts her butt in a chair and writes. Period. Waiting on the Muse or the stars to align or whatever equates to amateur behavior to me.

Which of your books was a favorite to you to write?

GODDESS OF THE ROSE – I wanted to retell Beauty and the Beast for years. That book was pure pleasure to write. I got completely lost in the fairytale.

Of all the Old fashion fairy tales, like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella ect. Which is your Favorite?

Beauty and the Beast, of course!

Have you had any weird/funny moment(S) incidents with fans since becoming a writing?

Lots and lots, but I never tell on my fans!

What has been the most memorable moment of your career since becoming an author?

This is a hard question. Of course it’s amazing and memorable whenever I go into a bookstore and see MY BOOKS on the shelf! I don’t think that will ever stop thrilling me. One day I was in one of our local libraries (checking out audio books – I love audio books!) and I walked past where I was shelved. A retired lady was browsing the area and while I was standing there she picked up one of my books, GODDESS OF SPRING. I told her I was the author (had to show her my author photo to convince her), and she went nuts. She was so thrilled to meet me. That was totally cool (and she checked out the book, too). I also find it memorable and satisfying when women write me and say that my books have empowered them.

You were a teacher, what made you change your career to a writer?

Actually, I’m still teaching high school and even an occasional college class. I’m from a family of teachers, so it’s some kind of genetic defect. My daughter’s in the middle of college, and plans on being a biology teacher (sigh – I don’t know where I failed), even though she, too, is an author. I’ve always written. I wrote my first book in First Grade: Blubby the Blue Whale. It didn’t get published. So writing wasn’t really that much of a change in career for me. I’ve been doing both teaching and writing for years. I do plan on backing away from the teaching in the next few years, though. There’s just not enough time!

Thank you so much Ms. Cast, it was a great interview.

Thanks for the lovely interview! It was fun!

Coffee Time Romance wants to take this time to thank Ms. Cast for taking the time to chat with us today. THANK YOU.