Featured Interview With Karina Kantas
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Well hi everyone. I’m Karina. I’m from the Midlands in the UK but I have been living in Greece for over 25 years now. I met my husband when I came on holiday to Corfu. It wasn’t easy to suddenly move to a foreign country especially when you don’t know the language.
I’m an author of ten titles and run my own business. Author Assist helps indie and contracted authors with promotion, marketing. I have over 30 services and add more each year. I don’t just do the author’s job. When needed I teach them. That’s my goal is to educate as many authors as I can.
I also host my own radio show, Author Assist on the Artist First Radio Network. I chat with authors about their books, the craft and we have a lot of fun in between.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As soon as I had my own library card, I made sure I was there every week, leaving with my arms full of books. I started writing at a young age, making stories up in my head before getting them down on paper. I had a love for poetry when I was younger, but that faded out.
I wrote my first serious story when I was 16. But it wasn’t until I was 18 that I then started work on this short story which then turned out to be my first novel and is still my best seller to date.
I wrote In Times of Violence after reading S.E.Hinton’s The Outsiders. I was addicted to the bad boy gang books, but there were only so many out. I had my own story to tell and I knew there was a gap in the marketplace. Now it’s flooded with MC romances. But back when I first published ITOV there were very few.
I’m an independent and contracted author with ten books published and many stories, poetry articles and reviews published online.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite author is S.E.Hinton. I love reading Dean Koontz, Cassandra Claire, Jeaniene Frost… there are too many to mention.
My favourite genre to read is now fantasy, then MC romance and I read a lot of fan fiction on Wattpad.
Life and music inspire me to write and most of my novel ideas come from dreams and nightmares.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My next title to be released is the concluding part of my fantasy duology, Illusional Reality. I first wrote Illusional Reality after I watched the Lord Of The Rings. After, I was addicted to fantasy books and films. I wrote two books and had a synopsis for a third. I then put the books away and forgot about them.
Ten years later, I started a rewrite and Illusional Reality was published independently in 2016. I was about to publish, The Quest, when I was offered a publishing contract for the duology.
I have been working my butt off on the second book, which will be released very soon. It’s now Nov 2018.
Illusonal Reality.
llusional Reality romantic fantasy.
‘Romance, Magic, Action…Illusional Reality has it all.’ Emily Woodmansee
Nobody expects to stare death in the face only to find out your entire life is a lie. Rescued by Salco, marketing executive Becky finds herself in an unknown magical world filled with happy people that try to forget their land is on the brink of destruction.
Becky will soon learn that her arrival is no accident. If learning that she is Thya, the heir of the enchanting land isn’t enough, she’s then told that an Oracle prophesied that she will save the gentle Tsinians from slavery and domination by Darthorn, the Warlord of Senx.
It is at a festival where she is introduced to the Tsinian council and her kinsmen, that she learns the whole truth. The council are so certain that a union between Darthorn’s son, Kovon and Thya will create peace between the two lands. However, Darthorn has plans for Tsinia as does Kovon for Thya and neither are good.
Although her future has been planned and if she is to save Tsinia she must marry Kovon, Thya gives her heart to another. A love that is forbidden and dangerous.
Illusional Reality is a story about hope, courage, love and sacrifice.
‘This story is unique. No typical fantasy stereotyping.’
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