Angela Kulig is a writing Renaissance woman. In addition to laying claim to writing more than thirty novels, she rules #ninjachat on Twitter and is teaming up with Ali Cross to bring NiNoCon to the internet in February 2012.
Red Iris Books is thrilled to present her upcoming novel, "Skeleton Lake," as part of our launch on October 21st.
Can you tell us a little more about the plot of Skeleton Lake?
Skeleton Lake doesn't start happy. All the people in the book were, at some point, close to an untimely death. That's where this book starts. Marlow didn't think that being publicly humilated would be the end of her, but then it was. Next she finds herself in the worst sort of love triangle--the repeating kind. Someone else has lived this life before, and it killed her.
The story is really unique. It's such a refreshing change from all the "normal" paranormal creatures we're seeing in fantasy right now. What other unusual critters should we expect to see in your upcoming novels?
There will be everything from psychics to swamp beasts. In fact, I'd say you would be pretty hard pressed to find one of my recent books that did not have a creature I pulled completely out of thin air. One of my favorites, though, are the Cloakers. They have their own series, and the first book is likely to come out this time next year. It's based off an old legend of the Mayans, who believed that some animals could cloak themselves in the skin of a human. If I piqued your curiousity, make sure you check out BARNEBY KNOTTS early next year. In it, you meet the first and last Cloaker you need to remember.
How did Skeleton Lake begin? Were the skeletons your inspiration, or was it a specific scene?
Skeleton Lake sprung to me fully formed as I lay awake starting at the ceiling. The first scene was so vivid, I thought I might freeze to death.
You're a really prolific writer. You've written more than thirty books and seem to have an endless number of ideas. What's your writing process like, from initial concept to completion?
Something always comes to me--it could be person, place, feeling, smell, ANYTHING and then my mind just runs and doesn't stop until it's commited to the 3 D Imax of my memory.
What brought you to the paranormal genre?
I think I have been writing it before I knew it existed. It's hard to pen point exactly, but I remember sitting in English class in the 9th grade reading Anne Rice and thinking, "More people would enjoy this if it wasn't a million pages and written in such an intense--beautiful, but intense--way." I have been into books forever. Not everyone loves words like I do, some people just like stories.
Are you more of a "plot" writer or a "character" writer?
For my young adult books, plot writer. For my middle grade books, character writer. That is just how things appear to me. The only book that was not true to that mold was Red Zeppelin Saves the Books of Tomorrow, which was a MG steampunk book I may be in love with.
Your writing is really extraordinary in its use of language. You have a fantastic, strong voice and a really wonderful way of turning phrases, so I imagine you must be very well-read. What authors and books have been your strongest influences?
First of all, thank you. I read constantly in many genres and think that every writer should. My big influencers are things like Grimm's Fairy Takes and Dickens meshed with hot paranormal writers. I even like Dan Brown because of his ability to build tension, and of course I have an unhealthy love of middle grade boy books; not just Harry Potter, but Percy Jackson, and Artemis Fowl too.
What can we expect to see from you in the next six months?
Lots of sequels! Here is what I think my releases are going to look like (in order)--and there are some surprises! Skeleton Lake is first on 10/21/1,1 then Pigments of My Imagination 11/11/2011 with the DARK C.A.R.M.A. Tour, and things don't slow down after that. I am a part of two anthologies in December, then Barneby Knotts and Heroes & Vallenez come out together in January; those are both urban fantasy books. After that the second book in the Skeleton Lake series Dust of the Dead Sea, and possibly a very edited version of the book I wrote for the 3 Day Novel Contest this year Scorned.
Thanks for joining us, Angela! Remember to follow us on Facebook and enter to win a free Amazon Kindle here.
