Interview and Giveaway Hollowed by Kelley York

Title: Hollowed
Author: Kelley York
Series: A Half Light Novel
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 15th 2012
Genre:

GoodReads Synopsis
All 18-year-old Briar Greyson wanted was to figure out this whole living-away-from-your-parents thing. Apartment, steady job, cool roommate? Check. Noah, her adorable (albeit elusive) boyfriend? Check. Everything in the life of Briar was pretty good.
Then she and her roommate are attacked on their way home one night. Briar wasn't supposed to survive.
Instead, according to the two guys who saved her, she's turning into the things that attacked her: a vampire. Totally crazy and Not Okay. Now Noah's secrets are coming to light, and he wants Briar dead. Then there are the vampires who attacked Briar to lure out her sister.
Her sister...who died years ago. 
(Didn't she?)
The city's body count is rising, and Briar wants to help put a stop to it. But first, she has to figure out who the real enemy is: the vampires, the boy she loves, or the sister she thought she'd lost.

RBTL: I always like to start my interviews with Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm 28, born and raised in Northern California. I moved to Indiana for a few years, but eventually came back. I've been writing for a number of years, and as of June 2012, I've finished five books. I have an amazing wife and step-daughter, and I love animals, music, and video games.

RBTL:  What do you do when you are writing?

Nothing but write. Sometimes I'll put music on to block out all the other noises around me that would otherwise be way too distracting.

RBTL:  I know that you have been traditionally published and now stepping into self-publishing could you tell us the pros and cons of the two?

The pros: Getting complete, final say in everything. Every word, cover, blurb, and the marketing is up to the author. While I do enjoy being traditionally published as well, and will continue to do so, self-pubbing is also a joy to have final say in everything.
The cons: The same thing as the pros, actually. Doing everything yourself. Cover design, marketing, editing...all of these things have to work together to ensure the success of a book. If you have a poorly designed cover, chances are not many are going to pick it up to see what it's about. If you have a lot of editing issues, either readers won't finish your book, or they won't pick up your next one. And if you can't properly market yourself, no one is going to hear about you!

RBTL:  Hushed was not a paranormal but Hollowed is. Was it hard to switch genres or was the transition easy?

My transition wasn't from contemporary to paranormal, but from paranormal to contemporary. My very first novel was a paranormal story, and it ties in with HOLLOWED. (Same world, different main characters.) So writing HUSHED was actually a big leap into an unknown realm for me. These days, I prefer writing contemporary, so it does feel strange sometimes to dive back into paranormal. I'm also much more used to writing from a male POV.

RBTL:  Where did the idea of Hollowed come from?

Like I mentioned above, HOLLOWED is set in the same world and setting as my very first book. The two stories, while containing different protagonists doing different things, eventually merge into one larger storyline. So I already knew how my witches and vampires, etc, 'worked,' so to speak. Briar was the focal point of this story, however. I had her in my head, and I knew I wanted to share her journey.

RBTL:  What was your favorite part of the writing process for Hollowed?

Character creation. Also, developing the relationship between Noah and Briar, and the relationship of Briar with the new people and creatures she meets. She's a girl who tries to take everything in stride with a lot of bravado and sarcasm, and has to learn to rely on people whether she likes it or not.

RBTL:  What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

This is hard to say without spoiling! I suppose my favorite scene would involve Briar and Joel on a rooftop. You'll definitely know it when you see it.

RBTL:  Do you work with an outline or just write?

Depends. I've done varying levels of outlining on all my books. Some more than others. I tried to do a full outline with HOLLOWED, but deviated from it a LOT and it took several unexpected directions.

RBTL:  Who inspired you to write?

Myself, haha. There are authors I look up to, but I began writing—and continue writing—because I have to. I have so many stories in my head, and I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't getting them down.

Just For Fun

Text or Talk?:

Text. Definitely.

Beach or Mountains?:

Beach, but I love the mountains, too.

Plain or Peanut MM’s?:

Peanut. (that is my fave also)

Vanilla or Chocolate?:

Vanilla in terms of scent, chocolate in terms of flavor.

Coffee or Tea?:

Tea. ( curled up with a hot cup of tea and a good book life could not get any better)

Favorite Quote:?

It's rather depressing, and I can't find a reliable source for it. I have a habit of starting all my books off with a quote, and this one is going to be used, too.: "There's a loneliness that only exists in one's mind. The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly."

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Places to find Kelley
Goodreads
Smashwords
Twitter
Website

Places to find Hollowed
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords