Straight Chatting from the Library: M. Kircher

M. Kircher stopped by The Library to chat with us about books as part of her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. One commenter will win a $25 Amazon gift card. You can see the other stops here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/08/virtual-book-tour-war-inside-by-m.html. READ THE INTERVIEW

Welcome to The Library. Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

The end of the world is only just the beginning. (The War Inside by M. Kircher)

E-Reader or print? and why?

It took me a long time to be okay with e-readers. I’m an old-fashioned kind of gal who loves the smell and feel of real paper. Walking around in a library or used bookstore is my idea of heaven. But there came a time when I could no longer deny the ease of using an e-reader. My husband bought me one for my birthday a couple of years ago, and it’s been my new best friend ever since. You can store tons of books in one handy location, highlight with abandon, and browse/buy books at the touch of a fingertip. I can’t deny it, they’re wonderful inventions.

One book at a time or multiples?

Multiples, both as a reader and as a writer. Sometimes I will read a book in a day, but usually I have about four or five that I’m winding my way through over a week period. I write more than one book at a time as well, so that when I feel like I’m getting stuck, I can work on another project and give the tricky book time to breathe.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

I’m sorry, Librarian Judith, but I am a total dog-ear-er! I start out with such good intentions and a beautiful bookmark that a friend or loved one has gifted to me. But then my horrible habits kick in, and I do – I dog-ear those pages to death. (And I’m so bad; I try to smooth them out before returning the book to the library. My local branch is very strict.)

Favorite book you've read this year?

Lexicon by Max Barry is by far the best book I’ve read this year. It was a Kindle Daily Deal a few months back and I decided to check it out. The description of the book sounded boring to me, but I read the sample anyway – and was immediately hooked! From the first sentence until the last sentence, Lexicon is intriguing, action-packed, and simply blows your mind. The writing is superb, the characters are complex, yet relatable, and the entire plot is woven together so beautifully that you feel like a Mack truck hit you by the end of the thing. I was very, very impressed and have now added a bunch of Barry’s other books on my “to read” list.

When do you do most of your reading?

Before I had kids, I read all the time. Whenever I could squeeze a bit a free time in, I was reading. But having adopted a little boy through foster care this July and having a little baby girl in June, my reading time this summer and early fall has definitely changed. Now, I read mainly at night. My husband and I like to spend about an hour or so reading before we fall asleep. Sometimes we take breaks and talk about what’s going on in our respective books because we hardly ever read the same thing. He likes spiritual stuff and I’m a young adult, sci-fi, and fantasy fanatic.

Favorite place to read?

The third floor of my house was finished and made into a master suite, which we now use as a guest room and play room. The walls are this lovely golden color and there’s a futon nestled in a little nook up there, by a lace-curtained window which looks out on this monstrous, old tree we have in the back yard. It’s my quiet haven and favorite place to read.

Favorite genre?

My favorite genre is the same one that I write: young adult science fiction/fantasy. I have loved sci-fi ever since I was a kid and still gobble it up today. There is just something about entering another world that hooks me every time. I love supernatural elements and things that don’t make sense. And young adult literature is the best. I find it much more creative and focused on the actual storytelling than much of adult literature. And there’s this energy and promise to it. Teenagers are in an amazing time of self-discovery, first love, new experiences, and they believe that they can change the world. Many adults lose this zest for life as they get older, and I hope that I never do. There are many brilliant, adult books that I love, but young adult will always be first in my heart.

How do you keep your books organized?

Oh, I don’t. I have one bookshelf in my living room (which I’m staring at right now) that’s nicely organized, but all the rest of the bookcases upstairs are complete chaos. They look nice and neat, but none of the titles go together.

I do know the Dewey Decimal system rather well though, I volunteered as a “re-shelver” in the library as a teen and in college. Too bad that didn’t carry though into real life!

Keep books or give them away?

Keep. However, there is only so much space in my house and so I have had to give/donate some of my books to others who will hopefully love them as much as I. I read and re-read books many times, so I don’t like to part with them.

MEET THE AUTHOR

M. KIRCHER graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Gordon College and is currently an author and artist. "The War Inside" is her first novel, but there are more to come including the second book in The Horizons Trilogy, "The Gray Horizon" and "Dreamcatchers", a futuristic twist on the legend of Rip Van Winkle. She devours YA, science fiction, fantasy, and romance on a regular basis and is immensely happy to pour her time and energy into creating stories for other people to enjoy. Bob Ross and J.R.R. Tolkien tie for her two favorite people of all time.

She and her husband write regularly for Relevant Magazine and Simply Youth Ministry. They also just had their first book published called "99 Thoughts on Marriage and Ministry", by Group Publishing.

M. Kircher lives in Connecticut with her husband, one energetic son, and a new baby girl.

Website: www.mkircher.com
Blog: http://mkircher.com/blog/
Twitter: @MKircher83
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mkircher83
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202354.M_Kircher
Amazon Author Profile: http://www.amazon.com/M.-Kircher/e/B00E8AKEGI

READ THE BLURB

The end of the world is only just the beginning. So eighteen-year-old Thea discovers when her solitary life on a dying Earth is shattered by a mysterious dream, a devastating choice, and a strange gift that propels her on a journey towards the restoration of all mankind.

Thea is bitter and alone; eking out her miserable life on the sunless, cloud-covered Earth she inhabits. A terrifying dream convinces her to save the life of an injured girl, and despite her misgivings, Thea decides to rescue sixteen-year-old Viviana. She soon learns that gentle Viv has a life-threatening infection, as well as a freakish patch of glowing skin over her heart. When this light spreads to Thea, causing her palms to glow, she is forced to trust Caden, an arrogant, lazy, and annoyingly handsome boy she despises. Caden has a map to the last city on Earth, and the only place that might have a cure for both Viv's infection and the strange light on Thea's hands. As the trio embark on a journey through the barren wilderness, Thea and Caden discover, and try to fight, their mounting attraction to each other. Along the way they are joined by Rain, Naomi, and Enoch who explain that the light is not a curse, but a powerful gift meant to heal the polluted Earth and reconnect the remnants of humanity. When the group learns that Viv is the key to this planet-wide redemption, and that there are deadly shadows who will do anything to keep humans in the darkness forever, they each must make the difficult decision to help Viv fulfill her destiny...and save the world.

Don't miss THE WAR INSIDE, an exciting young adult dystopian/fantasy novel by debut author M. Kircher.

Buy the book at Amazon.