Straight from the Library: Straight Chatting from the Library: King of Bad by Kai Strand

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Kai will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC plus a signed book mark to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (International) via the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

Click the tour banner for the dates.

READ THE INTERVIEW

What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

I had a beautiful edition of Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid. The cover art was in 3D and the inside illustrations were photos of puppets in really detailed scenery. I spent hours looking at the lobsters in the sand and the Sea Witch and Ariel’s long beautiful hair. The angels that took her up to heaven in the end were glorious to little girl me. (Not the happy Disney ending!)

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Love a bad boy? Jeff Mean is King of Bad.

E-Reader or print? and why?

Both, as well as audio. E-reader is a must for traveling, reading while eating (you can turn a page with a pinky while holding an overstuffed deli sandwhich), and reading in bed – no carpal tunnel from holding a fat book you’ve just started, or are close to finishing. Print for my favorite books/authors, reading at the beach (just something about the real live pages flapping in the wind) and for the titles the library doesn’t have the Kindle version of. Audio while I exercise, prepare dinner, or drive long distances.

One book at a time or multiples?

Multiple. I usually have an audio and either a print or Kindle going at the same time.

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

Bookmark. But it is usually a piece of junk mail or an old shopping list instead of a real bookmark. Where do those things disappear to?

Favorite book you've read this year?

First of all, thank you for asking this question. I keep a folder on my laptop called COVERS and within that folder are more folders, one is called 2013. In that folder are the jpgs of every book cover of the books I’ve read this year! I love any excuse to browse through those cover folders! Packed full of prettiness and so many good memories. I think for this year I would have to choose Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. The story is unique, the language is beautiful, the characters compelling. Loved the second book in the series, Days of Blood & Starlight also.

Favorite genre?

Young adult romance. I love rediscovering love over and over again. I’m blushing just thinking about it.

Re-reader or not?

Rarely. There are so many books to get to that I rarely take the time to re-read one. The exception is if there is a movie adaptation and it has been a while since I first read it. Or Harry Potter. You can never re-read those too many times. That said, I will go back and read favorite scenes when I’m looking for inspiration in my own writing.

Keep books or give them away?

Mostly a keeper. I borrow the majority of my books from the library. Oh my gosh, I love the library. We have such a great system in Central Oregon: www.dpls.us. I usually only buy the books I purposefully want to own because I enjoy the author, or the series. Though I do love to give books as gifts.

READ THE BLURB

Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA.

He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – the girl he’s crushing on. A girlfriend and balancing the Supers is good, right? Or is it…bad?

READ AN EXCERPT

The Amazon

Sitting front and center in math class the next morning was the Amazon. Jeff almost stumbled when he saw her. Even folded into a standard classroom desk, her body went on and on. Her olive skin glowed under the fluorescent lights. Miles of wavy sable locks tumbled to her waist. A short skirt revealed a never-ending expanse of legs gracefully wrapped together under the desk. They seemed indecent. Jeff wasn’t attracted to her, per se, but she intrigued him. And scared him to death.

Amber colored eyes gleamed when they met his. She looked him over from head to toe and a half smile curved her full lips. Jeff fought the urge to scurry past and with all the casual aloofness he could muster, he sauntered to his desk at the back of the room. He heaved a loud mental sigh when he was safely behind her. He might understand Pyro’s claim that something wasn’t right about the Amazon. Though he doubted that he and Pyro were referring to the same thing.

To Jeff’s dismay, the math teacher had the Amazon introduce herself to the class. She stood at the front and stared pointedly at Jeff most of the time. When she spoke he groaned. Her voice was warmed butter rum—soothing, comforting and intoxicating. Jeff made the mistake of glanc- ing at her while she spoke about her home in northern Italy. As soon as they made eye contact, Jeff was transfixed. Though she continued to speak aloud to the class she also spoke directly to Jeff in his mind. It wasn’t in a language that Jeff understood, but he knew she was hypnotizing him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died, the end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for younger children Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Visit Kai’s website, www.kaistrand.com, to browse her books, download companion materials or to find all her online haunts.

You can usually find Kai online at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaiStrandAuthor or Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaiStrand

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