Interview with young adult/fantasy author Kris Noel

Today’s feature is young adult/fantasy novel Lionhead by Kris Noel.

Welcome, Kris. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m 27. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but I’m now living in Burbank, California. I went to Montclair State University, where I majored in Anthropology and minored in Film. I’m currently working on the sequel to Lionhead, Requiem, which should be released later this year.

Please tell us about your current release, Lionhead.

Thirteen-year-old Riley Bale has always been a monster. At least that’s how all the other kids have always treated her. After being plagued with a mysterious illness for much of her young life and living as an orphan with her two cold and distant older sisters, Riley has dealt with being bullied by becoming a bully herself.

During a violent after school attack, Riley learns she’s being protected by forces beyond her control. She is tested and then invited to attend Lionhead Shifter School, which she accepts on blind faith alone, along with the desire to understand where her parents came from before they disappeared. Once Riley arrives in Lionhead, she not only discovers her true identity as a shifter, but appears to fit right in with the other new kids.

Riley quickly realizes that everything is not quite what it seems. Amidst an unusual hatred that arises between the two teenage boys she’s become closest with, Oliver Preston and Ash Plum, she must learn why the small island community has previously disallowed outsiders for over a hundred years.

Lionhead’s sequel, Requiem, is being released later this year, which will continue to follow Riley’s journey.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was highly influenced by science fiction and fantasy novels growing up, so I really wanted to try to recreate that feeling. I wanted to write a strong female character, which I think Riley Bale is. I loved writing this story and I wanted to write for a young audience.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Right now I just finished up a new YA/Sci-fi novel called Never World. It’s basically about a young girl, Tess, who gets caught up in a virtual reality gameshow run by a mysterious man named “The Creator”. I’m in the middle of submitting it, so I’ll see where it goes!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I thought of myself as a writer very early on, around 2^nd grade. Once I realized that you can write stories as an occupation, I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It’s always been a very relaxing thing for me and I feel weird when I haven’t written something in a while.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I currently work as a copywriter for a gaming company, so I still get to have fun writing about topics I’m interested in. I usually write after work or on the weekends. It can be hard to schedule time, but I try to fit in around 500 words a day if I can.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m sure a lot of writers are like this, but I can only write at night. I’m not a morning person and I have trouble focusing during the day. I just like writing when it’s dark out!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I decided when I was pretty young that I wanted to be a writer. There was a brief time when I wanted to be a vet, but that faded quickly.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I run a writing advice blog at krisnoel.com, so if you ever need any writing support, feel free to check it out!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon – Lionhead | Amazon – The Serenity Compound | Amazon – Love & Horror

Thanks, Kris. Happy writing!