Interview with Kathleen Allen, Author of LORE of FEI

By: Meradeth Houston on 3:00 AM

I'm very happy to bring to you today a fello MuseItUp author, Kathleen S. Allen, author of the awesome-sounding LORE of FEI books! Released April 27th, you can find the book here! 


Ariela is a mutant faerie, born without wings. No wings means she has no magic. Her faerie parents hide her deformity from the humans in Hege, especially from Kel, the Warlord of Kel’s Lair. But, when rumors of a human child living in Fei reach his ears he sends his warriors in to rescue her. In one horrific night her faerie parents are murdered and she is brought to Kel’s Lair to live. It is there she learns the truth about her parentage. The Veil of Enclosure that separates Fei from the human world is dissolving allowing the humans to enter Fei and kidnap the faerie children in order to enslave them and take away their magic by clipping their wings. In the faerie Book of Lore is a legend that a silver-winged faerie will be born to save Fei but no such faerie has been born. The Faerie Council asks Ariela to free the faerie children and restore the Veil before it’s too late. But, Ariela has no magic, or does she?

(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from? Is there any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you?

I am from Michigan but I’ve lived on both US coasts.

Here is my online presence:

LORE OF FEI-YA faerie book website: www.loreoffei.weebly.com
On Twitter: @kathleea
Website: www.gaelicfairie.webs.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Witch-Hunter/142372955812353
Guest blogger every 5th and 19th of the month on: www.downtownya.blogspot.com
Books available online and in print
Book trailers available on You Tube

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in on how you got the idea for LORE OF FEI.

I got the idea when I wrote my first two faerie books, AINE and FAERIE FOLK. I actually wanted to write a longer faerie novel for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month-30 days and nights of literary abandon). NaNoWriMo is the competition where you write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days during the month of November. I had an idea, what if a faerie was born without wings? What kind of a faerie would she be? Would she be shunned by her faerie race? What if the land of the faeries was just over the border of the land of the humans? I mean, haven’t you thought you could see a faerie if you just went down the right path in the forest? What would the humans think about the faeries? Would they be accepting or not so much? What if the wingless faerie fell in love with a faerie with wings? Would she be allowed to? What about humans and faeries, can they fall in love? As you can see, I did a lot of thinking about this book before I wrote it.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

Anne McCaffery is the top of the list. I’m a big science fiction/fantasy fan and have been reading it since I could pick up a book (I began to read at the age of three). I am a speed reader and I plow through books quickly. I also like to read Young Adult books, JK Rowling, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare, to name a few. Oh, I also like Dave Duncan.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

Writing is my “fun” thing. When I am not writing I like to watch movies and BBC on TV. I love Masterpiece Mystery on PBS and my guilty pleasures are The Voice, American Idol and Castle on TV. I also like to listen to music on my iPhone and read, but not at the same time. 

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? What music would you listen to (if at all)? What treats would you have on hand?

My ideal writing spot is somewhere overlooking the ocean. I love nature. To look at. Not to be out in. LOL.

I tend not to listen to music when I am writing but I do have a playlist to get me in the mood to write. I listen to a variety of music, classical, jazz, rock, folk.

My treats are almonds, Omega Trek mix from Trader Joe’s, and Jolly Rancher gummies. I can’t do chocolate because I’m allergic. (Ack, allergic to chocolate! I'd die!)

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither?

I’m more of a pantser as a rule but with a fantasy novel you have to plot it out because you are world building. I tend to write it all out and then go back and fill in plot holes etc. I typically do five edits. The first edit is timeline and plot issues, the second edit is character issues (does the description of each character match), the third edit is a read aloud (I use Natural Reader to have the computer read the novel aloud to me as I follow along), the fourth edit is more a line edit fixing any grammar/punctuation/spelling issues, the fifth edit is a final look-see of the entire book. And this is all before an editor sees it. (I am so going to go check out this Natural Reader you mention--sounds perfect!)

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? Care to share? 

Yes, I am working on Book 2 of the LORE OF FEI series. This one is called WAR OF FEI. The third book in the series is VEIL OF FEI and as soon as I finish the edits on book 2, I’ll start on that one.

I am querying four novels to agents/publishers right now. A YA Dystopian, a YA zombie book, A YA historical fiction and an older YA space opera/paranormal fantasy. I have a YA historical fiction that is brewing in the back of my mind I will work on after Lore of Fei, book 3 is done.  

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/book out there? (Curious minds are taking notes!)

Having a social media presence has helped me a lot, but I’ve also made lots of writer friends on Twitter/Facebook and they are helping me to get the word out about my books. Writing a good story helps! If you do all you can to promote but your writing isn’t up to par, a reader may read one book but not others. That’s why it’s important to make each book the best it can be with a great cover, editing and editing again. It’s also important to not just promote your books online, no one likes spam. Have conversations with other writers, find out what they like to do. Connect with blogs like this one!

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so. 

I hope to be able to do a giveaway on Goodreads. I will let you know.

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers?

LORE OF FEI Excerpt:

“I am not a human girl, Duri. I am a faerie, like you. I was born without wings.” His eyes widened, but he still did not speak. “The Old Ones sent me to find a way to stop the humans. There can be no war on Fei. I need to know what the humans plan and when they will raid Fei again. You can help save Fei from extinction, Duri. Will you help me and be loyal to me and to Fei?”

He nodded. It was a slight nod, but it was a nod.

“Thank you Duri.” I sensed relief from him. “Sunvi, of the Old Ones has been captured and is ensconced in the food area. His wings have been clipped, too. He will help us restore Fei to the land it once was.”

I moved away from Duri toward the dragons. Tashie spotted me and flew over. She gave me a look, and I laughed at her. I sensed hunger from her. I reached in my pouch and pulled a sweet out. She took it and gobbled it down. I scratched under her chin, feeling the happiness flowing from her into me. I looked over to where Duri had stood, but he had gone back to the Lair. I hoped I could trust him. Faeries were much harder to read than humans. 

Thanks so much for joining us here today, Kathleen! Best of luck with your awesome book!