Kady Cross

Welcome YA Steampunk author Kady Cross!!!

Get Lost in This Story…

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

I am thrilled to host YA Steampunk author, Kady Cross, on the blog today (who just happens to also be my lovely friend, Kathryn Smith). Her debut with Harlequin Teen is getting rave reviews calling it a perfect blend of steampunk, mystery, paranormal and romance all wrapped up in coming-of-age emotions…I can’t wait! I am currently reading The Strange Case of Finley Jayne, Kady’s exclusive e-prequel to her Steampunk Chronicles and can’t WAIT to delve into Finley’s story in The Girl in the Steel Corset!

Kady Cross is a pseudonym for USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and a pride of cats. She likes singing with Rock Band on the 360, British guys, Vietnamese food, and makeup (she’s hopelessly addicted to YouTube makeup tutorials!). When she’s not writing Kady likes to catch up on her favorite TV shows, read a good book or make her own cosmetics.

Let’s get right to The Get Lost Interview…

Heather: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Kady: It changes. Right now I love Despicable Me and Penelope.

Heather: How often do you get lost in a story?

Kady: As often as I possibly can. J I get lost in the story I’m reading, and the one I’m writing.

Heather: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Kady: Anything with some fantasy or paranormal elements, with some adventure and romance.

Heather: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Kady: Pepe Le Peu, of course! The greatest romantic of all time!

Heather: What sound or noise do you love?

Kady: I love the sound of heels clicking on tile or pavement. Horse hooves too.

Heather: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

Kady: A lot of the time, yes. I listen to whatever suits the story. Sometimes it’s heavy, other times orchestral, and sometimes power ballads!

Heather: What was the first story you remember writing?

Kady: Oh, dear. I was 9? It was a story about a girl whose father gave away her horse and years later she found it – and love on a ranch.

Heather: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

Kady: I’d probably be a makeup artist. Or a silversmith. I like to play with makeup, and I’m teaching myself to make jewelry now.

Heather: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Kady: Laugh maniacally.

Heather: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

Kady: I’d like to dine with Jack Dandy. I think he’d have good table manners, but he’d also gossip with me.

Heather: What soundtrack or playlist do you recommend for your current release?

Kady: Watered Down, Blood on My Hands by The Used, All I Need by Within Temptation, Black Bullet by Kidney Thieves, Asleep, Misery Loves Company, I Want My Innocence Back by Emilie Autumn

Heather: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn’t go away?

Kady: Yes. Jack Dandy.

Heather: What is your favorite cheese?

Kady: Jalepeno Jack.

Heather: What would you do if you had a time machine?

Kady: I’d go back to the late 1800’s and hang out with Oscar Wilde. What wit! I’d also warn him that the whole Marquess of Queensbury thing was NOT going to be worth the suffering it would cause him.

Heather: What is your favorite thing about you? J

Kady: That people seem to feel that I’m nice. I try to be a good person. I don’t always succeed. ;-)

Heather’s GOTTA ASK – Kady’s GOTTA ANSWER J

Heather: So, I noticed on your website that you love to sing with Rock Band on your 360. Any particular songs that you totally nail? And if you could rock out with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

Kady: Okay, I nail Let Me Roll It by Paul McCartney and Wings, Underneath it all by No Doubt, Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, More Than a Feeling by Boston, Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, We Belong by Pat Benatar, Imagine by John Lennon, Radar Love by Golden Earring… There are a few more, but I don’t want to brag. LOL! I would love to rock out with Freddie Mercury, because he was freaking amazing. And I’d like to hang/rock out with Emilie Autumn, because I love her music and I think she would dye my hair for me, and we’d drink tea.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Kady: Who would YOU most like to rock out with? J

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?**

Kady: Sure! How about an eyeshadow palette inspired by the book, The Girl in the Steel Corset.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Kady! Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

KadyCross.com

FB = Kady Cross – Author

Twitter = @KadyCross

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Join us Monday when I host historical author, Debra Mullins!!!

Kathryn Smith!!!

Get Lost in This Story…

A lady must always guard her heart… when tempting a rogue.

In the glittering ballroom of London’s most exclusive gentleman’s club no one is more powerful than its mysterious proprietress, Vienne La Rieux. A shrewd businesswoman, Vienne treasures her hard-won independence and has her eye on a prize that could make her England’s richest woman . . . until the only threat to her heart arrives, sending her controlled world into chaos.

Lord Trystan Kane is as familiar with success as he is with the exquisite Vienne. She’s the lover he’s never forgotten, and so, when an opportunity arises that would make them partners once again, he takes it. But Trystan has underestimated the enduring power of the chemistry that originally sparked their passion. And with an enemy watching from the shadows, any attempt to mix business with pleasure could have disastrous consequences.

Today, I am thrilled to welcome my friend and fellow historical romance author, Kathryn Smith, to the blog. We met by chance last year at a conference (I think I did a good job of avoiding a total Fan Girl freak-out. Not sure. She may have seen through me) and I’ve so enjoyed getting to know more about the multi-talented woman behind her award-winning historical and paranormal novels, and now—coming soon—Steampunk!

USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith wrote her first novel (372 pages about a rock band that sounded suspiciously like Duran Duran) at the age of 12. Having discovered Kathleen E. Woodiwiss at age 10, she fell in love with the genre and became a romance writer that very same day. Since her debut novel, Elusive Passion (Avon, 2001) she has published more than 20 novels. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband Steve and their 5 furry kids. Kathryn also writes as Kady Cross, and her Steampunk Young Adult book, The Girl in the Steel Corset will be released May 31^st from Harlequin Teen.

So, let’s get to the Get Lost Interview!!!

Heather: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Kathryn: This is a hard one! Hmmm. The first one that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. And also, Persuasion from the 1990s. That’s one of the best Austen adaptations ever. I’m a sucker for a good reunion story. But Forrest Gump is just such a wonderful movie that combines humor and sadness – a wonderful film.

Heather: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Kathryn: As I said above, I’m a sucker for a reunion story – especially in romance. I’m not sure why it appeals to me so very much, but I love the idea of that second chance. Plus, all that history makes for a lot of tension. You can also have the characters do things they can’t do when they haven’t known each other for long. I think I like having all the pain and dashed hopes to build on as a writer. As a reader I love watching characters get to know each other again and recapture those old feelings.

Heather: Who’s your favorite villain?

Kathryn: Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. She is just so bad – trying to kill a baby! She also has this great Joan Crawford look about her. And you have to love a woman who can literally turn into a dragon!

Heather: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

Kathryn: I would be a makeup artist. I love makeup. I’m obsessed with it.

Heather: What question are you never asked in interviews, but wish you were?

Kathryn: How did you get to be so fabulously good-looking? LOL. Actually, I’d like to be asked how much support I get from my husband and family. A lot of people have asked where my ideas come from, or if I make good money, but I don’t think anyone’s ever asked how big a part my husband and family have played in my career. I mean, I wouldn’t be a writer if not for my mother, and I wouldn’t be published if my husband hadn’t pushed me to go for it.

Heather: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Kathryn: What is this ‘relaxing’ you speak of? LOL. I like to read, of course, watch movies. One of my favorites ways to unwind is to make jewelry or makeup. I have the supplies for both in my workshop in the basement.

Heather: What does it mean to love someone?

Kathryn: It means putting the wants, needs and welfare of that person above your own. It also means accepting that person, and all their flaws. I would do just about anything for someone I truly loved, like family or my husband – even my cats! J I have a couple of friends I would go the distance for, but hubby, my sisters, their children, spouses and my great-niece take priority.

Heather: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

Kathryn: I can read tea leaves. It’s a family thing – both my mother and grandmother (and so on) could do it. I don’t do it very often because I’ve had a couple of people get ‘weird’ with me afterward. I don’t claim to be a fortune teller, however. I think we all have a certain degree of control over our lives, and a bunch of leaves at the bottom of a cup isn’t something to base your life on!

Heather: Have you ever written a character who wasn’t meant to be a hero/heroine but he/she wouldn’t go away?

Kathryn: Yes. Jack Dandy in The Girl in the Steel Corset. He nearly overshadowed the true hero of the book. I had to deny my love of Jack during the writing of that book so he wouldn’t take over. However, I think he’s going to have his own story one day. He has to.

Heather: Dog person or cat person?

Kathryn: Cats! I love dogs, but they’re too high maintenance for me. Cats will cuddle, but will also leave you alone, and you don’t have to stop writing to take a cat outside to do its business. J

Heather: What would you do if you had a time machine?

Kathryn: I’d go back to the 19^th century and hang out with Oscar Wilde – if he’d let me.

Heather’s GOTTA ASK – Kathryn’s GOTTA ANSWER J

Heather: So, I’ve read in interviews that as a hobby, you make mineral based make-up. Do you practice as an artist as well, and if so, who would be your dream client?

Kathryn: I make non-mineral makeup as well. I have a lipstick mold. Honestly. And I have a recipe for mascara, which I’ve made. I do like to put makeup on other people, and I like to think I’m fairly good at it, though I would like more practice. My dream client would be someone I could really experiment on – maybe Katy Perry.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

Kathryn: Since When Tempting a Rogue is a reunion story, I’d love to know what readers consider to be their favorite plots and why? Do they like marriage of convenience, mistaken identity, amnesia?

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?**

Kathryn: Yes. One random poster will get a signed copy of When Tempting a Rogue.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Kathryn! Where can your fans learn more about you on the web?

www.kathryn-smith.com (needs to be updated!)

Kathryn Smith on FB

@kathryn_smith on Twitter.

**Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North American addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.