Interview and giveaway with Kate Kaynak

Today we have author Kate Kaynak here to tell us a little about her Ganzfield Series and answer a few of our questions. Stay tuned after the interview for a giveaway of a book and some goodies from Kate.

You can view Athenna's reviews of Minder and Adversary HERE

______________________________

PH: Can you tell us a little bit about your Ganzfield series for those of our followers who have yet to read it?

Kate: Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn survives a frightening attack and ends up at a secret training facility where she discovers she’s a minder (a.k.a., a telepath). The school is full of cliques of mind-controllers (the charms), pyrokinetics (the sparks), remote viewers, psychic healers, and the like. Maddie’s not sure where she fits into the pecking order, and she learns that there are down-sides to having superpowers. Fortunately, she meets a guy who helps her find the up-sides.


PH: Was there a character that was harder to write than others?

Kate:I use a social psychology tool called the Motivational Value System (MVS) when I’m creating characters, and I take a ton of notes before I ever start to write, including developing a character sheet for each person. So once I start writing, things flow pretty well. However, when I was putting the ideas together for the first book, I didn’t have a good sense of the head honcho character of Ganzfield. At first I had an almost MacGonagall-esque, stern, older woman running the place, but it didn’t gel. Then fate put me in a car.

When I was in New York City I shared a cab to Penn Station with a doctor from Baltimore. We had a wonderful conversation, and, by the time we arrived, I knew I had just shared a cab with Dr. Williamson.


PH: Have you ever thought about writing adults books in PNR or UF genres?

Kate: Absolutely! I have notes for several future projects, including a UF that takes place at Yale University (my alma mater) with a main character who talks to ghosts.


PH: Was there anything specific that inspired this series?

Kate:I’d just finished reading the Twilight saga and the Sookie Stackhouse books. In both series, the telepathic character can only fall in love with a person whose thoughts can’t be read. But what if that wasn’t an option? I started thinking about what kind of person a telepath COULD fall in love with--and what kind of person could be in a relationship with someone who knew his every thought?


PH: If you could have a special ability what would you chose and why?

Kate:I think I’d make a great remote viewer. Not only would I be able to see what my kids were up to when they were in the next room, I’d also be able to scan ahead on the highway for speed traps.


PH: You say that this series will have 6 books, are there any sneak peeks you can give as to what we might see in the upcoming books?

Kate: Actually, the titles of the later books give some hints:
Book 4: Accused
Book 5: Operative
Book 6: Soulmate

I may write a seventh book, Solitary, from Seth’s perspective, since his story diverges from Maddie’s in the later books.


PH: What are some of your favorite authors to read?

Kate: I have so many! Orson Scott Card, Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Douglas Adams, Molly Harper, Rachel Caine, Gail Carriger, Maggie Stiefvater, Michael Crichton, Kim Stanley Robinson, Connie Willis, and on and on. Some of the new voices in YA are amazing, as well; keep an eye on Keirsten White, Kami Garcia, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.


PH: If you could collaborate on a book with any author, who would you pick?

Kate: Ooh--that’s hard! Writing’s such a personal experience, and some people who write brilliant prose would be annoying on a daily basis. Hemingway had such amazing ways with words, but rumors say he was misogynistic, and Douglas Adams would’ve driven me crazy whenever he missed a deadline. I hear Orson Scott Card collaborates well, but I’m such a fan-girl that I’d keep asking him questions about Ender’s Game and Pastwatch instead of writing when we were supposed to.


PH: Has your series gone the way you originally planned it?

Kate: Funny you should ask! My original plan was for a trilogy, but stuff kept happening. First off, the characters hijacked Adversary (book 2). I won’t give any spoilers, but about halfway in a couple of them said, “No! That guy can’t stay! We can’t work with him!” I had to change the ending after I wrote him out; the person in question originally had a big role in the climactic scene. Another character got a stay-of-execution in Legacy (book 3) after some of my early readers got mad at me for killing him off. I’m finishing up the first draft of Operative (book 5) now, and some of the minor changes will alter how I write the final book.


PH: You are stranded on an island (not sure how that happened) and you have a bag with you containing your 5 favorite books. What books are in your bag?

Kate: Can I bring an e-reader with a solar recharger instead? I can’t just pick five--that wouldn’t even cover the Harry Potter books! Oh well, I can try. I suppose I should pick a survivalist book or something, but I’d rather read than eat.
Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Stephen King: The Stand
Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice
Orson Scott Card: Ender’s Game
Gregory Maguire: Wicked

Thanks for interviewing me; I really enjoyed it!
- Kate

______________________________

Want to know more about Kate Kaynak and Ganzfield check her out on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads




Now for the giveaway!!! Kate has been generous enough to offer copy of Adversary, a poster of the cover of Minder and a T Shirt. Winner will be announced on December 22nd. Here is what you need to do to enter.

1. Fill out this Form
2. Answer Kate's Question in the comments.
3. Leave a comment on Athenna's reviews


Kate's Question: If you had a special ability what one would you like to have? Move things with your mind? Read thoughts? Control fires? Remote viewing? A Healer?