As part of her blog tour for Enchanted, Alethea Kontis has graciously agreed to an interview with our blog!
Tell our readers a little bit about yourself…
I'm really just a little kid. When I was seven and saw Peter Pan on stage, the "I Won't Grow Up" lyrics really spoke to me. The outside of me keeps getting older, and I have all those responsibilities that grown ups have, but don't be fooled. My favorite things are bubbles and rainbows and my teddy bear named Charlie. I like drawing on myself and waving to strangers. And telling stories, of course.
What inspired you to write Enchanted?
The idea for ENCHANTED began as a contest challenge in my writers group (Codex Writers). Our stories had to be inspired by at least one of four "seeds": "Fundevogel," "The Princess and the Pea," the Irish legend of Cú Chulainn, and the nursery rhyme "There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe." I couldn't choose between them, so I chose them all...as well as all every other fairy tale and nursery rhyme that was suggested. I liked the idea that every fairy tale we know (and some we don't) originated from only one family (The Woodcutters) a very long time ago.
How has being published changed or affected your life?
It's interesting -- the first AlphaOops picture book came out in 2006. It didn't affect my life all that much, other than being able to dress up and read to Kindergarten classes and at Library functions without being looked at funny. Having a novel published is a totally different monster. There are book tours and blog tours and awards you can win and book clubs who want to discuss you...and with those bring a host of other difficulties, the most important of which is "How do I balance this Fabulous Celebrity Life and My Family and Writing...all at the same time?" (I'm still working on that one.)
What are you reading right now that you would recommend that others read as well?
I recommend Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber and Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal. I also loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor--I listened to that one on audio and it was fantastic. I encourage everyone to listen to Enchanted on audiobook as well--my favorite reader of all time (Katherine Kellgren) performs it, and she is PHENOMENAL. She does all the voices, just like Jim Dale did for the Harry Potter series. I'm listening to it again while I'm on the road for book tour. It's incredibly inspiring.
If you could be any goddess (besides yourself) which one would you be?
Athena was always my favorite goddess. Wisdom and owls and an old soul, sprung fully-formed from her father's head--I feel that ways most days. I had the honor of being present for Sherrilyn Kenyon's Acheron signing at the Parthenon in Nashville, at the foot of the giant statue of Athena. It was almost a religious experience.
If you could be any character from a Disney movie who would you be and why?
Belle, hands down. Brunette bibliophile martyr with an irrational love for her family and a penchant for beasts who used to be bad boys. Now she's a princess. Story of my life!
How many books do you typically read in a week?
Once upon a time, I read books like a chain smoker goes through cigarettes. Unfortunately, once I started writing, reading was the first thing to take a back seat. I took the job as book reviewer for Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show in order to force myself to read 2-3 books a month. But it's difficult. I miss it.
Will you be writing anymore fairytale inspired books?
Indeed! I have been asked to write the next two books in the Woodcutter Sisters series--Saturday's and Friday's novels. You might ask yourself why I am going "backwards" through the week...would you expect any less from the author of two books called AlphaOops?
Thank you so much for the interview Alethea! You can learn more about Alethea Kontis and her books via her website http://aletheakontis.com. You can also see the review we did for Enchanted by clicking on the link!
