I think the first time I talked to Krista, her Fates Mates of Varool series was just coming out, and I was so so so excited to read it. Since then, I've followed along as readers have read and adored the series. I'm jazzed as heck to be sharing her interview with you today.
Possessed by the Alien Protector is the fourth book in the Fated Mates of the Varool series, a fated-mates romance, sizzling mating rituals, action, and adorable alien pets.
You can find Krista online in all the following places:
Read below my lovely chat with Krista and her authorship journey.
1. What made you decide to write romance?
I like action and adventure, and I love getting lost in fantastical worlds. Yet even when I read regular sci-fi and fantasy, I'm always drawn to the emotions of the characters. I love the connections and relationships, including friendships. Romance gives me the chance to make characters my focus. Plus I love HEAs and fated mates. If you're going to invest time in making a whole new universe in your novel, why not put a little more joy and love into the world?
2. What research did you do to figure out where to start?
I've been reading sci-fi and fantasy for decades, and I've watched almost all the movies and TV shows too. In terms of romance, I was drawn in at first by spicy vampire books. It expanded outward from there to PNR shifters, then human sci-fi romance, and now aliens. So reading a tractor-trailer worth of novels has been my primary means of research. There might be some college degrees in there somewhere, but I honed my writing via fanfiction. It was wonderful because it also gave me a lot of experience in working with other writers for critiques. I briefly considered a trad pub, but real life got in the way. By the time that was over, self pub had really taken off to such an extent that I never again considered trad pub for romance.
3. How did you decide your genre and how to approach success?
Science fiction is my first love, so I never had any doubts I wanted to write it. I also love PNR and UF. I started writing a PNR series, which I hope to go back to at some point. I was also playing with my new SFR series on the side, but I thought I'd have to hold off on it. When Ruby Dixon blew up this past summer, I decided to allow myself to write my SFR series first. This was great, because the idea had already grabbed me and demanded my attention.
4. Tell us about your current series!
The Fated Mates of the Varool Series is based on alien arranged marriages. In order to survive, human women have no choice but to marry hulking alien warriors. But these big, growly men have a different view of marriage, involving fated mates and sizzling bonding rituals.
Each book features lots of steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance as the alien men find and claim their fated mates. There’s action interlaced with humor and adorable alien pets. I like my alien men alpha and my human women smart and capable. HEAs guaranteed!
Possessed by the Alien King is the first book, and it just came out. It has all the things I love: spice; action; humor; a cute alien cat; fated mates, and an HEA. It's steamy and enemies to lovers, but I also wanted it to be fun.
5. Do you have a goal of writing full time, or do you already write full time? What steps are you taking to get there?
I do want to write full time. My path forward right now is to remain focused on this one series so that I can release a book every two months. That's hard! I have a lot of ideas and offers of side projects, but I'm trying to pretend they don't exist. Whenever I think of a new idea, I write it down and tell myself I'll come back to it later. Then every time my subconscious whispers about that idea, I stick my fingers in my ears and go, "La, la, la," really loudly until it shuts up!
6. What's your secret sauce for success?
Write what you love. SFR is a hot area right now due to Ruby Dixon's wonderful success. But if you don't really love sci-fi, then find the genre that speaks to you. A writer dedicates tons of time to a book--if you don't love it, it will become a chore instead of a joy. And I think books need that extra spark of joy so that it can shine through.
7. What's the best 1-2 tips you have for newer authors?
1) I just said write what you love, but I also believe in writing to market. This should not be considered a bad thing! Writing to market means knowing what readers like. So I'll end with this caveat: find the subgenre you love and search for the places where it intersects with the things readers love. Then focus on those tropes, etc. that overlap. You and your readers both win.
2) Find a community of like-minded authors, specifically ones writing in your genre. Make friends. Beta read for them and have them beta read for you. Learn to give and accept real feedback. Cheerleading is wonderful, and we all need that at times, but we also need the people who will push us to make our writing shine.
So many thanks to Krista for joining me on the blog today! Her entire series is up above. HOW GORGEOUS ARE THOSE COVERS?! I just love them. Congrats on your new release, friend!
If you're an author, and interested in being part of this series–please email me at author@annafury.comso we can set it up!