I’d like to welcome Ellen Keener, whose book, Blood Moon, was released from Decadent Publishing a few weeks ago.  I had the pleasure of getting to know Ellen as a critique partner and now, a good friend.  She’s a wonderful writer!  Pick up her new book, Blood Moon from Decadent Publishing today!

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Where do you come up with your ideas?

Everywhere. Lol.  Sometimes it’s something I overhear, sometimes something I see, I love looking through pictures and Hi-Fructose Magazine, and then a lot of them come from my dreams. I have really weird dreams.

Tell us about your writing routine.

I don’t have anything set in stone. I write when I come home from work, and on weekends. I’m a night owl, so weekends are when most things get done, because I don’t have to get up early for work the next day. If I’m really into what I’m writing and I know I’ll be at the computer for awhile, I do get a whole “tea tray” together. This frequently earns me teasing from my roommate.

What’s your goal ten years from now?

Besides world domination?  I’d like to be a teacher for fun and a writer as my main career.

Pepsi or Coke?

Diet Coke. No comparison.

Favorite TV show?

I recently discovered Supernatural, which I love. I also love the Vicar of Dibley.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

London. I LOVE London. I tried to move there when I finished college, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I love the history and the proximity to so many historical places. It’s weird really, because I loathe big cities, but I really loved that place.

Favorite Muppet?

Rizzo or Pepe the King Prawn.

Favorite characters in a book?

Hamlet. Jane Eyre/Mr. Rochester, Darcy and Elizabeth. That’s three books, but I just can’t choose!

Favorite characters on TV?

I love Dean on Supernatural, and Henry from Blood Ties. Both bad boys hiding good boys. And HOT.

Ideal date?

Dinner, talking and walking through park/mall/waterfront. And I’m a sucker for a kiss on the back of the hand on the first date.

How do you get past writers block?

Most of the time I just sit down and MAKE myself write. Even if its crap. I feel like sometimes you just have to get the crap out and things get better.  I also use writing prompts (which are usually pictures) and set a word goal and see how that goes.

What are you working on next?

I’m currently in a dilemma. I’ve got an idea for an urban fantasy I like, wrote about 4000 words and now I’m distracted by an idea for a horror romance. Is that even a category?  Its about a woman who owns a cursed house and a TV crew that wants to film a Halloween special there. And while the host is busy trying to seduce her, one of the behind-the-scenes guys attracts her attention instead.

Tell us about your latest release.

Blood Moon is a paranormal romance about…well… here’s the blurb – Fugitive shifter, Aria Legreve, is always on the run. With her own life at risk, she helps a badly beaten shifter to his Pack, knowing the danger her meddling entails. Hoping to use her status as an Outcast and be set free, her world changes when she meets head on with no other than her Mate—who is dead.

Alpha Lukas MacLeod has been searching for his wife for the past year, until Aria walks straight into his lair. Fate intervenes and gives them a second chance. Caught up in an intricate web of lies and prophecies in the making for generations, Aria and Lukas must discover a way to balance the darkness in their world, but will their love be strong enough to save their pack and each other?

How long did it take you to write it?

About a year, give or take. It had been in many incarnations before that, so I guess you could say 3 or 4.

Give us 3 random facts about your book.

My favorite character is Thaddeus, not the MC (although I love Lukas and Aria too!)

The chalice in the book is based on the Gundestroup Cauldron, which is the only known artifact with a picture of Cernunos without a beard.

My mother’s family is from the county I named in West Virginia.

How did you come up with the title?

The title started out as Blood on the Moon, and then I shortened it to Blood Moon. It turns out that when I looked up exactly what a Blood Moon was, it matched the full moon that Aria and Lukas’ showdown occurs under.  Nice coincidence, yes?

Are any of your characters based on real people?

Yes. But sadly, not any of the boys. lol

When was ides for your story born?

Oh geez. I have no idea, actually. I’ve written several shapeshifter stories and somewhere along the way, this one was born. I *think* it might have partially been based on a dream.

Who is your favorite author?

I have 4. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Katie MacAlister, and Bill Bryson. Not necessarily in that order. And it changes frequently.

What would most of your readers never suspect about you?

Oh man, do I go for the real shocker or the mild “say what?”… That I still, to this day, cannot sleep with the closet door open. And if I have a really bad day, I still sleep with a stuffed animal.  Lol.