Author Interview: E.K. Henry

  Happy Friday, Everyone! Today I'm pleased to have author E.K. Henry here to give us a little sneak peek to her book Freak. Before we get to the interview, here is a little info about E.K.: E.K. Henry has always had a passion for books ever since she can remember. She has grown up spending countless nights being swept away by her favorite books into the wee hours of the night. She lives with her son and husband in Tennessee. Freak is her debut novel.

Welcome to Books in the Spotlight, E.K.! Freak is a paranormal story with dystopian elements. What made you decide to blend these two genres in your story?  

Well, I did not really plan for it to be that way; it kind of just happened.  I came up with the idea for Freak while reading a story about a Mormon family that was getting their own reality television show.  Most of the family seemed thrilled about the idea, but one child in particular wasn't.  They didn't want the world to see how different their family was from mainstream society.  This story got me thinking about what it would be like to be forced to participate in a show that was meant to spotlight how different you are than everybody else.  I tried to imagine the worst scenario that I would hate to be put in myself, and that is how Freak was born. 

Books featuring vampires are pretty abundant. How did you make your book different? What draws you to these creatures of the night?  

Yes, vampire books are abundant, but that is actually what inspired me to write one.  I wanted to challenge myself to write a new twist.  That twist included having humans be the minority, vampires that could go out in the sun, and a reality television show.  I haven’t seen anything else out there that had all of those elements.

What are some of your favorite scenes or lines from the book?

 My favorite scene is actually a spoiler so I can’t go into too much detail, but the scene is where Juniper reveals to her friend, Abi, her thoughts on what the medicine has done to her friend.  When I was writing it, it took a twist that even I didn’t see coming.

Do you have a favorite vampire from books or movies? If so, who and why?  

I love the main character [Selene] in Underworld.  She is strong woman who stays true to herself.

If you could live in any paranormal world, either in books or movies, TV, where would you live and why?

I would live in any of Stephen King's books because I love the world he creates. I still blame him for my irrational fear of clowns.

Did anything surprise you while writing Freak?  

Yes, these characters took on  life of their own and quite frankly my nice outline that I created went out the window because the characters didn't want to behave and started doing what they wanted.

In less than 10 words, how would you describe Juniper? 

Determined and spirited

October is the month we gear up for Halloween. What is your most memorable Halloween?  

The Halloween where I dressed up like a killer clown.  I hate clowns and to be dressed like a psycho one freaked me the hell out, but I did it.  It made me feel empowered because I fought through a fear.

What can readers expect from Freak? 

A quick fun read that is full of action.

What's next for you? 

I am planning on at least a sequel.  There are also some novellas in the works that go deeper into some of the other character’s stories.

Readers, if you would like to know more about and contact E.K. Henry, please check out her website, Twitter, and email. You can also find her at Goodreads too. 

Be sure to check out the awesome giveaway that I'm currently running for Freak. Just click on the cover below to enter the giveaway. There is still plenty of time to enter!