Author Kerry Schafer & THE BETWEEN

Please welcome author Kerry Schafer!  Kerry is the urban fantasy author of the series THE BETWEEN. Her novel released earlier this year, to much acclaim. Kerry is busy at work on the second novel in the series to be released in February 2014.

About the Book

Vivian Maylor can’t sleep. Maybe it’s because she just broke up with her boyfriend and moved to a new town, or it could be the stress of her new job at the hospital. But perhaps it’s because her dreams have started to bleed through into her waking hours.

All of her life Vivian has rejected her mother’s insane ramblings about Dreamworlds for concrete science and fact, until an emergency room patient ranting about dragons spontaneously combusts before her eyes—forcing Viv to consider the idea that her visions of mythical beasts might be real.

And when a chance encounter leads her to a man she knows only from her dreams, Vivian finds herself falling into a world that seems strange and familiar all at once—a world where the line between dream and reality is hard to determine, and hard to control…

I love the idea of your dreamshifter! (I’m assuming this is nothing like Freddy Krueger? *shudders*) What exactly does a dreamshifter do?

This is where I have to admit that I won’t watch horror movies and don’t know what Freddy Krueger does. I only know he’s a scary dude from movies and he has long fignernails, right? My dreamshifter doesn’t have long fingernails. She’s an ER doc and keeps them clipped nice and short for work. But that’s not what you wanted to know, right? Dreamshifters are responsible for making sure elements of the Dreamworld don’t spill over into waking. Unfortunately for Vivian, when she gets stuck with the job she has no idea how to go about doing what she’s supposed to do.

What do you love most about your protagonist?

The thing I love most about Vivian is that she’s not a kick ass super heroine, but a real woman thrust into a strange and dangerous situation. Some of her greatest battles are fought with herself.

Do you draw upon your experience in a myriad of interesting jobs (lumberjack, OB nurse, etc.) to deepen your creative experience? How so?

I do! In Between I probably drew most on my experience as a mental health crisis worker. I spent a ton of time in the ER with that job, so that helped to shape the ER scenes. And it gave me an appreciation for the truly bizarre, and the way realities can get away from people.

What advice would you share with aspiring writers?

Don’t give up, and keep working to improve your craft. Also – write new books. I think every project teaches us something new, and if we keep reworking one thing forever and ever, we miss out on the opportunity to grow and get better.

 

SPEED ROUND

Favorite “Canadian” dish:   Timbits!! Okay, so it’s not a dish. Still.
Best Place on Earth:  Home
Hidden Talent:   Procrastination. I excel. Although it’s possible this is not so hidden.
Greatest Vice:   Procrastination.

 

About the Author

Kerry Schafer was born and raised in Canada*, moved back and forth across the border several times, and finally settled on a compromise. She now lives in Washington state, but within an hour’s drive of her home and native land. Her childhood book collection traveled with her through all of those moves, and although she now owns a Kindle she continues to acquire books and bookshelves. During her lifetime, Kerry has worked as a lumber piler, an OB nurse, a secretary, and a substitute teacher, among other things. No matter where she lives or what she is doing, she finds a way to create writing time. Currently she balances writing and family with her work as a mental health counselor.

*And yes, she does sometimes say ‘eh?’ but never, ever ‘aboot.’

Visit her at her site HERE, Twitter, or follow her weekly posts at The Debutante Ball.