Today on the Fantastic Blog Hop Tour I am putting Kristen Duvall in spotlight and discuss all things writerly.  It’s a word, look it up! ;P

1. Are you a fan of the genre that you write in?

Of course. I only write the types of things I enjoy to read as well. I write science fiction, dark fantasy, horror and speculative fiction and that’s what I write as well.

2. Are you a pen and paper author or do you use a computer to write?

Computer all the way. Though sometimes when I’m not near my computer, I type it up on my phone. I’ve written entire short stories this way.

3. If you couldn’t write what would you be doing instead?

Something with animals, which I hope to do anyway. I prefer to work alone or with animals, not so much with other people.

4. What about this business surprised you the most?

I’m blown away by the support and love I’ve received from the indie author community. It’s been great networking with other writers, everyone is so helpful.

5. Do you blog?

I do. I’ve been blogging for well over 10 years via Livejournal. I have a public blog on my website, but I’ve been neglecting it lately in order to finish my book.

6. Are you on social media? Do you enjoy it?

I’m all over social media. I love it. Since I discovered the internet as a teen, I’ve always loved how you can connect with people all over the world. I’m way more social online than I am in real life and I’ve made long-lasting friendships and partnerships this way.

7. The house is on fire, which do you save, your laptop or your book collection?

My laptop, but only because all my writing and photos are on there. I’d lose so many stories because I suck at backing things up. I’d love my novel. I couldn’t imagine how hard that would be.

8. The publishing industry is changing, do you think this is good or bad time for authors?

I think it’s a great time for authors. I love how self-publishing is being taken more seriously and I think this is wonderful for authors who are talented, but who were otherwise overlooked by the traditional publishing houses for silly reasons.

9. How do you promote your books?

I have a website, a Twitter, a FB page and I post free snippets and stories on my blog, Smashwords and WattPad with links to my page and eventually links to where you can buy my books. I give away free samples of my work with the hopes that people will enjoy it and buy my book when it comes out. I also try to engage my followers, getting to know them and sharing interesting things other than just my book. I feel like you’re more likely to get people to buy your book if you post interesting things they like to read, not just “buy my book” all day, everyday

10. Your editor says you have to kill a character, which one would get the ax?

The question would make more sense if worded this way “your editor says you mustn’t kill all your characters, which one gets to survive?” Only partially kidding. I’m brutal to my characters. No one is safe in the stories I write.

About Femmes du Chaos

They messed with the wrong girl this time.

From heroes to villains, Femmes du Chaos sets out to show the world what the fairer sex is really made of. You’ll meet women of all ages and from many different walks of life… Warriors and schoolgirls, side-by-side in one place. One thing connects them all, and that is their ambition. Whether they use their ambition for good or evil, well that’s for them to decide. Gritty, fantastical and sometimes uncomfortable to read, Femmes du Chaos is a tour de force that holds nothing back. There will be violence and there will be blood. Some will survive and come out stronger in the end… And some will let the darkness consume them. After all, no two girls are ever alike.

Here are a few of the femmes you’ll meet in this thrilling collection:

Sylvia: The bounty hunter with a dark past who is hellbent on revenge. When the justice system fails her, she sets out to correct their mistakes.

Layla: The ballerina who wants to be a star who’s spent her life being overshadowed and under-appreciated. What happens when she stumbles across magic that makes her sister the star she’s longed to be for so long? Let’s just say, you’ve never seen sibling rivalry like this before.

Daphne and Delia: Identical twins who share a painful secret. Confined to a lab and tortured in the name of science for most of their lives, they managed to escape once. But when their past catches up them, can they escape from it again? There may only be one way out and these are girls who are willing to do anything to stop their torment. And I do mean anything.

Mikayla: When a curse falls upon their town and the children end up dying left and right, it appears that Mikayla is next. Except, there’s one thing that no one, not even her family saw coming… Mikayla is too smart for her own good and knows how to make a deal with the devil.

Liz: A servant girl forced to work for the upper class people living in a dystopian future. All she wants is an education and the chance to better herself. In a world where she’s not allowed to read a book without fear of death, she breaks all the rules. Until she comes face to face with the punishment awaiting those who disobey, that is…

Mallory: A young girl who can see the future in her dreams. She’s saved lives in the past, and her dreams are warning her to not return to the world they all left behind. Faced with starvation, no one wants to believe her about the multitude of horrors that wait for them above. After all, monsters don’t exist… Or do they?

Melody: A girl who knows nothing but religious fanaticism. Her father and her sisters are the only people she’s ever known. But what happens to the “mothers”, those who are chosen to sacrifice for the greater good of the family? Melody needs to find out and stop it, or else she may just be the next to go.

Snippets:

A Fate Worse Than Death

Lisette was pulled to the edge of the pool first. Gag firmly placed in her mouth, her eyes were wide with fear as tears fell in thick droplets onto her favorite dress, the pink one with white lace at the collar. Lisette struggled as the guard effortlessly shackled her feet to the large weight. Kicking and squirming, she fought for her life, but her slight frame was no match for the strength of the guards.

The mechanism was as cruel as it was simple in design. Lisette’s feet were chained to the weights on a platform that would drop out from under her, dragging her down into the murky depths of the pool below. Chains were attached to both sides of the weight, and on a whim, the executioner could shorten or prolong a prisoner’s life for the pleasure of the crowd by simply raising or lowering the weight.

“Two minutes. I give her two minutes unless old Ira decides to have some fun with her,” The guards wagered amongst themselves as the one beside Meredith winked in her direction.

Bonnie and Clyde

The dream was always the same.

A single yelp of pain that forever echoed in Sylvia’s ears. A streak of crimson where Bonnie had tried crawling for help; help that didn’t arrive soon enough. Even in the dream, it never did.

Bonnie was dead. Murdered.

Sylvia woke up drenched in sweat, just as she had that hot July morning when she’d heard the awful cry followed by peals of drunken laughter.

She’d tried to chase the bastards down, but the cops had gotten to them first. They were lucky.

Two years in prison. Two measly years was all they’d served.

Author Bio:

Kristen Duvall is a writer of tales both real and make believe. Originally a Midwestern girl, she now resides in Southern California with her boyfriend, her Great Dane and a her rescued calico kitty. She dabbles in horror, science fiction, fantasy, young adult and speculative fiction. Femmes du Chaos is her first foray into publishing her own work, but she has one YA novel and a novella completed and ready to be edited. She also owns a small publishing company called Fey Publishing where she publishes other people’s work because while it’s a lot of work, there’s nothing she’d rather be doing with her life.

The release of Femmes du Chaos has been delayed a little, but currently it’s expected to be finished at the end of August or early September 2013.

To keep up to date on Kristen and to read more of her work, please follow her on Facebook or Twitter.