Another blog tour, wahoo! This time I'll be spotlighting Kate Hasbrouck's debut novel, Homecoming, interviewing Kate, and sharing a giveaway! Join the fun! :-)
About the Book
Kerana is being sent to Earth to begin her duty as an
Eldurian. Hers are a perfect people, without flaw and without sin, never
experiencing the fall of man. Created by God to shepherd His people on Earth,
they remain in the shadows, unnoticed. Kerana looks human, speaks like them,
and has been taught to act like them. Above all her mission is to serve the
humans.
Arriving on Earth, Kerana meets Eli at school. He is an ordinary human, with a
father suffering from alcoholism, and a past that threatens to ruin his life. A
star scholarship lacrosse player, Eli has to forget his true passion and live
in a shell that doesn’t let anyone in. Until he meets Kerana. They find
themselves intertwined in a connection that neither can quite explain. When
this connection puts the two of them in danger, they find comfort and protection
from each other. When Eli discovers that there is more to Kerana than just her
stunning looks and grace, the Eldurians and their home planet of Eden may not
remain a secret for very long.
About the Author
Kate Hasbrouck has been writing and creating stories for as long as
she can remember. She had written several stories by the time she was a teen,
but Homecoming was the first full manuscript she had ever written
with the intention of sharing it with other people. She attended Houghton
College, where she received her Bachelor’s degree with a dual-major in Writing
and Psychology where she honed her skills. She lives in Florida with her
husband, a youth pastor at a local church, where she spends time writing,
ministering to teens, and enjoying the life God has given her. Homecoming is
the first book in a trilogy.
Social Corner:
Website: http://katehasbrouck.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/katehasbrouck
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Hasbrouck
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8258803.Kate_Hasbrouck
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katehasbrouck/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hasbrouck/e/B00KKV4JCO
Interview with Kate Hasbrouck:
Me: Hi Kate! Excited to have you on my blog in honor of your
upcoming release, Homecoming! My first question would be… what inspired you to write Homecoming?
Kate: I have a whole notebook just full of ideas for books
that I hope I can one day get to, but Homecoming was an idea that just
struck me one afternoon. My sister read the Twilight series, and she
really fell in love with the characters. Because of her love for the story, it
got me thinking about it. What if the female character was the strong one, the
one with the super speed and super hearing. And so I started to write, and the Eldurian
race was created.
Me: Is there a character that you personally relate to in
your book?
Kate: It is very hard to relate to a race of perfect
beings, but Kerana is very relatable I think. She experienced a lot of things
that we have to experience too, like rejection, trying to feel accepted, and
fear. But it's not just negative things that we can relate to; she also
experiences the growth of friendship, being the object of someone's affection,
and the comfort and love from her family. And since Kerana hasn't lived the
life of a human, that's where Eli is relatable. There are a lot of people who
have come from broken families or feel like that they have to hide who they
really are. Eli represents the quiet sufferer, just living life day by day. But
I love how both characters have become so much more than just characteristics
and experiences.
Me: What genre do you read the most?
Kate: I really love Young Adult and Fantasy. I love the
dragons and sword fights and wizards. But I also love supernatural stories
(hence why I wrote Homecoming!) where the characters have special
abilities. And I even still love stories set way in the future where the
technology is super advanced and humanity is struggling to survive. Really, I
think my list of genres I don't like is shorter than the list of those I do!!
Me: Ooh, fantasy is a love of mine too! I also enjoy a variety of different genres. :-)
A favorite movie?
Kate: Favorite movie...how about I keep it simple with my
top 3! I love all of the classic Disney princess movies, Inception (because I
think dreams are just super interesting), and one to join the list recently was
actually the Lego movie.
Me: What do you hope readers come away with after reading
your books?
Kate: I love to write, and I really do hope that people
enjoy my stories, but what I want them to see when they read my books is hope
and encouragement. My books all have a Christian undertone, but I write them in
a way that can be read and enjoyed by non-believers too. I don't want to write
to an exclusive audience, and really I have heart for people to know the Truth
and to know Love in the same way that Jesus taught them; through stories.
Me: That’s wonderful, :-) The Lord of the Rings or Narnia?
Or neither?
Kate: How about both! :) I have read the Narnia series at
least three times, and the way Lewis tells his stories is how I love to tell
stories, so he is a big inspiration to me! And, secret time, I haven't read the
entire Lord of the Rings series, but the first time I attempted I was
twelve! I've started it again more recently and I absolutely love the detail in
it! Older English literature is some of my favorite!
Me: Well good for you! I myself haven’t read any of the Lord
of the Rings series because I’m scared to try and read an Old English book! I
generally have a hard time with those! :-p Since Homecoming seems to be
young-adult, what’s a favorite YA novel that you’ve read?
Kate: A favorite YA book of mine is the City of Bones by
Cassandra Clare. I really enjoy the first three books in that series, but in my
opinion, the last three are just unnecessary and too dirty. The thing about her
books that I liked in the first ones disappeared in the last three. Rant aside,
these series have a lot of the elements that I really love in a series. Action,
some romance, the fantasy and supernatural aspect.
Me: Is there any actor/actress who inspires you?
Kate: This is a tough question. I have a hard time really
knowing who an actor or actress really is, but I really admire those who don't
follow the status norm. Money and attention can really ruin a person, but those
who still choose to live their lives in the spotlight and stand up for what is
right is good. There are too many people who don't stand up for injustice, and
those who have the ear of most of the media who choose to use it for good are
ones that I really admire.
Me: Great thoughts, I would agree! Can we know anything
about Homecoming’s sequel? :-)
Kate: Yes!! The tentative title is Becoming, and the
story brings to light Eli's purpose. The reader is introduced to the Eldurian
army; if there is good in the world, there must be an evil to be fought
against. Enter a new race of beings who are called Endaegons. Where the
Eldurians are all pure and without sin, these creatures are the epitome of
darkness and destruction. The story is about how Eli and Kerana face a new evil
together, and how it threatens to tear them apart.
Me: Sounds intriguing!! What’s one thing that keeps you
writing?
Kate: Really my love of writing is what keeps bringing me
back to it! It is an awesome relief for stress for me, and it is a way that I
can give back to God the gifts that He gave me by using them for Him! And it is
a sort of insatiable itch that I have that can only be fixed when I write!
Bizarre, I know, but I always feel weird when I go a period of time without
writing or doing something that relates to writing!
Me: You sound like a true writer at heart, Kate! :-)
Blessings!! Thank you for being here and answering my questions!
Kate: And thank you so much for having me!!
Giveaway
Want to enter the
world of Eden? Kate is giving away a SIGNED copy of Homecoming (US only) and an
ebook (INT) as a thank you to all who have been with her through her writing
journey. Click the link below to enter the rafflecopter giveaway:
Book Tour Schedule
Monday,
April 6th
Tuesday,
April 7th
Wednesday,
April 8th
Thursday,
April 9th
Friday,
April 10th
Tuesday,
April 14th
Wednesday,
April 15th
Saturday,
April 18th
Sunday,
April 19th
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