We're almost to the
end of the week, but the response for the event has become
overwhelming, to accommodate everyone we will post on a few weekends too
=)
Our next
guest we've seen on Twitter here and there, but it wasn't until
yesterday's guest hosted her Colors in Darkness event that we got the
chance to know her work more.
For those looking to diversify you Paranormal Romance, look no further =D
Twinja Book Reviews Annual Diversity Month Event Day Eight:
Author Kai Leakes
Thank you for stopping by the blog! Why don't you introduce yourself to readers!
Greetings and Hello everyone!
I am from the Midwest, namely St. Louis, Missouri. I gained an addiction to books at an early age.
What can you tell us about your journey being an author?
My journey as a
author was nothing but luck I feel. Due to the fact that, books were my
love, writing out my imaginative stories didn't start until late in
life due to my desire to see myself reflected in the pages of books I
read. Sharing impromptu vibrant romance story tales with my cousins as a
teen, writing books didn't seem like something I would pursue until one
day in college.
My first story
was a historical romance that I lost. I later, years later after
graduating, ended up writing a epic fantasy, in a alternative world
where magic was born to save the world. I really wrote it to test myself
and see if I could create a story and I happily did. However, that gem
is so raw that I'm keeping to myself to tweak it for later. Eventually
from there, I ended up creating Sin Eaters and I've been procrastinating and writing ever since.
Outside of
writing small stories for myself, I honestly can say that the real fire
put in my belly with it, didn't happen until I started writing fan
fiction with a friend I met on our favorite author, L.A. Banks website. If the site was still up, you guys could have seen some of the work we did, but so far its gone from the web.
It felt natural
to me to create those stories funny enough. I loved it and always
looked forward to what I could include to the thread.
What can you tell us about your experience growing up?
Growing up, I gravitated to all things fantasy. The only books that I recall in those genres that had clear diversity was, Babysitter Club.
I could not find anything in the genres I like that reflected me and I
used to look for it. Which was disappointing and had me mentally
changing characters to reflect my world.
I loved mermaids (the little mermaid was fresh and the bees knees when I
was growing up), X-men, and vampires. That was my go between. If I
could find stories that had those magical elements then I was all for
it. It just sucked because not a lot of them, if any represented me or
my family.
How can we make the conversation about diversity where it needs to be?
I think the
conversation about diversity is going exactly where it needs to go. It's
growing and becoming louder and I am here for it. I crave to see
diversity become the default instead of what it is now because frankly,
it's annoying and not reflective of the real world. Especially in the
US. I crave to see more faces of color on book covers in fantasy and
romance. I also crave to see those faces in on screen. I need to see our
lives shown and shown how we love and that we don't ALWAYS seek the
approval or love of the default as media always tries to make it appear.
Especially when using POC's as tokens.
I mean hello!
POC are abundantly living in the cities, these speculative
fiction/fantasy/comic books that are on TV and movies and being read
based. Yet, we are never shown, but in a wink of the eye.
Above all of
that, I crave to see more writers of color (who write speculative
fiction/fantasy and romance) in the forefront being celebrated,
best-sellers and giving major publishing and movie deals!
What has been your favorite character to create and why?
This is a hard one, I have two.
Khamun and The
Medusa. Two polar opposites in the battle of good and evil are my
favorite characters to have created. Khamun started out as nothing but a
voice to me, the Attacker. That's all I knew him as when I created his
intro chapter. If you've read Sin Eaters multiple times, I know that my
readers can tell that the intro chapter is my favorite. It was so
descriptive that you could feel your self in his world, in his mind and
seeing what makes him tick.
Khamun is my
body boy hero. Not classically sexy, but handsome and alluring. His
temper and duty to protecting us while being an outcast, makes me care
for him so much. I also enjoy connecting with his prowess and crafting
his fighting scenes.
Now, another
one who fires me up in the same with with fighting is The Medusa. This
woman is a powerhouse who happens to be the object of a incredible evil
force and has no qualms about it as far as the reader knows. I love
jumping in her mind and discovering many different things about who she
is and her complexities. But above all of that, I enjoy watching her toy
with her targets and toy with those she hates, which is the Light.
Why do you write the types of books you write, and do you plan diversifying genres in the future?
I love writing
paranormal romance because that's what I grew up reading in a sense. I
gravitated to Bram Stoker, RL Stine's Fear Street, Anne Rice, then in
the mix was Babysitters Club and whatever tawdry historical romances I
could get my hands on.
It all shaped
me into who I am today. As a young child then, I imagine myself as the
characters. Changing their color, their shape, hair etc. It got to the
point where I couldn't do that anymore. It was that, which lead me to
creating y own stories and why I purposely chose to shape my stories
around who I wanted and needed to see in stories. So the plan to
diversifying genres was always there and I have. I've stepped into
contemporary romance and Cyberfunk for the first time. I'm also,
stepping into the world of Steampunk for the first time.
Who is your favorite Book Bae?
My sexy Jag-were in L.A. Banks Vampire Series.
I can't give you the name because I forgot it. Sad, I know. But, he was
fineeeeeeeeeeeeee! and a good guy. Oh and a shape-shifting jaguar. I
mean, hello!
If you can have any superpower or supernatural ability, what would it be and why?
If I could have
any superpower, I'd have a combo of Storm and The Phoenix's power. I
want to protect my mind from mind readers. Move things with my mind.
Have a tiny bit of strength. Fly or teleport and use fire or lightning
if I wanted.
Can you see that I'm a little super power greedy? LOL.
What is the book that have the biggest impact on you and why?
L.A. Banks Vampire Huntress Series.
The impact was that not only did she have a book of vampires and
bad-taz fighters, but, they were all of color! The lead was a sista with
dreadlocks, dark skin and not model vixen typed. Then above all of
that, the man who loved/needed her was a fine darker toned Latino
brotha! I absolutely loved it.
She crushed the stereotypes in the black/Latino and more communities. I
miss her deeply. L.A. Banks allowed me to see myself in her world with
no problem. I craved that and it impacted me greatly. So, go grab her
books and if you have a young adult, introduce them to her Shadow Walker
book, then as they get older to young adult, hand them Minion, book one
of her series.
What type of advice can you give to those starting out?
My journey as
an emerging writer and stepping into the role of author has been
rewarding but difficult. Learning how to take the steps to tighten my
writing and create a plan in marketing myself continues to be a
struggle. But with having a foundation under you and a support network
around you, becoming a writer can be a great adventure. So my advice is
write and trust in yourself!
Finally, where can folks go for updates, and to learn more about your projects going on?
You can find me here:
Thank you and remember, “The Light Always Prevails.”
Born in
Iowa, but later relocating and raised in Alton, IL and St. Louis, MO,
Kai Leakes was an imaginative Midwestern child, who gained an addiction
to books at an early age. The art of imagination was the very start of
Kai’s path of writing which lead her to creating the Sin Eaters:
Devotion Books Series.
Since a young child, her love for creating,
vibrant romance and fantasy driven mystical tales, continues to be a
major part of her very DNA. With the goal of sharing tales that
entertain and add color to a gray literary world, Kai Leakes hopes to
continue to reach out to those who love the same fantasy, paranormal,
romantic, sci/fi, and soon, steampunk driven worlds that shaped her
unique multi-faceted and diverse vision.
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