Monday, April 30, 2012

Interview with Elizabeth Kolodziej


Vampyre Kisses
The Last Witch Series #1
Elizabeth Kolodziej
Release Date: October 25, 2010
Pages: 228
Buy Here:
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Vampyre Kisses is an enthralling story about a young woman named Faith, who was content with her life, but deep down craved more excitement. Then a mysterious man named Trent enters her life and everything changes. Surprising to Faith, Trent is a green-eyed vampire from Ireland. She is even more surprised to find out that she is a witch, and the last of her kind. Faith finds out that she is destined to restore her witch line and becomes more powerful as she gains confidence and knowledge, but danger lurks everywhere. Especially when unknown assailants steal the most important gems from the vampire master and werewolf royalty. Now surrounded by a world full of mystifying vampires and werewolves, can Faith gain enough power to help her friends and rescue the stolen gems?

Interview Time

Kayla: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Elizabeth: Let’s see, I grew up in Torrance, California and moved to the east coast when I was thirteen. I live in Delaware currently with my min. schnauzer, Sherlock Holmes, and Egyptian mau, Ahmemotep (Memo for short). I have been writing since I was little, but did realize it was my passion until I was in my early 20’s. For the longest time I wanted to be a Broadway actress! Haha. I have a supportive family and friends that listen to me rant and rave like an insane person when I get writer’s block. I couldn’t have more fun being me most of the time.

Kayla: What was it like getting your first book "Vampyre Kisses" published?

Elizabeth: Exciting at first until I learned a better way to do it. Self publishing with a company and paying them to do it is just not for me. Especially when I have to depend on them to give me my sells information and pay me, yet they get a percentage for doing nothing after the cover and editing is done with the book. This is why I decided to go the indie route and create my own small publishing business. I do everything myself, except for the cover and editing. However, I do come up with the concept for the cover, but there is no way I could do it without my graphic designer Stephanie Fox. She is amazing! Lots of self-publishing companies have gotten bad names for themselves and I now see why. However, there is this thing I have coined “first book syndrome”. When a writer is just so excited about getting the book published that they don’t research and educate themselves on the process and how they could do it better. I went through this and watch other go through it. I write blog articles on the time trying to warn new authors, but it’s not easy to get through to people sometimes. Vampyre Kisses is currently being republished through my own company, Third Broom on the Left Press, (like Werewolf Descent was) and that’s why it’s only available in the eBook version currently. But in a month it will be back up under my own name. That’s when I will truly be over the moon!
Kayla: What do you love about being an Author?

Elizabeth: It’s funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. I just love the writing. Of course there are dozens of other parts I love: marketing, fans, getting invites to speak, reading, researching, etc etc. However, when I was sitting on my couch writing this past weekend all I could think about was how much fun it is to develop the plot and speak to the characters about what should happen next. I get to create this world that is different from anything else and to me it is real. Writing for me is breathing and when I can’t write I can’t breathe.

Kayla: What projects are you working on?

Elizabeth: I am done with the third book in the Last Witch Series, Witch Devotions. It just needs a cover and will be out in September. Of course I am working on the fourth book. You are the first one to be in on this…The fourth book is going to deal with demons. Hehe. New territory and my mother worries about me researching such areas, but I must do it. Also, I will be coming out with an anthology book this August called “The Girls Who Cried Werewolf”. It will entail my own story that concentrates on Zou Tai from The Last Witch Series and his back-story. I’m actually almost done that story. Along with that I have two other novellas I am keeping under wraps because I don’t know where they are going yet.

Kayla: Which of your books was you favorite to write?

Elizabeth: Witch Devotions. Hands down. It’s easy for me to say this because Witch Devotions oddly came about when my father passed away a year ago, the main character, Faith, actually ended up going through a hard death like I was. I pour a lot of my emotions and what I went through personally into this story (in a way). And yes it is a PNR fantasy, but I think I was really able to show her sorrow because of what I was personally going through. The descriptions and metaphors struck me easily at some points and at others I got terribly stuck and felt destoryed. However, the book got done and I am more than happy with the way it turned out and I think the readers are going to love what I did at the end.


Kayla: How did you get the idea for The Last Witch Series?

 Elizabeth: I don’t think there was one think got me writing Vampyre Kisses, the first book. I just loved to write since I was little and I started this series not knowing what was going to happen with the book. Everything sort of played out, and is still playing out, as if it is fate or my destiny. I love that I have been able to find my passion and life and do something with it.

Kayla: What is your favorite part of being an Author?

Elizabeth: Inspiring people. I stated from the beginning when I decided to publish the first book that even if I didn’t make money off of my stories, if I could just inspire someone the way Tamora Pierce inspired me I would be happy. The first time I got that email from a reader I felt this sense of warmth over come me and now I write to continue to inspire others to follow there dreams. I didn’t have the easiest life and I believe that no matter who you are or where you come from you have chances to make your dreams come true. It just takes hard work!

Kayla: If you could explain The Last Witch Series is four words what would they be?
Elizabeth: Paranormal. Love. Action. Magic.

Find Elizabeth Right Here:
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A year after Vampyre Kisses came out Elizabeth J. Kolodziej makes her way back into the author scene with the second book for the The Last Witch Series, Werewolf Descent. Currently, Kolodziej (pronounced KO-LA-G), is working on many different short stories for anthology books. Along with the third book for The Last Witch Series being under way. Kolodziej continues to travel and study the folklore of vampires, werewolves and witches in the hopes of expanding her knowledge and her stories.

This is what Elizabeth wrote in my signed copy of Vampyre Kisses: Kayla. When life sucks, bite back. Hard.
I love this quote Elizabeth, and I wish you the best with everything, thanks so much for sharing the news about your newest project :)

Be sure to stop by, read the Interview, check out Elizabeth's books, and leave her a comment because I'm sure she would love to hear from you guys! 



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