Author Interview: Katie Teller re: Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh part 1

I’m really excited to have a guest on the blog today. The beautiful debut author, Katie Teller, is here to talk about her life as a writer and her new book, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. *waves hello to Katie*



But before we begin peppering her with annoying questions about craft we should get to know her and her work. Wouldn't you agree?

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush” and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Check out her blog here.

I think a lot of writers can relate to the hectic double (or triple) life Katie has been leading: Day Job, Writing, Family, etc. It’s a lot to juggle which leads me to my first question:

Katie, you are a wife, mother, student, employee, and now, an author. How did you fit writing into your daily routine? Any advice for the rest of us? :)

It's not easy! I keep a tight schedule, and write during nap times and in the evenings. My smart phone is also a lifesaver because I can get emails etc on the go. I also use time at the gym, grocery store and while I'm out and about to conjure up new scenes, get to know my characters and so forth so in the few hours after the kiddo has gone to bed I can churn out as much as possible. I keep my days very structured so I know I get everything done I need to.

That’s inspiring. I know I struggle with sticking to a writing schedule.

Now let’s learn more about the fruit of all that hard work, Katie’s debut: Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. Look at this cover, isn’t it eerie?



And here’s the blurb:

Oh yes, Kiya. Make him love you, make him hold you in his highest regard....

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.

Wow, Katie, I’m super excited about your book: young romance, a vengeful Queen, and the fate of a nation hangs in the balance. Ancient Egypt has never sounded so sexy. I noticed in your bio you were born and raised down under. Did your time in Australia inspire any scenes from this book?

Kiya was actually born during my 12th grade Ancient history class while we talked about Akhenaten and Kiya. So yes, my school studies down there inspired the whole concept. The rest is purely constructed out of history and my own ideas of what could have happened.

It's available now at your favorite book retailers:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo


Your novel takes place in ancient Egypt. Were you always a fan of the rich history in Egypt? Or did you do a ton of research?

As I mentioned before, I studied Egypt in High School. But it goes earlier than that. I remember as a little girl looking at things on Ancient Egypt, as well as Greece and Rome. I think that background made the research easier, but I did still have to do a ton of research when I did sit down to start writing it.

Tune in tomorrow to see the book trailer for Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh and for more of my interview with Katie Teller.