Time for ‘They Write the Books!’ which I *totally* used to do…and then fell off doing for a while…and am now BACK AT IT because getting the word out about new authors and books is awesome. Who knows? You may find your next favorite read 🙂

Today I’ve got Alyssa Kelso and her book, Dreaming of Fire.

First, a little Q and A to spice things up:

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a wife and mother, the two best callings in my life. I love healing crystals and my essential oils. I am a fan of art of all forms, though I personally practice painting and photography. I crave Italian food on the daily, and I may or may not be marking my calendar down for the final season of Game of Thrones. Anyone else??

How did you get into writing?

I actually hated anything to do with writing and reading as a kid. But after I read, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, my life changed. Not only did I want to read more but I wanted to write more, too. So, my parents bought me a journal when I was in the 5th grade. It had Harry Potter on the cover and a popup flashlight in the spine. I have been writing ever since.

How did you come up with the idea for your story?

I was fifteen and daydreaming in math class. My thought was, “I wonder what it would be like to actually fall in love with the man of my dreams…” Then more thoughts came and I imagined writing a story about a girl who literally fell in love with a man she saw in her dreams.

Who are your favorite authors?

J.K. Rowling, Ellen Hopkins, Leigh Bardugo, Samantha Shannon.

If you could only recommend one book, which would it be?

Harry Potter, always.

*Bonus * What one person (living or dead) would you share a meal with? And why?

My late sister, Brianne. Brianne was stillborn, but I have felt immensely influenced by her spirit my whole life. I would absolutely love to thank her for looking out for me, and tell her how much I love her.

Excerpt From Dreaming of Fire – Now On Amazon:

A chilling chant fills the forest. The sound is so frightening, even the trees quake with fear.

“HiyaKay, HiyaKay, ite, ite. HiyaKay, HiyaKay, ite, ite.”

The words weave through my mind, catching hold of snatches of English and shaping themselves into words I can understand: Night King, Night King, rise, rise. Night King, Night King, rise, rise. Brianne blows out several more angel kisses, and they float toward the sky, illuminating the uppermost branches of the trees.  Terror courses through me as I spot the demons of my nightmares sitting and hanging amongst the trees’ shivering limbs. Their gruesome features come in various forms—scaly skin, beady eyes, claws, wings, horns, fangs, gruesome gashes, or spiked faces. Some have no faces at all.  

“Nightmares,” Brianne breathes. Setting her jaw, she lifts her wand and sends a ball of light toward me. The ball expands until it surrounds me in a white haze. “Don’t be afraid, Sienna. These miscreants love fear.”

  

Alyssa lives in Utah with her husband, daughter, and their fur baby. She has started her own collection of healing crystals and besides writing; she loves to express herself creatively through painting and photography.

You can connect with Alyssa on Goodreads, as well as these platforms-

Web: Alyssakelso.com

Twitter: @Alyssakelso21

Facebook: @allthingsalyssakelso

Instagram: @allthingsalyssakelso