Interview with Author Denise Kelly LeBlanc

Please welcome debut author Denise LeBlanc to the Nook today. Denise is another author from Kelley Armstrong's defunct message board. She recently self-published her first book,"Inheritance", a YA urban fantasy. Although it's her first book, she's published some stories.

Denise is a kickass jeweler and chainmailler. She can also cook, dance and swear. She has been writing for years. And she can spell all the big words. Denise lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with her bestie and 4 unemployed cats.

Find Denise Online:

website/blog
twitter
facebook 
goodreads

1 - What was the inspiration for Inheritance?

A lot of things went into the genesis of the story. First, I had an image come to me very clearly that eventually became the center of an important scene. I couldn't seem to shake it. Then, as with most things I've written, it became more about a feeling. I had a very strong sense of the main character's energy long before I knew details like her hair and eye colour. It was like knowing when a friend is in the room before you actually see them—I could feel her niggling at my brain and pushing me to create this world. No, I wasn't hearing voices! Not crazy, just trying to create something. I frequently got frustrated and walked away from the novel, but something kept me coming back. I would hear music that triggered the same feeling I'd had when thinking about Jess and the rest of her family, and I would find myself working on the novel again. It's like it wouldn't let me leave it alone.

2 - Why choose self-publishing?

Short answer is that I'm a control freak. I started out sending a few emails to agents as I had been encouraged to do, but it felt really wrong. The letters felt like begging, and the trade off seemed unequal. I knew that any deal an agent would get me wouldn't result in massive sales because no publishing house is going to put a ton of effort behind a nobody. What would the chances be? Yet in order to achieve even that I would be giving up control of my work—possible plot changes, altering characters, cover design. And honestly, there are some hideous covers out there. I wanted to succeed or fail on my own. 

I strongly believe in the idea of an artist—whether painter or sculptor or musician—controlling their own output. It was hard but so worth it.

3 - Looking back, which writers did you learn the most from?

This is a slightly different question than what writers do I like. Honestly, when it comes to self-publishing I think I learned more from music than anything. I have known musicians since I was in school who didn't let lack of a recording deal stop them from putting out their work. I don't see self-publishing as any different except there is a lot more, dare I say, snobbery involved. People like to tell themselves that work is only valid if it has gained some kind of approval from the traditional publishing honchos. I think the importance comes in the process. Yes, there are some awful self-published books, just like there are some terrible indie bands. But there are also some horrible novels that have been traditionally published. Those publishing houses are businesses and the reality is that often books are published for financial reasons that have nothing to do with quality. So why are self-published books judged as automatically terrible? My book went through the same process any book would. It wouldn't have come to be if it wasn't for the help of a talented editor who is also a bestselling author named Genevieve Graham, a number of amazing beta readers, and a fabulous team that collaborated on the cover. At the end of the day it is my work and it might not be your cup of tea, but I'll stand behind it.

4 - What fruit would you be and why?

Kumquat, because it's fun to say. Kumquat. Kumquat. See?

5 - Will there be a second novel in the series?

YES! I already have a basic plot in mind. It's just as daunting as the first time!

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Your family has a huge responsibility, and they need you.

Now.

In all of her eighteen years, normal has never been a word you could apply to Jess Gardner’s life. She is a medium, making her living by communicating with the dead. Even had she been a psychic, she couldn’t have predicted the drama about to be brought to her door. The messenger, Aaron Thorne, enters her world with the news that the mother she’d thought dead is still alive. Suddenly, her maternal family is in desperate need of her help. Should Jess give up everything she knows to help a family she never knew existed? Also, a mysterious evil force is draining the life from the present Priestess, and Jess may be the only one who can save this newfound clan. Will the promise of uncovering more about herself, and a chance with a new family be enough to draw her into a potentially deadly situation?

Publisher: Kelly Denise LeBlanc
Series: The Fallon Guardians #1
Format: Kindle, paperback
Release Date: March 7, 2015
Buying Links:  Amazon Kindle*  | Book Depository* | Amazon Print* | Barnes & Noble |
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