Author Interview + Giveaway with Jennifer Hartz

Another favorite author of mine is here for a visit! Jennifer Hartz is the author of the Future Savior series. You can read my reviews of the first 3 books here. The fourth book is set to release on December 1st (Eeep!) I've been looking forward to it for months now and can't wait to get back to the land of Meric with Christina and Shaw and... Oh, I'll stop now before I go crazy telling you all how much I love these books :) Enjoy the interview!

Hey Jenn! Thanks for being with us today. For those who have not yet heard of you, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hey Crystal! Thanks so much for having me on your blog! Gosh, some stuff about me… but I'm boring! That's why I write fantasy stories… gotta spice up my normal life! LOL! Seriously though, I'm a wife and a mommy of a wonderful little boy. Up until recently I was working as a teacher, but I've decided to stay home with my son and work on my writing… and praying God will provide!

I love Jesus so much because He knows that I am not perfect and I mess up a whole lot! That's why He came, for all us lovely mess ups! I also love Speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal… anything a little weird) and if you can get me a really great Speculative/Christian/Romance, well I'm one happy camper!

What writing projects have you been working on since you were last here in February? 
Future Savior Book 4: Desecration!!! The continuing saga in everyone's favorite land of Meric will continue on December 1st. My editor just finished her first round of edits and is freaking out over FS4... which is always a great feeling! I must say, FS4 has been the most fun to write in the entire series. I can't wait for everyone to check it out.

I also signed a new 4 book deal for a YA Paranormal series called, Heroes of the Horde. The first book, Unleashed, will be released on May 1st.

I finished writing a Middle Grade novel called The Ghost Runner. I am currently querying this project... I hate querying!

AND... as if everything above was enough... I just started work on a new novel Paranormal Romance. The working title for this project is Hunter's Fury. This one could be classified as a New Adult story because the main character is 21 years old.

Wow there's so much to look forward to from you! Can't wait to check them out. What was your inspiration for the Future Savior series?
The obvious books that inspired The Future Savior Series are The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. As much as I loved these epic fantasies, I must say that they were lacking in the "epic romance" category. So, I took what I loved from epic fantasy tales, added some MAJOR romance, sprinkled in some sci-fi, and just a touch of "fish out of water tale" to get The Future Savior Series.

Describe the FS series in 3 words.
Adventure. Love. Faith.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I can't say I'd change anything in FS4, but if I could go back and do something different in FS3: Evacuation I would. There would be no changes to the plot, but I would make that book a little longer. I had a difficult time with FS3 because I was going through some really tough personal stuff... it killed my desire to write. If I could write FS3 now, I know it would be longer.

If you weren't an author, what would your dream job be?
Hmmm... writing has always been my dream job since I was young. If I had to pick something else, I'd have to say acting. I always enjoyed drama. I did a lot of drama in high school and college.

What's the fastest you've ever written a book?
I wrote The Ghost Runner in about one month, but that one was pretty short since it's Middle Grade. Usually, it takes me several months because I have to really envision the next scene. I picture every possibility of a scene in my head, how the characters would react, etc, before I write it out.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
Yes, but life took me into some crazy directions first. So I didn't start writing until I was thirty.

Name your favorite... 
Book: I refuse to pick just one!!! Top 5 (in no particular order) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, The Hunger Games by Susan Collins, The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren, The Stand by Stephen King
Movie: Again I refuse to pick one! Top 5 (in no particular order) The Goonies, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Empire Strikes Back, Back to the Future, The Avengers
TV Show: All right, I won't do Top 5 this time... how about Top 3! Friends, Supernatural, The Office
Song: I can't do just songs... How about Top 5 bands! U2, Pearl Jam, Muse, Manic Drive, Counting Crows
Writing spot: On my couch

Anything else you'd like to add? Where can readers find you on the web?
We're giving away an autographed copy of Future Savior Book 1: Conception, right? Why not have a little taste of Conception right now! But before you read the excerpt, be sure to find me on the web at these following locations:

Website: http://jenniferhartz.com
Twitter: @JenniferLHartz
The Future Savior Series on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheFutureSaviorSeries
Me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennifer.hartz.71

Future Savior One: Conception (excerpt) 

Shaw stepped between the beasts and the men. The Vaipes must have been stunned by his utter lack of fear, or perhaps even these devilish beasts were familiar with the legendary Shaw, either way, they all took a step back. 
Shaw faced me and the frightened men. His incredible pale blue eyes narrowed, and burned with such intensity they were nearly silver. “Stay back. I can handle this.” 
A brilliant flash of lighting framed his perfect physique in an illuminating beauty. A resounding crack of thunder pounded the air, and I jumped. How did the storm happen upon us so quickly? 
The five men backpedaled until they were behind me. Then Shaw spun to face the beasts. He tossed his bow and arrows off to the side and ripped out his long sword from its sheath. Neither Shaw nor the Vaipes attempted to strike. They assessed each other, trying to ascertain a weakness, I supposed. The Vaipes on either end of the pack were trying to slowly loop around behind Shaw and surround him. This was the scene from my premonition! The lightning and thunder continued. Shaw’s muscles tensed. He prepared to attack. Looking around me quickly I realized that the five men were gone. I stood back myself, watching Shaw, not knowing what to do. I had my sword raised, but I had no clue how to help him. Apparently he didn’t need my help. 
He pounced with alarming speed. The spin move he performed was so quick, so strong, so devastating that when he completed the one-hundred and eighty degree turn that took less than a matter of seconds he had killed seven of the Vaipes. 
He faced me now and the fierce, deep concentration in his face astounded me. He attacked Vaipe after Vaipe, and the beasts continued to fall before him. I couldn’t believe how swiftly and fluidly Shaw moved. He had pulled out his smaller sword now and assailed the creatures two at a time. 
Shaw truly had to be the greatest warrior in all of Meric. None of the Vaipes even came close to him. He just spun, ducked, thrashed, lunged, turned and twisted so effortlessly that it barely appeared he exerted any energy at all. 
When the last Vaipe lay dead, he walked toward me, wiping the blood and gore off his face. I stared, amazed by what he just accomplished. 
He looked me over, drawing the back of his hand across his cheek. “Are you alright?” It was a loaded question. Was I physically injured? Was I mentally scarred for life? I replayed the last few minutes in my head. I witnessed a man being eaten and Shaw slaying more than twenty Vaipes. The stuff of nightmares. 
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Even though I wanted my statement to sound brave, I couldn’t control the shakiness of my voice.
“You should go inside one of the houses,” Shaw reiterated. 
I was about remind him of my last answer to that suggestion when a Vaipe leapt at us from on top of the fence. I dropped my sword and tried to shove Shaw out of the way, but he was just out of my arms reach. My telekinetic powers kicked in again and I brushed Shaw off to the side with my left hand as easily as sweeping dust from a shelf. With my right hand, I held the Vaipe in midair. It looked at me with such hatred and rage that I couldn’t help but scoff ever so slightly. Then I thrust my right arm as hard as I could, throwing the Vaipe into the fence knocking the wind out of it. Grabbing my sword again, I ran to the dazed monster. I hesitated for just one second, wondering if it was right to kill something that was knocked unconscious, when its eyes snapped open and it snarled at me, bracing for attack. The instinct to protect myself outweighed my moral debate, and I slashed it straight through heart. 
I turned back to Shaw, breathing hard. He stared at me with raised eyebrows and a slightly open mouth.
I smiled. “How can I go inside a house when clearly you need my help.” Shaw snorted a laugh. “Clearly.” He gathered up his bow and nodded for me to follow…

* * *

Thanks so much for the interview, Jennifer! It was awesome having you stop by :D 

Ok guys now it's time for.... 

A Giveaway!

The first book in the Future Savior series is coming out in print sometime this month, and Jennifer has offered to give away a SIGNED copy! **doing a happy dance** 

Enter using the Rafflecopter below. This giveaway is open to the US only and will run until next Friday, October 19.

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