SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH KATIE REUS
Katie Reus is the popular New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of numerous paranormal and contemporary romances. I first became a fan when I read her first werewolf book in her Moon Shifter series. Her sexy heroes and high intensity stories got my attention!
But she also writes about tough, human alpha heroes in her Red Stone Security, Sin City and Deadly Ops series. Who-hoo!
Where does she get her ideas and what else does she have in store for us?!
1) What makes writing romance so special to you?
Kate Reus: I simply love the genre. There are so many wonderful romance books out there and though the genre is often looked down upon in literary circles (heh, like we care), it takes up a huge place in the fiction market. The majority of romance is read by and written by women and I feel like I’m in such amazing company. At this point in my life and career I don’t want to be writing anything else.
2) I'm so glad you found writing! Your romances are so exciting to read!! Where do you come up with your ideas? Do you think your degree in psychology gives you better insight into your characters?
Kate Reus: Thank you! My ideas usually stem from a single scene idea then from there I plot, plot, plot. That’s the toughest part, making sure there’s enough romance and suspense and finding that right balance. The kernel of an idea can be found anywhere, from music lyrics, to a news headline.
I love reading and writing about people and dissecting their motivation through their background and life experiences. I already had my degree when I figured out I wanted to be a writer so I can’t say for certain, but yes, I think having a background in psychology has probably been a help.
3) I never thought of that! Okay, you write so many books a year. (Yeah!) While a lot of authors are lucky to have one published. How do you keep yourself motivated and on track? Do you hide yourself in a cool hermit-like cave like batman?!
Kate Reus: Really, I’m just organized and have a really strong drive to write. It’s not difficult to stay motivated when I love what I do. At the beginning of every year I sit down and map out what books I want to write then just go from there. Then when I’m working on a project I have a detailed outline so I know what I’ll be working on day to day (obviously that can change but the core story is there for me). By now I have a general idea how long it takes to finish a book or novella and how many words I need to write a day to hit my deadlines so that helps too. And I reevaluate my publishing goals every few months. My original schedule from this past January changed but the amount of books I planned to publish hasn’t.
Ha, I just have a regular office that looks nothing like the bat cave ;)
4) I read that you started reading from your mom's stash of books? What types of books were your favorites and why?
Kate Reus: Contemporary romance and why is because that’s all she had, lol. But she also took my sister and me to the library weekly where I stocked up on Nancy Drew and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on.
5) I love, Love, LOVE your Moon Shifter series! Do you have a plan on how the series will end? (Please say it ain't so!) Can you give us a sneak peek?!
Kate Reus: Thank you! I love my Moon Shifter world. As of now, no, I have no plans on how the series will end. There are more stories I still want to tell.
6) I thought you only had one shifter series but discovered your Darkness series on your website! Can you tell us what sets it apart from your Moon Shifter series? Will this series ever be sold together as a set?
Kate Reus: The Moon Shifter world is set in a reality where supernatural beings came out to humans twenty years ago and in the Darkness series, my characters are all still very much living in secret. That’s really the main difference between the two series (plus there are demons, dragons and demi-gods/gods in my Darkness world, lol). Because of that, my characters face very different external threats.
Yes, it’s possible I’ll sell the Darkness books as box sets eventually.
7) Cool! In addition to paranormal romances, you also write several thrilling, action-packed contemporary romances. In fact, you have your Deadly Ops book, Edge of Danger out in Nov 2015. What makes this book so special?
Kate Reus: This is one of my favorite Deadly Ops books. The hero kidnaps the heroine the first time they ‘meet’ so it really starts off with a bang. And this woman who is basically a civilian manages to escape him and his trained men (temporarily). She was such a fun heroine to write because while she’s not as physically trained as the hero, she’s smart and uses her strengths to her advantage. Edge of Danger is incredibly fast-paced and intense and the H/h have to overcome their issues while basically trying to save hundreds of thousands of people from getting killed by extremists.
8) Sounds super intense! I like that your books feature so much tough alpha men. Many are government or military men. How do you research to make them feel so realistic? Do you have your very own alpha hero?!
Kate Reus: Thanks! I often utilize my best resource for research; my husband. He was in the Marine Corps and is now in law enforcement so a lot of questions (re: weapons, etc.) I can simply ask him to make sure I get stuff right. For things he doesn’t know I either ask one of his friends or co-workers. He has friends/contacts in various branches of law enforcement and different military branches so I have vast resources I can reach out to. I also use the Internet and books (I have so many books on law enforcement!) but I prefer to get the ‘okay’ from real people before putting stuff in my books. That said, I still use creative license, especially with my Deadly Ops series. So much of that is pure fiction.
9) I found out that you also write ultra smok'in hot books under the pen name Savannah Stuart! Is it fun to let out your sexier side out? Why did you choose another identity!?
Kate Reus: I haven’t written a Savannah book in a while (not enough hours in the day!) but I hope to get back to her one day. Originally I wanted to differentiate between my hotter stuff and my mainstream stuff so readers had a clear line on what to expect when picking up a Katie or Savannah book.
10) That makes sense! So....I gotta know more! What else have you planned for us in 2016?!
Kate Reus: You can expect more books in the following series’: Red Stone Security, Darkness, Serafina: Sin City, Deadly Ops and… potentially some surprises. I keep my website and newsletter updated so just be on the lookout! I don’t want to commit to more until I’ve got my schedule ironed out.
That is a lot to look forward to! This interview has been one of my highlights on this website. Thank you so much for honoring us with your time!
Kate Reus: Thank you so much for having me here!
Interviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
For Additional Information Check Katie Reus at:
Website: http://katiereus.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katiereus
Sign up for Katie's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/jEABv
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1563059.Katie_Reus
Recent and Upcoming Books by Katie Reus:
Edge of Danger
Deadly Ops Series: Book 4
Release date: November 3, 2015
When an assassin tries to kill undercover DEA agent Tucker Pankov the same week his boss is taken out, Tucker has good reason to be paranoid. And when other members of his elite team are not only targeted, but stripped of top-secret security clearance, Tucker has one shot at discovering who wants them dead—and why. So he kidnaps the only woman he thinks can save them.
Brilliant NSA analyst Karen Stafford doesn’t like being forced into anything, especially by someone she doesn’t trust. Yet after a hijacked US-owned drone starts attacking government installations resulting in mass casualties, Karen has to take Tucker’s side. Now, two unlikely allies must unite to prevent an escalating and unthinkable terrorist conspiracy. But as Tucker and Karen grow intimate, they realize the conspiracy runs deep, and their enemies are closer than anyone realized.
Shattered Duty
Deadly Ops Series: Book 3
Release date: June 2, 2015
When his wife was murdered two years ago, Special Agent Levi Lazaro turned his back on everything he cared about. Ever since, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. Now he’s finally uncovered the identities of those who killed his wife—and he’s ready to destroy them at any cost. He won’t let anything stand in his way—not even a beautiful NSA agent on a mission of her own.
Special Agent Selene Wolfe prides herself on being the best. Her fearlessness and quick-thinking make her the perfect person to take down a deadly terrorist cell. But she needs Levi’s help, and the moment he shows up, Selene knows her objectivity—and her heart—are in trouble.
As the two strike an uneasy alliance, Levi finds himself tormented by his desire for Selene—a feeling he thought long dead. But when their mission takes an unexpected turn, he finds himself faced with an impossible choice: either put aside his need for revenge, or save the woman who’s reawakened his soul…
Retribution
Release Date: May 12, 2015
She sees brief glimpses of the future…
Nika and Alena Brennan will do anything to kill a vicious Russian crime boss and they’re using his only son to get to him. Yet when the time comes to execute their plan, psychic Nika hesitates due to an unexpected entanglement with sexy security expert Declan Gallagher. When her sister is kidnapped and all their carefully laid plans go awry, Nika must depend on Declan and her mortal enemy’s son to get her sister back.
He invades her dreams and teases her with sensual pleasures…
As a dream walker, Declan is capable of seeing anyone’s innermost thoughts as they sleep. With Nika, however, he finds himself playing a deadly, seductive game. He knows she’s not who she says she is and he’s determined to find out the real reason she’s in Miami before she gets herself or someone else killed.
Time is running out…
Nika’s window of opportunity is closing to save her sister and find a way to protect their secrets without landing them both in jail. With innocent lives at stake, Nika must decide if the retribution she’s waited a lifetime for is worth losing the man who has won her heart.
Chasing Danger -Part of Deadly Ops series ebook
Release date: April 21, 2015
Chief Nursing Officer Hannah Young is accustomed to working under pressure, but even she’s still reeling in the aftermath of a horrific terrorist attack on Miami. And things only get worse after a knife wielding maniac tries to kill her. Desperate for help, Hannah must turn to the one man she never thought she’d see again.
After spending an intensely passionate night with Hannah, NSA Agent and former Delta Force operative Dax Costas fell off the face of the earth. He got called away for a two week mission with no way to contact her. Now he can’t get the smart, sexy woman out of his head. She might be angry at him, but when it appears she has a stalker, Dax moves her under his roof and into his protection.
Unfortunately, whoever wants Hannah dead will stop at nothing. And if Dax can’t identify the perpetrator in time, it could be too late to discover if there is more between him and Hannah than just heated passion…
Beyond the Darkness
Release date: March 3, 2015
Now that she has her freedom, she’s not giving it up.
Dragon shifter Keelin Petronilla spent centuries in forced hibernation dreaming of one thing: freedom. Now she’s living life on her terms—she’s ditched her clan for an unruly wolf pack, she tends bar for a half-demon, and she’s loving it…until a powerful supernatural being targets her. She intends to handle the mysterious attacks on her own…without the help of dragon Alpha Bran Devlin. Sure, he’s sexy in that hot, scowling possessive way, but Keelin wants to live her own life in her own way.
Now that he’s found his mate, he’s not letting her go.
Former black ops agent Bran Devlin is a born dragon Alpha and leader of a fierce clan. Getting mated was never part of his plan—until a feisty dragon princess gets under his skin in a big way. The hell of it is, she doesn’t want a mate; she just wants to have a good time. He plays along, but when a dark and powerful being marks her for death, he’s determined to stay by her side in spite of her protests. Now that he’s found his mate, he means to keep her safe no matter what the cost…even if he has to risk it all.