When I first started interview authors, I never thought I’d ever get to interview so many of my favorite authors.The Kitty Series by Carrie Vaughn is one of my favorite series, so please welcome Carrie to WLP. Don’t forget to check out Carrie’s Tour Dates, sadly no Canada dates. *sniffle* Next week I will be reviewing both of Carrie’s upcoming books!

WLP: Can you tell us in 2 sentences or less about Kitty Goes to War?

CV: In Kitty Goes to War, Kitty has to help a squad of werewolf war veterans adjust after they return home from Afghanistan.

WLP: Did your background (Military Brat) have any influence on Kitty Goes to War? Research?

CV: In the sense that I’ve always been sympathetic to people in the military because of my own family history — that influenced the book, definitely.  I had to do a lot of extra research, though, because my father was an officer in the Air Force, while my characters were Army Special Forces enlisted.  They’re two very different areas of the military, with different outlooks.

WLP: I have to ask, can we get a sneak peak on Kitty # 9? Maybe a little something that’s on the playlist? (Carrie always includes a playlist at the start of each Kitty novel)

CV: Kitty heads to San Francisco in Kitty 9 — I’d tell you the title but I’m still waiting for my editor to okay it.  It’s a good playlist, I think.  B-52′s “Mesopotamia” is on it, and P.J. Harvey’s “Down By the Water.”

WLP: What Character do you find is the hardest to write in the series?

CV: The vampire characters take a lot of work — I want them to be familiar and otherworldly at the same time.  I also try to work out at least some of the back story on most of my characters, and for vampires that have been alive for decades or centuries, that’s a lot of back story.

WLP: My readers & your fans would not be happy if I didn’t mention Cormac. I’m sure you’ve been asked millions of times, but why Ben?!

CV: Because that’s where the story led me.  It was the most interesting path for me to follow — put everyone in a difficult situation and see what happens, and that was what happened.  And because Cormac would never agree to have dinner with Kitty’s family.

WLP: You also have Discord’s Apple coming out in July as well, can you tell us a bit about that?

CV: Discord’s Apple is the story of Evie, a comic book writer who returns home when she learns that her father is dying.  She discovers a hidden treasure of mythical objects in the basement, and soon realizes that there are people — such as the goddess Hera — who would do anything to get some of those objects.  It’s a book about family, storytelling, mythology, the Trojan war, and the end of the world.

WLP: Which of all the stories/books you’ve written did you most enjoy writing?

CV: I don’t think I could pick a favorite — they all have their great moments, and their tough moments.  I usually like the one I’ve just written the best.

WLP: What is the one book you always go back to & re-read?

CV: The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.  It’s my comfort book.

WLP: What do you do to unwind after writing?

CV: Watch some TV, cook, read a book, work on my crafty stuff — I’m learning how to knit right now.

Quick question time:

1. Coffee or Tea?   Tea.
2. Mixed Drinks or Wine or Beer?   Wine.
3. Sweet or Spicy? Sweet.
4. Rock Music or Pop Music?   Rock.
5. E-Books or Paper?   Paper, but that may change soon.

WLP: Finally, name four things you can’t live without.

CV: Books, music, friends, family.

The coolest of cool –  Cassie at Tor/Forge has offered up TWO sets of books (Discord’s Apple & Kitty Goes To War) for two lucky readers! That’s right, you more than likely will have these two awesome books before they hit the stores!

Just tell us – Four things you cannot live without!

US/Canada Only Contest Runs until Friday June 18th at 12PM EST. Winners will be contacted.