31 Wicked Days of Xmas With Kevin Hearne

• What is next for you book wise in 2013?

In terms of what I’ll be working on, it’s the Star Wars novel featuring Luke Skywalker and book seven of the Iron Druid Chronicles. As far as publishing goes, I’ll be in two anthologies with Iron Druid stories (UNFETTERED and CARNIEPUNK) and book six, HUNTED, comes out in June.

• Do you have a favorite book of 2012?

I do, but it hasn’t been published yet. It’ll be out in summer of 2013. It’s called THE DARWIN ELEVATOR by Jason Hough. I loved it so much, wrote a blurb for it and all that. He’s going to be the next big thing.

• What is your favorite holiday food?

I love these soft orange cookies with white frosting that my mom makes. Om nom nom.

• Least favorite holiday song?

FUCKING LITTLE DRUMMER BOY! DIE, BOY, DIE!

• Do you have any holiday family traditions?

Traditionally we eat way too much. We always get the dogs new stuff to chase and take them to the dog park to run around till they drop. And we pillage our stockings on Christmas Eve, where it has somehow become a tradition to give me a bunch of shaving razors. I am allowed my modest Van Dyke, see, but the underlying subtext is that I am never, ever allowed to grow an epic fantasy author beard.

• Worst gift you ever received?

Cologne! Old Spice, too. For five years in a row from the same aunt. I never used a drop of it but never threw it away because I felt guilty. So I just collected Old Spice cologne in my medicine cabinet until she passed away and I felt it was safe to let it go.

• Worst gift you ever gave?

I think I gave somebody coupons once while I was in college. I was broke and in debt up to my gills and hoped the thought would count. “Look! I saved you so much time and money! It’s not as lame as it sounds!” It was.

• Favorite holiday memory?

Another one of my aunts—one who never gave me cologne, thank the gods—used to come over when we were kids and make all these homemade breads. We piled ‘em up with preserves and marmalade she’d also made from scratch. Beer bread, monkey bread, something different every day she stayed with us, and it smelled so good in the house.

• If you could share one lesser-known fact about yourself to our readers, what will it be?

I was once a singing waiter. There was this steak house that hired mostly vocal majors and somehow I passed the audition and scored a job there. I worked with some amazingly talented people. One of them, Brandon Jovanovich, is now one of the world’s greatest opera tenors. Another one, James Ward Byrkit, went on to do the story for the animated feature RANGO.

• Weirdest thing you collect?

Probably my HORDES miniatures. I collect the Circle Orboros figures. To people who aren’t into it, I’m sure miniature tabletop games seem bizarre and turbo-nerdy. I actually like painting the figures more than playing the game. The painting is a relaxing hobby.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Kevin is giving away a signed copy of Trapped. To enter, just tell Kevin what holiday song you hate! All giveaways end a week after the 13 Wicked Days of Xmas end. US/Canada ONLY.