Interview with Aria Kane (Once Upon a Darkness)

Thank you for joining me in the shadows. Pay no attention to that odd silhouette over there. Weird things live here.  Where do you hail from?
Thanks so much for having me! Haha, I’m guessing that’s supposed to be the softball question to start the interview, but it’s not an easy one for me. I’m a military brat so I grew up all over the southern United States – and Guam.
Tell me about your latest book. What makes it stand out from the crowd?
It’s a zombie retelling of Hansel & Gretel. But I should warn horror fans and comfort scaredy-cats (like me!) – it reads much more like an action adventure romance than a horror.
Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?
I’m actually working on something really new for me right now: a contemporary romance! I’ll let y’all know how it goes..
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
It’s going to suck for a while. But surround yourself with supportive people, even if it’s just virtually. Writer friends are like a shelter in the middle of a hurricane.
How did you deal with rejection letters? Any tips for unpublished writers?
Wine. Oh and friends. Who give you wine.
What tools of the trade are must-haves for you? 
The Save the Cat beat sheet.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to research a story?
It’s not crazy, but I did drag my sister around Stone Mountain at double speed because we only had two hours and I wanted to see as much as possible.
What do you like to read?
Any type of speculative fiction, YA, NA, romance.
Who is your favorite author and why? 
I’d have to say Tiffany Reisz. I adore both her and her books!
Now for the fun questions.  Let’s strip away the veil of invisibility. Do you have a day job alongside writing and will you tell us about it?
Haha, yeah, and then some. I am lucky enough to work a truly magical place: the library. I also do freelance work in the publishing industry.
If you weren’t a writer, what career might you have chosen?
I’m still waiting to discover that I’m a long-lost princess. Though I’d love to run a writer’s colony/retreat!
Who is your favorite superhero (or heroine)? Can be from a comic book, movie, novel, cartoon, video game or anywhere else heroes reign.
I’m a Wonder Woman fan. That girl kicks some serious ass.
Your favorite book hero?
Harry Dresden.
You finally have an evening free to spend any way you want. Money is no object. Where do you go? What would you do?
Hire a private plane. Fly all my friends to Italy for dinner. 😀 We *might* come back.
You’ve been gifted (or cursed) with the ability to shift into another form by a witch. What kind of shifter are you? Why?
With my luck, I’d become a cockroach or something. Though, if I could pick, I’d be a dragon!
Thanks so much for being my guest today! Anything else you’d like to share with my readers?  Don’t forget to give us links to your website etc.
Thanks again for having me at your blog! It’s been a blast. For your readers: Make sure to enter my giveaway below!
Bio:
Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. She lives in sunny Florida with a 60 lb mutt who thinks he’s a chihuahua. She is the author of ONCE UPON A DARKNESS and A TITAN FOR CHRISTMAS. You can learn more about her at ariakane.com
Website: http://www.ariakane.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/aria_kane
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ariakaneauthor
About Once Upon a Darkness:
Gretchen and her twin brother, Hank, were abandoned to a zombie horde when they were five years old. Intended to be a sacrifice by their zealot parents, they were instead rescued by The Company. Raised to become soldiers in the war against zombies, they now provide safe passage through danger zones, one contract at a time.
Clint’s only skill is war, but he’s weary of killing other men. When his contract with the Marines runs out, he takes a job on Gretchen’s team, hoping that the search-and-rescue life will suit him better.
On Clint’s second day, their four-man team is attacked, drugged, and taken to a prison full of frightened civilians. The only way in or out is by helicopter and, here, their enemies are human. One by one, the captives are culled from the holding area.  Rumors say the facility director uses the prisoners as experimental subjects for the testing of a zombie cure.
When Hank is taken, Clint and Gretchen must put aside their personal feelings and find a way out of the prison, surrounded by thousands of starving zombies, before Hank becomes just one more disposable guinea pig in the hands of a twisted mad woman.
Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway