Interview with TORTURED SOULS author Kimber Leigh Wheaton PLUS Giveaway

It's almost Friday, folks! I'm excited to get to the weekend. How about you? Well, let's make the wait more interesting by chatting with author Kimber Leigh Wheaton as part of her blog tour for TORTURED SOULS.

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.

Hi, Kimber! Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us about TORTURED SOULS. What’s the story about?

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

Spooky! How did the idea of the story come to you?

I’ve always been obsessed with the paranormal, especially ghosts. One night I was watching A Haunting on TV, and I thought writing about a physical medium would be interesting. I thought about it for a few weeks, and ultimately came up with the idea for the Orion Circle, a group of teenage paranormal investigators.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I suppose I’m a pantser—I gave up on written outlines long ago. Before starting a novel, I meditate off and on for several weeks, getting to know the characters and the world. Plot ideas come and go in my mind, until I have a rough idea of the full plot. Individual scenes aren’t planned in advance but kind of flow as I write.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The beginning of each chapter is the hardest for me to write. I’m sure that comes from being a pantser. Without an outline, I’m flying blind. Sometimes I just start typing and hope for the best.

Sounds like a plan. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Diet Coke

What are you reading right now?

Evolution: HEX by S.A. Huchton

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I want to be a shapeshifter with the ability to change into any animal I like at any time.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I’m sure it was something Mommy related when my son was either an infant or toddler. I know I Googled whether orange and purple stuff was normal in a diaper. For the record—yes it is normal. Those baby food carrots and beets will cause it.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence:  envelope, torture, remind.

Remind me not to use my tongue to moisten the envelope since the resulting paper cut is always pure torture.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

playing video games

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thank you to everyone who helped me get Tortured Souls ready for publication. The first self-pubbed book is the hardest. I didn’t realize just how many hoops my publisher jumps through until I took it on myself. Thanks to all the bloggers who have helped me promote my new release. Thanks to my family for listening to me talk about writing for endless, boring hours.

Thanks for joining us on the blog, Kimber. It was a pleasure taking part in your blog tour. Good luck with the book!

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