About the Author:
A.K. Morgen lives in
Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband, three dogs, and demonic cat. She has a
graduate degree in Criminal Justice and Law, and plans to save the world some
day. When she’s not writing, she spends her time teaching her niece and nephews
how to cause mischief. You can also find her dancing in the grocery store,
building a spork army, and fundraising for nonprofits close to her heart
It is my
pleasure to put A. K. Morgen, Author of FADE and her latest in the Ragnarök Prophecy series FALL,
in the interview spotlight. Now let’s pick her creative brains and see what we
can dig up, shall we?
1.
1. Can you sum up in a line or two what
the Ragnarok Prophesies series is about? Does the story touch on Norse
Mythology?
"The Ragnarök
Prophesies series is about learning to trust yourself and letting go. Arionna
Jacobs and Dace Matthews have been sent by Odin to guard against the apocalypse
time and again, but their abilities have weakened while their enemies only grow
stronger. Time is running out. Ragnarök is coming. And Arionna and Dace don’t
even know where to begin fulfilling their destiny. How do you save the world
when you can't even save yourself? Norse mythology plays a big role in the
series, with many characters and myths from the Norse tales making an
appearance"
2. 2. What inspired this series?
"The series was inspired partly by
mythology, partly by wolves, and partly by my own desire to put these
characters in a modern world and see how they deal. I love mythology, but the
Norse myths are so complex, they tend to be overlooked by a lot of mythology
fans. I thought this series would be a fun way to introduce some of my favorite
characters in a way that makes them a little more relatable and real. We might
not be able to identify with saving the world, but I think we can all identify
with the lessons Ari and Dace learn along the way"
3. 3. My favorite question to ask: who would
play your main characters in a movie?
"You know, I asked my readers the same
question the other day, and they had a lot of interesting answers for me.
Personally speaking, I think Troian Bellasario would make a great Ari. She's
feisty, and could definitely stand up to Dace."
4. 4. Are some of the experiences in this
series based in some parts of your own life? Do your characters own any of your
traits?
"I started writing FADE after my
grandfather passed away, so I was really able to identify with Ari in that
regard. She loses her mom immediately before the series starts, and has to
learn to live again when her heart is mangled. That was a lesson my family had
to learn, and it can be pretty brutal. Beyond that, I think Ari shares my
stubborn streak. When I want something badly enough, I don't stop until I get
it. She's the same way, though she's
probably a little less of a pain in the butt than I am. I drove my parents
crazy as a kid, I really did."
5. Was there a lot of research involved in
writing this series?
"Oh, definitely. I researched Norse
mythology, wolf behavior, apocalypse myths, folklore, fairy tales… so many
different things have gone into the series, I've spent a lot of time buried in
research. I'm a total nerd for saying this, but researching is probably one of
my favorite things to do, so it’s not been a hardship or anything. :)"
Now
let’s find out more about Ayden
1. How long have you been writing?
"I started writing in the first grade,
when I realized that actual people wrote the books I loved. I published my
first book locally when I was twelve, and just haven't stopped writing
since."
2. What first inspired you to write?
"I wanted an elephant as a kid, but my
mom wouldn’t let me have one, so I wrote myself an elephant. I felt incredibly
defiant. It was nice. As I've grown older, the things that inspire me to write
have changed, but there's always been that hint of defiance, I think. I mean, I
mix Norse mythology with concepts of Christianity. I write about real Mexican
drug cartels, abuse… Anything that people maybe think shouldn't be done because
of the sensitive nature of the content, I like to find a way to do that's respectful
but realistic. People don't grow if their preconceived ideas aren't challenged
at least once in a while, right?"
3. What was your favorite book growing up?
"I loved the Wizard of Oz series. It's
still one of my favorites. I also loved reading the classics, Prince and the
Pauper, a Connecticut Yankee, the Iliad… I think I was born a nerd. :) One of
my favorite kid books was Goblins in the Castle. It was such a fun story!"
4. Besides your own, what is your favorite
book right now?
"I love Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series. I'm also a huge fan
of Sempre by J.M. Darhower. That
story absolutely wrecks me, but I can't stop reading it! I'm really excited to
dive into EVADE by Jessa Russo, the
second book in the EVER trilogy."
5. Can you give a tip or advice to new
writers?
"There will always be plenty of people
out there to tell you that you can't do it, or that you shouldn't do it. Ignore
those people and write anyway. Even if you only ever write for you, don't let
anyone else tell you what you can or can't do.
They're wrong."
Just for fun.
1. This question was recently inspired by
a Halloween interview I just did. If you had to play the lead role in a horror
flick/book, which one would it be?
"Oh my gosh, can I say none of them?! I
can't even watch horror movies without having nightmares. No way do I want to
actually be in one! If I absolutely have to choose, I'm going with Hocus Pocus. That one stopped being
scary to me a long time ago."
2. If you had to play the lead in a
romance movie, which one would it be?
"Tristan
and Isolde. I think
that is one of the most romantic, tragic stories ever told."
3. Has music inspired any part of
FADE/FALL? If so, which songs?
"Oh, yes! I'm a big music fan, so I
always have something playing when I write. Certain songs can help you focus on
a concept or feeling so well, I think. One of the songs I think fits the entire
series is Tears of an Angel by Ryandan. It's such a beautiful song."
4. What do you like to do besides write?
"I love to volunteer with organizations
whose causes speak to me. I also love to hike, watch ridiculous movies with the
husband, and teach my nieces and nephews things their mothers often want to
throttle me for teaching them. I mean, for two years my nephew thought Mommy
was spelled L-O-S-E-R. Do you have any idea how much fun I had with that?! Oh
man, my sister wanted to kill me. It was awesome. I also love to swim, dance, read, spoil my
animals, and cause mischief with my partners-in-crime. I love having fun. :)
Job wise, I work in the social work field. I help transition people from
nursing homes back into the community when that's a viable option. It's such a
rewarding career. I also work part time as a volunteer coordinator for the
Ronald McDonald House here. It's such an amazing organization."
5. Do you have other writing projects up
your sleeve?
"I do. Aside from the Ragnarök
Prophesies series, I'm working my way through a series based on the War Scroll,
which is one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. There's a lethal virus, fallen angels,
demons, and the possibility of the Christian apocalypse involved in that one.
I'm also editing my
way through a crime trilogy about a ballerina and an undercover DEA Agent
forced to team up to stop a dangerous new drug being manufactured by a crime
family in Seattle.
It's definitely an adult series though. It's pretty risqué."
How do you save someone who doesn't want
to be saved?
Those
called to stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free.
Now Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök
is coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.
Arionna
thought she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing
Dace apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it
threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.
It's
up to Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with
good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self destruction. This time,
Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself. Can she convince him to let
the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange for the
lives of the people she loves?
FALL – The Ragnarök Prophesies:
Book Two is now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
FADE – The Ragnarök Prophesies:
Book One is available now at Amazon US, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.
Blog Tour Giveaway:
