Virtual Book Tour [Interview] Cassie Scot by Christine Amsden

Cassie Scot
by Christine Amsden
New Adult / Paranormal Romance/ Mystery
Date Published: 5/15/2013

Synopsis: Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Author Christine Amsden

If you could travel in a time machine where would you go back to the past or into the future?

The future! As a speculative fiction writer, I tend to think more about what might happen than what has happened. Don't get me wrong – I'd love to see if parts of the past happened as recorded or if we got bits of it wrong. My gut says we don't know as much about the past as we think we do. But we've at least got some clues going that direction. The future, on the other hand, could be anything at all!

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Assuming I'm not allowed a boat (since I'm stranded) then I would want: 1.) A really good looking man with tons of survival skills. 2.) Blank paper and a pen. 3.) Chocolate.

What is one book everyone should read?

No such thing! Seriously, and I say this as a writer who would love lots and lots of people to read her book, but there is no book in existence that everyone should read. We're all too different. And when a million different people read a book that book becomes a million different stories inside their heads. Some of those million stories aren't so good. So you have to be careful about recommending books to “everyone.” When I talk about a “must read” I use context. Something like, “If you love urban or paranormal fantasy, you really must read my book, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective!” :)

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

I want to fly. I know it's corny and probably not the most useful one, but it sounds like so much fun! The main character in my new novel (in progress) turns into a bird and I suppose this si why.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

I've never had a favorite food that I couldn't learn to hate if I ate it too many times in a row, so I eat something different for breakfast every day of the week: Cereal, parfait, oatmeal, French toast, bagel with peanut butter, and whatever strikes me on the weekends.

What book are reading now?

I just finished Jayne Ann Krent's latest psychic mystery novel.

What’s your favorite season/weather?

Spring! It smells so good.

What was your favorite children's book?

The Monster at the End of this Book

Any pet peeves?

Authors who withhold relevant information when they are in the point of view of the character who knows the information. It's annoying and creates nothing but false drama. If you're writing a mystery, write a mystery – that is to say, the main character is trying to figure it out and we're doing the same thing right alongside. But, “She refused to think about her past or all the reasons she was unsuitable to marry a man like Bob.” Okay...but if I don't know why then you've lost me because how can I care if I don't get it? That's just one example – I can go on and on about this. (And have on my blog!)

Beach or Pool?

Pool. I don't like getting sand in my unmentionable areas.

M&M’s Or Skittles?

Ew! I'm a chocolate snob. You got to give me Lindt or I can't play. :)

Favorite Icecream?

Homemade. (Not that I have time to make it all that often but when I do...yum!)

If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

Since I just finished Jayne Ann Krentz's latest Arcane Society novel, I'll go with that. It's not drastically different from the real world, but I'd get to have psychic powers. It's not my favorite world, but my favorite worlds tend to be dark or dystopian and as much as I like to read about them, I wouldn't want to live there!

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?

Yes! Plenty! Cassie Scot is the first in a four-part series that is done. The sequels will all be out in the next year or so. I'm currently revisiting Mind Games, book three, after getting notes from my editor. In addition, two minor characters from the Cassie Scot series demanded spin-offs of their own. Cassie's story is over in four books, but you may find you need a bit more closure in terms of her friends Madison and Kaitlin. I will be working on those books soon. I took a break from the series to work on something else and to see how sales went. They're going well, so I believe there will be enough demand for the spin-offs to get to work on them. In the meantime, I'm writing a book about dreamwalkers, and that's as much as I'll say about it until it's done.

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

When she's not writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing, usually at Savvy Authors. She also offers professional editing services. She maintains a book review blog on her website with occasional writing tips thrown in for the fun of it.

Christine lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two children.