Interview with Katie Groom, author of paranormal romance Fixed Moon
After breaking her engagement and traveling 800 miles to start her life over, literature student Zoie is ready to live her life within the books she reads and the worlds she creates on the page. She will live her life solo — only her stuffed animal Judy by her side.
Werewolf and literature professor Hugh has long been wary of letting people into his life, even for someone who’s almost 200. His life in Birmingham, Alabama, and his only two friends in the world are enough to keep him content. Not happy, but as near as he figures is possible.
Neither is ready for the literal sparks that fly when they meet. But Hugh knows those sparks mean his heart belongs to Zoie, whether she wants it or not. Desperate to prove he’s worthy of her, Hugh takes Zoie to places mortals are forbidden, drawing dangerous attention to them both.
Now, together with their closest friends, Hugh and Zoie fight against ancient foes and even more ancient laws for their lives and their love.
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Excerpt from Fixed Moon
Stevie placed her hands in front of her as if she was holding a big beach ball and closed her eyes. The boat shook ever so slightly and then the water started to rise above the sides of the boat.
Terrified that they were going to take on water, Zoie latched onto Hugh’s arm. She watched as either the water continued to rise above the boat or, maybe, the boat was sinking below the water.
As the water arched over their heads and created a ceiling, a fish fell at their feet. “Do I release it back or will that be an issue?” Zoie picked it up and waited for the signal — a nod from Stevie. Then she tossed it back towards the wall of water before it wiggled out of her hands.
The boat travelled further down into the depths of the ocean, slowly at first — as Stevie gauged Zoie’s potential reaction to increased pressure around the boat. The water grew a darker and darker blue until the only light was what was held in their own bubble.
Zoie was standing at the edge of the boat, holding the railing, when she saw a small light. She leaned forward to get a better look. Squinting her eyes, she tried to make out what was holding the light. She leaned further forward only to be inches from the wall of water — and inches from many rows of giant, pointy teeth.
Jumping back, she gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.
An Interview with Katie Groom
-What inspired you to become a writer?
There’s a song by Hanson called “Dancin’ in the Wind” that has the song lyric “This music is a place to hide”. Writing is kind of like that for me. These words are a place to hide. I’ve never quite felt like I fit in anywhere, and I always felt like I was behind everyone else in my age group by about five years (for example, I liked to play pretend a long time beyond anyone else would admit to). Writing is a way for me to escape, but it’s also a way to play pretend as an adult that’s acceptable – hahaha! So I think that I started writing and continued to write because I love to live in magical worlds and pretend that I can escape the world I’ve never quite fit into.
-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
Probably go to the tavern and sit in a corner and people watch! I’d definitely hope to have my laptop or tablet with me so that I can write when someone or something strikes the inspiration cord!
-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
Hugh, after a few too many pints of Guinness, may reveal that he’s worried that he’s losing his connection to Scotland. The older that he gets, the less he remembers from when he was mortal, and he had never imagined that he wouldn’t be a stubbornly proud Scot, but, slowly, he’s losing his connection. He hasn’t been to visit in decades — nearly a century — and his parents had no other children, so he has no ancestors to connect with.
Zoie, exhausted from lack of sleep, may reveal that she feels like a terrible daughter. She was closer to her father, always, and Zoie was always bitter that he was taken from her prematurely instead of her mother. It made her angry for many, many years, and she took it out on her mother. They were never able to become close, and Zoie feels that some things could have happened differently if she had made an effort to build a relationship with her mother. She regrets this.
-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
Most people that know me assume that the answer to this would be Hugh. I created him to protect me while I was in a relationship that I didn’t feel safe in. And, while that would be lovely, I really think I would pick Zhenga. She knows so much about the magical world and it’s history. She truly loves magic and learning about it, so she knows the little details that others wouldn’t — she’s kind of a nerd about it. She just has a wealth of knowledge about the world that I created that I probably don’t even know is there!
-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
Buy him a drink as a a peace offering and pray it works. I am not trained for battle or weaponry and would certainly lose. Plus, I honestly don’t like confrontation.
-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
Business/Economics. I have pretty much ZERO knowledge in this field. Really, most of the non-fiction realm would be a no for me because I just don’t feel that I have enough knowledge in anything to do it justice.
About Katie Groom
Katie Groom grew up in rural Pennsylvania, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from PITT and her master’s in Employment and Labor Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2016, she decided to move to Alabama in order to avoid as much snow as possible (and to advance her career in Human Resources).
When she isn’t working, Katie enjoys reading, writing, jokingly critiquing movies and TV, and campaigning that the plural of moose should be meese. She also loves to take in live music (especially Hanson) and traveling, with the goal of reaching each of the continents. Katie’s favorite pastime, however, is spending time with her beloved Shih tzu, Delta.
Giveaway
Katie Groom will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
Looks like a very interesting book that I would love.
Thank you for sharing your interview, bio and book details, Fixed Moon sounds like an awesome story and I am looking forward to reading it. If given the chance, would you like to see your book made into a movie and if so, who is in your dream cast?
Great interview! The book sounds exciting!