Saturday, July 5, 2014

The Last Innocent, by K. Chrisbacher


  

Indie Author Spotlight:  

The Last Innocent, by K. Chrisbacher

From Amazon:

Twenty-two-year-old Sarah Croshen’s life changes when the police kill an intruder in her house and she meets the handsome detective David Galpren. From there, the truth quickly unravels. She is a veiled Innocent and the world is not at it seems. Winged angels? Demons from Hell? Supreme mortals with supernatural abilities? Preposterous! But when a demon prince kidnaps her best friend, Sarah must fulfill a destiny she never asked for, or risk her friend’s life.


My Take:

The Last Innocent is exciting, and its take on angel and demon lore is interesting, especially the demi-demons and their daily influence on man.  Very creepy.

The characters are well-drawn.  The good guys are brave and self-sacrificing without being too perfect.  The villain is terrifyingly charming.  Other characters lie in fascinating shades of gray.  Sarah, our heroine, is strong and a little sassy, and her wit acts as a perfect balance for the weight of the problems she faces. 

The Last Innocent teems with inner struggles, searches for identity, and forbidden love.  K. Chrisbacher's skillful writing lets us experience all this tension and uncertainty right along with the characters, and the edge-of-your-seat final conflict left me wanting more.


If you like angels, demons, and cosmic struggles, you'll love this book.
  

Exclusive Interview with the Author, K Chrisbacher:

1)  What was your favorite scene to write in The Last Innocent?

That’s a hard one. Hmmm… Can I have two favorites? I really enjoyed the library scene where Sarah first sees David in spirit form, when Shagah uses her abilities to boost Sarah’s empathic energies. My imagination soared at what a Warrior angel would look like. It took a few rewrites to finally capture on paper what my mind’s eye saw, but reading other people’s reaction to the scene, I think I did it justice.

My second favorite scene would have to be the one between Graeme and Balthazar in the “Roll the Dice” chapter. I found that as time progressed, I really got a kick out of Graeme McCleod’s character. As for Balthazar, I stressed over him for quite a while. Of course, this scene is Balthazar’s first appearance in the story and so I wanted it to be a pretty big moment while staying realistic. Once I started, though, the scene, and honestly the whole chapter, just wrote itself. But really, I just loved the whole smarmy, evilness to Balthazar and how Graeme McCloud’s façade of confidence was shaken to the core at this encounter. I think that’s when I really fell for Graeme. He’s not as tough as he wants us to believe.

2)  Sarah, the main character, has a lot of clever and sometimes sarcastic lines.  Did you spend a lot of time writing these retorts, or did they come out naturally?

Funny you should ask this. These lines came quite naturally. This is definitely one of my own character traits that I mirrored for my female protagonist.

3)  Did you do a lot of research for the book?  It really sounds like you know your stuff.

Thank you. I think there might just be as many hours of research into the whole story line as there are hours spent writing it. I have SO many references, pages and pages that I am constantly looking over. I definitely need to find a better way to keep my notes and references more organized.

4)  What's been the most challenging thing about writing/publishing?

Oh, boy. Do we have enough time? I made just about every novice mistake there is when I first started. Hindsight is 20-20. I actually wrote a blog on my website dedicated to my novice errors. But mostly I would boil it down to my lack of education in grammar that’s proven to be my biggest hindrance. English was never my strength in school. And I never took a creative writing class until after I wrote my first manuscript—which is boxed and hidden under my bed. I found out the hard way, creative writing is not easy. Couple that with very poor grammar skills and that’s a recipe for challenge for sure. I’m better now, but in the scheme of things, I still struggle with grammar (as my critique partners can attest).

5)  What's the thing you like best about writing?

Being able to live out the movie that plays in my head. Like a motion picture that I can stop and start at will. A wonderful place that I wish I never had to leave. My desire to share these (stories) with the world is what drove me to writing to begin with. It wasn’t enough for me to enjoy it all by myself anymore. I felt compelled to put it down on paper and share it with everyone. The feeling of watching it take on a life of its own is addicting. Being a part of something bigger than yourself is truly wonderful. The editing part is the not-so-fun part, but I think it’s worth it in the end.

6)  What are some other Urban Fantasy books that you enjoy?

Urban Fantasy is a sub-genre that can encapsulate versions of: speculative fiction, dystopian, suspense, thriller, romance, etc. It is a form of fantasy that stays close to a “real world” feel with elements of the supernatural, and typically written in an urban setting. My favorite authors would be Dave Stern’s, Tomb Raider series, and Neil Gaiman’s, Neverwhere.

7)  Some people aren't familiar with the "New Adult" genre.  Could you explain it a little?

To me, New Adult is that amazingly magical age where a person is now legal, more than likely done with school, and is looking for that one last big adventure before career and life starts to get in the way.

I think it’s a perfect fit for mature teens who are looking for the next level, but not ready for the heavier “grown-up” themes. The college age group who loves the YA feel, but yearns for a bit more than what the typical YA novels offers. And finally, for the older young-at-heart group who are looking to fondly recapture that wonderful age of innocence (no pun intended).

8)  What are you writing now?

Book two of Dimensions: PROPHECY

9)  How can people contact you?

Through my website at: www.kchrisbacherauthor.weebly.com

Buy The Last Innocent at Amazon.
Also available at other online e-book retailers.


More About K. Chrisbacher:

Although raised in Arizona's "Wild West" K. Chrisbacher longed for the mountains. So in 2013, after her children had flown the coop, she fulfilled her lifelong dream and moved to the mountains of Arkansas. She now lives with her husband and two dogs on their sprawling 19 acres they lovingly refer to as "Acorn Acres."

K. Chrisbacher didn't realize her passion for writing until she turned 44, when quite by accident she put pen to paper (more like fingertips to keyboard) and began to write out the stories that danced around in her imagination. Since then she's written two manuscripts-- the second of which is her debut novel The Last Innocent -- with two more in the works. Becoming a successful published author has become her goal in life.


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