We conducted an exclusive interview with Teyla Branton, a lover of books since childhood, to find out about her work as an author, to learn about her latest book entitled The Takeover, and to get some insights into her upcoming work. Let’s get onto what Teyla had to say.
Hello Teyla and welcome to e-Books India! We are delighted to have you join us for this interview! Please tell us about you. Where are you from, what is your professional experience and how did you become an author?
I’m from Utah (United States) and I started publishing books about twenty years ago. I published dozens of books with a couple traditional publishers, and in 2012, I started dabbling in indie publishing. I’m also a book editor, and I work with MyBookCave, promoting other author’s books.
What types of books do you write?
Under Teyla Branton I write what is typically called urban fantasy, but really should be called contemporary fantasy. I also write contemporary romance under the name Rachel Branton.
Your most recent book is entitled The Takeover, which is the fifth instalment in your Unbounded series. Can you please tell us about the overall Unbounded series concept and about The Takeover?
Think Highlander mixed with the X-Men. Unbounded is a blend of science fiction and contemporary fantasy. My characters live 2,000 years, and each one has an inherited ability. They can absorb instead of eat, and their metabolism repairs their bodies quickly. The only way they can die is if all their focus points are severed.
There are two factions of Unbounded, one that protects humanity and one that want to control and enslave the world. There is also mortal group of Hunters, who want to eliminate everyone with the active Unbounded gene. At the beginning of the series, the world has no idea Unbounded exist, but that changes later.
The Takeover is the final battle between the warring faction, and the prize on the line is the fate of humanity. There is a strong thread romance in the series (all great books have some romance!), but the focus is definitely on the fighting and action.
Out of all the books you’ve written, is there one you really enjoyed writing in particular? If so, can you please tell us what was special about this book?
You know, asking this is like asking me which of my seven children I like the best! I like each for a different reason. But of my published works, I really have a partiality to The Reckoning, the 4th book in the Unbounded series because my characters have grown to a point where they are very unique, and in the final battle, they succeed only when each of them contributes their ability. Perhaps even more important, my main character’s greatest weakness becomes her greatest strength. I love the idea of changing the way we think of our weaknesses.
Are you working on any other books(s)? If so, can you please tell us what we can expect from you in the future?
Absolutely. But if I told you about a specific plot, I’d have to kill you, and I’m really running out of places to hide bodies!
Seriously, though, I’m working on a contemporary romance under Rachel Branton called House Without Lies (coming in February 2016), and a new sci-fi/fantasy series with a police sketch artist as the main character. I can’t wait until it’s out, but that probably won’t be for another year.
From your experiences as an author, could you please share 2-3 important pieces of advice to help beginner authors who dream of seeing their work published?
1. Read as much as you can in the genre you want to write. Then read other genres. Then read some more. Oh, and did I mention read?
2. Get feedback from friends, strangers, people you pass on the street, and other authors. Go to writers group and conferences and make connections. Attend writing workshops. Learn the ropes, especially grammar, plot, characterization, and pacing. There are no shortcuts.
3. Never, ever give up.
How can people find out more about you?
Joining my newsletter is the best way to find out about new books or to receive special notices from blog: https://teylarachelbranton.com/subscribe.
There is also more information on my website: https://teylarachelbranton.com.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India. He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]