Kristie Cook

Like Alexis, my main character in the Soul Savers Series, I was the perennial new kid. With my dad being in the Air Force, my mom said to have Gypsy blood and split custody between the two, I moved around. A lot. In the middle of third grade, I moved in with my mom just outside Washington, DC. The school district, Montgomery County, was—and still is—one of the best in the country. At 8 years old, I went from being top-in-class to the meh student. But then we were assigned to write a short story. I wrote about gnomes and I was the only kid in the entire class to get an A on the assignment. That’s when I fell in love with writing. And in love with the fantasy genre.

 

Ever since, when published books didn’t provide an effective escape, I wrote my own stories. At least, their beginnings. I rarely finished one, not understanding then how to plot or develop characters. I started college for an English degree, but then became practical and decided I wasn’t meant to write fiction. I just didn’t have a novel in me, I told myself. I’m meant to use my talent for business. I finished my degree in marketing. My jobs always consisted of writing, primarily marketing communications, although I did a stint as a newspaper editor. It was just as well – as the mother of three boys active in every sport, I just didn’t have any free time to indulge in fiction.

But then something changed. My oldest got his driver’s license, taking over some of my Mom’s Taxi duties. All three kids settled into a favorite activity, significantly reducing the chaos of practices and games. I actually found myself with free time. I devoured all the hot paranormal fantasies and they sparked my desire to start writing fiction again. Still not believing I had a whole novel in me, I just planned to dabble, have some fun just for myself. But wham! As soon as I made the decision to start writing for fun, Alexis’s story hit me. Hard. I haven’t been the same since.

 

The first two stories in the Soul Savers Series, Promise and Purpose, are now available and the third, Devotion, comes out February 2012. A side story, Genesis, releases October 2011. There are many more to come. Once I realized I could write a full novel, the flow of ideas has been relentless. Writing and publishing have become my passion and my purpose. I am meant to do this. I hope to help other writers realize their dreams and live their purposes, too.

 

I love hearing from and connecting with fans, readers and other writers. Find me here:

 

Email: kristie@kristiecook.com