1. What's one book you remember reading in high school? What stood out for you during or after reading it?
I loved the books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, namely Hawksong, the start of her Kiesha’ra series. I also fell in love with Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak series. I’ve just always loved paranormal books, and these two authors really captured my heart. They had memorable characters and stories that have stuck with me to this day, and their books still have a place on my shelf.
2. What aspect of your book 'One Bullet' are you most proud of?
I’m proud that I stuck to my guns - so to speak - and kept it sex free. It’s a problem I have, as a reader, to find romance books with little to no sex in them. I’m of the opinion that if it doesn’t move the plot forward or develop the characters further, then you don’t need it. You want sex (without plot)? Read an erotic novel. No, my style of writing is sweet romances, filled with fluff and low angst, because that’s what I like to read, and there’s not enough out there.
3. How do you choose the names of your characters?
I have visited many baby name sites, and name generators. I think about things like meanings and nationality, but in the end it has to be something I like as well.
4. If you could have a drink or a meal with one contemporary television character, who would it be?
I honestly don’t watch much TV these days, at least not fictional shows. I mainly watch History Channel, Discovery, Food Network, Spike, etc. Hmm, that said, I guess I’d love to hang out with Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) for a day. We could geek out together and talk science. It’d be great!
5. Let's say your book was being made into a film. Who would you cast in the main three or four character roles?
Oh, wow, talk about dream come true. It’s totally not weird that I’ve thought about this, right? Maybe it’s because I studied film in college, but I’m always thinking very visually as I write, so it’s inevitable, I guess. That said, Shawn would have to be Cole Hauser. Ethan is a harder one - maybe Jensen Ackles? Finally, Warren Kole would be perfect for Davies. That would be the main cast, really. You’ve got siblings and Ethan’s friends, but those would be the three guys we see the most. (Though, I vote Scarlett Johansson as Sophia.)
6. Which one of your own characters would you most like to have a real-life conversation with? Why?
I think Davies and I need to hang out and just talk shit about people. It’d be amusing, if nothing else.
7. What do you love most about writing stories?
Getting a chance to write the stories I want to read. Really, I just love telling stories and sharing them with others. The hope is that people enjoy what I do, and maybe find some solace from our crazy world for a short time.
8. Thank you so much for your time! For our last question, could you tell us a little bit about your upcoming projects?
I’ve been working on an urban fantasy trilogy. The first book is finished - I’ve just been cleaning it up to send it off to the publisher - and I’m still plugging away on the next two (yes, I’ve been insanely working on all three at once). It’s a modern fantasy world where all sorts of other races live openly alongside humans - mages, witches, vampires, werecreatures, elves, dwarves, etc. The books follow the same group of friends, though each one focuses on a different couple within the group. Together, they’re trying to stop the evil organization known as the Inquisition, which will take them on something of a modern day version of the epic quest.
You can find Casey's website here.