K.C. Neal
Author of Pyxis
Check out her blog: here
Check out her facebook: here


Welcome K.c! K.c is the author of the upcoming novel Pyxis coming out this October published by Stonegate Ink! (:









What is your favorite time of day?I think I have to pick two! I love being up early, when the sun is just rising and the day isn't in full swing yet. There's something about early morning that makes me feel the day is full of potential. And I also love dusk, the time just after sunset when colors look more saturated and everything slows down a bit.

What is your favorite food?PIZZA. I have no self-control when it comes to pizza.

What is your favorite color?Blue - I love every shade from aqua to navy. It's so soothing.

If you could describe yourself in three words, what words would you use? Independent, contemplative, and purposeful.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My background is in chemistry and physics, and I have a Master's in Health Sciences. I work full-time as a Medical Writer. In my free time, I do a lot of writing and reading. I take ballet classes, and I spend tons of time gardening spring through fall.I learned how to surf many years ago - SO much fun - and I wish I could spend more time near the ocean. I've been married for three years, and we have an adorable dog named Oscar. My husband and I both love L.A., so we take trips there whenever we can.

If you could have any other career in the world besides writing, what would you like to do?
Hmmm... I'm really into plants and gardening - this year I'm growing about 30 different vegetables and herbs in my yard. I just can't get enough time with my hands in the dirt - I love dirt! So I think it would be awesome to have a small farm with space to grow enough food for my friends and family.

What do you enjoy most about being an author?

I love the challenge of it. It's challenging creatively, intellectually, and emotionally. I'm also really enjoying meeting other writers and people who love books and reading. I've made some great friends because of writing, and I'm really grateful for that.


The cover of Pyxis is gorgeous, did you have a lot of input on the design/colors?

Thank you! I really love it, too. Claudia at Phatpuppy Art is the designer, and Tiffany Mize-Carter is the photographer. I did have a lot of input on the cover, which is one of the great things about the publisher I'm working with, StoneGate Ink. Covers are so important - they can really turn you on or off to a book - and I'm so happy with the result!

Your upcoming novel Pyxis comes out in October , what are you looking forward to most as it gets closer to it's release date?

I'm sure it will be nice to have a sense of closure on this book, to know it's finished so I can shift my focus to writing Book 2 in the series. But I'm most looking forward to getting it into the hands of readers and seeing how they react to it!

How did you go about picking the names for your characters in your book Pyxis?

I have kind of a running mental list of names I like - I "collect" them as I hear them. Then when I need to name a character, I start with that list to see if any of them fit. Sometimes they don't, and then I browse baby name websites - those sites are great resources for character names. I named the main character's best friend after my good friend, author Angeline Kace. I love the name Angeline, and I think her personality is similar to the character's. The main character's grandmother and great aunt are named after my grandmothers.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing Pyxis?

I'm wrapping up a major revision of the book right now, and it was tough. I'd never done such an extensive rewrite before, and it took me a while just to figure out where to start and what to do next. I spent a month just thinking and making notes on the things I wanted to change, before I even started doing the actual revision. But it's a much stronger story now, so I think it was worth it.

What can your readers expect from your upcoming novel Pyxis?

Pyxis: The Discovery is a young adult paranormal book, the first in the Pyxis Series. The main character, 16-year-old Corinne, discovers there are two universes - the waking universe we live in every day, and a universe our minds enter when we're asleep. Her destiny is to protect a weakness between the two universes, to keep evil and harm from cycling between them, but the person who was supposed to teach her everything she needs to do this died unexpectedly. Her friend Mason has a role in all of this, too, and together they search for answers. I don't want to give away too much, but there are some fun paranormal elements to the story - ESP, pyrokinesis, things like that. I think readers will find it a fast-paced read that's full  of mystery.

Thanks so much for interviewing me, Haley!