Books and Banter: KC Cowan & Sara Cole ~ character interview and their novel The Hunt for Winter

TITLE: The Hunt for Winter:

A stolen child, a wizard thought long-dead, and a plot to resurrect an evil menace.

RELEASE DATE: July 2017

AUTHOR: KC Cowan & Sara Cole

CATEGORIES: Epic Fantasy/Adventure

PAGE COUNT: 471

ISBN: 978-0692931776

IMPRINT: Chimera

BOOK PAGE: http://ravenswoodpublishing.com/bookpages/thehuntforwinter.html

KEYWORDS: Fantasy, Girl Power, Epic Adventure, Female Friendship, Wizards, Fairies, Action

ONE LINER:
Five years after Irene, Nan, and Kay helped defeat an evil wizard, they reunite to track down a mysterious wizard who has kidnapped Irene’s son.

SYNOPSIS:
Queen Irene's son, Winter, is missing. His wizard teacher, Seever, has tried to find the boy using his “far-away vision,” but it is blocked when he looks to the north. Since only a powerful enchantment can block his sight, Seever concludes an unknown wizard must have taken the young prince.

But aside from Winter, Seever and Kaza, there are no other wizards left alive.

Or are there?

Book two in the Irene, Nan and Kay series, The Hunt for Winter, continues the story of Irene and her best friends as they travel north in search of the Crown Prince.

An Interview with Kay of The Hunt for Winter

KC: We’re lucky to be able to sit down with Kay, loyal friend to Queen Irene of Cabbage, to discuss her adventures in The Hunt for Winter. Thanks for joining me. Where does book two start?

Kay: When we finished our other adventure, Journey to Wizards’ Keep, Irene had just told Nan and me that she was pregnant. Her husband, the good wizard Anton, had died and although Irene was grieving, she had the miracle of new life in her.

The only question was—would her baby be a boy, and therefore a wizard? Or would she give birth to a mortal girl? Book two starts with Irene giving birth to twins—a boy and a girl!

KC: Can you explain the title to me?

Kay: Well, it’s called The Hunt for Winter, because Winter is the name of Irene’s son. (Her daughter is named Spring.) And while Ken and I, and Fitzy and Nan are in Cabbage for the twins’ fifth natal anniversary celebration, someone abducts Winter!

We all join with Seever to try and find him.

KC: Any idea who did it?

Kay: Seever tries to use his “eyes for things far away” to locate Winter, but his vision is being blocked. The only person who can do that is another wizard. That’s all we know.

KC: But I thought only the wizards Seever and Kaza were left. There were no other wizards.

Kay: That’s what we all thought, too, but clearly, we were wrong. But, who is this other wizard, and what does he want with Winter? That’s why we headed north towards the area Seever can’t see in order to find the boy. Poor Irene—I don’t know how she managed to be so strong.

KC: Did you take the flying ship, Star Sail?

Kay: We tried, but it crashed on a hillside, so we had to hike out and then buy horses. We knew it would seriously slow us down, but there was no choice. We certainly had some adventures along the way!

KC: I understand you were whipped in a town where men rule all.

Kay: Well, you know I can never keep my big mouth shut when I see injustice. The men the town of Mocato totally subjugated women—they wouldn’t allow them do anything! Women could only speak when spoken to, and they were kept hidden away from sight. Nan thought it was worse than when she was stuck in that convent from before.

KC: So, what happened to you?

Kay: Oh, I was deemed a bit too “outspoken” and I got the lash. Hurt like hell, I can tell you that! Irene, Nan and even little Spring were supposed to be lashed, too, but Seever came to the rescue! I came out of it all right in the end.

KC: But then you suffer a tragic loss in some evil woods. It had to do with your sweetheart, Ken?

Kay: I can’t talk about that—it’s too painful.

KC: Ok. Bring us up to date with Nan.

Kay: Well, she has some exciting news in this adventure, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. She and Fitzy are very happy and well, let’s just say she’s just as sweet and helpful as before. Always wanting to please others, that’s our Nan.

KC: I understand you get into even more trouble in a big city up north.

Kay: My old nemesis, Sir Richard, comes back into my life, and not in a good way! You may remember that when the Black Lord killed Lord William, Richard snuck off into the woods and escaped. He ended up in Settlement Town and what he tries to do to me shouldn’t happen to anyone! Fortunately, my friends rally and along with the help of a local fisherman named Jon (and a bit of magic,) I manage to get out of that scrape. But Richard continues to be a thorn in my side!

KC: So after all that, did you all find Winter?

Kay: Yes, but that was just the start of an adventure none of us could have imagined! The true reason behind Winter’s abduction was pretty scary.

KC: Seems like the strong friendship between you, Irene and Nan continues.

Kay: They’re the best and most loyal friends any girl could ask for. They put up with me and I know that’s not always easy, so I know how lucky I am!

AUTHOR BIO:
KC Cowan has spent her life working in the media, as a reporter for KGW-TV, KPAM-AM and KXL-FM radio, and as original host and story producer for an arts program on Oregon Public Television. In addition to Journey to Wizards’ Keep: Book One in the Irene, Nan and Kay saga, KC is also the author of “The Riches of a City,” the history of Portland. She and her husband, Glenn, split their time between Portland, Oregon and Tucson, Arizona.

Sara Cole is an officer with Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, where she is the Crime Prevention Coordinator. Sara provides public outreach to citizens on topics such as Neighborhood Watch, ID Theft and Personal Safety. She also serves on many community coalitions, and is a board member of the Crime Prevention Association of Oregon. Sara is married and spends much of her free time in her garden and enjoying her two grandchildren.