Guest Author (+ a Giveaway): Q&A with Maya Banks

Today Maya Banks‘ latest novella, Softly at Sunrise, releases in digital format. Fans of the KGI series will be pleased to hear this is a continuation of Ethan and Kelly’s story, from book one, The Darkest Hour.

We recently tracked Maya down and asked her a few questions about the series, and the novella.

Book Binge: For our readers that are new to this series, can you tell us a little bit about it? What can readers expect when picking it up to read?
Maya Banks: The KGI series is first and foremost about a tight knit, intensely loyal family. The Kellys. There are six brothers who all served in the military and the oldest brothers, Sam, Garrett and Donovan formed a private organization (KGI) in which they take top secret missions from the government as well as private sector jobs. Readers can expect highly emotional, action packed stories but the primary focus is and always will be the romance. But along with the romance between the primary characters, readers can expect a central theme to be family and family bonds.

BB: What was your inspiration for the Kelly family?
MB: I don’t know that I had a specific inspiration in that I looked at another family and thought okay this is what I want to write about. For me, the Kellys encapsulates what family is or should be all about. When writing them I merely envisioned what I would want the perfect family to be (in all their imperfections) and I created from there.

BB: Did you always plan to have the psychic aspect to the story arc or is that something you added later?
MB: From the start I had a very clear vision of Nathan’s story and his heroine, Shea. It was different but yet at the same time their story was no different than the others. The central theme was still family and loyalty and a hero and heroine willing to defy all odds to be together and to save each other. The two book arc that included Shea and Grace and their special abilities was definitely planned and was discussed very early on with my editor.

BB: Is there a set number of books you’ve planned to write?
MB: The series is fairly open ended. I know that I have set ideas for at least 11 books going in and I’m willing to play the rest by ear. I don’t want to have a never ending series that readers grow weary of but I’m happy to continue writing books about these characters for as long as I have excitement for their stories.

BB: Can you tell us a little insider’s scoop about your novella, Softly at Sunrise?
MB: Softly at Sunrise is a look into the lives of Ethan and Rachel Kelly, the hero and heroine from the very first KGI book, The Darkest Hour. I always knew that I’d write a follow up to their story because so much of their story was still unfinished. They endure a lot as a couple and individually, particularly Rachel, and so I wanted to give readers a glimpse of them a little further down the line so that they could be assured that Ethan and Rachel were happy and would “make it.”

Thanks Maya! We really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions.

Check out the blurb for Softly at Sunrise.

Rachel Kelly has traveled a long, hard road in her journey back to her husband, Ethan, and the Kelly family. Now, as she and Ethan are poised to move into their new home, safe behind the walls of the Kelly compound, Rachel wonders if she’ll finally be free of the ghosts that have haunted her for so long and if she’ll step into the sun after a past steeped in darkness.

For print readers, this story will be included in the back of Maya’s January full-length release, Shades of Gray.  For more information about Maya and the KGI series, check out Maya’s her website.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Softly at Sunrise. Contest ends Sunday 8/26 @ 11:59pm. Please note: This is for a digital copy only. You must include a valid email address to be eligible.

This book is available from Maya Banks. You can buy it in digital format here or here in e-format.

Related Posts