Emerald Barnes
Hello this is Indie author Sylvia Stein and today I am excited to have another Author Spotlight with the amazing and talented Emerald Barnes and her latest book The Hunted which is the second book in her series of The Knight’s Academy.
SS: Welcome back Emerald, I heard you have just released the second book in your series of Knight’s Academy, The Hunted?
Emerald Barnes: Thanks for having me back! I always enjoy being here. Yes, I did. Back in July, my publisher and I released the second Knight’s Academy book.
SS: What can you tell us about your new book?
Emerald Barnes: The Hunted follows Myka after she has left Knight’s Academy with Brent, her protector. She’s on the run from Preston and Marcus who have plans to use her and others like her to start a hybrid army. While she’s on the run, she learns about her past and her future.
SS: Without giving away too much of your new book where do we see your main protagonist Myka?
Emerald Barnes: We see Myka learning about her past, the truth of who she is, and the truth of what she will become. Her journey of self-discovery is just beginning, and when she finds out the truth, she isn’t exactly sure it’s what she wanted to hear. We also see her maybe falling for someone else.
SS: How did the idea of this series come to you?
Emerald Barnes: Honestly, I was obsessed with vampire stories a few years back, still am really, and while I was reading anything and everything vampirish, I had a dream about being kidnapped by vampires and one of them saving me. That’s how it started. I took this dream and added to it, and well, Knight’s Academy was born.
SS: What can you tell us about your characters?
Emerald Barnes: My characters are some of my favorites. They’re truly relatable, in my opinion. Myka, she’s been fun to write because she’s in search of who she is, and I think that as a young adult, that’s how most of us felt (or feel). We are always looking for our identity, and that’s what Myka is searching for. I can say the same about Milo. He’s torn between feeling like a monster and striving to be human. He just wants to be normal, but he can’t find that happy medium of normal. Brent. He accepts himself for who he is, but he struggles with the line of duty or following his heart. Olivia, she’s just fun to write. She’s the human who everyone loves and cares about, and she has such a fiery spirit. Luka—He accepts who he is, but he refuses to be the monster others want him to be.
SS: Since this is a series have you started on the next book?
Emerald Barnes: I have. I’m close to halfway finished with it.
SS: What can you tell us about this book?
Emerald Barnes: This book picks up where book two ends, immediately throwing us into what happens after the end of book two. Myka is still struggling with who she is and who her heart wants most. And without giving anything else away, it’s tying up a lot of pieces that have been left open throughout books one and two.
SS: What is the message you try to bring out in your books?
Emerald Barnes: I always want the message in my books to be that of hope. There is always hope in even the direst of situations, and I want my readers to know they aren’t alone. No matter what you’re going through, there is someone else out there who understands and has been through something similar.
SS: What is one piece of advice that has helped you over the years?
Emerald Barnes: Never give up. I haven’t let one dream die, though I have thought about giving up. I never did because of encouragement from others. It may be hard, but it’s worth it.
SS: What is something about you we do not know already?
Emerald Barnes: Oh goodness. That’s pretty tough. I’m an open book, or I try to be at least. I guess I would have to say that I’m super shy. I’m not sure a lot of people know that about me, but I have a difficult time starting a conversation with people. I have a tendency to stand around without making conversations. It’s not because I don’t like people. It’s because I have no idea how to start and maintain a conversation without sounding like a fool.
SS: Thank you so much for being here Emerald Barnes it was a pleasure.
Check out our next Author Spotlight next month.
The Hunted by Emerald Barnes
About Emerald:
Emerald Barnes resides in a small town in Mississippi and has the accent to prove it. She’s an auntie, a youth leader, a Whovian, a little bit of a nerd, a reader, a writer, and a family-oriented person. God is number One in her life, and she thanks, Him continuously for His love and favor. She’s addicted to tv and binge-watching shows, and she has a thing for superheroes.
Here is how to Connect with Author Emerald Barnes:
Website: www.emeraldbarnes.us
Blog: ebarnes23.wordpress.com
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/emeraldbarnes
Twitter: www.twitter.com/emeraldbarnes
Street Team: www.facebook.com/groups/emeraldbarnesstreetteam
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emeraldbarnes
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/emerald_barnes