As many of you already know, I love anime! I mean, my dog is named after the pig from Naturo. That’s why I’m excited that this week’s feature Friday focuses on Japanese time travel and folklore.
Let’s welcome Author Kate Grove and explore the Yokai Series!
Welcome! Introduce yourself and tell us a little about your writing.
Hello everyone, I’m Kate, I’m a European and have been writing since my early teens. I’ve been very interested in Japanese language and culture, so much so that I ended up finishing a BA in this field. Celtic mythology is another thing I’m invested in. I enjoy consuming fantasy books and movies, and it’s even better if it has romance in it 🙂
What’s something unique about your book that will make readers immediately want to check it out?
I’d say it’s perspective. As someone who grew up in and lives in mainland Europe, with English as their second language, I wish that this can bring a unique, fresh perspective to the currently available independently published books.
What inspired you to write The Yokai Treasures series?
My love for writing and all things Japan led me to write my debut novel, Sword and Mirror. It’s the first book in a fantasy romance series set in medieval Japan. I wanted to incorporate my knowledge of the culture and create a story which has all my favourite things: Japan, time travel, fantasy adventures, creatures from folklore, romance, humour… I can only hope I did a good enough job that people will enjoy the story.
Tell us about your favorite character you’ve written about and why?
Ah, this is a tough question! Probably Taiki. I can’t tell you exactly why without giving too much away, but let’s just say his character arc was one of the most challenging and most rewarding process.
As a big fan of anime, I absolutely love Japanese culture and folklore! What types of Japanese folklore can we find in your series?
Oooh, I love this question! You can find all sorts of yokai in my stories, including nekomata, tengu, kitsune, dragons… In all varieties. And a lots of other yokai that haven’t been introduced yet.
Without giving us any spoilers, what’s your favorite quote or scene from your book and tell us a bit about it?
I find that I have one every book. And now that I think about it, it’s always the scene where the male lead does or says something that is practically a confession. You can just feel something has changed in the relationship of the main characters and it’s magical.
Where can readers find you?
My website is a good starting point to all my social media and newsletter: https://kategrove.net This is where I mention that readers who sign up for my newsletter will receive a welcome gift – an extra scene from book 1 (but only read it after you read Sword and Mirror)! My books are available with most book sellers, in ebook, paperback, and hardcover editions. Here’s a link to the first book in the series, Sword and Mirror: https://books2read.com/sword-
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