Author Spotlight: Krista Holle

The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: October 2013
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Book Description:

At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent. 

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief. 

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light. While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die

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When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing but I knew I wanted to seek it as a profession when I sent The Wind Whisperer to a fifteen-year-old girl I’d never met.  I was in desperate need of a sample or “beta” reader.  Her father told me she stayed up all night to read it.  That was the best feeling in the world.

What comes first for you, the characters or the plot? 

The plot for me comes first. Without some obstacle to overcome your protagonist will simply spin in circles no matter how fascinating they are.

Where did the idea for "The Wind Whisperer" come from? 

My main character Anaii was inspired by Pocahontas.  I was living on land once owned by her when I wrote The Wind Whisperer. Many of the customs and lifestyle of my fictional tribe was inspired by the Powhatan Indians.

What made you want to do something historical instead of setting your book in modern times? 

It’s a personal preference.  I always prefer reading historical fiction.

Is there anything you found especially challenging while writing this book? 

Writing the back flap for this book gives me nightmares.  The Wind Whisperer has many sub-plots and it simply cannot be told in a few paragraphs.  

What three words would you use to describe Anaii? 

Feisty, brave, spoiled.

I noticed that you said Anaii's story isn't finished. How long do you plan on making this series? 

When I wrote The Wind Whisperer, I intended for it to be a “stand alone” and it is, but I received such a positive response from my beta readers, I wrote the sequel to answer some unanswered questions about Anaii’s history.  It has the potential for a trilogy, but I’m waiting to see how the first two books will be received.

If given the chance, would you want the power of wind whispering?

Anaii has the power to communicate with the wind spirits, but later in the book, Anaii also discovers she also has the power to move the wind—in a big way.  I don’t think I’d like to have the constant chattering of wind spirits in my ear, but I would love to harness Anaii’s great power of controlling the wind.

Quickies:

Coffee or tea? 

Herbal tea

Milk chocolate or Dark? 

Milk Chocolate

Favorite novel? 

I have many favorites, but the Twilight saga will always have a special place in my heart.

Favorite author?

Shannon Hale, Tracy Chevalier

Hard copy books or ebooks? 

E-books for the everyday read, hard copy for my favs.

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Author Bio:

Krista has been writing since she was nine-years-old when she scribbled out her first adolescent work entitled Merish, the completely illogical but heartfelt story of a girl who was part mermaid, part fish. As a young mother, Krista added to her repertoire some middle grade readers and picture books she’s wary of mentioning.

In 2004, Krista began an intensive four year period working part-time as a critical care nurse while homeschooling her four children. During this hectic time, courses of writing were taught and learned, and rules of syntax were scolded to memory. Ironically this period of study equipped Krista with the tools she needed to enter the next phase of her writing experience. Now equipped with the mysteries of the comma, Krista was ready to tackle a much bigger project—a full fledged novel.

After the kids were enrolled in public school in 2009, it occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love. Convinced that there was an unfulfilled audience waiting for what Krista loves to write—romance, she sat down in the family’s dungeon, a.k.a. the basement, and began to furiously type. In no time, her first novel was drying on crisp white paper.

Krista currently resides in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, four daughters, and an eccentric cat with an attachment to the family’s socks. She continues to write obsessively every chance she can get.

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