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Featured Author - Eva Pohler
Tell us about your book(s) In The Gatekeeper's Sons, Therese and Thanatos, the god of death, met and fell in love. In The Gatekeeper's Challenge, they did everything they could to be together, even break an oath on the River Styx. But the Olympians don't tolerate oath-breakers.
In this final book in the trilogy, The Gatekeeper's Daughter, Therese may have finally succeeded in becoming a goddess, but if she wants to remain one, she'll not only have to discover her unique purpose, but also make some allies among the gods. Artemis sends her on a seemingly impossible quest across the world, while Than searches for a way to appease Ares. To make matters worse, her baby sister's life depends on the outcome of her quest.
Where did the idea of your (latest) book come from? After reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, I wondered what would happen if an ordinary girl met and fell in love with a Greek god. I thought the god of death, Thanatos, would reap the most interesting results.
Who and what inspires you to write your books? I love to read and 
am, in fact, an avid reader. I suppose reading great books made me want to write my own.
Each author has their own fascinating journey. How did you begin writing? I come from a poor family, but my mom checked out library books and my grandma bought us books from garage sales, and I read and reread whatever I could get my hands on. Then when I was in the sixth or seventh grade, an uncle gave me his old college literature book. I read and reread it, too, and began to see myself as a literature lover.
In both middle school and high school, I wrote scripts for our gifted and talented program to produce. I also wrote short stories and poems, both for assignments and as a hobby. In college, I took every creative writing course I could and majored in English, eventually earning my Ph.D. Not sure if I'd make any money as a writer, I wanted to secure myself a position teaching literature, which I did and which I love.
Writing took a backseat to marriage and children for many years, but over time, the need to write and to identify myself as a writer became too overwhelming to ignore. A couple of years ago, when my youngest child was in her last year of elementary school, I retired from being a cub master for my sons and a girl scout troop leader for my daughter and used all my free time to make a go of this career. Soon, I made it a priority. Now, there's no looking back.
What has been the most pleasant surprise about being a writer? How about the most unexpected downside? The joy of reading raving reviews is absolutely amazing. The downside...my house hasn't been as clean as it used to be.
Do you have any particular writing routines or rituals? Since I still have a full house of kids and a day job, I usually write in the evenings. When I teach a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, I can sometimes write during the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As my children become more and more independent, I'm able to squeeze more and more hours out of my day for writing
Do you write in order? Sort of. I create an outline using chapter titles. As I write the first draft, the list of chapters changes. Then I layer in more and more details, like adding coats of paint.
What is on your playlist when you write? Usually my kids are practicing piano, baritone, and alto sax. My oldest likes to play the ocarina. Sometimes they all three are playing music on their phones. Televisions are often playing in the background. My children are talking, sometimes arguing. My dog comes up and asks to be let outside. I'm surrounded by chaos, so the last thing I want is my own music added to the mix.
Favorite writing snack? Diet Coke and Hershey chocolate with almonds.
Where do you like to write? In my favorite chair next to my bookcase under two good lamps with my feet on an ottoman and my laptop on my lap. I'd prefer a balcony overlooking an amazing view--like the mountains or the beach, but I work with what I have.
Do you have any advice for authors wanting to publish? Yes. Try to think bigger than that first book. Plan out a career and consider taking some projects to agents while self-publishing others so you can build an audience and a brand while going through the long process of traditional publishing.
Are you currently working on anything else? Yes. I'm working on two new books. One is the first book in a sequel trilogy to the Gatekeeper's trilogy--The Gatekeeper's House. This book follows Therese and Thanatos as they adjust to living together int he Underworld, where not all beings welcome her presence. It also explores a budding relationship between than's brother, Hypnos, and Therese's best friend, Jen. The other book is the second in a young adult contemporary trilogy called The Purgatorium, about a resort on an island where an eccentric psychologist and her team use terrifying experimental therapy on people who are suicidal.
Who is your favorite character and why? In the Gatekeeper's Trilogy, I suppose, if I had to choose (which I hate doing because I love so many of them, even minor ones, like the Minotaur), my favorite would be Therese. She really is a good-hearted person trying to do her best in the world and can't help that she's attracted the attention of the gods. Once she does attract their attention, she refuses to compromise her moral sensibilities to please them. She undergoes significant change through the course of the trilogy, but she never sacrifices her personal integrity, even at great cost to herself.
Favorite book of all time? You're killing me! Maybe The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver? Or The Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling? Or The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield? Or Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein? Or one of many of Tracy Chevalier's works? My tastes are so varied, it's tough to choose.
Breakfast says a lot about a person, what is your perfect breakfast? Waffles topped with pecans and maple syrup with sides of hash browns, eggs, and sausage. A glass of orange juice to swallow it down.
Please tell us in one sentence why we should read your book.
If you love adventure, romance, and Greek mythology, and if you have a soft spot for animals, you should read The Gatekeeper's Trilogy.
Follow Eva Pohler
http://www.amazon.com/Eva-Pohler/e/B009D0TAZ4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1...
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