Featured Author Katie Femia

[Mandie]

1. Tell us about your latest book.
   Peacock Swamp:The Nine is my debut YA novel. It takes place in futuristic society where the entire healthcare system and traditional medical centers as we know them have collapsed. Our story follows the adventure of Vitalia Cambry, a teenage girl who is in need of a heart transplant. Her family travels with her to appear before The Nine, a panel of nine judges who decide the fate of those needing healthcare once per month. They meet some rather unsavory characters along the way, purely the result of this new system. Will she get the heart she needs, or will she have to find another, possibly illegal way? That is the question the book explores.
   

2. Where did the idea for the book come from?
   I was actually writing another novel when I suddenly became intrigued with the healthcare debate our country has seen lately. I decided to shelve that first piece and focus on the fears that I heard people expressing, whether that be on the news or while I grocery shopped. The idea of these “death panels” continued to pop up. That is what I wanted to explore in this series. What would something like that look like? What would be the risks involved with a system such as that? I decided to make these thoughts and ideas into a story, and the result is Peacock Swamp: The Nine.
   

3. Who and what inspire you to write?
   My children have shown great interest in the writing process, and their interest has been quite fueling. I am always picking up ideas in my day to day musings with them. They provide a great deal of content for me!
   
   

4. Each author has his or her own inspiring journey. How did you begin writing?
   I had always played around with creative writing, but found myself more and more interested in publishing after teaching for several years. As a teacher I had the pleasure of reading excellent stories day after day, year after year to my students, and it really got the creative juices flowing. I know how much my students enjoyed the stories that were read to them, and the idea of being an author and leaving my own words for others was something I really wanted.
   
   After lots of reflection and careful planning, I resigned from my teaching career. I dove right into freelancing as a way to still earn an income while writing my manuscript. I started with providing content for one small account, then two, then twelve, then several dozen. It was incredible fun to make a career at what I loved doing, and somewhere in between tending to those accounts, this manuscript came to life.

5. What has been the most pleasant surprise about writing? How about an unexpected down side?
   The most pleasant surprise came when people I didn’t know complimented me on the book. While you come to think that your family and friends will be kind to you out of loyalty and love, you don’t expect strangers to do the same. When people I don’t know tell me that something I wrote resonated with them in a special way, it is a wonderful surprise.
   
   The unexpected downside? Oh boy, people can be mean. Writers put a story out there and humans by nature judge it. Some judge it a little more, a little harshly, and it can cause you to wonder why on Earth you would expose yourself like this. The downside isn’t the cruelty of others; it is the argument it causes you to have with yourself about if this is all worth it.
   

6. Do you have any writing rituals?
   I write primarily in the evening, well after midnight and until the wee hours of the morning since the house is quiet and no one needs me. I drink insane amounts of Diet Pepsi and chew on wooden craft sticks to settle my anxiousness. I know, bizarre right? It is a miracle I have any teeth left.

7. Do you write your books in order?
   Yes. I watch the story in my head like a movie or television show as I write it. So for me, going in order is how it translates from my brain to paper.

8. What is on your writing playlist for this book?
   I actually listened to a playlist on Pandora called Songs of the Swamp. It was fabulous. There were lots of banjos. If that doesn’t get you in the mood to write a book that takes place in a swamp, I don’t know what will.

9. Any favorite writing snacks?
   If it has sugar and caffeine in it, it’s for me.

10. What advice would you give writers who aspire to be published?
    Write because you have a story you really want to tell. Be open to lots of suggestions, feedback, and even ridicule because you will get all three. Be prepared for a long road as the process is a time consuming one that you can’t make short cuts on. And finally, enjoy that moment when you hold your own book in your hand, because that moment only happens once, and it makes it all worth it.
    
    

11. Are you working on anything new right now?
    Book two of this series is well under construction. I am quite excited about the direction in which it is headed.

12. Who is your favorite character in your current book?
    I adore the character Olly. He is the youngest child in the story and so naturally I wanted to be protective of him when writing him into the manuscript. He does have special needs, although book one doesn’t give the reader a clear diagnosis for him. They have been left to wonder thus far. He is non verbal, so really getting his characteristics and mannerisms across to the reader was a fascinating challenge. I also think he is a character that readers may underestimate, but shouldn’t. I love that he is going to really surprise people.
    

13. What is your favorite book of all time?
    Is it cliché to say that this is a tough question? If I could only pick one book, I would say I could read the children’s book Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox until the end of time. It is a story about showing love and kindness, even when people may have hurt you. It celebrates being unique, being odd even. If I could jump into the pages and live in that gorgeous tree house with Miss Twiggley and her dog, I would. It is a fabulous read.
    

14. Tell us in one sentence why we should read your book.
    Aren’t you curious about what happens when you mix one life, nine judges, and one answer?
    
    

Peacock Swamp: Book 1 | The Nine

In 2064, The Nine are preparing to assemble. This board of individuals is President Madame LaFonte’s solution to an ailing nation in search of medical care. While it seemed ideal at first, the folks of the borough are quickly discovering it isn’t quite what it seems. The lucky ones are issued a red gown and another chance at life. That’s the happy ending. However, not everyone gets a red gown. The others have to make their own second chance at life–if they’ve got the heart to do what it takes.

When the superstitions of the swamplands run just as deep as the mud, every little bit of luck helps. They named her Vitalia, a name that means life. But her name was the only advantage that she had. In need of a heart transplant, Vita leaves Peacock Swamp behind to stand before The Nine. With her family by her side, they run into the dangers that government healthcare has created: an underground medical clinic that services the rejected citizens…for a price.

Her whole life has been a struggle. Why should her death be any different?

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