Interview with Audie the Angel, the main character from Audie the Angel and the Angel Army by Erika Kathryn and INT giveaway

Welcome back, everyone! I have the pleasure of introducing the main character, Audie, of Erika Kathryn's adorable middle grade read, Audie the Angel and the Angel Army. Please give her a warm welcome to my blog, and don't forget to enter the great giveaway!

Goodreads Book Description: Audie, a seemingly typical twelve-year-old girl, is summoned from her middle school one day. She travels through a windmill farm and brought to an island where she’s told that she is actually an Angel and, more importantly, that she is of Phoenix descent. She is the pivotal and final member of an assembly of others her age, called The Angel Army. The army includes Luce—the dangerously handsome dark Angel predestined to fall from Heaven—and Cave—a stowaway from Earth who is crushing on her hard—as well as eight Angels with magical talents, a feisty Fairy, and a nimble gnome. Audie’s ordinary life becomes drastically different as she transforms; she sprouts gold wings, receives a halo passed on from the mother she never met, and her fellow Angels teach her to use her hand-me-down Phoenix powers. However, before she even learns to fly she is told of the real reason she is needed: an evil Elder Angel has discovered a way to dominate Heaven. Haunted by dreams of her past Phoenix life, puzzled by her feelings for both the charming Luce and her human friend Cave, Audie has to conquer her newfound powers quickly because the future of Heaven rests on her wings. Can she fight against flying Dare Demons, the Marsh Master, the Frost Fairy, and Evil Souls to save Heaven? Can Audie change destiny and save Luce from falling to his fate?

Audie the Angel and the Angel Army is the first of three volumes in a Middle Grade to Young Adult fantasy adventure series that make up The Angel Archives. Hang onto your Halos, because this story is filled with wild winged adventure!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Author Blurb: I have my Bachelors of Science Degree from East Carolina University, major in Criminal Justice, minor in English.  I've been dreaming of Angels for over 10 years.  I actually started the story of Audie when I was still in college.  I have written several other novels and many poems but none of which pull at my heartstrings the way Audie the Angel does.  I just finished a girl-empowering Young Adult novel and now I'm deep into the journey of Volume 2 for Audie the Angel.  It will be out no later than May 2013!   

When I'm not writing I am playing dress-up, baking cupcakes, dancing with (only in private), and reading to my beautiful Angel-Daughter, Kathryn Kay while we reside in Crete, IL.

1. Audie, thanks so much for joining us on Ensconced in YA! You've had quite an eventful time recently. But let's back up. Can you tell us a little bit about where you grew up and what your family is like?

Thank you for having me here, this is a great website!  I grew up moving all over the country with my dad, it wasn't until recently that we finally settled down and moved into the home he was raised in.  It’s a little weird being in that huge house and just the two of us, but it’s starting to feel like home.  As for my mother, well she died before I was born, and I miss her dreadfully! 

2. I know that you and Cave just met more recently, but from talking with him, it sounds like he was surprised you even knew his name. Can you tell us a little about the first time you met him and what you thought of him prior to your adventures?  The first time I saw Cave was in English class, I think, at our Middle School in Lowell, Indiana.  He was a little nerdy actually! (*laugh*)  He always sat in the back of the class and kept to himself, but I will tell you, the girls noticed him.  He is too sweet not to notice him and honestly as I've gotten to know him there's a lot more to him than meets the eye.  And he’s really funny too, doesn’t always do it on purpose, which is even cuter!   

3. It must have been a shock to realize you are an Angel. First, what was your first impression of Heaven, and which of the Angels did you know you would be fast friends with?  You're right, it was a shock!  And actually a little painful too.  The wings are heavy but I'm finally starting to get used to them.  Heaven was nothing like I expected!  I really never gave it too much thought beforehand, but after seeing it I was really surprised.  Both Cave and I expected clouds and mist and harps (*laughs*) but there is still so much of Heaven we haven’t explored.  We posted our talking map on our website (www.audietheangel.com), so you should really check it out.  There are so many realms in Heaven, so many creatures that we don’t have on Earth.  We just recently met the entire Mermaid Tribe and got to see which underwater animals are the opposite size than what they are on Earth.  Seahorses the size of real horses, it’s crazy cool!     

4. Tell us about Luce, he's such a hottie!  (*giggle*)  He really is!  There aren't many girls that don't crush on him immediately!  He's the kind of guy that opens doors and pulls out a seat for a girl but at the same time he's definitely a bad-boy and could tame the wildest of reptiles.  I’ve recently seen the softer side of him and he’s more sensitive than you would think.  That's a deadly combination!  I mean he carries a pet snake around.  What girl wouldn’t go for that?     

5. What is it like, having wings? Where would travel now that you can pretty much go anywhere on Earth and why?  I am actually self-conscience still about the wings.  They are so gold and as you probably know Phoenix’s are the only Angels born with gold wings.  Since I’m the only Phoenix in the world right now, it’s weird to be so different.  None of my friends have gold ones yet and I feel like everybody stares at them.  Wow—I haven’t thought about traveling yet.  There is still so much going on right now in Heaven that I’m not sure when I’ll have time! I recently visited a place in Heaven where you can watch the sun rise over Opal Orchard.  The Orchard is filled with trees that grow things that you wouldn’t find on trees on Earth.  There is even a tree that grows Chocolate! So I wouldn’t mind traveling back there occasionally.        

6. What is your favorite movie? Book? Ice cream flavor?

 For most of my life my dad was my only friend since we moved around so much.  I spent a lot of time in his car shops and not doing the usual things with other girls my age.  Instead of movies we played a lot of board games.  But after finding out I was an Angel I have now watched some "Angel" movies to see what Humans have right and what they are way off on about us.  That was fun to do now that I know the truth!  So I'd have to say All Dogs Go to Heaven, is my favorite movie because it reminds me of my favorite spot in Heaven (to find out more, you have to read my book!)!  For books, I like any story where girls kick butt!  For Ice Cream, there is nothing better than Peppermint!   

7. If you could freeze one moment in time, what would it be and why?

 Great question!  I would definitely freeze my time on Unicorn Island, with Cave and the other Angels, when we first arrived in Heaven.  It was such a great time!  Every day the other Angels taught me their powers, I spent hours looking out at the water with Luce, trying to catch a glimpse of the beautiful wild Unicorns, and laughing hysterically with Cave!  It was before we got started on our very difficult quest and before I had seen the evil in Heaven.  It was probably the best time of my life so far!        

8. If you had a motto, what would it be?

 I really love something that Jupiter told me recently and think it's a great motto to live by:  There is no such thing as failure; it is only that you haven’t begun succeeding.   

Thanks so much for joining us today, Audie! We can't wait to see more of you and your friends!

Thank you again for having me!  You are so great to speak to!  I love your website and will keep checking in on it when I can!  Please stop by www.audietheangel.com to get information on all of my friends, see the map of Heaven, and get the latest updates on when Volume 2 of our Angel Archives will be coming out…I promise it will be soon! 

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