Serena Kearney

Serena is the author of Pneuma, which I recently had the pleasure of reading and reviewing for her. This novel is not easily categorized, but is definitely a YA novel, with a twist, we could say? You can find my review here, and can purchase your own copy of it here.

                                       

pneu·ma 

ˈn(y)o͞omə/ 

noun 

the vital spirit, soul, or creative force of a person. 

Do you know what it feels like to hold fate in your hand? 

Was it fate that my whole life got turned upside down? 

He was the reason I had to leave. 

Making the sacrifice caused my heart to rip in two. 

I wanted normalcy. I wanted my life to be my own. 

But it’s nothing without the people I love, and it’s for 

the people I love that I have to leave. 

Fate. Please be kind. 

Will he still remember me? 

Will our first and last kiss be one and the same? 

Please remember. 

Please be with me. 

Family is tested. 

Memories are everywhere. 

Love is one of the biggest reliefs and hurts you can have at the same time.

Of course we want you all to get to know the author we're spotlighting, so here we have assembled some questions that Serena has been kind enough to answer for us. She's given us some pretty awesome answers, too! 

1-    Did you always want to be a writer? 

• You know, I will answer truthfully. No. I did not. Throughout my whole childhood and young adult life, I've LOVED animals (and still do) so I grew up wanting to be a veterinarian. I didn't reach that level, but I did get a degree in Animal Care and Management Technology and became a Veterinary Assistant (aka animal nurse), so I worked halfway to there.
    I've always dabbled here and there with short stories, but not seriously. The time I did try to get serious was around... 2010 or so. I tried to write a little, but again, not serious, but THEN... inspiration hit me the year of 2012 and hence... Pneuma was born. 

2-    What's your favourite book? 

• UGG... NOOO! I can't pick one...??!!! Okay, okay, I have to admit, I did have a streak of being a Twi-Fan.... lol.... but now that I've grown and read soooo many more books... For right now... I'm going to have to say... The Eden Series by Nicole 
• Williams.... OH... I just remember how her words made me ache and it was one of those series where I was like... MUST READ MORE...NOW. And was soooo sad when it was over... OY. Of course there are other books that gave me that feeling..... but hers stood out more than others.

3-    What's your favourite children's book? 

• Children's book.... hmmmm..... I don't have the best memory when it comes to when I was little.... but the one book I do remember is Charlotte's Web. Oh... when she died at the end.... even up to now, that still gets me.

4-    What inspired this story line? 

• Oh boy.... you got me thinking waaaay back..... UM... Okay, I remember...! I was having a conversation with my husband and I don't know what brought it up, but we started talking about how long we have been together and all our memories, but what happens if one day those memories are gone and one of us has to make the other fall in love with them all over again? And the pain the other has feels, knowing they remember everything, but their one true love remembers nothing! Of course, I added some.... okay, ALOT... of twists and turns in my book, but that was the initial inspiration. =)

5-    How did you make the choice between indie/self publishing and traditional publishing? 

• I researched both sides and it seemed traditional publishing took a lot of time and a lot of rejection letters, where as self-publishing, you control it all. Of course, you don't have as much exposure as a publishing company does, but still, you can publish right away and once you have all your ducks in a row, it happens because YOU make it happen. Not because you're dependent on someone else. Especially if you are a new author, it's hard to get publishers and you always wonder, am I good enough? Is my writing worth it? And when you do get rejection letters, it would just hurt your self-esteem even more, like, I guess I was right, my writing sucks, why do I bother? Whereas self-publishing, you get to feel it out, get peoples reactions and see how you do on your own. Then if you get good feedback, then you can look into the next step of publishing, if you wanted to.
  I made the choice because I just wanted to see where the road would take me. And I didn't want to wait for anyone else. I just wanted to do it.

6-    Can we expect to see more from you in the future? 

• OH YES! Hidden secret (well not anymore)..... 4 of my books are off to editors, one of them is the second book to Pneuma..... soooo.... not going to spoil much.... LOL. But yes, I intend to keep on writing as long as the flow keeps going and my brain keeps sputtering about... LOL!

7-    Who has been your biggest supporter? 

• My husband. The nights where I'm glued to my computer and he kind of sits and stares... wondering if I acknowledge that he's alive... LOL! But really, my husband told me from the beginning to do it and do it and do it.... and after much pushing.... he got me to do it.

8-    What are your most and least favourite parts of being a writer? 

• Most FAVORITE PART.... being able to create whatever I want and connect my characters in ways I don't even know how?! I love the bonds and love I get to see grow and connect.
• LEAST Favorite.... EDITING!!! I HAAAAATE editing!!!!! AAAAAH!!!! Of course I have editors and they do most of it, but as an author, you still have to edit stuff on you're own....and.... I hate it. I mean writing the story is easy to me, from what I hear that's the hardest.... not for me... I've always had an imaginative mind... BUT the editing...?!!! AAAAH! It's because I have to re-read and re-read....while trying to catch things..... uuugghhh.... drives me INSANE!

9-    What's been the biggest hurdle for you? 

• Biggest hurdle.....hmmm.... probably getting it just right in the final process of editing, and making the damn E-Pub file. EPUB is soooo annoying!!! Luckily my husband knew some things about epub formatting, etc... but uuughh?!! The process of that.... BIG HURDLE.

10-  What's your Pet peeve or share an embarrassing moment.

• I can't think of an embarrassing moment right now (probably because I block them out..). But as for pet peeves... I have said this before, but I'll say it again... I need a straw to drink from drinks... I don't know why, just the feeling of them on my teeth... I just need a straw. Water is okay, but other drinks, tea, coffee, soda.... MUST HAVE STRAW. LOL. There's my weird fact for you.

11-  Who's your favourite disney princess? Favorite Disney Princess....... If I had to pick one... uumm... gosh... only one...?! Okay, I'm torn between Pocahontas and Mulan... Pocahontas had that freeing, nature spirit, while Mulan had that rebellious, honor family thing going..... uuughh....... if I had to choooose.... I think my young self would choose Pocahontas. So I'll go with that. They're both awesome to me... LOL!

So, do you all feel like you know Serena just a little better? Well, if you don't, or you do and you want to come hang out with her, Caitlin and I, join us on our Facebook Page on Sunday, December 21st at 2pm EST for her takeover!
You can also find Serena on Facebook, too!