It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an author who interviews her writing heroes, must fangirl over said heroes.
Hi Rockstar!
I am so honored and excited for today’s spotlight. You should be too 🤭. She is not only an amazing talent, but also a dear author friend.
Meet Haley Bono!
I met Haley three years ago as author friends do: hauling boxes at a writers conference.
We were both volunteering at StoryCon (previously known as Teen Author Bootcamp), and it really only took that one time for us to click. We became friends and that’s that, as they say.
We were also both querying (aka seeking literary representation), and trying to find the right publishing pathway for our books at that time. So I was able to share in her publishing growth and journey even before she signed with her publisher, which was amazing 🤩.
I consider myself so lucky to have met her then, and to now be able to geek out over her debut novel, Killed by True Love’s Kiss.
What if true love’s kiss doesn’t break the curse, but it’s the curse?
Here’s the blurb:
Can love defy fate—or will it seal her doom once and for all?
Seventeen-year-old Lottie thought she’d escaped her family’s curse when she made it past her birthday alive. No deadly kiss. No tragic romance.
She was wrong.
The curse isn’t broken—it’s waiting.
Now, when a stranger with eyes as warm as copper and a smile as sharp as knives comes for her sister, Lottie’s world unravels. To save her family and uncover the curse’s origin, she’ll have to confront Love himself—and the dangerously alluring man bound to Him.
A man she wants to both kill and kiss.
In a battle between love and death, only one can win.
I was able to read Haley’s book before its release, and I will be honest:
I binged read it until midnight. Then I couldn’t sleep for two more hours just thinking of the ending. Finally, I texted her the next morning to know why the heck she would torture her readers like that.
If that doesn’t make you want to read this book, I don’t know what will.
I was able to interview Haley for my Author Spotlight, so I’ll leave her answers below.
Why do you write?
I am addicted to stories, and as an addict, I don’t have much of a choice. I wish I were addicted to something more profitable, like accounting or physics. Instead, I crave writing down the whimsical tales cluttering my thoughts, and then spreading my addiction with the world.
What/who inspires you in life (not in your writing, but in general)?
I love the stories of resiliency, those who have failed time and time again, and still refuse to give up. Similarly, I am inspired by nature, which is often the most resilient of us all.
What are some of your favorite things?
Obviously, my family, as well as reading and writing. But beyond that, I love going on walks, and the smell of good food cooking. I also love big soft blankets, fruit smoothies, and having the time to binge-read an entire book.
What would your perfect day look like and how is it different from your actual everyday
I have two perfect days, a family day and a me day. The perfect day with my family is going somewhere fun and just spending time together. I love theme parks, city fairs, water parks, etc… However, having a day all to myself, surrounded by books, blankets, and all my favorite snacks, with my laptop for writing, also sounds like a pretty perfect day.
If you could invite a group of writers (dead or alive) to a tea party, who would it be?
Through social media, conferences, and bookish events, I feel like I’ve already done this. I absolutely love this community, and getting more involved has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. So I guess that’s who I’d have a tea party with, all the amazing writers I’ve met during my publishing journey.
To celebrate Haley’s debut release, we’ve put together a fabulous giveaway!
The giveaway includes:
💔 One softback (signed) special kickstarter “white cover” edition of KILLED BY TRUE LOVE’S KISS
💔 One candle tea cup & saucer (made by Haley)
💔 Two exclusive, handmade leather bookmarks with jeweled pendants & tassels
💔 Book-inspired stickers (one assorted sheet + two chibi character pieces)
💔 KILLED BY TRUE LOVE’S KISS character art bookmark and card
You can enter this giveaway a couple different ways:
- If you DON’T have Instagram (which I know many of you don’t use social media), you can join my VIP Circle Author Newsletter for entry. I don’t spam. Ever. I just share wholesome fun and giggles. Click here to find out more.
- If you DO have Instagram, follow both Haley and me in our respective accounts (Haley Here & me here). I have pinned the giveaway post to my profile.
- Do both options and get as many entries as you can!
This giveaway will run until November 29th and a winner will be randomly selected through by December 1st. Open to U.S. residents only.
Did you like this post? Then consider joining my VIP Circle and don’t miss out on all my additional content (monthly giveaways, Digital Swag Bag access code, bookish recommendations, short inspirational messages, and more!). Click HERE.
And if you want to collaborate with me don’t be shy. I love to work with fellow writers, spotlight authors, and host writing challenges. I’ve also been known to swap short critiques on occasion. Reach to me here.
Melissa Muhlenkamp 