In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun this year as well! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2020 debuts and chat with them. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats and more!
At the end of 2019, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Karin Biggs and her novel THE KING'S 100, and we have been interested in it ever since. We are so excited to have Karin on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Karin is an event planner turned stay-at-home-mom. She's always wanted to be a writer, so she chose the most chaotic time in her life to pursue her dream. When she's not writing or chasing her toddler, she can be found singing in a local acapella group, savoring down-time with her husband or reading a YA novel with a fantastic romantic plot.
Karin: Thank you! It feels like a long time in the making, but so glad the day is almost here! The King's 100 releases on July 21, 2020. The publishing timeframe can feel like a stretch at times, but I've spent the past year building my social media platforms and connecting with other readers and writers.The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Karin: The best part of writing is when you finally feel like a scene has come together...the hardest is when you know there's something off with a scene or act and get stuck on how to change it -- but that's why having critique partners and betas is so important! I'm also a stay-at-home mom, so finding time to write (especially during a pandemic) is challenging.
The Book Bratz: Where did you get the inspiration for THE KING'S 100?
Karin: Eight years ago, I had a dream about a girl who was getting ready to sing on stage for a king. I started writing down ideas for a book about the dream the next morning and over the course of the following years. It wasn't until 2017, after I became a stay-at-home mom, that I was able to focus all my "extra" time on completing my novel. I also took inspiration from my experience in multiple performing groups as a singer and mixed that with my love for romantic princess stories. Stephanie Garber's Caraval served as inspiration for my second and final draft of the King's 100 - I had a meeting with myself and asked the question, "why do I love Caraval so much and how can I incorporate those elements into my own book?" Well, turns out that romance + mystery + friendships/family relationships is what appealed to me about Caraval, so I made sure that my second draft mirrored those themes.The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Karin: My favorite character to write was Darden McCray - a King's 100 court member who believes himself to be the best magician in the kingdom and becomes my MC's first confidant. The most difficult character to write was my MC, Piper. Writing in first-person has its benefits, but you have to pay constant attention to their thoughts and emotions at ALL times since the reader is seeing the story through their eyes.
The Book Bratz: Tech, royalty, secrets...there's nothing that this book doesn't have! How did you keep all of these details in order while you were plotting?
Karin: For my first draft, I created an Excel calendar of the timing for each event, character intro and chapter summary. I actually borrowed the same plot outline template that JK Rowling used! By the time I was ready to write my second draft (a TOTAL rewrite!) I had all the details and timelines memorized, so I just wrote from memory. If I had any notes I needed to come back to, I used my handy-dandy notebook and a pen.
The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from THE KING'S 100?
Karin: Now more than ever, I want readers to have a story that will take them on an escape. I want them to feel swept away by the world, the romance and/or the plot to give them a break from the real world. I know it's nearly impossible to write a book that appeals to everyone, but if a reader enjoys even one element of my story, that's enough for me. Job done.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of THE KING'S 100 in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Karin: Yes and yes! I have the second book in the King's 100 series plotted out and haven't decided if I want to keep it as a three-book series or merge it as a duology. I don't want to lead fans on a path of false information until I know for sure! And I'm almost done with a totally different manuscript - a YA historical fiction romance that takes place in 1947 during the infamous Roswell, NM UFO crash. Before this book baby releases in July 2020, I will be giving birth to my second human baby in June. I'm hoping to get back into the world of the King's 100 this fall after a short writing break to focus on baby and the book release!
Title: The King's 100
Author: Karin Biggs
Publisher: Immortal Works Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2020
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Piper Parish, princess of the loveless, STEM-only kingdom of Capalon, is a disappointment to her citizens and to her older sister, the queen. When Piper receives an anonymous note stating her mother is still alive and living in the enemy kingdom of Mondaria, Piper chooses to risk death in effort to prove once and for all that she's not just the queen's defective little sister. With the companionship of Chip, a piece of tech embedded in her wrist, Piper flees Capalon and enters a world where love and emotional expression are unrestricted. Posing as a singer for the enemy king’s court of performers, the King’s 100, Piper risks death if she is revealed to be the Capalon princess, but discovers that living a life without the freedom to love might actually be the most dangerous risk of all.
Thank you so much to Karin for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about THE KING'S 100 and can't wait for it to be out in the world on July 21st!
