Seeker is actually the sequel to my debut novel, Keeper. [Symbol] Here’s a brief little synopsis of both books: 

KEEPER: When Lainey Styles, an SAT whiz and bookworm, discovers she’s a Keeper—a witch with the exclusive ability to wield a powerful spell book that has been stolen by a malevolent wizard—she is forced to leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book. 

SEEKER: With her family murdered by the Master, Lainey Styles must join forces with a group of Supernatural rebels and learn how harness her uncontrollable magic. In the ultimate battle for power, Lainey and her friends must face-off against the Master, and work together to discover the greatest weapon of all. Seek…and you will find. 

Oh gosh! That’s like asking me which one of my children I love more! Hmmmm…. Lainey, the main character, is pretty near and dear to my heart, but I think my favorite character would have to be Maggie. Maggie is Lainey’s best friend, and she definitely provides the comic relief. She’s a big comic book nerd, and she’s constantly throwing out Marvel and other nerdy references. She’s also fiercely loyal, and I think she is the true heart of the story! She’s a lot of fun to write! 

I knew I wanted to write a story about witches, and I was heavily inspired by a lot of the paranormal shows I watched growing up: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Charmed. I was brainstorming one day, and I randomly got a really cool idea. I can’t tell you what it was because a huge spoiler for the end of the first book, but after that, I just kept asking myself “what if” questions and crafting characters and the world around that idea. I like to think both Keeper and Seeker give a nice little nod to my inspirations! I can pretty much draw inspiration from anywhere, but those shows were a huge influence over me growing up and also greatly influenced my story. 

That’s a toughie! I’m heavily inspired by music, so there’s so many I could name. If I have to pick just one though, I’d say the song that sums up both Keeper and Seeker is “Do or Die” by Thirty Seconds to Mars. 

Between KEEPER and SEEKER, which book would you say was the hardest to write about and why? 

Both books were challenging, but Seeker was hands down the hardest to write. I think my deadline was a big factor, but I also struggled with imposter syndrome and self-doubt quite a bit. I wrote Keeper in a bubble over a ten year period. With Seeker, however, I had a six month deadline to write and polish the entire thing. Plus, I felt like there was a lot of pressure on me and a whole bunch of expectations. I let those things mess with my head and my creative process. Once I got past that, I was able to create a book I’m super proud of, but the drafting process was incredibly draining. 

I think sophomore novels are always harder to write and sequels even more so—or at least that’s been my experience so far! 

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

First of all, if my books were ever made into movies, I think I would die of happiness! That would be so amazing! 

I actually put together two videos where I share my ideal dream cast for both books. You can check them out here:

Fall is almost here, and we love to go out and find our perfect reading spot. What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date? 

Such a fun question! I think a nice mug of hot spiced apple cider with a cinnamon stick would be perfect! And as for the perfect place, I’d say anywhere where you can cozy up with a nice snuggly blanket! 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SEEKER? 

Oooh yes! I love giving book recs! If you’re looking for something in the same vein as Keeper and Seeker, I recommend Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, and Wings by Aprilynne Pike. These are all oldies, but definitely goodies! 

What’s next for you? 

Hopefully more books! I’m going to take a little time off to re-charge my batteries and spend some much needed quality time with my family, but then I’m going to dive back into writing! I guess we’ll see what happens!

Kim Chance is an English teacher from Alabama, currently residing in Michigan with her husband and three children. When not writing, Kim enjoys spending time with her family and two crazy dogs, binge-watching Netflix, fangirling over books, and making death-by-cheese casseroles. Keeper is her first young adult novel. Kim is also a YouTuber who loves connecting with other writers. She posts videos at www.youtube.com/kimchance1 and is the creator of the #Chance2Connect chat on Twitter.