Author Interview: Eli Celeta

Today I’m interviewing author, Eli Celeta as part of the blog tour for her novel, High Summons. Check out the interview below.

How did you get started in writing?

My sister and I shared a room until I was in 2^nd grade. We’d used dolls and tell stories, and even after we got our own rooms, we kept the story-telling up minus the dolls. However, as I got older, I realized I enjoyed realistic stories where the good guys didn’t always win and sometimes even died. My sister is four years older than me, so she was generally in control, and she loves a good happily ever after. This meant I’d be the villains, and no matter how carefully crafted or how cunning, my villains would be doomed to die.

So I started to write my own stories, and I haven’t stopped.

Who is your favorite character?

In the whole of literature, I have several favorites with rather different personalities. I enjoy characters that aren’t afraid to be smart like Hermione Granger, but I’m also a fan of sarcasm and the moral gray – like Harry Dresden.

Who is your favorite author?

Jim Butcher – I admire how diverse in personality his characters are.

When do you usually write?

I try to set aside at least 16 hours a week to write – generally in the mid-morning. As I’m a PhD student, it can get mixed around at times.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what?

I have playlists for each of my books and all my characters. They really range from Sia to Nightwish to Apocalyptica. My debut, High Summons, started out with Stereo Fuse’s Superhero for Jon and went through a lot of Twenty-One Pilots, Muse, and Bastille. An entire chapter was written listening to Imagine Dragon’s Demons on repeat.

What books have most influenced your life?

Njal’s Saga – brought in a lot of older texts after reading this. Norse sagas have such a unique way of telling stories.

Harry Potter – I grew up with the series as I was 7 when it came out. It was the first chapter book I wanted to read on my own because my parents weren’t reading fast enough.

The Dresden Files – Again, love Jim Butcher, and the way he builds worlds bit by bit throughout the series is fantastic.

I have a collection of works by Edgar Allan Poe and another with all of Shakespeare’s work. Both helped me with my character development.

What are you passionate about these days?

I love fantasy and science fiction. We often forget how important imagination can be. Just look at the technology hypothesized in Star Trek and what we have now. The biggest obstacle to technological advancement is imagination. Once we have something to actualize, we’re rather fierce about doing so. As a PhD student in biological anthropology with a focus in forensics and biomechanics, using books to bridge these educational and social gaps will always be a passion of mine.

As far as books go – I’m keeping up with G.R.R. Martin’s work, and my favorite thing I’ve read this year would be Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life.” I’d just finished a linguistic anthropology graduate course, and it took everything I’d learned and applied it back to my writing style.

Hight Summons .jpg

Title: High Summons

Author: Eli Celata

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Hosted by: Ultimate Fantasy Book Tours

high-summons-book-cover

Blurb:

Jon Blythe is sick of waiting for his Yoda. After years of hiding his magic, he’s ready to retire from his mortal life, drop out of college, and jump into the world of demon hunters. He just didn’t really expect a bleach blond bookstore clerk with light up toys for weapons. Unfortunately, Jordan is Jon’s only hope. When rogue magic users come to Rochester with a malicious plan, the odd couple strikes out to save the day. Jordan might not be what Jon expected, but between demons and Econ homework, the demons win every time. Wild nights drag Jon further from normal into the world where his father vanished. Maybe he’s becoming an addict. Maybe magic just comes with a price. Either way, he’s hooked.