Hi Abigail – thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today for an interview.
I always like to do a bit of research prior to my interviews and I noticed that you were born in Colorado, but raised in Austin. Did you spend any time in Colorado while you were growing up — or are your earliest memories from when you lived in the Austin area? And of course, what was Austin like?
Many of my happiest memories are in Colorado. My grandparents owned a home in Estes Park that all the family used as a summer vacation home. Estes is my favorite place on the planet.
Austin was a great place to grow up. We lived at the pool during the summers. Everyone is friendly and has good, old fashioned southern manners. Lots of outdoors things to do. As I grew up I was able to take advantage of the music scene. I could have done without the heat and humidity, but they say it’s great for the skin.
Looking back on your childhood, what did you for fun? Any crazy antics or adventures we should hear about? *smile*
Lol. Not really. I was a bit of a goody-goody. (Still am honestly). I was a total band geek (flute, piccolo, color guard in marching band) and loved it. Nicest friends a girl could ask for.
I did the normal things a high school girl does. I worked at Sonic as a car hop – that was an experience. (And no, I didn’t wear the skates – they weren’t doing that then. More’s the pity. I’m awesome on skates)!
What about school (prior to attending Texas A&M)? Fun and interesting, or boring and tedious? How about your time at Texas A&M?
Loved my time at TAMU. I’m a 4th generation Aggie and take a lot of pride in my school. I still love all the traditions at my school. I spent most of my time outside of school skydiving. I joined the TAMU Skydiving Club and got into competing. I stopped years later when I had my kiddos. Miss it every day the sky is blue.
Now, your bio mentions that you wrote for years, but only for yourself. When did you initially start down the path of ‘writer’ and what sort of things were you writing?
I always considered myself a writer. It started with short stories as a child – lots of horror at that time, which is funny to me now because I can’t watch it or read it. My imagination just soaks it up and it makes me paranoid in real life.
I started my first book in middle school set in WWII. It wasn’t supposed to be, but somehow became a romance. My first hint that I should aim toward that space. Various attempts to write a book through the years didn’t pan out. It wasn’t until about eight years ago that I finished my first book. I haven’t looked back!
Huge congratulations on that first book (as well as your subsequent works)!
In 2012 you took up writing as a career. What was the pivotal moment (or piece) that led you to that decision?
Blue Violet, book one of my Svatura series, was the first book I’d finished. I worked on it on 
and off for a few years, but what really got me going was finding my beta reader, Wendy. I wanted some unbiased, professional feedback on the book and hers was invaluable. I did a LOT more changes to the book and decided to self-publish at that point. Within 2 years I’d written, and self-published, the other books in that series and started on a new series.
The Svatura series is no longer self-published. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, has contracted the series and we’re getting ready to re-release, new and improved!
Moving on to your current works, you have recently released Sarai’s Fortune, Book Two in your Shadowcat Nation Can you tell us a bit about this specific title?
This one was one of my favorites to write (although, admittedly, I say that about each book I finish).
Sarai is a mountain lion shifter and a rare Seer in the Shadowcat Nation. She’s being stalked by a psycho and is sent to Zac, a polar bear shifter, for protection. The problem is she sees only two possible futures. If she stays with Zac they will become lovers – and he will die at the hands of her stalker. If she leaves to protect him, she dies.
Wow, seems like Sarai is literally caught between a rock and a hard place…
In the writing of your Shadowcat Nation series – what is your end goal for the series? Is it turning out the way you planned/expected?
I’m very much a pantser when it comes to writing. There have been some things (like the Kuharte storyline with those shifters that have extra supernatural powers) that I hadn’t had in mind initially. In fact, I’m thinking of adding yet another angle, and idea that came from using a Russian first name. By the end of the series the shifter wars will be (mostly) over and the Shadowcat Nation as we know it will be…different.
Lastly, what are your future plans once you finish the final two books in the Shadowcat Nation series?
Book 3 of the series is finished and in my editor’s hands now. I’ll start on book 4 this summer. Originally it was supposed to be a 4 books series, but I suspect it may change to 5. We’ll see how book 4 goes.
There’s the possibility for a spin off series for the Shadowcat Nation (another 4 books), however, I have a few contemporaries that I’d like to focus on for a bit.
In addition, I have a few new book ideas swirling that I may start on. I haven’t decided yet. Also, the Svatura series books (4 in all) are in editing with The Wild Rose Press now.
Abigail, thank you again for sitting down with me – it was wonderful to be able to host you on my blog!
Thank you so much for having me! I really enjoyed this interview.
Author Bio:
Award-winning paranormal and contemporary romance author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado, and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe.
Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
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Synopsis:
Zac Montclair’s first priority is to protect his people. With the escalating war between factions of 
shifters over land and resources, he has agreed to an alliance between his polar bears and the Shadowcat Nation of cougar shifters. But the treaty comes with a condition…he must accept one of their Seers into his Timik and put her under his personal protection.
Sarai Bouchard doesn’t need her supernatural gift to know that Kyle Carstairs’s obsession with controlling her ability will eventually result in her misery and demise. Her power is essential to her people’s survival, so when Kyle goes rogue, she’s sent to Zac Montclair to keep her safe. However, her visions reveal that while staying will lead to their becoming lovers, it also leads to his death. Leaving Zac will result in her own.
If Sarai can’t find a way to change the future, she will be forced to choose…save her lover or save herself.
I just returned from vacation or I would have posted sooner. Thanks so much for hosting me. I really enjoyed the interview!
I was happy to host you, Abigail! Thanks again for a fun interview! 🙂
Charline