Author Spotlight: Kate de Jesus

Introducing Kate de Jesus, author of the middle grade/young teens fantasy series The Gateway Discoveries:

1. Tell us about yourself.
Not surprisingly, I am a book nerd and have always loved to write.  I actually volunteered to write my friends English papers in high school and college just for fun.  I am the proud mother of two boys and my husband and I live in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

2. When did you start writing and why?
About two years ago I became a stay at home mom and found myself counting the hours until my kids came home from school.  I decided to do something a little more productive and give my dream of writing novels a shot.  I had spent years in the 9 to 5 cubicle life, and let me tell you, there is no comparison!  Now I look forward to sitting down at the computer every day.

3. What do you write and why?  What do you enjoy about it?
My 12 year old son discovered reading can be fun and not just a chore about the same time I sat down to write my first book.  He began churning through books in this age group and was constantly finishing a book and searching for a new one.  He especially loves series, which I recall loving also from my days as a 12 year old.  I wanted to create a series that has it all; action and adventure that kids like and positive characters with a positive message that parents like also.  I really enjoy showcasing how the kids in the story deal with issues common to kids today.  My hope is that if readers see the character overcome these issues, they will realize they can too!

4. What is your latest book series?  Any forthcoming books?
There are two books currently available in The Gateway Discoveries series, Dark Fate Falling and The Brutal Ones.   Dark Fate Falling is the first book and tells how four friends accompanying their scientist fathers on a trip through the Bermuda Triangle inadvertently discover a gateway into another dimension.   Although the dimension looks very much like our world, they soon find that it has its own secrets and deadly creatures for them to contend with.  The kids are forced to rely on themselves and each other if they want to survive…and escape.  The second book, The Brutal Ones, is a continuation of the first book and delves deeper into the other world the gateway has led them too.  The characters now face getting caught in an age old clash between the people of this newly discovered world and trying to find a way home.  They are drawn into events because they cannot, in good conscious, leave without helping, and because if they don’t do something they will likely be crushed by the conflict.  There is definitely a message of ‘do the right thing’ in this book.  I am currently working on the third book, Arden’s war, which is the conclusion to this story and the launching pad for the fourth book.  Arden’s War is due out in January, 2014.

5. Welcome To My Worlds: Tell us about the world of your series.
I collaborated heavily with my 12 year old son on the first book in the series.  He helped with the characters and theme, and I even describe the creatures in the book based on drawings he did, so it is very much the mysterious, adventure filled world of a 9 to 12 year old.  I liked the concept of having a few main characters that the reader grows fond of, without trapping the characters in one situation or one world.  The first three books tell the story of how the kids discovered the gateways and what happens when they entered.  But they also discover there are other gateways out there and those could lead to anything; outer space, the Wild West, a zombie apocalypse.  The possibilities for new settings and new characters are endless, which keeps readers interested in a series.

6. Introduce us to some of your characters.
There are three main characters in the series.  Nick is a twelve year old who sometimes struggles with anxiety and ‘what if something bad happens’ thoughts.  Then there is Remedy, a twelve year old girl who conveys all the confidence in the world but is secretly afraid of what others are thinking of her.  Finally there is Simon, a fifteen year old who likes to think things through before acting and is an all around straight arrow.  I try to give the characters issues that my readers can relate to.  If they see Nick overcoming his anxiety in a situation, maybe they can see themselves doing the same.  I also want readers to see that girls can do anything they put their mind to, and that it’s okay to have doubts as long as they don’t hold you back.  The three kids find themselves in some really exciting circumstances, and I want readers to see themselves in the way the characters handle events. 

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7. Tell us a fun fact about you or your book.
A fun fact about me…hmm…I guess I would have to say that I am a firm believer in the existence of Bigfoot.  Maybe it’s my very active imagination, but I love a good Sasquatch story!

8. Website and where your books are available:
Dark Fate Falling (The Gateway Discoveries Volume 1) and The Brutal Ones (The Gateway Discoveries Volume 2) are now available on Amazon.com.

More information about the books and upcoming books in the series can be found at:
https://sites.google.com/site/darkfatefalling/

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