Today Amanda Carlson, the author of HOT BLOODED (US | UK | AUS), interviews Nicole Peeler about TEMPEST REBORN (US | UK | AUS) and the last Jane True novel.

Amanda Carlson: I love Jane True and your writing voice. She’s witty, quirky and lovable. How did you come up with the idea to write a half selkie heroine?

Nicole Peeler: Thanks, Amanda! I’d fallen in love with the mythology as a teenager, and I’d always wondered about what happened to the half-human, half-selkie children that often feature in these myths. So when I realized I wanted to write a character that wasn’t naturally “kick-ass,” the answer was pretty obvious. Seal shapeshifters are definitely not naturally kick-ass!

AC: In the TEMPEST REBORN, without giving too much away, does Jane get snuggle time with Anyan?

NP: Absolutely. I knew I’d be beaten to death by Jane’s fans if that didn’t happen.

AC: You have a PhD in English Literature and teach Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University, which sounds like an amazing job! What’s the most fun assignment you’ve given your students?

NP: The most fun was working with undergraduates, creating World Building Books for an Urban Fantasy course I taught. They had such amazing ideas! And it was fun to watch them realize they could do just that—create a whole world.

AC:  You just bought a house! That’s a big, exciting step.  Tell us about it.

NP: It’s soooooo nice! I keep having to rein myself in from having my every Facebook post be “OMG I LOVE MY HOUSE.” I’m also really loving Pittsburgh. It’s super up-and-coming, so you can really get involved with things. I’m going to help plant a tree irrigation system for Tree Pittsburgh this weekend and I’m stupidly excited about it.

AC: The TEMPEST REBORN is Jane’s last adventure. What’s up next for you? (We hope more fantasy!)

NP: I’m not sure yet, honestly, but yes. All my ideas are inevitably fantasy. It’s funny that I read so much literature but I think in dragons. I’m not sure why! But I do love the genre.

AC:  Here are some fun quick bullet questions to end.

Ice cream or sorbet: Both!

Breakfast or dinner: Both!

London or Paris: OMG both.

Beer or margarita: YEAH, both. I don’t really limit myself too much, in case you couldn’t tell.

Cats or dogs: Neither. I travel too much.

Spring or fall: Either, as long as it’s not winter or summer.

The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones: MAD MEN. (I’m not very good at this game, am I? But I loved playing!)