Chocolates, First Loves and Book Crushes: Elise Kova (Interview + Giveaway)

Chocolates, First Loves and Book Crushes is a blog event featuring debut authors answering questions that I have sent them as they talk  about their Valentine's day routines, love, book crushes and more. For a list of all the participating authors, check it out here.

Elise Kova has always had a passion for storytelling. She wrote her first novella, a high-fantasy, in sixth grade. Over the years she's honed her love of literature with everything from fantasy to romance, science fiction to mystery, and whatever else catches her eye.

Elise lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where she's currently working on the next installment in her debut YA fantasy series: Air Awakens. She enjoys video games, anime, table-top role playing games, and many other forms of "geekdom."

Find Elise: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

1.    Have you always seen Valentine’s as an important event? What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day?

• I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day because I’m a firm believer that there are many different types of love and the day is not just for celebrating romantic love, but love in general. So even when I was a child, I’d make Valentine’s cards for my close friends and family. I always like showing appreciation for the people who matter most to me and it’s nice to have an excuse to do that. Usually on Valentine’s Day I’ll call friends and family to let them know I love them and do something special with my husband.

2. What is your fondest memory about Valentine’s Day? Can you go into details about it?

• One of the first Valentine’s with my husband. We started dating in college and neither of us had any money to spend on things, so we had a Valentine’s Day where we tried to make the least amount of money go as far as possible. I wrote a bunch of reasons why I loved him and put them in a jar for him to take out every day for a few months and he planned a simple picnic in some nice local gardens.

3. What has always been your idea of the perfect date?

• I really like getting dressed up and going out to a fancy dinner. I also really, really, like food. So my perfect date starts with that and then ends up going home shortly after to change into pajamas and play video games all night. As much as I like having an excuse to be fancy, I like just crashing on the couch even more.

4. Can you tell us about your first love? What was he/she like? 

• It’s hard to put him and my feelings for him into words. He’s the type of person you meet once in your life and forever lingers in your heart. He’s gentle and strong, someone who doesn’t make you feel guilty for being weak around. On top of it all, he was selfless enough to let me go be with the man I’d later marry while still being one of my dearest friends. I’m forever lucky to have met him and have him in my life.

5. Any book crushes/boyfriends?

• I have to go with a classic and say Mr. Darcy. That man is the epitome of book boyfriends for me!

6. Are the characters in your upcoming novel big romantics or total party poopers?

• I consider myself to be a fantasy/romance author so love is a big part of my books! Writing romance and relationships is one of my favorite things to do and I play with different types of relationships a lot in Air Awakens. Love will be another major element in my next work as well. As for the characters themselves… I’d say the biggest romantic in Air Awakens is actually Prince Aldrik, despite himself. That or Fritznangle. In my next work… Well, you’ll just have to wait and find out!

7. If you can go out on a date with a character in your book, who would it be and why?

• Prince Aldrik, he’s my favorite character to write and I’d love to sit across a table from him. Not to mention, I imagine him as being very, very attractive (in a different sort of way) and would love to see him in person!

8. What would you like to say to any reader out there this Valentine’s season?

• Don’t make Valentine’s just about romantic love. And I suppose that’s from me to everyone, not just readers. You can celebrate all types of love on Valentine’s Day. Don’t let others define it just as a day for couples and feel sad if you’re not someone who has a “date” on the day. Take out your best friend for dinner, go to a show with your mom, there are lots of people who have pieces of your heart (I’d bet) and you can use the day as an opportunity to let them know how much they mean to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Earth's End (Air Awakens #3)                               

Author: Elise Kova

Publication: February 11th 2016, Silver Wing Press

Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | National Bookstore / Fully Booked (PH)

Check out Air Awakens and Fire Falling

A woman awoken in air, a soldier forged by fire, a weapon risen from blood.

Vhalla Yarl has made it to the warfront in the North. Forged by blood and fire, she has steeled her heart for the final battle of the Solaris Empire’s conquest. The choices before Vhalla are no longer servitude or freedom, they are servitude or death. The stakes have never been higher as the Emperor maintains his iron grip on her fate, holding everything Vhalla still has left to lose in the balance.

So, Elise Kova is not exactly a 2016 Debut author but I really want to spotlight her coz she needs every single ounce of love in the world (and I'm pretty sure she has plenty of that already) Thanks to Elise for hosting the giveaway!!! You are lovely! And thank you for your answers!

Thanks for stopping by! Tomorrow, Shannon M. Parker, author of The Girl Who Fell, will be on the blog so stay tuned :)