Interview with Yasmine Galenorn

I am lucky enough to have the fabulous Yasmine Galenorn, author extraordinaire, signed on to answer some questions.  Now for any of you not familiar with her mystical series check out a list of her books below, but now to the good stuff.
   

TK: 

Ms. Galenorn as a Witchy Chick blogger, author of the best-selling Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon series, and a practicing shamanic witch, tell me, who is your favorite TV or movie witch?
  

Yasmine: Actually, I think my favorite TV/Movie witch had a very brief part, but she was just so cool I fell head over heels with her. In Conan the Barbarian, there’s a witch near the beginning—long dark hair and just sensual as hell. I also like the character of the narrator in that movie—the actor was Mako, I believe. He was a shaman/shamanic witch and was just too cool. While I thought Bewitched was cute, Samantha pissed me off—negating her powers just to appease Darrin’s overblown ego. And Sabrina was too ‘cutesy.’ I never watched Charmed—saw ten minutes and it bored me and that was it. Practical Magic didn’t impress me a lot. OH WAIT---I love the women in Sleepy Hollow, with Johnny Depp. They are really all witches, you know—I guess I’d choose that movie for my fave film witches.
  

TK: So...  the film "The Craft", cool or Hollywood bull?  Has Hollywood ever gotten it right? Do you think they could?

  

Yasmine: I can only answer for myself. There is no ‘right’ because every witch and pagan has their own vision of the Craft and their own way of practice. I’m not Wiccan, I didn’t really have a problem with the movie. Typical teen angst movie but I enjoyed it more than I have some. Hollywood can never get it fully right—though in the original (not the remake) Wicker Man, they got a closer than just about anything, I think.
  

TK: Now I did a little research, and read a few of your previous interviews, and found out we have a mutual liking for a fabulous little show called Supernatural.  So here is my question, Sam or Dean?


  

Yasmine: I hate to tell you, but I stopped midway through Season 3. I really got turned off by the way the plot line was going, but that’s just my personal feelings. But with the guys, if I had to pick one…oh, hard, but Dean, I guess. Sam’s cuter, but Dean—he had it going on.
  

TK: Don't think I have forgotten about your writing.  I am dying to hear more about the world you created, what are the immigration laws?  How do I apply for citizenship?
 

Yasmine: That would take forever to sort out! ~laughs~ Let’s just say there’s no official welcome over there for Earthsiders, be they FBH or Fae, right now. That may change, but we’ll have to see as the books go along.


 

TK: When they say write what you know, there are days and authors where that seems more doable then others.  Your life is not a direct parallel of your characters, but what tidbits of your daily routine pop up in them?
  

Yasmine: A number of Camille’s activities and habits--the caffeine thing, the clothing choices, Delilah’s late night hours watching trash TV and tendency to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Menolly—her quick temper, her need for routine. Actually, there’s a little bit of myself in most of the characters.
 

TK: 

Is there a character closest to you in disposition?
 

Yasmine: Camille—with a touch of Menolly’s temper, and Delilah’s black panther self and her tabby mischief. Yah, I’m a troublemaker and rabble rouser. Camille really is more based on me, partially the me that yes—I’d love to be, and partially the me that I can see if I really went off-beam. ~laughing~ But trust me, as appealing as her men and wardrobe are, I have no desire to go bashing demon heads. In real life. I, do, however, hang out with a gorgeous hunk of a husband and some pretty wacked out friends.


 

TK: If you could pick one of your characters to spend the day with, hang out, be comfortable with who would that be and what would you guys do together - by the way keep it clean my site is rated PG-13? :-)

 

Yasmine: Hmmm…has to be PG-13? Sigh. You take all the fun out of things! I’d love to hang with Morio, I think. Talk, work magic together, um…other things you won’t allow me to talk about here. ~wicked grin~ Although, the thought of riding on Smoky’s back (while he’s a dragon—see, keeping it PG-13—though…*muses*…never mind…oh, that hair of his!) while he was flying around would be a mind blowing experience!
 

TK: In your newest book what has changed for you in the world you have created, have there been developments with your characters you did not expect?
 

Yasmine: Okay, the thing is—my last book I just finished writing was the new series—the first book in the Indigo Court Series. So I can’t really apply that. But the next Otherworld book coming out is Bone Magic, and oh, so many things happened. This is a very transitional book, so much happens—including life-altering transitions for Camille and Chase. I never expect a good two-thirds of what shows up! LOL, which is why I can’t always tell you what will happen in the future if I haven’t already written it. The future is being created as I go.


 

TK: Now that you have spent so much time and so many pages in the Otherworld are you used to it or does it still surprise you? Does your hand itch to explore a whole new world or is the Otherworld still big enough for a while yet?
 

Yasmine: Both! My first book in the Indigo Court Series, another urban fantasy series—darker and edgier in many ways—than the Otherworld Series, will be out next June. But there’s so many places that I can take the Otherworld Series that I can’t really see giving it up for a long time to come. The world is fluid with so many storylines. So I’m writing one Indigo Court book a year now, and two Otherworld Books a year. Plus a few novellas along the way.


 

TK: While I was contemplating my next question I started to think about dinner, about how I really don't feel like cooking and where I should order from, what is your favorite takeout and what do you order?

 

Yasmine: I can’t do most take out due to food allergies, so you take me out to the Outback and I have a big, juicy steak (medium rare)—New York or center fillet cut, a side of King crab or a lobster tail, a side of sliced tomatoes, and for dessert—a strawberry daiquiri or a rum and Coke. How about that?
 

TK: Now this is a question of personal interest and of a personal nature, one of the elements of a culture is found in food, I know this might sound like a silly question but are there any dietary guidelines that you follow being a shamanic witch?
 

Yasmine: That depends on your individual path. I’m pledged to a goddess of the Hunt, and yes, I am quite a carnivore. But more than that, my body just demands a good amount of animal protein. My totem is the black panther (there’s the Delilah connection) and I love rare meat. Most of my dietary restrictions are due to food allergies and intolerances, which sucks rocks. But I’m a hardcore carnivore who mainly eats meat and fruits, I guess. Some veggies, but I’m just not a veggie person.
 

TK: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to share a little bit more about yourself.
 

Bio: New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy for Berkley: both the bestselling Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon Series for Berkley and the upcoming Indigo Court urban fantasy series. In the past, she wrote mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, and nonfiction metaphysical books. Her books have hit the New York Times and USA Today extended bestseller lists numerous times. Yasmine has been in the Craft for over 29 years, is a shamanic witch, and describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives in Bellevue WA with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached via her website at www.galenorn.com, via MySpace: www.myspace.com/yasminegalenorn and Twitter: www.twitter.com/yasminegalenorn. The D’Artigo Sisters also have a twitter account: www.twitter.com/sotm_sisters