Have you ever met someone and known, within five minutes, that your souls had met before? That’s how it was for Kerri and I. We went on a mini-retreat with another writer who is a mutual friend, but we didn’t know each other. Yet almost as soon as we met in person, I felt as if I’d known her forever.
We bonded, Kerri and I, over a prosthetic leg toilet paper holder (no lie, see pic) and marshmallow champagne stoppers (also no lie, see pic) and choking on Brussel sprouts (don’t have a pic for that one) and tripping while acting out a book scene (no pic for that, either, thank goodness. That was me!). By the end of the weekend, I’d written something along the lines of 8k and made a life-long friend.
Not Lying
So I would like to introduce you to Kerri Keberly, author of BUSINESS OF LOVE, a book in which the Greek gods have day jobs. If you have not read this book, YOU MUST.
Alyssa: Tell me about BUSINESS OF LOVE. What inspired you?
Kerri: First, thanks for having me on your blog! Second, I’m glad you don’t have a pic of me choking on Brussel sprouts (That one was me, folks!).
The Eros & Co. series blends heart, humor, and magic into every story. It takes Greek mythology and gives it a modern day twist—think gods with day jobs! In the first book, The Business of Love, Cupid’s performance is declining big time, so he’s given an ultimatum by the king of the gods, Zeus. He must bind the hearts of two mortal enemies or he loses his immortality. No problem, Cupid’s got this, right? Hint: Not so much.
Alyssa: I heard tell Apollo is getting his own story soon. In fact, I might have read his story (this is what is awesome about being critique partners, you get to read things before everyone else!). Gimme a little about him.
Kerri: Yes! Book two, Mergers & Acquisitions (Releasing January 3rd!), centers around Apollo, Daphne (the nymph he’s been cursed to forever chase), and their discovery about what it really means to love and be loved. What can I say about Apollo? He’s Mount Olympus’s shining victor. Killer abs, sharp dresser, never a hair out of place . . . Basically, he’s the god of every damn thing and he knows it. The only problem is he’s always too busy hogging the spotlight to realize that being worshiped doesn’t hold a candle to being loved.
Alyssa: OK, so let’s nerd out a bit. Why Greek gods, and what’s your favorite myth?
Kerri: I’ve always loved mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. My first story was a retelling of the little mermaid somewhere around the first or second grade. I’m enamored with magic, and I think all of my stories include some form of magical element because of it.
For this particular series, I was flipping through one of my many reference books on Greek mythology, and when I came to one of my absolute favorites, the myth of Eros and Psyche when an idea hit me: What if they broke up and Cupid’s heart was broken?
Because I love irony and had worked in an advertising agency for years, I also thought: What if Cupid had a day job? What would happen if he had to bind hearts even though his heart was hurting? The rest, as they say, is history.
Some of my other favorite Greek myths include Artemis and Actaeon, Apollo and Daphne, and Echo and Narcissus, Medusa . . . Who am I kidding? They are all my favorite!
Alyssa: Last but not least, you have a prequel to BUSINESS OF LOVE exclusively for newsletter subscribers. What is that about?
Kerri: Oh, yes, the prequel! This was a fun one to write. Aside from suffering from a broken heart, there is another big reason why Eros loses his mojo. In book one, he must bind the hearts of Liz and Leo, two souls he’s been trying to get together for centuries. Much to the dismay of The Fates, he’s missed his mark every time. The prequel, Behind Schedule, is what happens in each of Liz and Leo’s lifetimes.
Now for the lightning round I always force, ahem, ask authors to answer!
Ready? Set? Go!
Blue jeans or party clothes? Blue Jeans.
Sushi or steak? Steak.
Cats or dogs? (Or hamsters?) Cats. Although, my cat is evil so hamsters.
Beer, wine or water? Water.
Coke or Pepsi? (If you answer Pepsi I hereby disown you. Ask my father.) Coke.
Favorite color? Purple.
Favorite word? You know, I don’t think I have a favorite word . . . unless @$%! counts?
Least favorite word? Veggies. As in shortening the word, not eating them.
Coffee or tea? Coffee, iced.
And last but not least…Favorite character trait in your significant other? (Mr. Alexander says my most endearing quality is my ability to talk. He also says it’s my most irritating quality). There are many, but my favorite is his sensitivity.
You can sign up for Kerri’s free prequel here:
And check out the BUSINESS OF LOVE, which I love, here:
MERGES AND ACQUISITIONS COMES OUT TODAY!
AUTHOR BIO:
Kerri has always told tall tales. When she was in the third grade, she hid her glasses in the linen closet and told her mother a ghost must have stolen them. As you might imagine, that story didn’t end well. Today, however, she tells more lighthearted tales, with happier endings. Fond of making people laugh, and forever a fan of folklore and mythology, she blends heart and humor with a dash of magic into her stories. Kerri lives in Michigan with her husband, son and cat they lovingly but aptly refer to as The Maleficence, Mel for short.
Twitter: @Superkeek
Facebook: Kerri Keberly Author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrikeberly/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kerri-keberly
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18613739.Kerri_Keberly
Amazon: amazon.com/author/kerrikeberly