I’d like to give a big, warm welcome to Wendy M. Kok, fellow author and fellow (former) Wisconsinite! We’ll be talking about her debut novel, A Grey Resort. You’ll meet Brooke, a teenage girl with special gifts, as she navigates the supernatural world found right in her own backyard. Uncover dreamy Aaron’s secrets and find yourself wanting more. This is a YA-paranormal romance with lots of down-home charm.
Thanks for joining us, Wendy!
A Grey Resort: Interview
A Grey Resort is set in a small town of Wisconsin, much like where you grew up. Tell us what it was like to spend your childhood on a lake resort?
It was a wonderful experience! My parents owned the resort for quite a long time, and we often had these large picnics on the weekends along the lake. Lots of people would show up, and my dad would be the one firing up the grill. Later on, he would get out his guitar, and entertain the crowd. It was a precious time for me which I will never forget. I feel lucky to have this experience, and to be able to meet different people from all walks of life.
There are so many fun anecdotes that really plunge the reader into small-town life. How many of these characters and situations are based on real experiences?
There were several, the resort and town are inspired by the place I grew up. The characters in my book are loosely based on real people, but I’ve changed names and elaborated quite a bit. That’s the fun of being a writer!
If you had to describe your book in ten words or less, what would they be?
I would say by the way my readers have described it: hard to put down, an interesting way of describing situations and events, and the characters and place are hard to forget.
Where did your inspiration for Aaron and his supernatural world come from?
To be honest, over the years, there was some unusual activity experienced near the resort and the woods surrounding it. Of course, it didn’t happen exactly like it did in the book, but there is definitely a palpable energy. It was wonderful living on the lake and being surrounded by woods, but there is an eeriness there that is hard to explain.
What’s coming next for Brooke and Aaron?
There is a lot of stuff going on with these two, as well as the introduction of several new characters. I am so excited to get this out to my readers! There is a lot of fun stuff in store, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you! I have several people waiting for me to finish this second book, and I can tell you that the bulk of it is done. It just needs to go through a series of edits. Stay tuned! 😊
Ready to get your own copy? See details below!
‘A Grey Resort’ is available on Amazon, B&N, target.com, Bookbaby bookshop, and other various retailers.
Amazon link: A Grey Resort
Author bio:
Wendy M. Kok was raised in a small, resort town in Northern WI. Her parents owned and entertained a summer resort for over twenty years. It was there she learned to fish, appreciate wildlife, and forge friendships over the years with people that would often come and stay year after year. This upbringing was the inspiration for her debut novel, “A Grey Resort” which was launched July 29th, 2019 to critical acclaim.
Wendy has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Grand Valley State University. Wendy has two sets of twins, and when not running around playing taxi to teenagers, likes to spend time writing and working on graphics for her social media pages. Her second book is expected to be released later this year.
Follow her on:
Website- www.wendymkokauthor.com
On Facebook –@wendymkokauthor
Amazon Author Page- www.amazon.com/author/wendymkok
Instagram- @wendykok4
Goodreads- Wendy M. Kok
YouTube Channel- #theshortandtallofit
Bookbaby- https://store.bookbaby.com/book/a-grey-resort
Book synopsis:
It's the summer of 1984, and strange things are happening in the woodsy, sleepy town of Neelsville, WI. One evening, Brooke Larken decides to go fishing at her lakeside resort. She doesn't realize that her simple decision to go fishing, changes the course of her life forever. Here she meets a mysterious stranger, and gets the shock of her life. Follow Brooke as she discovers something very sinister about her town, and the people in it.
Thanks again to Wendy for joining us for this week's author spotlight!
The next author spotlight will be on July 23, where we'll talk to Sophia Florenza about her novel, Descending: Book 2 of the Divine-less series.
What are you in the mood for?
Happy Reading!
Ana