Blog Tour Stop: The Orphan The Soulcatcher and the Black Blizzard

THE ORPHAN THE SOULCATCHER and the BLACK BLIZZARD
by Kimberlee Ann Bastian

Most of his life, Charlie Reese has been surrounded by a loving family and all the comforts of home. But when a house fire claims them, he and his cousin, Jimmy are sent to an orphanage in the heart of ‘Depression Era’ Chicago. A year later, Charlie’s life is shaken by yet another tragedy and with it comes the mysterious introduction of a secretive runaway, named Bartholomew. 


As Charlie begins to discover more about his new companion, he unknowingly becomes a participant in a two-hundred year old secret. Come the morning of the Black Blizzard, Charlie finds he must make a choice - flee the destiny laden at his feet or take on his responsibility and follow a path full of supernatural wonders.

About the Author!

Kimberlee Ann Bastian is a devoted swim coach and an enthusiastic writer who has a love affair with American nostalgia, pop culture, mythology, folklore, and endless possibilities. This melting pot of elements prompted the creation of her young adult contemporary fantasy "The Orphan, the Soulcatcher, and the Black Blizzard". It is her debut novel and the first in her epic ELEMENT ODYSSEYS.

When she is not on the pool deck cheering on her swimmers or typing on her computer in the late night hours, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and watching an incredible amount of television.

~Interview with the Author~

Q: Tell me a bit about yourself? 

I am a native Minnesotan and live in small river town along the gorgeous Mississippi. For my day job, I work at the YMCA. My primary job is coaching the swim team as assistant head coach. I love working with my kids and getting to know their families, which makes it more than just a job. With all the character voices in my head, it’s a nice break to be able to talk out loud with someone, haha. I am an avid bike rider, which now that its summer my bike acts as my car. I am a huge pop culture geek, though I have never been to Comic Con. (Side bar: One of these days, I’ll get there, preferably when my book is turned into a movie, haha.) I love watching television, it is my kryptonite (White Collar, Suits, Breaking Bad, and True Blood are just a few on my summer must watch list).

Q: Did you always want to become a writer? 

Actually, I wanted to be an Olympic Figure Skater like Kristi Yamaguchi, she was my idol. My skating career, however, was very short lived and I realized I needed a different dream, because no amount of wishing was going to get me to the medal stand. I knew I wanted to write when I was in middle school, though at the time I had aspirations of going to Hollywood and writing screenplays. The author bug really hit me after I read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Q: Who have you chosen as your target audience and why? 

The main audience for the book is young adult. I have always found stories in this genre speak to me the most, also, there is something to be said about the angst and suffering of teens. We’ve all been there, or at least will be for those who haven’t and I find the rollercoaster of those years fascinating. The book, however, is not just for teens, it bridges the age gap and I wrote it with that in mind.

Q:What made you choose Chicago and the depression era as the setting for your book? 

I have always felt that the Midwest is not represented enough in movies and literature and being a native of the Midwest I wanted my story to have elements of home. Plus, it is what I know best. As for the Depression Era, I have always been a lover of history and the 1930s has always been one of my favorite decades, second only to the Civil War Era. When I started my research, I discovered the Black Blizzards (the Dust Bowl storms) blew up to Chicago and rained ash for two days in May 1934. This piece of information sealed the setting right away for me and I had no doubts about it.

Q: Are there Chicago landmarks in your book that have importance to you? 

Not really, though I do feel I know the Bridgeport neighborhood quite well. It would definitely be a place in time I would take my DeLorean.

Q: Do any of your characters take after people close to you? 

There are a few, though most of them are not in The Orphan, the Soulcatcher and the Black Blizzard. Charlie Reese’s physical appearance resembles my younger sister’s high school boy friend, but their personalities are quite different. Father Van Lewen’s personality is very much like a priest I knew when I was in grade school, but his features are more like Clancy Brown. There are several names in the book of people close to me, whether they are family or friends. The most significant of these is Gert Reese, Charlie’s late uncle, who is named after my mother’s late father. There is also the last name of Ziemba, which is my BFF’s, mother’s maiden name. Her family is from Chicago, more specifically the Back of the Yards neighborhood, which was on the eastern border of the Union Stockyards. She told me that her father remembered the day the Black Blizzard came to the Windy City and I thought that was the coolest coincidence.

Q:What were your major influences while writing your book? 

History, history, and more history, haha. Everything from language, to clothing, to buildings, and plot, a great deal of that came out of the research I did. But that is not to say I did not gain influence from elsewhere. The whole Billiard sequence and the cat came from one of my favorite childhood movies, Disney’s The Cat From Outer Space. Also, the Coen Brothers movie, O Brother Where Art Thou was very helpful, not so much on this book, but its sequel. My two biggest inspirations, however, come from two very different places: HBO’s Carnivale and Irene Hunt’s middle grade novel No Promises in the Wind.

Q: What was your biggest challenge while writing? 

Sitting! In the beginning when I was flowing with ideas it was easy, but now that I am in editing mode and I really have to think about what needs to be in the scene, I get antsy fast. Half the time I may end up staring at the screen with no help from any of my characters. When that happens I get up and move around, maybe go for a bike ride or hike to clear my mind, but sometimes even that doesn’t work and I have to leave the writing for another day. I find nice summer days to be the worst sitting days.

Q: What works do you have in store for your readers? 

Eight sequels, and yes you read that right, eight. I got the notion in my head early on that I wanted to have a three-trilogy part series. Think of it like Star Wars if seven, eight & nine were made. Each book is set to have its own uniqueness, setting, and level of mythological elements. In the OSBB, Chicago is the main setting and is light on the supernatural, whereas in Book Two, my characters will journey from Chicago to Milwaukee to Minneapolis and will introduce more supernatural elements. Book Three is an enigma all its own and that is all the teaser I will give on that for now. Four through Six will for sure skip a few years to WWII in the Pacific Theater as well as a journey on the US main land from the Dakotas to Portland, Oregon. There will be a lot more historical elements involved as well mixed in with the advancing mythology. I have the whole thing mapped out. I even know the ending.

Q: What is your favorite spot to write in? 

Anywhere in the house, it is sunny. :)

Q:What was your most enjoyable part about the writing process? 

My last edit—it was the moment the story truly came together.

Q: If you had to name a favorite book/author, what/who would it be?

Book – Fantastic Mr. Fox

Author – Mark Twain

The first author to inspire me – Stephen King

WHAT I THOUGHT: 

The Orphan The Soulcatcher and the Black Blizzard is a thrilling tale. Fit for young readers as well as old.
The story opens with action and mystery, instantly drawing you in. My mind buzzed with questions that kept me reading to find out more.
Kimberlee Bastian has created an excellent cast of characters that have great, quirky personalities. You are drawn to Charlie and Buck and connect with them so well.
Their tale is one of friendship, strength and destiny. Readers are sure to be happy followers on their journey.
The author has such a wonderful way of implementing the imagery in her story. The sites, smells and feelings of the places and people are vivid, something I thoroughly enjoyed while reading.
This book is set in "depression era" Chicago. It's historical time frame is something I found quite refreshing and kind of like stepping briefly back in time. You get to experience Chicago during a trying and difficult time period of life.
This book is also full of popular mythology and folklore as well as some that are not as well known. This is an aspect of the story that I really liked. Bastian has a unique perspective of these mythical beings and was able to build them a well fit place in her story. Hades character was definitely one that sparked my interest.
"...Buck can think of only two mortals in the history of Eden capable of resisting the full extent of Hades' magic- The Trickster being one and Charlie being the other."(Chapter, The Scarlet Phoenix)
There are two worlds portrayed in this story, Charlie's Chicago and Buck's ancient, mythological world. Both worlds are equally interesting and exciting. The author is able to gradually bring the two together until they become perfectly interwoven and you start to see them more as one world instead of two.
As you read, you are continually pulled along by the plot. There are no gaps and no confusions. The author does a great job of revealing just enough at the right times to her readers.
Her ending leaves you fulfilled yet hungry for the sequel!

Please visit the author and her book on her Goodreads page ~HERE~

Her book is available on Amazon for the Kindle ~HERE~

For more information on Kimberlee and the Element Odysseys series

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