City of Kaus: Revenge by Dani Hoots

Today I am talking to Dani Hoots, author of City of Kaus: Revenge. This story was so unique and interesting, I’m so glad I met the author and got a chance to read it!

Before we start, here is the synopsis:

A swashbuckling upper YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi Western you don't want to miss!

It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay.

Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price - assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn’t be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain and how her people were really destroyed.

Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred?

J.C. - Hi Dani! It is a pleasure getting to talk to you today. Can you take a moment and introduce yourself to our readers?

D.H. - I am Dani Hoots, and I am an author of over 20 sci-fi and fantasy novels, mainly all YA. I love mythology and stories and talk about them a lot in my stories and on my social media.

J.C. - How did you come up with the Idea for City of Kaus: Revenge?

D.H. - It is lightly based on some stuff I read about starseeds, which is a modern metaphysics mythology, so to speak. The ideas of the aliens they talk about inspired me to write this story, along with some random dreams I had.

J.C. - I had never read Western Sci-Fi before. What made you want to write in that genre?

D.H. - I grew up watching Star Wars, which is a sci-fi western. A lot of the imagery was inspired by old westerns. I also love Firefly and there are some ya scifi/fantasy western books out there I really enjoyed. So I figured since I love them all, I should write one. Then once I had the inspiration, I went for it.

J.C. - You have several published works and all of your covers are so fascinating. Who does your cover art? And how do you go about picking the right cover for each project?

D.H. - Most of my cover are done by Biserka Designs on 99designs, and the cover illustration for Revenge was done by Mona Finden. I do some research on Pintrest and find other covers and images that capture the feeling of my books then send them to my artist.

J.C. - How important is it to support the LGBTQ+ community and include LGBTQ+ characters in your book(s)?

D.H. - Very important! While I don’t exactly decide what sexuality my characters are (I'm an author who creates characters and they come alive in my head), I let them choose whoever they want. Opening that up in my mind, and having that mentality for anyone, is important. When my characters are LGBT, I'm glad they have come alive for people to identify with as there is a lot of fiction that doesn't touch on LGBT whatsoever.

J.C. - We met through Bekah Burge and Writing Pains because we all are writers with chronic illnesses. Can you take a moment to tell our readers what Sjogren’s Syndrome is and how it affects your writing?

D.H. - Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder where that body attacks the fluid-producing cells. What that ends up doing is attacking the fluid in my joints, making it hard for me to walk or type. Over the years, I have gotten into herbal medicine and nutrition and am doing a lot better and can hike, but some days are definitely not as good as others. I also have bad fatigue sometimes and stress will make me flare up a bunch.

J.C. - Who has been your biggest support system while on this writing adventure?

D.H. - Definitely my husband! He has always been by my side and has supported me with my health and my work and schooling.

J.C. - Finish the sentence. In ten years I’d like to …

D.H. - Keep on trekking! There's too many variables. I have no idea what the next ten years will bring.

J.C. - What book are you working on next?

D.H. - I will be working on the rest of the City of Kaus series, along with continuing my Grimmland series that is on KindleVella.

J.C. - Lastly, where can readers find you and your work?

D.H. - You can find me online on almost any store, your local library, your favorite audiobook retailer, or check out my website www.DaniHoots.com

Thank you so much for having me!

Thank you for reading about Dani Hoots and her book, Revenge. Dani posts such fun cosplay book promo’s on Instagram. Make sure you follow her and pick up a copy of Revenge!

Here’s my review:

I received an ARC copy of this book directly from the author. Revenge is the first book in the City of Kaus series. Western sci-fi is a new genre for me. I loved the concept and felt it was a bit of Tombstone meets Star Wars. I’m a huge fantasy/sci-fi nerd so Revenge was right up my alley. We follow Ellie as she embarks on a quest for revenge. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Ellie, along with her race, has been burned. Along the way we see that Ellie, along with the ensemble cast, just want to fit in and be accepted amongst society. Don’t we all? Hoots has created a world full of six different species that are so unique I would really like to see them come to life on screen. The end leaves you waiting for book two.