Katie Keridan, author of Reign Returned and Blood Divided, sat down with us for an exclusive author interview. We discussed her books, her writing process, and her decision to promote these titles through book influencers and content creators, giving readers and authors insight into modern book marketing strategies.

“It’s about sharing your book with the right people”

Hi Katie Keridan, could you please tell us a bit about your latest release Blood Divided?

My latest book is Blood Divided, and it’s the sequel to my debut YA fantasy, Reign Returned. If you like enemies-turned-lovers, morally grey assassins, found family, dragons, soulmates across multiple lives, and animals providing sometimes questionable life advice, this is absolutely the series for you.

So, what inspired you to start writing in the first place?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. As a very small child, I used to take paper and staple it into little books, and then I’d write a story and use markers to illustrate it. I’ve always been driven to express myself through words. I’ve written short stories and poems and kept a journal for most of my life. It’s only been more recently, as an author, that I’ve been able to share my words with other people who (hopefully) enjoy them.

You chose to use Bookinfluencers.com to find Instagram and Tiktok creators for the promotion of your books. What are your thoughts on collaborating with creators?

I absolutely LOVE working with creators to promote my books! I did a promotional campaign with Bookinfluencers.com for my first book. It went so well I’m back with the sequel. I’ve been so fortunate to connect with a variety of brilliant and enthusiastic creators. Seeing the intentionality and love they put into their book photos and posts is truly mind-blowing. It’s a team effort…authors write the books, and creators spread the word. It’s such an important relationship that I deeply appreciate.

Do you have any tips for authors or publishers that haven’t collaborated with creators yet?

It’s all about finding your target reader. When my first book was published, I thought the secret to getting it out into the world was sharing it with as many people as possible. Wrong! It’s about sharing it with the right people, people who like a certain genre, certain tropes, and certain character archetypes and plots. One reader who loves your book and won’t stop talking about it is truly worth ten other people who read it and think it’s “fine” or “well-written.” That’s what makes Bookinfluencers.com so great: you can connect with readers who are looking for exactly what you wrote, making it a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Want more from Katie Keridan?

Kyra Valorian is the most gifted Astral healer the golden-blooded realm of Aeles has seen in ages. When tragedy strikes, Kyra discovers she possesses a life-changing gift: she’s a Recovrancer, able to enter the realm of the dead and recover those who’ve died before their time. Unfortunately, recovrancy is outlawed in her realm. Desperate for answers, Kyra will do anything to get them . . . even partner with a dangerous enemy.

Sebastian Sayre is the most sought-after Daeval assassin in all of Nocens. A silver-blooded Pyromancer, he wields fire and dreams of finding Rhannu, a legendary sword that makes its holder invincible. Since the sword was long ago stolen from Nocens and hidden where no Daeval can retrieve it, however, such a dream seems impossible . . . until he encounters the one Astral who might be both able and willing to help him.

As Kyra and Sebastian work together to uncover the secrets of their realms, they also uncover secrets within their own pasts—pasts that are far more intertwined than they ever imagined. Ultimately, in this tale of discovery, destiny, and a love strong enough to outlast time, remembering the past just may prove to be the only way to change the future.

Kyra Valorian and Sebastian Sayre have finally remembered their pasts as the former Felserpent Queen and King, and now it’s time for them to change the future―by reuniting the realms and bringing peace to Astrals and Daevals. But tensions between Aeles and Nocens have never been higher, and those of silver and gold blood are more divided than ever.

In addition to improving her recovrancy abilities and completing internship, Kyra is determined to uncover her father’s role in the evil Astral experimentation program, no matter the danger. As Sebastian learns to be in a relationship, he finds himself facing the traumas of two very different pasts, forcing him to make tough decisions about his chosen profession and who he wants to be. Meanwhile, Tallus, arch-enemy to the Felserpent monarchy, has also returned―and it will take help from Cyphers, as well as friends both old and new, to find and stop him.

As Kyra and Sebastian struggle to navigate the differences between their past and current relationship, one thing’s clear: part of fulfilling their destiny means accepting their fate. The choices they make will reach all the way into Death in this thrilling found family sequel to Reign Returned.