At the #CMCon21 Beach with Kait Ballenger

As one of the #CMCon21 featured bloggers, I get to have a little fun with a few of the fabulous authors who will be hitting the beach for Coastal Magic 2021 and introducing you to their many stories.

Writing short stories, even mini-fiction, can’t always be worked into a writing schedule; so for those authors who may not be able to let their characters play in the sand, I’ve invited them to a nighttime beach bonfire to have a drink, listen to the crashing waves, and answer a few questions of my own.

Joining me in the sand is Kait Ballenger, author of the Seven Range Shifters  and the Execution Underground series.

Can you tell us a little about yourself, something readers may not have heard before?

Hi, everyone! *waves* My name is Kait Ballenger and I write sexy, captivating paranormal romance. My current series, the Seven Range Shifter, is on the darker side of shifter romance, but with a western twist. My Grey Wolf heroes are cowboys by day, wolf shifters by night. Something readers may not know about me is that I have a collection of adorably fashionable scarves and cold-weather shawls which would be absolutely great if I lived somewhere with cold weather Montana, which is where my series is set, but…I live in Florida lol. I love to travel and I grew up in Detroit, where the weather was much colder, so I only get to use the scarf collection on occasion.

Official Bio: Kait Ballenger is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Seven Range Shifter paranormal romance series, where she weaves captivating tales of dark, sexy heroes who are cowboys by day, wolf shifters by night.

When Kait’s not preoccupied writing “intense and riveting” paranormal plots or “high-voltage” love scenes that make even seasoned romance readers blush, she can usually be found spending time with her family or with her nose buried in a good book. She lives in Florida with her husband and two young sons.


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Can you introduce us to the world(s) that you have created?

In the Seven Range Shifters series, seven shifter clans of varying species rule the Montana mountainside led by The Grey Wolf Pack. But a new evil will stop at nothing to tear their world apart. This is a sexy shifter vs vampire series perfect for readers of Nalini Singh or Maria Vale.

Will this be your first Coastal Magic or are you a veteran? What was it about Coastal Magic that drew you to it? Why have you continued to return?

I’m a veteran of CMC. What drew me to the conference is that it’s local (at least when we hold it in person). I live near Daytona Beach, so it’s a convenient and fun beachside setting. I started attending the second year and have been back every year since. It’s one of my favorite cons because of the laid back and chill atmosphere and the close interactions I get with readers.

If you’ve been before, what is your favorite CMC memory? If you’ve never been, what are you looking forward to?

One of my favorite memories of CMC was when I attended in 2015 and was 9 months pregnant with my first son. The readers were all very happy for me and were taking bets on if I’d go into labor before the end of the conference (note: I didn’t lol). But it just highlights the fun, friendly atmosphere of CMC and that close-knit reader interaction we all love so much about it. There was a lot of joking and hanging with readers in between panels.

Do you have a favorite or least favorite character? Do you find that readers agree or disagree with your view?

It’s hard to pick favorites, because I love them all and usually my favorite is the last hero I’ve written lol. I always love the one I just finished writing the most. Colt Cavanaugh from Cowboy in Wolf’s Clothing (book 2) is definitely the reader favorite though. He has like a whole mini fan club among my reader group lol.

Which do you find is more central in your writing: the characters or world creation? Why? 

Characters are definitely the most central to my writing, both as my natural process and by design. Worldbuilding is absolutely important in paranormal, so I still take a lot of care with it, but I build the world with my characters at the center point. I’m always trying to write the kind of book I’d enjoy as a reader and for me, that means complex characters who come to life on the page, whose love stories I remember long after the book is closed, characters who I can keep with me like old friends, and ultimately, that’s what I’m trying to create for readers with each new book.


Don’t miss your chance to meet over 40 fabulous urban fantasy, paranormal, and romance authors at Coastal Magic next February! This super casual book-lover weekend happens on Daytona Beach, and gives everyone the chance to hang out with fellow readers and amazing storytellers.

If you haven’t been to Coastal Magic yet, you’re missing out on a lot of fun. Be sure to keep up with all things Coastal Magic, by following it via your own personal social media drug of choice:  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Tumblr | Pinterest | CMCon21 Reading Challenge

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.