Featured Author: TA Chase

TA Chase is an author of YA LGBTQ stories. She spends her days creating worlds in her mind. She lives in the Midwest with her two cats, and when she's not writing, she's watching movies and reading.

Connect with TA Chase on Twitter @TaChase or visit her website: http://tachase.com/books/youngadult.

Q&A with Author TA Chase:

1. If you could swap places with one of your fictional characters for 24 hours, who would you choose to be? Why? And what would you do that day?
   
   If I had a chance to swap places, I think I’d do that with Kyle, the main character in I Call Death Dad, my gay YA paranormal story out at Featherweight Press. He’s just discovered that everything he thought he knew about his life and his parents was completely wrong. He’s been swept up in the epic battle between good and evil, plus he’s found a guy he could be interested in, if they both manage to stay alive.
   
   What would I do for that day? I’d train with Eric (Kyle’s crush) and get to use all the weapons Kyle does to defeat the Grim Reapers. Maybe even see if I could find some to destroy...lol. I’d also try and find out more about Norse mythology and what was real and what is merely legend.


2. What inspired you to begin writing Young Adult?
   
   I love to read Young Adult books. There’s so much promise and discovery in them. I wanted to give young readers a chance to find books that have characters they could relate to. Not just as gay, lesbian, bi, or transgendered, but simply as teenagers.


3. Tell us a little bit about I Call Death Dad.
   
   Like I mentioned in the first question, in I Call Death Dad, Kyle discovers a lot about his parents and where they came from when he turns sixteen. He finds out that there is more happening in the world around him, then his narrow view has given him a chance to see. When his eyes are finally opened, he discovers monsters, legends, and a cute guy who just might be his first love.


4. In Pursuing Hope, the main character Pam faces a problem a lot of YA face...the dreaded prom. What was the inspiration behind the story?
   
   Pursuing Hope is a simple story at its heart. Pam wants to go to the prom. She’s out as a lesbian, but isn’t interested in any of the other lesbians in her school. One day, she runs into Hope at the grocery store, and finds her perfect date. First though, she has to find her.
   
   The inspiration behind it is the fact that finding the perfect date for prom is as important as finding the perfect dress and shoes. It might be a little harder for a gay or lesbian teenager to find that date, but the right person is out there for them if they search hard enough.


5. What would you like young readers to take away from your novels?
   
   That is doesn’t matter what their sexual orientation is. Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgender, or Straight...they are perfect the way they are. Sure, life is hard and complicated, and down right hateful at times, but they should always keep their heads up and be proud of who they are. Because they’re human like the rest of us, and deserve to find happiness in life.

Now Available from TA Chase:

Pursuing Hope Discovering the girl of my dreams is as easy as running into her at the store, but finding her again turns out to be harder than I thought.

Hi, my name's Pam. I'm a lesbian, and I have a problem. I've been lucky because there wasn't a lot of drama when I came out to my family. No, my problem isn't my family, or even school. At the moment, my biggest problem is finding a date for prom. Just as I'm about to give up on finding the right girl, I run into her at the store. Now all my dreams of having the most awesome prom night ever depends on my pursuing Hope, and convincing her to come with me.

I Call Death Dad When Death's your dad, you never look at life the same way again. Okay, figuring out you're gay is hard enough, right? I mean I've barely admitted the truth to myself. Forget about telling anyone else about liking guys. I thought it would be the most difficult thing I had to deal with, until my dad showed up to claim me for the summer. Did I mention I hadn't seen him for more than twenty minutes each birthday? Seriously, he couldn't be bothered to visit me any other time, yet now he expects me to welcome him with open arms. Well, did I mention he's Death? And his plans for me will change my life.