We chat with author Kes Trester about To The Nines, which is the third installment in The Nine series and follows an eighteen-year-old clairvoyant, as she’s drawn into a centuries-old paranormal society and must solve mysteries using her premonitions.
Hi, Kes! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Thanks for having me! I am a former Hollywood exec turned TV commercial producer, and because I wasn’t busy enough, I decided to write books too! I’m a So Cal native who lives on the same beach where my family summered when I was a kid. I’m a fiend for Pilates, enjoy listening to audiobooks while walking our pack of rescue dogs, love game night with the fam (lately we’ve been drawing battlelines in The Settlers of Catan), and am slowly befriending a wild crow named Crowley.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was born with a love of writing and storytelling. My mom was an essayist, so books, journals, and newspapers were everywhere in our house. I won a creative writing prize in middle school, and when they handed me that plaque, I was hooked.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Where The Red Fern Grows. I think they still emotionally torture school children with that one!
- The one that made you want to become an author: A popular book my daughter read in middle school where the female main character was more of a reflection of the love interest than the hero of her own life. I was so incensed to find this type of behavior modeled for young girls that I was driven to do something about it. You’ll find all of my books feature a smart, kick ass FMC.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I have gone through reading eras. As a kid, I loved Little Women and classic adventures like The Three Musketeers. Then it was litfic, and I read everything shortlisted for literary prizes. Now I read in my YA/NA genre plus adult murder mysteries like Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series, book club fiction like Lessons in Chemistry, and whatever is the hot topic on Booktok.
Your latest novel, To the Nines, is the third installment in your Nine series, and it’s out October 22nd 2024! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Modern day magic. Fast-paced.
For readers who aren’t familiar with the series, can you tell us a bit about it?
The Nine series revolves around college freshman Blake Wilder, a lifelong clairvoyant whose visions reveal the most traumatic moments in other people’s lives. Having seen so much of the darker side of human nature, she’s nobody’s fool, but when a premonition compels her to save a classmate’s life, she’s drawn into The Nine, a centuries-old paranormal society on the brink of civil war. As she struggles to find her way within a savage world ruled by magic, power, and passion, her path is complicated by a budding romance with Nicholas Thorne, the chancellor’s son, and her attraction to nightclub owner Jessie McCabe, a man who makes up the rules as he goes. As she is drawn deeper into a web of intrigue, Blake will be forced to fight for her life, her future, and the destiny of The Nine.
What can readers expect from this new installment?
When we first meet Blake in book one, she’s just moved to a So Cal college town and never knew there were other people in the world with paranormal abilities. By the time we get to book three, she has tracked down a murderer (or two!), contended with betrayal, launched her first romance, fought for her life more than once, and is now ready to challenge the status quo of an ancient society bound by tradition.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
One of Blake’s love interests is a devilish and opportunistic badboy. We’ve all come across these guys and know they’re trouble, but somehow it doesn’t always stop us from making bad decisions. Blake is smart enough to keep him at arm’s length—for now—but temptation has a way of making our heart overrule the best of intentions.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I agreed to publish a new book in the series every fall, not really factoring in that each one has intricate plots involving multiple characters that are all driven by an element of mystery. Add to that my deep sense of responsibility to produce compelling work to keep my readers satisfied, and that’s a recipe to cut sleep out of your life! I was smart enough by the third book to plan a weeklong staycation after it was turned in, and my wonderfully supportive husband had food prepared for whenever I was awake long enough to eat.
What’s next for you?
My publisher envisions this as a nine-book series, and I would love nothing more than to continue the evolution of Blake Wilder. I’m also seriously toying with the idea of returning briefly to my roots in screenwriting and challenging myself by telling a story in a different format. Lastly, I’m currently outlining a murder mystery set in a beach colony after one of my neighbors joked, “We’re all so up in each other’s business, there are no secrets here.” Oh really??
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I’m awed by Suzanne Collins’ talent and ability to dive back into The Hunger Games to create Snow’s origin story in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I also really enjoyed Tom Lake by the wonderful Ann Patchett. Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller highlights the absurdity of censorship with humor and heart. And waiting for me on my nightstand is Richard Osman’s latest, We Solve Murders.
