As the powerhouse founder of Running Wild Press, Lisa Diane Kastner has been featured in Forbes and has claimed a spot on multiple “Best of” lists. In her acquisition editorial endeavors, she has identified talent like Jamie Ford (Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet) and Tori Eldridge (Dance Among the Flames) among many other acclaimed authors and titles. A celebrated author in her own right, Lisa (pen name: Kali Metis) is gearing up to release “Family Pack” (Running Wild, October 3, 2024), the hotly anticipated follow-up to her 2022 novel “Cure.”
In “Family Pack,” readers reconnect with protagonist Luna Auber after her trip to Sweden revealed her lycanthropic ancestry, igniting her shapeshifting ability. Set against the backdrop of a fierce conflict between two primary lycanthropic organizations–The Lycanthrope Society (TLS), which believe that humans and lycanthropes should exist in harmony, and The Righteous Group (TRG), which believe that lycanthropes are intended to rule over all other species–Luna must summon the courage to fight for what she believes in and battle to prevent the decimation of the world as she knows it.
“A study of otherness, identity, and belonging in the shape of a high-stakes supernatural adventure, Metis changes up the werewolf genre in a beguiling mix of medieval and modern. With a touch of romance and a good dose of danger, ‘Cure’ eclipses expectations.”
—Lee Murray, USA Today Bestselling Author and Bram Stoker Award® winner
“Family Pack”
Lisa Diane Kastner | October 3, 2024 | Running Wild Press | Magical Realism/Horror
Paperback | ISBN: 9781960018878 | $19.99
Praise for the author and “Cure”…
“The stakes couldn’t be higher for Luna. Love, health, safety, family, identity—they’re all in play as she sets out on a journey that stretches across continents and centuries and finally into the mystical, a menacing world of secrets and myths and shapeshifters. In ‘Cure,’ Kali Metis deftly weaves storylines of past and present that hurtle toward a breathtaking climax that make it impossible to put down this spellbinding tale.”
—Curtis Smith, author of “The Magpie’s Return,” named best of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews
“Kali Metis is an exciting and unique new voice in modern fantasy and a writer you need to pay attention to.”
—Taylor Grant, Bram Stoker Award® Finalist and author of “The Many Deaths of Cole Parker”
Lisa Diane Kastner “reinvents the werewolf novel in a compelling and terrifying way, and brings a new heroine to the forefront! Very highly recommended!”
—Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of
“The Wolfman” and “Kagen the Damned”
About “Cure”…
Stunned by her brother’s apparent suicide, Luna Auber discovers that he has not only left her the keys to his apartment but also trip to Sweden. Per his instructions, Luna is to explore their unexpected heritage of the Birke, an iconic female Viking warrior. Following her brother’s lead, Luna will soon discover that the terrible shakes he suffered from were misdiagnosed. The shaking was in fact the early stages of his transformation. Her brother was a shapeshifter. A lycanthrope. And her own shaking has just begun.
“Cure”
Lisa Diane Kastner | October 18, 2022 | Running Wild Press | Magical Realism/Horror
Paperback | ISBN: 9781955062312 | $19.99
About the Author…
LISA DIANE KASTNER (A.K.A KALI METIS): was born in one of the most dangerous cities in America. In high school, she was a dancer and co-host on Dance Party USA. At the age of 20 her house had burned down and she was suddenly homeless. She spent the next several years rebuilding and obtained her Bachelors, MBA, and MFA. While fulfilling an amazing corporate career, she began Running Wild, LLC. Lisa was named to Yahoo Finance’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021, nominated to FORBES NEXT 1000, featured in FORBES and named to New York Weekly’s Top Ten Females to Watch in 2021. Lisa has been an acclaimed writer and editor for more than twenty years. Learn more about her work at: https://lisadkastner.com
Follow Lisa Diane Kastner on social media:
Twitter: @runwildbooks | TikTok: @lisakastner843
Follow Running Wild Press on social media:
Twitter: @runwildbooks | Instagram: @runningwildpressllc
In an interview, Lisa Diane Kastner can discuss:
- What originally inspired her to write “Cure”
- How she approaches writing and research, especially when Viking history is involved
- How she tackled central themes of identity and belonging in both books
- Her work with Running Wild Press, and how she balances her “editor persona” and her “writer persona”
- Whether readers can expect more from Luna Auber in the future
An Interview with
Lisa Diane Kastner
1. What first inspired you to write “Cure”?
I had been in conversation with Jonathan Maberry about writing a novel and we were tossing around ideas. When I threw out the idea to create a storyline that reveals the Birka, a female Viking warrior, was actually a werewolf, it naturally expanded from there.
2. What does your writing process look like? Was there a lot of research involved for the tale of Freya and Ulf, and Viking lore in general?
Typically, I come up with an idea and then I start researching background on the topic. I then come up with what I think would be a great structure for the novel to give me a roadmap to start with. I typically will start writing from there. Sometimes I write what I think will be a short story and quickly realize that the storyline is too big for less than 15,000 words.
3. How do themes of identity and belonging play into both “Cure” and “Family Pack”?
Much of the underlying story is about Luna, who was an orphan originally of undisclosed heritage, discovering why those things that previously caused others to mock her or reject her actually elevate her in the world of lycanthropes.
4. Can you tell us a bit about your work with Running Wild Press? How do you approach your work as an editor versus as a writer?
As an editor, I’m looking for unique voices that tell great stories. At Running Wild our focus is on great stories that don’t fit neatly in a box and at RIZE our focus is on great genre stories written by people of color and those from other underrepresented groups.
As an author, I’m typically looking for ways to tell unique stories that will entice, engage, entertain, and enlighten.
5. What’s next for you? Do you have plans to continue Luna Auber’s story?
Absolutely! We’re publishing an anthology of stories told in the world of CURE in 2025 with titles written by fans of the tale. WEIRD TALES magazine recently published a short story called, “Laurel Caverns” in the Occult Detective edition https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/products/book-fr9f which is set in the world of CURE and features Luna as the antagonist. Plus, we’ll be publishing another book in the world of CURE, most likely in 2026 and another series set in this world of lycanthropes but leveraging the structure of DUNE. The last one I’m doing on a dare by Jonathan Maberry so I better get to work. 😉
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A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
