The book is the first book in the Legends of Guardians trilogy and is due out November 1.
If you've following the tour, you may have already read some or all of this text. My apologies if that is the case. Otherwise, enjoy.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to be an author?
A: The moment that I realized that all of the stories I’d been making up in my head could be written down is the moment when I realized that I wanted to be an author. My earliest memory of writing is going to a reception hosted for every student at our school who was nominated for the Young Georgia Writer’s Award. I didn’t realize I’d won in my age division (first grade, I believe) until I got home and my mother asked me if I was proud of myself.
Q: What does your family think of your writing?
A: My family, for the most part, has been very supportive. Though I will say that the genre I write in isn’t universally appealing. Naturally, this means that not everyone will read it. My dad, for example, threatened to do a word search and replace names like ‘Laionai’ with ‘bad guys.’ To each his own. He reads historical novels that would put me, an insomniac, to sleep.
Q: What do you love most about fantasy books?
A: Classic escapism. They’re better than any drug or drink. I love the ability to build a story around anything my mind can conceive. The limitations that are present in nearly every other genre (save sci-fi of course) aen’t there.
Q: What can you tell me about your style of writing?
A: I’m an elemental writer, pure and simple. I learned long ago to say what I mean, exactly how I mean it. The worlds, the stories I’m guiding you through are intricate enough on their own that it doesn’t feel natural to write about them with complex prose. I want you, as a reader, to remember the story — not how it was told.
Q: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? Aside from the odd hours I keep, I’d have to say that the physical positions I put myself in while I’m typing could be rather entertaining from an outsider’s perspective. Usually, after a longer bout of writing, I’ll emerge from my office with limbs half asleep andunable to feel anything from my knees down. Music is a must. I can count on one hand the number of writing sessions I’ve done without my iPod or iTunes running on my computer. I’m listening to Amethystium as I type now.
Q: What is your work schedule like when you’re writing? Speaking of odd hours. I write best after the rest of the world has gone to sleep … so from about midnight to five in the morning.
Q: What inspired you to write the Guardians of Legend trilogy?
A: My ideas usually come from dreams and Guardians was no exception. I was eleven when I first saw the swod that is depicted on the cover of Son of Ereubus. That dream eventually became a specific scene in chapter two of the book. Then, when I was fourteen,I saw chapter one and even wrote down a rough, rough, ROUGH draft of both chapters one and two. I also drew a picture of a Dragee and yes, I still have all of it.
Q: How long did it take you to write the Guardians of Legend trilogy?
A: I wrote the first draft in a little under a yea. I wrote it as one really big book and didn’t break it up until after I’d finished
Q: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
A: I’ve written seven books to date, with more than that in the works. They are all so different from one another, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be Guardians of Legend (1-3) as one cohesive book. It’s my firstborn, so its tough not to favor it a little.
Q: Are you working on a sequel or any other books?
A: Yes and yes. Guardians of Legend is the first trilogy (it can stand on its own) in a series of three. However, I have several single-volume fantasies that I’m polishing right now for possible publication in between my larger works.
Q: What advice could you give to other authors wanting to start out?
A: Have fun. No, really, I mean this. Enjoy your time as an unpublished author. Revel in writing only for yourself. All of it changes when you begin to involve other people in your work; publishers, editors, reviewers, readers … it’s a good thing, I don’t mean to put you off from accomplishing your goals. But, don’t take for granted where you’re at now. Those earlier experiences are what shape you later on. Think of this time as your foundation. You’ll only build on it from here, but it will never be unimportant or wasted time.
Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
A: Ironically, it was about myself. The most surprising thing I learned through the process of writing is that I have a thing for bad guys. It wasn’t until I was in the midst of working on Icarus, my only urban fantasy thus far, that I realized it. The “bad guy” is a vampire named Trinity and, despite his narcissism and lack of pity, he’s my favorite character in the book. This surprised me because he’s usually a total jerk. The guy you love to hate … yet I don’t hate him. I can’t.
Q: When did you write your first book and how old were you?
A: I wrote my first fantasy novella when I was 14. It was the original Icarus, actuall. I rewrote it last year for kicks, though the original has nothing but the characters in common with the new version.
Q: Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
As I mentioned earlier, as trite as this sounds, dreams. I’ll see a scene first — a touch of ahand, a glimpse of a face, the feel of some world beneath my feet and by the time I wake up it has either claimed its place as a story-in-waiting, or not.
Q: What is your life like outside the literary world? Hobbies and other passions? Is there life outside of this?
A: No, in all sincerity I love the outdoors and enjoy camping. My husband and I bought an Xterra for the sole purpose of taking it camping and using the tent that attaches to the back. I’m also quite fond of my two dogs and try to spend as much time with them as I can.
Q: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
A: Yeah, I do, but since this is my first published novel the readers I hear from are those who follow the blog. They rock. I have some really talented, insightful folks commenting on the posts that I leave at The Asylum. It’s geared towards crafting fiction, so most of myreaders there are also writers.
Q: What do you think makes a good story?
A: I can only answer this for myself, since “good” is subjective. But, ironically what I quantify as a good read isn’t in the genre I typically write in at all — it’s horror. I love to read horror, but dark fantasy is as close as I’ll ever come to penning it. Reading it though, I want to follow a story that has me on the edge of my seat, horrified, with a littlebit of romantic tension thrown in for good measure (however slight). It has to appeal to all of my senses. I read a lot of Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine as a child and never got over the need to eat books like that for dinner — all in one sitting. Love them!
Q: As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Well, in the second grade I announced that I was going to be a stand-up comedian. No, I’m not kidding. Then, after growing infatuated with Batman around age 12, I announced to my best friend at the time that I was going to become Catwoman. So, I suppose I sort of compromised and became an author, where I can be any number of impossible, ridiculous things.
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