New Adult Book Club discussion
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Summer Lane
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Q&A with Summer Lane - CLOSED
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Hey Summer, I love your Collapse series, and the fact that it's dystopian NA. How did you first come up with the idea for the series, and for Cassidy's character? Also, what's it like to write NA that is in a genre not as popular in the category? Thanks for doing so, by the way. :)
Faith wrote: "Summer, how important is it for you to stay in touch with your readers through social media? How much time do you devote to it?"Faith,
I think staying in touch with your readers is one of the most important things an author can do - second only to actually writing the books! I love using Twitter to interact with readers. That's a great medium. I also receive emails a LOT from people who have read my series and enjoy it - those are probably the most fun to read. I devote a couple of hours each day (at least) to social media. Technology has made it so much easier (and so much more fun!) to stay in touch with your fan base. It's definitely one of the more enjoyable aspects of being an author. :)
Brianna wrote: "Hey Summer, I love your Collapse series, and the fact that it's dystopian NA. How did you first come up with the idea for the series, and for Cassidy's character? Also, what's it like to write NA t..."Brianna,
Thank you so much! :) Well, I wrote State of Emergency for fun, actually. I had always wanted to write a survival story. I figured, "What the heck? I might as well finally do it." At the time, Hurricane Sandy was hitting the East Coast pretty hard, and I was watching the news. The words, "President has declared a STATE OF EMERGENCY," flashed on the screen, and all of the sudden I just saw the entire story in my head. Like a movie trailer. I had my title, and I had my idea. All because of three words. I could never duplicate that inspiration - it was so much fun! But I've wanted to publish an adventure/romance like this for many years, so it was a dream come true!
Cassidy's character was created when I asked myself this question: "What would an average, naive teenage girl do if she had to survive in a war zone?" She's got some sarcasm, like every teen, and she's got a whole lot of learning to do. I wanted to start with a character that was completely naive and let readers see her grow up as the books progressed. Visible character growth was very important to me.
It's fun to write in a genre that NA hasn't really covered too much yet! I basically started writing stories that I wanted to read, about a character that was a New Adult, and then watched it take off. I've been very blessed with the success of this series, and I can't wait to write book 3....!
That's so great. :) I am excited for book three.
Brianna wrote: "That's so great. :) I am excited for book three."
Me too! :D
Hey Summer! Obviously you have worked hard to create an engaging story that readers will love, but have you been surprised at all by how the series has been received by readers considering the fact that the NA genre is not especially known for its dystopian stories?
Brian wrote: "Hey Summer! Obviously you have worked hard to create an engaging story that readers will love, but have you been surprised at all by how the series has been received by readers considering the fact..."Brian,
I actually anticipated a positive response, because I hadn't seen any dystopian or post-apocalyptic stuff out there in the NA category yet. What DID surprise me is the sheer number of people that enjoy the series, and how many new readers I gain every single day. I think the premise of the novel is interesting to a lot of people, because we all wonder: WHAT IF?
Summer- I love the series and can't wait for number 3. Are there any plans for audio book versions?
Denise wrote: "Summer- I love the series and can't wait for number 3. Are there any plans for audio book versions?"Denise,
Thank you! :)
I would love to do audiobooks in the future - although I couldn't guarantee when that would happen! Finding the right narrator would be very important with these novels, because they're told from Cassidy's POV.
Pantser or plotter?"
Both! I've found an interesting balance between the two that keeps my creativity going. I chart out the basic plot points for my books, then figure out how much foreshadowing and "tension-building" I need to do to get from point A to point B. Once I've got the basic structure down, I'm a total pantser! The characters take me where they want to go, and if they need to go to a place that requires a lot of research, I'll do that, too. State of Chaos required a LOT of research. I blame it on the characters! ;)