Jacob Devlin's Blog, page 9

YA Scavenger Hunt: Halloween 2016

Ciao, World! Jacob Devlin here, your host for this leg of the Fall 2016 YA Scavenger Hunt!

Some quick fun facts about your host:

Pottermore thinks my Patronus is a marsh harrier.
My first “full-length” writing endeavor was a notebook full of X-Men fan fiction in 2nd grade.
I have a suspicion that my blood type is Dr. Pepper.

But enough about me, let’s talk about you! You are currently hunting on TEAM ORANGE for the YA Scavenger Hunt.

If you’re looking for my exclusive bonus content, you’ll have to go a little deeper down the rabbit hole…

Deep within this blog tour, I’ve hidden bios, fan castings, and a playlist for each major character of my debut novel, THE CARVER. But, if you’re smooth and Lady Fortune likes you, you might even stumble on an exclusive piece of the cover from my upcoming second novel, THE UNSEEN! But first, spend some time with the fantastic author I’m hosting today.

Here are the rules.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE RULES

DIRECTIONS: Buried within this blog post, I’ve hidden a number that I’m rather fond of. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM ORANGE, and then add ’em up! Don’t worry, you can use a calculator!

HINT: THE SECRET NUMBER IS HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE !

ENTRY FORM: Once you’ve added up all the numbers,make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

RULES: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 9, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author, you also get a secret number. Add up the numbers, and enter it for a chance to win a major prize–one lucky winner will receive at least one book from each author on my team in the hunt! But play fast. This contest will only be online until noon PST on October 9th!

There are many contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the ORANGE TEAM but there are others you can hunt for as well! Check out each team for a chance to win several different sets of signed books.

If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

Hokay. Now that all the rules are out of the way, let me introduce you to our author. Drumroll, please, for the wonderfully talented…

ALEXANDRA SIROWY!

Alexandra Sirowy is the author of the young adult thrillers THE CREEPING and THE TELLING. Alexandra attended a women’s college for her undergraduate work in International Relations and later received her graduate degree in International Studies with an emphasis on the Middle East. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and exploring the foothills and woods near the Northern California home she and her husband share with their dog.

 

(Note from Jacob: Get a look at that awesome, cover! Something tells me that girl in the water is hiding a world of secrets. Quick question: how many beads can you see on that cover? Like, 25? 26?)

About THE TELLING:

Lana used to know what was real.

That was before, when her life was small and quiet. Her golden stepbrother, Ben, was alive. She could only dream about bonfiring with the populars. Their wooded island home was idyllic, she could tell the truth from lies, and Ben’s childhood stories were firmly in her imagination.

Then came after.

After has Lana boldly kissing her crush, jumping into the water from too high up, living with nerve and mischief. But after also has horrors, deaths that only make sense in fairy tales and terrors from a past Lana thought long forgotten: LOVE, BLOOD, and MURDER.

Alexandra has prepared some exclusive content for us, so without further ado, let’s hear what she has to say about THE TELLING!

Hi, I’m Alexandra Sirowy author of the YA thriller THE TELLING just released August 2nd from Simon & Schuster BFYR. There are liars, schemers, best friends, enemies, heroes, and villains in my dark and twisty new book, so I thought, how fitting for THE TELLING’s characters to play a little round of Three Truths and a Lie for you.

Four characters are participating – and at first they weren’t exactly thrilled to be distracted from all their beach bonfiring and trying to stay alive on Gant Island. But then I explained it was for Halloween YASH and they all said they were game for a little fun (except Carolynn, who gave a jaded eye roll and said, This better be epic).

So they’ll each introduce themselves to you and then share four secrets – three will be truths and one will be a lie.

Hi! My name’s Lana – Lana McBrook – and I’m a seventeen-year-old quiet turned gutsy girl, the protagonist of THE TELLING, and I’ve lived on our seemingly-idyllic island in the Puget Sound my whole life.

1. Since I witnessed my step-brother’s mysterious murder two months ago, I’ve been trying to leave my small life of before in the past, to live with nerve and mischief, to bonfire and hang with the populars, and to move on from grief. There’s no getting over losing Ben. 2. I’ve had a crush on Josh Parker since he showed up to pre-school in red corduroy pants and after waiting an eternity, he’s finally noticing me. 3. You won’t be sure if I’m the hero or villain of this story, until the very end – maybe not even then. 4. I’m hiding something, just not what you may expect.

Hey, guys! I’m Josh Parker, about to be a senior at Gant Island High School, son of the best two moms anyone could have, and awesome best friend to Duncan, Carolynn, Becca, and Rusty.

1. Our classmates have called my friends and me the core since I can remember, and I really wish they’d look past that popular kid trope and see how similar we are to everyone else: nervous about belonging, trying to figure out who we are, and just hoping for an invite to a Friday night party. 2. I must have had my head up my butt not to notice how brave, funny, and interesting Lana McBrook was until this summer. 3. We found Maggie Lewis’s body at Swisher Spring this summer and I know more than I let on about how she ended up dead. 4. I’ve come face to face with a killer and didn’t know it.

What’s up, I’m Carolynn Winters, best friend to Becca, ice-queen-to-be-feared, boss, ex-competitive swimmer, and over it.

1. I’ve been crushing on one of my guy friends for ages and I’m about to make the first move. 2. Lana’s mom and my mom were close as sisters growing up, and I’ve always secretly wished Lana and I had been close like that, except life happened, and instead we were enemies until this summer. 3. I would move heaven and earth to protect the people I care about – like seriously, do not get in this tiger’s way. 4. Someone I love does not survive this story.

Hi, ho, hey, I’m Ben McBrook, Lana’s step-brother, former high school golden boy, who moved with my mom to Gant Island when I was eleven. Some call me intense and opinionated, but I don’t think it’s crazy to care about shit. And you should know that Gant Island’s privilege and elitism makes me sick.

1. When Lana and I were little, I used to tell dark fairytales where Lana and I were always the warrior-heroes busting up the villains. I wish I could be more like my fictional-self. 2. I’ve been keeping a lot of secrets and I never intended for Lana to pay the price for them. 3. Lana will always be and has always been the hero of my imagination. 4. I’m dead for most of this story.

For more about THE TELLING or my first young adult thriller, THE CREEPING, you can check out my website, Tweet me, find me on Instagram, and add my books on Goodreads.

Have a happy spooky October!

XO

Alexandra

(Jacob here again. I love three truths and a lie. Thanks so much to Alexandra for hanging out with us today!)

You can now add THE TELLING to your TBR list on Goodreads!

You can also buy a copy of her book HERE, and I’d highly encourage you to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her website.


And don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me and many more! Just check out all these books on TEAM ORANGE,

 

To enter, you need to write down my favorite number, find all the other numbers on TEAM ORANGE, add them up, and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

Thank you so much for visiting my website! While you’re here don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter bonus contest I am running exclusively during the YA Scavenger Hunt. Win a signed copy of THE CARVER, a Peter Pan Christmas ornament, or an awesome Thomas Kinkade Pinocchio “magic” coffee mug. Free stuff, yeah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out Mary Crockett’s giveaway as well.

I’ve deemed it a pleasure to host this part of YASH! Stay and chat a bit while you’re here. Comment and tell me about your favorite amusement park attraction… it can be a Disneyland ride, a food at your local fair, a carnival game you actually won… the sky’s the limit!

Then, when you’re ready for your next stop, buckle up and zoom on over to visit Gabrielle Pendergast!

PROCEED

YASH is Coming!

Happy October, friends!

Did anyone else wake up feeling like Jack Skellington when he rises from his little pool?

I, for one, love this month just as much as I love September. I can’t wait to break out my brown leather jacket again, throw some hot chocolate on my Keurig and sip it all cozy on my couch, maybe the new Magnus Chase book in my hand or watching Luke Cage on Netflix… and then there’s the thrill of choosing a Halloween costume! I haven’t dressed up in a couple years, but I’m in the spirit this year. We’ll see what calls to me!

Here’s another reason to love October: From 10/4-10/9, I’ll be participating in my first YA Scavenger Hunt, and if you play along, it’s better than trick or treating! 120 authors come together on a massive blog tour, and I will be one of twenty on the ORANGE TEAM.

I’ve chosen some fun bonus content for you to access somewhere in the interwebs, and it will only be accessible to those who play the hunt. You’ll get to know my characters and thought process a little better, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the cover to BOOK TWO of THE ORDER OF THE BELL!

So, Tuesday morning, come on back here and kick off a brand new road trip through the world of YA lit! I’m hosting a very special author during the hunt, and if you play along, you’ll find me and that cover clue hiding on another blog somewhere! Better yet, you can even win prizes! I’m giving away some good ones…

Let the festivities begin!

THE SURRENDERED by Case Maynard

Are you ready to join the fight against the #taxonkids? Author Case Maynard is here to read you the first chapter of THE SURRENDERED, the hot new release currently climbing the dystopian charts!

about the book:

After a financial collapse devastates the United States, the new government imposes a tax on the nation’s most valuable resource—the children.

Surrendered at age ten—after her parents could no longer afford her exorbitant fees—Vee Delancourt has spent six hard years at the Mills, alongside her twin, Oliver. With just a year to freedom, they do what they can to stay off the Master’s radar. But when Vee discovers unspeakable things happening to the younger girls in service, she has no choice but to take a stand—a decision that lands her on the run and outside the fence for the first time since the System robbed her of her liberty.

Vee knows the Master will stop at nothing to prove he holds ultimate authority over the Surrendered. But when he makes a threat that goes beyond what even she considers possible, she accepts the aid of an unlikely group of allies. Problem is, with opposing factions gunning for the one thing that might save them all, Vee must find a way to turn oppression and desperation into hope and determination—or risk failing all the children and the brother she left behind.

Now available!
Amazon – iBooks – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – Signed Copies – Goodreads

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about the author:
With over 20 years’ experience in the legal and medical fields, Case Maynard decided to trade in her briefs and reports to write the stories that have been floating around in her head since childhood. She lives with her two teenagers and husband in South Georgia, while maintaining a long-distance liaison with her oldest daughter and partner in crime in Alaska. When not writing, she enjoys reading as often as possible, binge watching anything good on Netflix, and all things NCAA football (Go Noles!). You can learn more about Case and her stories on her website.
Website   Instagram   Twitter   Facebook  Goodreads

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Want to stay up to date on everything from Blaze Publishing? Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss a thing! The first 100 subscribers get free Blaze bookmarks (UK, US, and Canada only) AND get added to our Loyal 100 group, which gives you access to exclusive news, teasers, prizes, and ARCs!

Website – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube – Facebook – Tumblr – Google+

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Interview at Clocher de Pierre

Hello from the Old World!

I’m sitting at the top of Clocher de Pierre, the gathering place of the Order of the Bell. It rained over night, so today it’s a nice brisk typical fall day out, and I am joined by some of your favorite characters from THE CARVER!

Madame Esme, Pietro Volo, Hansel, Enzo DiLegno, and Rosana Trujillo are here to celebrate this week’s Book Blitz and tell you a little bit about how their lives have changed since their most recent adventure entered print. It’s nice to put my interviewer hat on again! Let’s check in with these goofs and find out what they’ve been up to over the past two months.

Jacob: Hello everyone!

All: *a jumbled mess of “hello”s, “good day”s, and other salutations*

Jacob: It’s good to see you all sitting together! I see you all pretty much every day and put you through a lot of turmoil, but it’s pretty rare that all five of you sit in the same room. Has this ever happened?

Madame Esme: It has not yet come to pass in this reality, but it is foretold that all paths will converge on a day yet to arrive.

Pietro: So this is Madame Esme, huh? You really are as strange as they say…

Madame Esme: Madame Esme thanks you.

Jacob: Oh wow, this is your first time meeting? I’m sure the rest of you need no introduction. Hansel, how are you?

Hansel: Life is sweet as candy, Lore Master! It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least.

Jacob: Really? In what way? What’s been new for you?

Hansel: Oh, you know, before THE CARVER, I was a simple man who hardly existed outside of a brief fairy tale meant for younglings. Now, I walk down the street, and people ask if they can do selflings with me!

Jacob: Selflings? I’m a little lost, is this a Florindale thing that I haven’t written about yet? Can one of you enlighten me?

Esme: Madame Esme knows these too! People approach her with their smart phones–

Hansel: And they freak out, right? “Hey, you’re the bad guy from that book! Let us have a selfling!”

Enzo and Rosana: *together* Oh, selfie! Jinx!

Jacob: Ah, I get you now! So you’re experiencing a bit of star power, huh? That’s awesome!

Hansel: Quite. Until a fair lady sees me on the street, grabs her child, and quickly runs the other way. I hear what they whisper about me. “No, no, child, that’s the bad man!” Only a small handful of people run away. The rest do selflings and seem to be able to separate myth from reality: Hansel in the book world, and real Hansel!

Jacob: Well, it’s really interesting to hear how you’re handling your role as a fictional villain, and how people are responding to that. Pietro, what’s your experience been like?

Pietro: I feel like a movie star, man! Everywhere I go, people are like “OMG IT’S PETER PAN!” I don’t know how Violet could stand it, honestly. I’ve recently started wearing a big fake beard, a baseball cap, a giant hoodie, and aviators when I go out because the paparazzis and the mamarazzis are everywhere.

Enzo: *grinning* Don’t lie, Pietro. You like the attention.

Pietro: *shrugs* Okay, I love the attention. But not at the grocery store! That gets old real fast, because now everyone cares what I’m having for dinner, and I have to go through self check-out because the check-out guy is always commenting like, “Hmmm, Peter Pan likes extra crunchy Skippy peanut butter… why not buy the brand with your name on it?” Have you seen the Peter Pan on Peter Pan peanut butter? He looks like a freaking Christmas elf! That’s why I’m a Skippy guy. Other than that, yeah, life is super chill. I owe ya one, Jay.

Jacob: Shucks, man. Let’s talk to our teenage heroine! How are you, Rosana?

Rosana: I’m well! And can I just say that I love the cover for The Unseen? The world is gonna love it.

Jacob: Thanks! I think you’re right. We still have a long time before we can show it off, but it’ll be worth the wait. Do you wanna tell the world what it’s been like working on the sequel?

Rosana: In a word? Intense. Take all the action and adventure and the dark side of THE CARVER and double it. I’ve never felt such physical or emotional exhaustion before. You’re kind of a relentless author.

Jacob: Ha! I’ll take that as a compliment. If I’m not pushing you to your limits, I’m not doing my job.

Rosana: But it’s paying off, you know. At least, I think so. I really feel like I’m growing in a lot of different ways because of this project.

Jacob: You and I both, my friend. So, now that I have you here, there’s something everyone’s dying to know. It’s about you and our hero sitting next to you…

*Rosana and Enzo share a look*

Jacob: I’ll be blunt: are you two a thing?

 

Pietro: *leans forward and winks at Enzo, tilting his head toward Rosana*

Enzo: Sorry to disappoint, but we’re not a “thing.” How many successful relationships do you see in THE CARVER?

Jacob: Quite a few, actually. Your parents, Zack’s parents, Snow White and Prince Liam…

Enzo: Okay, let me use Batman as an example. Is Batman in a successful relationship? Or Captain America? Wolverine? We’re all trying to save the New World now. It doesn’t make sense to be in a relationship right now. All the best superheroes are single.

Rosana: Right.

Jacob: Okay, I’ll respect that answer. But this series has to come to an end at some point. Either a bunch of you will die and Queen Avoria will win, or, after a great and terrible struggle, some of you may defeat Queen Avoria and finish the series with your lives. What then? Should readers look forward to the possibility of “Rosenzo?” or “Enzana?”

Rosana: I guess readers will have to read on.

Esme: *singsong voice* I knowwwww!

Jacob: Ha! Okay, one final question for all five of you. In one word, tell me what you look forward to the most about your future in these books. Or what you hope for.

Esme: Mystery.

Pietro: Pizza.

Hansel: Possible redemption? Sorry, that’s two words.

Enzo: Home.

Rosana: Wonderland.

Jacob: Killer answers! Thank you all for–

Rosana: Wait! You have to tell us your one word now.

Jacob: Oh! Ummm… Chaos. I love complicating your lives.

There is a big sale for THE CARVER this week! Be sure to check out Amazon’s deals on paperbacks, Kindle, and audio books. Also, be on the lookout for some fun interviews and blog posts, and be sure to check out Case Maynard’s big release through Blaze this week, THE SURRENDERED!

Fifteen Years Later

Like a lot of paychecks that come just before rent is due, some memories are snuffed out within minutes. I have to make a very conscious effort to remember what I had for breakfast this morning, and if I meet somebody at a party or a gathering, I have to repeat their name at least three times if I want to have any hope of it sticking when I see their face again five minutes later.

Strangely enough, other memories linger and bury themselves in the beehive of the mind. I have this very vivid memory of the day my mom took me to see Batman Forever (which she called “the Jacob movie”) and I thought the movie theater was the most magical place. Two hours later, I woke up during the credits and was incredibly sad that I had missed out on Batman. I remember the first time I saw a tarantula scuttling around the desert, and I don’t think I’ve ever run harder to get away from something. I can also tell you what I had to do for homework exactly fifteen years ago to the day.

The day wasn’t important because of the homework itself, but it’s simply one random detail that I can recall when much heavier things were happening. I learned that morning that on the other side of the country, a plane had hit a building and burst into flames. That’s so sad, I kept thinking. What a scary accident. And then another plane crashed into the other tower of the World Trade Center, and all I could come up with was, That’s such a weird coincidence. A freak accident.

As I sat there in my ten-year-old body that afternoon, listing all the ways that I could describe a chocolate chip cookie using all five senses, my ten-year-old brain was having the most trouble trying to grasp the fact that a plane could crash into a building on purpose . . . that, as my mom, and my friend’s mom, and my teachers gently explained to me, if two planes crash in the same place, it couldn’t be an accident . . . that there was such a horrible idea called terrorism, and that what I was determined to call a “freak accident” was further proof that there is evil in this world.

It was almost too much to wrap my brain around. Why would somebody hijack a plane on purpose and crash it if that means they’ll die too? Why would somebody do this to kill hundreds–thousands of people? Every time I tried to understand it, I’d get frustrated, but eventually, I had to accept it as fact. Terrorists had attacked America. It was a blow to my innocence as a fifth grader who wanted to believe that the world was good, that even some of the abusive people I’d encountered in my own life had to be good people deep down. That was what I used to tell myself to get through my first ten years of life, which weren’t exactly happy-go-lucky. Everything is good.

As of September 11, 2001, everything wasn’t good at all. People lost their lives. People lost loved ones. People lost a sense of safety and security. A family friend was called to New York to search the rubble for bodies. Something terrible had happened, and everything wasn’t good. This was the strangest idea for me to grasp.

But as the ash and smoke cleared over the next few months, stories of strength, bravery, and love came out of the rubble . . . stories of passengers who fought back on United 93 . . . stories of people in the workforce who missed the subway by a minute because they had spent extra time looking for their keys, and then hugged their family a little tighter that night . . . stories of people in the streets offering each other shelter as they ran from the falling debris. Schools paid tribute to the firemen and cops who lent a hand. We wore ribbons and hung our flags. We came together to offer what we could, whether it was thought, prayer, relief funds, or warmth.

And then I realized something that I still believe today: It can be possible for everything not to be good, and yet something will still be good. In other words, I had finally accepted that there was real darkness in the world, but it didn’t mean everything was dark. It meant that the candlelight was brighter and more powerful than I had previously understood. It meant that where there’s a school bully or an abusive presence at home, there is a greater number of people in this world who will rush to shield you or build you up again. It meant that for every hijacker, there are a hundred other people who will come together to keep the plane in the air. It meant that for every ugly comment, ten people say something beautiful.

That’s why fifteen years later, memories can linger, and why it’s important to share stories when this happens. We share stories so that we don’t forget. We share stories so that in times of darkness, we remember where we found that light.

September!

If you’re a book lover or a fall lover, there is so much to get excited about right now.

First of all, it’s September! Here are just a few reasons why I’m so excited about this month:

Pumpkin flavored treats make their appearance in the coffee shops again.
The Hogwarts Express leaves from the King’s Cross Station.
Double-digit temperatures become a regular thing in Tucson again. I may even break out a hoodie…
You know how Earth, Wind, and Fire asks if you remember . . . the 21st night of September? Well, I always do, because that’s my birthday

Flow

Some things I’ve been learning throughout the month of August:

The Harry Potter books are even more fun the second time. I’m currently reading Order of the Phoenix again, which is my fave! We knew since The Sorcerer’s Stone that Dumbledore was a badass, but then this book happened. As Kingsley says, “Dumbledore’s got style.”
Meditation works wonders for the writer’s brain, and for every other part of the brain, too. If you haven’t tried the Headspace app, give the free trial a go. It’s awesome for stress, for focus, and there are some really fun animations to watch.
There’s something incredibly fun about hearing your audiobook for the first time.

Yes, you read that correctly! I’m so excited to say that THE CARVER is now available to listen to on Audible!

Thanks to Blaze and to the vocal talents of Kit Karlyle, all of the characters of The Carver have come to life in roughly eleven hours of audiobook awesomeness, and I have to confess I’m very happy with how it turned out. There are a lot of characters at play in this story. I found myself wondering, how is one man going to do all of these voices? But then I started listening to his rendering of Pietro. And then Hansel. And Rosana. Snow. Liam. The dwarves. Avoria! Bellamy!!! It’s so much fun, honestly.

In the meantime, I’m hard at work on the sequel, and I’m consistently blown away by how well Krystal and the Blaze team understand my vision. We’re about to crank it up and really forge it into the sequel I dreamed of sharing with you. In psychology, there’s this idea of “flow,” where you lose your sense of time and become completely immersed in what you’re doing. It happens when the level of pleasure meets the level of challenge and reward, and I can honestly say that when I’m writing and revising these books, it’s the ultimate flow experience.

One more thing I wanted to share with you this week: check out this amazing banner image! It’s my official “brand” now, and the artist made it even better than what I saw in my head! I’ve always been drawn to stories that start in mundane places, and then branch out into extraordinary worlds. (Think LOST, Kingdom Hearts, the Marvel movies, etc.) This is the image I strive to paint in your head, and I love the image the artist just created for me!

Do what you love, and love what you do! Go find your flow this week

The Ivory Queen

Hello World!

So, THE CARVER has been in the world for about a month now, and if you’ve already finished it, wow, you’re fast! It’s been so fun watching the occasional email come in with questions, kudos to a favorite character, or just a friendly hello. THE CARVER has already surpassed every hope I ever dreamed for it, and I can’t wait to see how far we’ll get to take it!

For those of you who have already finished, I’m so excited to announce that the next part of the story will be available to you as an electronic download beginning on January 10, 2017!!! If you enjoy a good villain, I think you’re going to enjoy this deep dive into the mind of THE IVORY QUEEN!

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THE IVORY QUEEN is a novelette that will serve as the “1.5” of the ORDER OF THE BELL series, bridging a very short gap between THE CARVER and the official sequel, which I’ll have more news about very soon. We’re working on covers and blurbs this very moment!

Just in case you haven’t read THE CARVER yet, I won’t spoil anything by giving you the blurb! But if you’re ready, head on over to Blaze Publishing’s website and check out the full cover and the official blurbs.

Thank you all for your support of this series and I can’t wait for you all to spend some more time with the big bad of Florindale!

 

The Author Insider Summit

Happy Monday!

This week I want to invite you all to something special that’s taking place throughout the rest of the month of August. The Author Insider Summit is coordinated by author Kris Hack, and it was such an honor to participate in one of her interviews for the summit. We chatted about the idea of “the manchild” and how the Peter Pan Syndrome inspired some of the characters in The Carver. It was so much fun, and there are a lot of other great conversations to check out as the summit continues! There are ghosts, protectors, tortured souls, and many many other creatures to learn about. Read on and dive in with us!

Have you ever wondered how an author creates a favorite character?

Do you wish you could ask them why they killed a character or why on earth a character chose to love him instead of the one she should have?

Want to see your authors in action, answering those questions and talking passionately about the characters they create?

Join The Author Insider Summit now to get just that in a series of never-before-seen intimate author interviews.

Writing Rituals

Happy Sunday from the New World!

A couple of my upcoming projects are in Blaze Publishing’s nurturing hands right now, which means I get to busy myself with something new to hold myself over until revisions begin! I’ve had an Order of the Bell novelette brewing in my head for a very long time now and I couldn’t wait to dive in, especially because a small group of my favorite characters gets to come out and play! Anyone care to guess what the source material is this time?[image error]

(Hint: It is NOT New Girl, or Agents of Shield.)

I’ve done a few fun Q&A sessions for The Carver and one of the recurring themes is that people love hearing about writing rituals. It’s a fun point of discussion and it’s been fun to explore the idea as I cultivate my favorite hobby into a growing career.

I’ve found that writing can happen pretty much anywhere for me. The dominant place is usually my living room, especially since I upgraded my desk a couple of months ago and never want to leave it! Seriously, this desk has everything: plenty of room for my Funko Pops, two white boards built in where I hang pictures and write deadlines and ideas, book space, drawers . . . yeah. I love it. But, there’s a reason why I almost always carry a flash drive in my pocket and a notebook in my backpack. Inspiration can strike anywhere. Airports. The post office. On my day job. While driving. As a writer and an introvert, I think the natural inclination is to crave routine and comfort, but I think my favorite ideas have come from branching out and seeking novelty.

But then again, I do have some “constants” in my writing life. As you can probably guess, music is one of them. When my earbuds are in, I can slip anywhere. It’s often when I’m listening to music that the ideas come and I need to make a mad dash to my notebook or my laptop! I also gather all sorts of images and keep them close when I’m writing. Once I have a picture of a person and assign a character’s name to that image, the character becomes that much more real. I am now obligated to tell that person’s story. I acknowledge that I am the biggest jerk in the world if I don’t give that voice a chance to be heard.

Sometimes a certain story or character will introduce a separate ritual of its own. The first novel I ever wrote will probably never see the light of day. In many ways, I consider it my “practice novel,” and it breached some touchy boundaries in my personal life. There was also a therapeutic element to writing it, as the main character was based off a good friend who passed away only weeks before I started writing it. With her in mind, I used to light a candle every time I sat down to write the book. Of course, I had my playlist. I had a picture we took together. The character had a face. And every night when I was done writing, I’d blow out the candle.

I’ve also known people who play a game of Solitaire before they write, some who need their coffee, some who need their wine, and some who copy their favorite passages from writers they love before they sit down and make their own words. Every writer bonds with a different muse. Some are a bit more eccentric. I’ve been fortunate that mine pretty much follows me around wherever I go. Sometimes he sits on my TV. Others, he’s in the backseat of my car. But he’s always whispering, as long as he gets some music throughout the day!

What are some of your writing rituals?[image error]