S.K. Falls's Blog, page 9
June 16, 2013
And heeeere’s Judgment!
It’s FINALLY live! Thank you all for being so patient with me while I pushed myself to finish this, the final episode in season 1. I can’t believe it’s done! I promised myself I wouldn’t get emotional at the conclusion of season 1, but yep, totally breaking that promise. Some reeeeally cool stuff happens in this one. See, first Dax and Cara go to Ellesmere Island to meet the–oh, okay. I’ll just let you read it.
P.S.–It’s live on Amazon. I’m waiting for it to go live on B&N and Kobo as well.
June 14, 2013
Still working on Judgment…
Sorry, guys. I’m still working on the final episode of season one of the Fevered Souls serial. I had a funny joke about how if you could please withhold judgment I’d appreciate it…get it? Okay, I’ll stop. But seriously, I’m writing hard and I think you’re going to love this one. I intend to have it up by Monday (June 17th) and I’ll definitely post an announcement here and on Facebook.
Thank you for being patient!
A thousand apologies,
June 10, 2013
Judgment (Fevered Souls #5) is slightly delayed
(c) Dmccale from Dreamstime & Stockfreeimages.com
Sorry, guys! I’ve been mad busy with the release of Secret for a Song, so I’ve had to delay the release of the final episode in the Fevered Souls series by a few days. Number five is called Judgment, and I cannot wait to show you what happens in this one! 
No giant cliffhangers, I promise, but there will be the hint of lots of good stuff to come in the future… Muahaha! #evilwriter
That being said, I better go finish. While you’re waiting, why don’t you browse around the new website? It has a new FAQ section for each of the books where you can read the answers to some of your most burning questions! 
June 8, 2013
Vlog: World of Shell and Bone Sequel News!
Hope you guys enjoy my awkward monologue about the sequel and the companion novella!
June 3, 2013
It's out, it's out!
I've totally been blown away by how much Goodreads reviewers seem to be liking the story so far. I know it's dark and definitely twisted, so I wasn't sure if people would get what I was trying to say. If you've read Secret for a Song, would you mind leaving me a review on either Amazon or B&N? Reviews are like broccoli to authors--they make us hearty and strong and prone to writing more. ;)
Thank you everyone! I hope you'll have a giant glass of your favorite beverage tonight to celebrate with me!
Hugs,
Sandhya (S.K. Falls)
Happy Release Day, Secret for a Song!
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads
After months and months of hard work (and not just on my part!), Secret for a Song is finally here! It’s out and in the wild, and I really hope people like it. This book was so intense, challenging, and amazing to write. You can check out the FAQ to see my experience writing it.
It’s incredible, but soooo many people have a hand in making a book what it is! Secret for a Song would be nowhere near what it is (a book I’m so proud of) without the help of people like my editor, my awesome beta readers, my cover artist, my formatter, and my husband, who’s also my idea bouncer-offer/business manager/website designer. It’s really an incredible, cooperative process. I’m so lucky I get to do this as my career.
So happy book birthday, Secret for a Song! I hope you have a great first day out in the world.
June 1, 2013
Fevered Souls Season 1
About
F.A.Q.
Artwork and Extras
A
fter I left for college, I thought I’d never see Eden again. But I found myself headed back four years later, destitute and unable to find a job anywhere else. Still, I was adamant nothing would keep me there for long.
Then I met the intoxicating Dax Allard. Copper-colored eyes, skin that emanated an exceptional heat, and a host of strange talents… It wasn’t long before I was drunk on him.
But Dax’s past was darker than mine, teeming with ancient secrets. Falling for him could cost me my life.
I had two choices: walk away or deal with the perilous consequences.
It was no choice at all.
Fevered Souls Season 1 is the omnibus of the first season of the Fevered Souls serial novel.
Episodes included: Possession, Betrothal, Illumination, Initiation, and Judgment.
Approximate word count: 60,000 words or 170 pages.
Release date: August 5th, 2013.
When will season 2 begin?
The first episode of season 2 will be out on July 8th, 2013 or thereabouts! Subscribe to my Facebook page to be the first to learn of its release. After that, it’ll be out every two weeks, just like season 1 was.
What’s a serial novel?
A serial novel is basically told through a bunch of short “episodes” instead of in a whole books’ length work at once. Think about a TV show, for instance. You get thirty minutes of a story, but there’s also an overarching story line that runs through the whole show. That’s what a serial novel is, too: A story told in parts. 
What if I want to read the whole “season” at once instead of one installment at a time?
That’s fine! I’ll be bundling the collections up once each minor story arc comes to an end. The season 1 omnibus will be available August 5th, and it’ll be the length of the average novel–about 60,000 words or 200 pages. Since serial installments are released so close together, though, most people don’t mind buying them one at a time. So you might be surprised!
Do they all have cliffhangers?
Not all of them… There might be minor cliffhangers, but I won’t leave you wondering about anything major (except as the season finale, of course!), I promise.
Why a serial? Why not just make Fevered Souls a novel (or three) instead?
Well, for one, I liked the idea of challenging my writerly muscles by taking on writing a serial rather than a novel or novella. It’s a whole different format and utilizes different techniques of storytelling. For two, Cara and Dax’s first story came to me in an installment right off the bat, which was interesting!
How long is each episode?
The episodes are between 10-15,000 words (about 40-50 pages).
What’s the release schedule?
I plan to release these two weeks apart, starting April 22nd. Eek! Though the official release day will always be a Monday, I’ll usually be uploading the story on a weekend. That means if you’re on my Facebook page, you’ll be the first to know when it goes live!
Will readers have any input on what happens in the story?
Yes! I’ll be taking reader suggestions as the story progresses. Look out for questions in the back of the books or “like” my Facebook page to stay abreast of polls I’ll put up. It’s going to be awesome!
Why are you writing a paranormal romance instead of sci-fi like World of Shell and Bone or contemporary fiction like Secret for a Song?
I love writing, and I’ll write almost any genre. I know a lot of writers stick to one tried and true type of story, but I’m not like that. The only thread in my stories is a character (or host of characters) in a difficult situation who has to strive to come out on top. Everything else depends on my brain and where it wants to go on any given day.
I love it! What can I do to spread the word?
It’s really, really hard to get reviews for shorter works, so I promise to be your BFF if you leave me one on Amazon or Goodreads! You can also share the covers on your Facebook page or just tell your friends that you enjoyed the serial.
{These questions have shamelessly, but with permission, been inspired by author Susan Kaye Quinn’s FAQ for her science fiction serial novel.}
Playlist
Playlist for Fevered Souls on MixTube.
Artwork
Fevered Souls Volume I
About
F.A.Q.
Artwork and Extras
A
fter I left for college, I thought I’d never see Eden again. But I found myself headed back four years later, destitute and unable to find a job anywhere else. Still, I was adamant nothing would keep me there for long.
Then I met the intoxicating Dax Allard. Copper-colored eyes, skin that emanated an exceptional heat, and a host of strange talents… It wasn’t long before I was drunk on him.
But Dax’s past was darker than mine, teeming with ancient secrets. Falling for him could cost me my life.
I had two choices: walk away or deal with the perilous consequences.
It was no choice at all.
Fevered Souls Volume I is the omnibus of the first season of the Fevered Souls serial novel.
Episodes included: Possession, Betrothal, Illumination, Initiation, and Judgment. Click on the thumbnails above to be taken to the Goodreads page for each episode.
Release date: August 5th, 2013.
What’s a serial novel?
A serial novel is basically told through a bunch of short “episodes” instead of in a whole books’ length work at once. Think about a TV show, for instance. You get thirty minutes of a story, but there’s also an overarching story line that runs through the whole show. That’s what a serial novel is, too: A story told in parts.
What if I want to read the whole “season” at once instead of one installment at a time?
That’s fine! I’ll be bundling the collections up once each minor story arc comes to an end. Volume I will be available August 5th, and it’ll be the length of the average novel, about 60,000 words or 200 pages. Since serial installments are released so close together, though, most people don’t mind buying them one at a time. So you might be surprised!
Do they all have cliffhangers?
Not all of them… There might be minor cliffhangers, but I won’t leave you wondering about anything major, I promise.
Why a serial? Why not just make Fevered Souls a novel (or three) instead?
Well, for one, I liked the idea of challenging my writerly muscles by taking on writing a serial rather than a novel or novella. It’s a whole different format and utilizes different techniques of storytelling. For two, Cara and Dax’s first story came to me in an installment right off the bat, which was interesting!
How long is each episode?
The episodes are between 10-15,000 words (about 40-50 pages).
What’s the release schedule?
I plan to release these two weeks apart, starting April 22nd. Eek! Though the official release day will always be a Monday, I’ll usually be uploading the story on a weekend. That means if you’re on my Facebook page, you’ll be the first to know when it goes live!
Will readers have any input on what happens in the story?
Yes! I’ll be taking reader suggestions as the story progresses. Look out for questions in the back of the books or “like” my Facebook page to stay abreast of polls I’ll put up. It’s going to be awesome!
Why are you writing a paranormal romance instead of sci-fi like World of Shell and Bone or contemporary fiction like Secret for a Song?
I love writing, and I’ll write almost any genre. I know a lot of writers stick to one tried and true type of story, but I’m not like that. The only thread in my stories is a character (or host of characters) in a difficult situation who has to strive to come out on top. Everything else depends on my brain and where it wants to go on any given day.
I love it! What can I do to spread the word?
It’s really, really hard to get reviews for shorter works, so I promise to be your BFF if you leave me one on Amazon or Goodreads! You can also share the covers on your Facebook page or just tell your friends that you enjoyed the serial.
{These questions have shamelessly, but with permission, been inspired by author Susan Kaye Quinn’s FAQ for her science fiction serial novel.}
Playlist
Playlist for Fevered Souls on MixTube.
Artwork
Secret for a Song
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads
About
F.A.Q.
For Book Clubs
Read Chapter 1
S
aylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.
She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.
Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives
For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?
Where did the idea for Secret for a Song come from?
The idea of a girl with Munchausen who pretends she has a terminal illness came to me first, before the rest of the plot did. I’d studied Munchausen Syndrome as a psych major in college, and I’d read about patients who pretended they had cancer or other illnesses to gain sympathy and attention. When the idea just wouldn’t let go, I knew I had to write it. And that’s when I realized she’d fall in love with a boy with a degenerative disease, that she’d come to deeply care about people who had terminal illnesses. From there I went on to figure out how to put Saylor in the most impossible situations and how, if at all, she’d redeem herself.
Why did you decide to write a character with Munchausen Syndrome? Did you worry she would be unlikable?
I was a psychology major in college, and I’m a huge psychology geek still. When the idea for a character with Munchausen came to me, I was immediately entranced. I knew I ran the risk that she’d be completely unsympathetic, but that seemed like it would be a fun challenge to get around, from a craft point-of-view. I hope I was able to portray that Saylor had a lot to contend with from a very young age, and that her choices, though despicable at times, were still made because she was very sick, not because she was a bad person.
Is Secret for a Song a standalone book?
Yes, it is. When I wrote it, I intended to wrap up the entire story in one go, which I think I did fairly well. However, I’ve learned never to say never.
Is Secret for a Song available in paperback?
I’m currently in the process of setting up paperback distribution through all the major retailers. I’ll update this with the link once it’s online!
Will you sign my copy of Secret for a Song?
I’d be happy to! Contact me if you’d like to mail me a copy of the book or order a signed copy. Alternately, if you’re a digital reader, you can request an autograph for your e-book through this free website.
I’m part of a book club and we were wondering if you’d speak to us.
I’d love to! If you’re in Charleston, SC or the surrounding areas, I’m happy to stop by. If not, we can Skype, chat on the phone, or you can email me questions. Also, check out the book club tab for a discussion guide.
Where can I find more information about Munchausen Syndrome?
The Mayo Clinic has detailed information on the symptoms, causes, and risk factors of Munchausen Syndrome.
I have a foreign rights and/or other publishing-related inquiry.
Please contact me to discuss anything publishing-related.
You didn’t answer my question!
Contact me and ask away.
Here be spoilers! If you haven’t read the book yet, you might not want to read the questions below.
1. In chapter four, Saylor is convinced her mother calls her a “poisonous little monster.” However, when confronted, her mother insists she said, “Must you act like such a little monster?” What is the significance of this argument? Who do you believe and why?
2. About her Munchausen Syndrome, Saylor says in chapter five, “Send a junkie to rehab and she’d get on with her life. Send me to the hospital and I wanted more.” What do you think of this assessment of Munchausen Syndrome? What does it say about the mindset of the patient with the disorder?
3. In chapter eleven, Saylor says, “To me, it seemed an unfathomable luxury to be a cancer patient.” What do you make of this controversial statement? Why does Saylor say this?
4. In chapter fifteen, Saylor scratches the dollhouse floor under the bed in the master bedroom. Why does she do this? What is the significance of her replacing the bed exactly as it was after she damages it this way?
5. In chapter eighteen, Saylor says of her friendship with the members of the TIDD group: “I was there because I wanted to be like them, because I worshipped the mutation in their genes, the stumble and stutter of their limbs.” Do you think she’s rationalizing her deception, or does she honestly feel this way? Does her personality disorder have a part in her disordered thinking?
6. In chapter twenty-two, we learn that Dr. Daniels, Saylor’s physician since childhood, has a history of sexually assaulting her. Saylor insists that his behavior toward her has nothing to do with her Munchausen. Do you agree? How do you think Dr. Daniels’s abuse of power and trust affected Saylor’s development, if at all?
7. What role do you think Sarita Grayson’s alcoholism played in Saylor’s development of a fictitious disorder, if any? Why?
8. What was the significance of the yellow Roman shade to Drew? Why did that symbol mean so much to him, and how did it come to mean a lot to Saylor?
9. Saylor states that even though she took an overdose of Tylenol, she wasn’t trying to kill herself. Do you believe her? Why do you think she chose that moment in time to overdose?
10. How did Drew’s decision to leave at the end of the novel strike you? Do you think it was justified for Saylor to not have a chance to say goodbye?
Chapter One
I
ate my first needle when I was seven.
You’d think something like that would be preceded by a major emotional moment, perhaps the slowing of time itself or some other heavy-handed bullshit. But no, there was nothing. I just remember thinking it was much too quiet in our seven-bedroom house. My mother was present—in a physical sense anyway—but I hadn’t seen her since she’d put out my breakfast. I was out of school, it being another glorious summer here in tiny, bucolic Ridgeland, New Hampshire. The oak tree, bowed over the roof like a curling hand, tapped on my bedroom window.
I opened my drawer, the one where I kept all the goodies I found—discarded plastic gemstones, spent toy gun pellets, dried earthworms—that I thought, for some unknowable kid reason, were worth saving. There lay the sewing needle, a perfectly small, lethal sword. I wanted to be a sword swallower, like the ones in the circus. I knew people came from all over the world to see them.
So I put the thing in my mouth. It was cold, and the sharp point pricked my tongue on the way down my throat. I imagined it seeking the softest spot of my stomach to pierce. I imagined my stomach filling with blood, imagined it gushing out my mouth and nose and ears, and then who wouldn’t be looking at me? Even my mother would be forced to look.
But I waited and waited, and nothing of the sort happened. I couldn’t feel the needle anymore. I opened my mouth, knelt on the tufted stool before my painted white vanity, and peered into the dark cavern of my throat. I didn’t see any rips. Where the heck had the needle gone?
I went searching for my mother, my (sadly un-bleeding) stomach twisted in knots of excitement and dread. What would she say? What would she do?
Tucked away in the corner of the dining room, she was reading the newspaper with a cup of tea at her elbow. She was East Indian on the surface and English at heart, my mother. I don’t think she’d ever forgiven my dad for whisking her away to the States when they married, though from what I understood, she’d gone willingly enough. Her black hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail—the kind of thing that my mass of curls refused to be even back then. She didn’t even look up when I slid into the chair beside her. I remember grabbing her sleeve and pulling.
“What, Saylor?” Yanking her arm away, she turned a page and kept reading.
“I swallowed something.” I wiggled in my seat. What if it came out of my butt when I pooped? Would it hurt?
She kept reading.
“I swallowed a needle.”
There was a pause. I thought maybe she hadn’t heard me. But then her head turned, and I saw her eyes: the deep brown coated with a mixture of fear and anger and irritation. An actual flurry of emotion.
She grabbed my shoulder. “You what? Why on earth would you do something like that?”
I shook my head, still astounded at the sheer weight of her hand on my skin, the warmth of her breath on my face.
Mum pushed her chair back and ran for the phone.
The rest of that episode came back to me in waves every now and then. An image here, an image there, scattered through the trails of my memory. I remembered going to the hospital. I remembered them putting me in some scary machines, looking at pictures of my stomach. I remembered Mum reading to me in the waiting room, out of some kids’ magazine, her breath still sweet and metallic from her tea.
I remembered I never wanted it to end.
I stood with my hands in my hoodie, looking down at the street below. New Hampshire was pitching a hissy fit complete with sleet that refused to be rain, the kind of weather that made people want to curl up inside with coffee and a book. I, of course, was a different story.
I did love this kind of weather, but not for the reasons most people did. I liked it because the lines in the hospitals were usually small, as sick people decided to risk taking their at-home medications another day. I liked it because the doctors lingered longer in my room; the nurses were more likely to make small talk. I liked the way rain sounded against Plexiglas windows.
“I’m double-parked, so hurry. We don’t want to be late.”
Turning, I nodded at Mum. I trailed my hands along the boxes the movers had arranged by the door. My first apartment, and I was leaving it already. I’d honestly planned to stay here more than six months.
I supposed I should’ve seen this coming. My grades had taken a steady nosedive since the beginning of the semester. The freedom had, quite literally, gone to my head. The credit card my parents had given me, and probably never checked before paying off, had been going to medical supplies more often than not. Though, had they thought to check, they’d only have seen my charges at the local pharmacy and assumed I was buying condoms or tampons.
Laxatives were cheap and easy, and my condition baffled the doctors. I’d forgotten the kind of high I got from seeing a new doctor—the one in my hometown was so used to seeing me. That wide-eyed sense of honest to God wanting to help was so rare to capture anymore.
But they’d done blood tests. Of course the laxatives had showed up. I thought they metabolized quicker than they actually did. It had been a mistake on the website I’d used as my guide to getting sick; a website I definitely wouldn’t be using anymore.
The car purred as we crossed downtown, spraying parked vehicles and light poles with muddy slush. The steady squeak and drag of the windshield wipers was lulling. I inhaled deeply, breathing in Mum’s tea rose perfume.
“Is it a left here?”
I nodded.
When we parked, she got out and slammed the car door behind her. I tried to hold in a smile. She was angry. She was here.
The mannish college psychologist stood when we walked in, her hand outstretched, stubby fingers waiting. Next to my mother, she looked ridiculous in her cheap black pantsuit and gelled cropped hair.
“Mrs. Grayson, it’s nice to meet you. Have a seat.”
“Please call me Sarita.” Mum grasped the collars of her cream-colored coat and pulled them together at the base of her throat, as if she was trying to protect herself from what was coming next.
I sat next to her, positioning the toe of my boot so it was right next to her shoe. I looked at our feet, side by side on the threadbare carpet. They were the same size.
“Sarita.” Dr. Milton looked down at the folder on her desk, shuffled a paper or two, and then sat back. “Are you… aware of the nature of Saylor’s ailment?”
Mum glanced at me. “I’m aware she’s been lying about her health again. She’s been doing that since she was small, exaggerating how bad things are.”
Shame and anger turned my blood to molten lava. Just the way she said it—as if I was intrinsically broken or had come defective without a receipt.
“It’s unfortunately a bit more serious than that.” Dr. Milton cleared her throat like she’d done the past couple of weeks every time she was uncomfortable. I wanted to rip her folder into pieces and shove the pieces down her throat. “Saylor has what’s called a factitious disorder. That means she creates symptoms in order to play the role of the sick person. But the thing that concerns me most, as a mental health professional, is that she could put herself at some serious risk if she’s not careful.” She paused, itching her chin. “As I said in my phone call, the campus clinic found traces of laxatives still in her bloodstream, which explained the seemingly untreatable upset stomach she reported. But Saylor still denies her involvement in her disease. In addition, she’s doing poorly in all of her classes, something that’s to be expected from someone with such a chronic condition. I’m afraid it’s only going to progress and get more serious until she accepts help.”
Mum refused to look at me, but I saw the lines bracketing her mouth. The lines that emphasized just how disgusting, how disturbed, she thought I was. “We’ve made her a series of appointments with one of the best psychologists in her home city.” She rose.
Dr. Milton stood too, speaking quicker when she saw we were about to leave. “While that’s excellent, I’d really like to encourage you and Mr. Grayson to go to these sessions too. Factitious disorder is really a disorder of the family system, and—”
“Thank you. We’ll look into it.”
We strode out, me at Mum’s heels, breathing in her scent. Behind us, Dr. Milton cleared her throat.
World of Shell and Bone
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads
About
For Book Clubs
F.A.Q.
I
n a world ravaged by a nuclear holocaust, Vika Cannon knows there are no guarantees: no guarantees of safety, no guarantees that your neighbor is not actually a spy for the government, and no guarantees you’ll be allowed to emigrate to a new life in China.
New Amana is dying. Food and water are scarce, and people suffering from radiation-caused mutations–the Nukeheads–are the new class of homeless.
Vika has just one purpose: to produce healthy progeny using a Husband assigned by the Match Clinic. Unhealthy children are carted away to Asylums to be experimented on, just as Vika’s little sister Ceres was, eight years ago. Parents incapable of producing healthy progeny are put to death in gas chambers.
When she’s assigned a Husband shortly after her twentieth birthday, Vika expects him to be complacent and obedient. But Shale Underwood has a secret. He is a member of the Radicals, the terrorist group intent on overthrowing the government. And Shale has information about Ceres.
As she learns more about the Rads’s plan, Vika finds herself drawn to Shale in ways she’d never imagined. When freedom calls in the way of a healthy pregnancy, will she betray her government and risk death for Shale and Ceres?
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION GUIDE
The following questions might help book clubs discuss World of Shell and Bone with an eye for critical details within the book. If you’d like to contact me to ask questions directly, I’d be happy to chat with your book club via email or Skype (or in person if you live in Charleston, SC or the surrounding areas).
Please note: If you haven’t read the book yet, some of these questions might serve as spoilers.
1. In chapter one, Vika says, “I am baffled by mirrors… I am nothing more than a collection of genetic puzzle pieces—I understand and accept this fully.” What does she mean by this? Does the concept of being nothing more than genetically linked to one’s biological parents make sense in today’s society?
2. When Vika says, “Progeny is our only weapon now,” what does she mean? Is healthy progeny New Amana’s weapon, or is it Vika’s weapon against the government as well?
3. Falls writes, “Most of the men in power were gone; healthy young men in the military had been killed. A feminist regime was born and New Amana was created to rise from the ashes.” During World War 2, American women entered the workforce to step into jobs men left behind when they went to war. Do you think that a situation where a feminist government takes over in the wake of the obliteration of a male-dominated government might be plausible in today’s society?
4. When Shale and Vika engage in sexual intercourse for the first time, Shale holds his body in such a way so as to not make any more contact with Vika’s body than necessary. Before they begin, they are required to say the words, “For New Amana.” What might the purpose of saying these words be? Why doesn’t Shale want to touch Vika beyond what is necessary to make a baby?
5. The radiation-poisoned homeless, those whose scars are visible, are called Nukeheads. Why is the general society of New Amana opposed to them? Is there a parallel sub-class of people like the Nukeheads in the society in which you live?
6. In chapter ten, Vika sees her brother, Mica. She is surprised to see that Shale is taller than Mica, observing, “In my mind, Mica was always the tallest person on Earth. There was never anyone who towered over him.” What do you think Vika means by this? What does this tell us about her relationship with Mica?
7. Time seems to have an ephemeral quality to Vika in the first part of the book. For instance, in chapter thirteen, she says, “Time begins to stop and stutter, looping back on itself until I can’t remember whether it’s today, yesterday, or the year before last. “ Why would time seem to be so inconsistent to someone in the dystopian society in which Vika lives? Have you noticed instances in your life when time seemed to sped up or slowed down? What does this say of our thought processes and ability to weather harsh life experiences?
8. Why do you think Vika decides to give her travel vouchers to Naiad’s partner and daughter, even though she didn’t know Naiad well? Was her decision connected or influenced at all by her last visit with her mother?
9. When Vika sees Ceres for the first time since she was taken to the Asylum, she notes, “There is no soul there.” Do you think Vika’s opinion changes as she spends more time with her sister? Is Ceres as devoid of emotion as Vika initially believes? What led you to this conclusion?
10. Even though she is warned that the government might be building an army in China, Vika makes the decision to board the ship with Ceres. Why do you think she did this? Do you feel her decision was based, in any part, on denial?
Don’t have a copy yet? Buy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble!
Will there be a sequel?
Yes! I’m anticipating release date of said sequel to be sometime in late 2013, with a companion novella to be released in the summer. I’ll keep you guys updated. Alternately, you can sign up for my mailing list to be kept in the loop-de-loop.
When will the paper version be out?
I’m in the process of converting it to my legal name (S.K. Falls) from Adriana Ryan, which is the pen name I’d originally published it under. I’ve had to take the paper version down, but I’ll update this as soon as it’s back on the shelves!
Is there an audiobook?
As of this writing in June 2013, the audiobook for World of Shell and Bone is under production! Yay! I have a fabulous narrator for the voice of Vika Cannon, and I think you’re going to love her.
Where did you get the idea for the story?
Like most writers I know, I get my ideas when I’m really inspired by something I see or read. For World of Shell and Bone, it happened to be both.
The first thing that started the idea bubbling away in my brain was an excellent movie called TiMER. It’s an indie movie that deals with a futuristic world where people get implanted with a timer that counts down the days till they meet their soul mate. It’s supposed to make life easier, knowing when you’ll meet The One, and who exactly it is. There’s no divorce and, supposedly, there are no broken hearts.
The second thing that got me on the road to writing World of Shell and Bone was the book The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (who just happens to be one of my favorite writers of all time). Atwood raised some important questions in her story: what happens if all power is taken away from females? What is reproduction is the only “point” of society? I decided to spin my own tale about those concepts. [Note: In no way am I comparing my writing to that of the great and magnificent Ms. Atwood. I'm merely exposing how much of a fangirl I am.]
What’s with all the French words?
Since the North and South American continents are hit hard by the War of the Nations, all the cultures from the countries that used to exist have sort of fused and dispersed. I imagined Vika to be living, geographically, close to the northeast of what is in real life the United States. I wanted the reader to feel some of the French Canadian influences, which is why I chose to have some of the terms be French. [Also, French is super-duper fun.]
Why did you write such a dark story?
Mainly because I’m a dark person at heart. Ha! No, really, I think dark stories are the most fun because they force you to consider issues you might not otherwise consider. I also love dwelling on terrible What-If scenarios, probably because I like to torture myself. I’ve always been a little twisted that way.
Are you trying to say that feminists are evil?
I know that some people have been angry that I wrote feminists as being so totalitarian. But my intention wasn’t to say that a government run by feminists would be a dictatorship–it was to say that power corrupts without regard to gender. In fact, the “feminists” in power aren’t really feminists at all. In the story, it’s clearly revealed how they use the same tactics as the people before them to control the population. The only thing they did differently was to reduce men down to the level they’d been reduced to before.
Is there a soundtrack for World of Shell and Bone?
Okay, so confession time: I can’t listen to music while I write. I know some writers can, and I totally respect that (and am jealous of it), but sadly, I’m not one of them. That being said, I do have a song that I think symbolizes Shale and Vika’s relationship fairly well. Here it is. Listen and let me know if you agree!
Also, if you’re the visual sort, check out World of Shell and Bone‘s Pinterest board.
Wait, are you Adriana Ryan? Or S.K. Falls? Huh?
Sorry, sorry. I’m 100% to blame for all the confusion. I originally released the book under my pen name, Adriana Ryan. I’m currently in the process of converting the book to my legal name, S.K. Falls, which is what I’ve decided to write under after all. So there you have it. Used to be Adriana Ryan, now I’m S.K. Falls.
I’m part of a bookclub, and we were wondering if you’d chat with us.
I’d love to! Please go here and check out the page that contains the discussion guide. Then contact me and we can get started.
Will you sign my copy?
If you’d like to order a signed copy or mail me a copy of your book to sign, please use the tab at the top to contact me. Alternately, if you’re a digital reader, you can visit this free site to request an autograph!
Will World of Shell and Bone be released in other languages?
That’s a great question. I’m looking into foreign rights and translations, but it’s a big, big world out there. So stay tuned!
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore (or e-bookstore) and buy Bird by Bird
by Anne Lamott. She describes the writer’s life in a funny, yet very real, way. Most people imagine writers locked away in a room with a glass of whiskey at one elbow, madly typing away at their keyboards. The truth is a lot less glamorous. There are some serious ups and downs to the writing life—everyone has them. You’ll want to give up about thirty-three times a day. But it’s also so, so worth it.
If you want to write, the first thing you should be doing is writing (I know—crazy, right?). Write a little bit everyday. If you don’t have a book you’re working on yet, just start by writing what you’re comfortable writing. Journals/diaries, short stories, poems, all of those count. Concentrate on getting better, on plucking those words out of the ether and getting them down on paper.
If you can find a critique group in your local area, that’s excellent. If not, look online. There are so many resources, and you can connect with writers all over the world. It’s a humbling and exciting experience. Some of my best friends are writers I’ve met online. But make sure people who read your work are going to be brutally honest, because that’s how you learn. The second thing you should be doing is reading. Read good books—books with excellent prose—and books in genres you hope to write.
It’s not particularly difficult to get started on the writing path if you truly love words and have a burning desire to tell stories. The hardest part, I think, is training yourself to be disciplined enough to write every single day. Most writers write because they’d die if they didn’t (melodramatic as that sounds!). So go forth and conquer that pen!
