Q&A with Amy Harmon CLOSED

[Melissa]

First off, I am a huge fan and I can't wait to read The Song of David. I want to know if we are going to see a little more of Moses and Georgia in this book?

[Sanne]

Hi Amy,

Thank you so much for the generous giveaway and for hosting this Q&A!

My question would be the following :

Is music in any way important during your writing process or in your books? If so, why and what kind.

[Angelina]

what is your inspiration in writing Law of Moses and Song of David?

[Amy]

Elena wrote: "hello Amy!I love your books and I cannot wait for the song of david. did you listen to music while writing it and what song would you say is connected more to the book?"

Well - here's a little announcement -- my son and I wrote a song called The Song of David, after the book, and it is on iTunes at this very moment, actually. He is a very talented singer and songwriter, and when I told him I had an idea for a song, he listened, said he loved it, added his tweaks, and the rest is history. We are doing a music video, airing on June 12th on Rockstars of Romance, that has "footage" from the book as well as of my son, Paul Travis. You can listen to it right now, although I haven't made any announcement outside of this group. Here's the link - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/son...

[Amy]

melissahashernoseinabook wrote: "First off, I am a huge fan and I can't wait to read The Song of David. I want to know if we are going to see a little more of Moses and Georgia in this book?"

You are going to see a lot of them, especially Moses. This book is very different in that it has Moses AND Tag narrating the book in first person POV. I have never seen that before, two males (not romantically involved) narrating a story. I'm excited about it.

[Amy]

Sanne wrote: "Hi Amy,

Thank you so much for the generous giveaway and for hosting this Q&A!

My question would be the following :

Is music in any way important during your writing process or in your books? I..."

I made a little announcement on another questin about the fact that my son and I actually wrote and released a song to go with this book! It's on iTunes and spotify if you want to listen. I did this because the song kept coming to me as I wrote. Luckily for me, my son is a very talented singer/songwriter. Here's the link. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/son...

[Amy]

Angelina wrote: "what is your inspiration in writing Law of Moses and Song of David?"

Inspiration is a very elusive thing. A songwriter can sometimes tell you where he/she got an idea for a song, or what inspired it, but for me, novel writing is a lot different from songwriting (I've done both). Novel writing requires a spark, a bit of inspiration about a character or a piece of a plot that you can then work with to keep going. But writing a book requires a million different threads of inspiration woven together. I can't even tell you where each thread originated, at this point. I spend a lot of time thinking -- I call it stewing -- and then I spend a lot of time at the keyboard, coaxing ideas out. I can't even tell you where the ideas were born, to tell you the truth.

[Madiha J Bookblogger]

Hi, First of all i am a huge fan of Amy Harmon and her books. I love her sooo much :)
My question is, "What inspired you to write Blue's character and her story?"
Thanks
Madiha
MJ Book Blog

[Elena]

Amy wrote: "Elena wrote: "hello Amy!I love your books and I cannot wait for the song of david. did you listen to music while writing it and what song would you say is connected more to the book?"

Well - here'..." that's so great amy! I have already admired his voice and his songs by your posts on fb so this is an amazing new! cannot wait to see the video :-)

[Nicola]

Hi Amy

I was just wondering about "Bailey" in Making faces. He is such a loveable character it is impossible to not fall in love in with him, did you know from the start how his story would go ? Did you know it would end the way it did ? I for one have never had to put a book down but at the same time want to keep reading, I was screaming for someone to go help him.I had to wipe my kindle dry (literally lol). So did you decide as you was writing or from the start know how Bailey's story was going to turn out ?

[Amy]

Nicola wrote: "Hi Amy

I was just wondering about "Bailey" in Making faces. He is such a loveable character it is impossible to not fall in love in with him, did you know from the start how his story would go ? D..."

I didn't know exactly how it would turn out, but I felt for the entire story that Bailey wasn't going to live. I didn't know how that would come about, but I knew his days were numbered. It was a heartbreaking, yet strangely heroic moment, and I liked that it wasn't the way he thought he would go.

[Amy]

Madiha wrote: "Hi, First of all i am a huge fan of Amy Harmon and her books. I love her sooo much :)
My question is, "What inspired you to write Blue's character and her story?"
Thanks
Madiha
MJ Book Blog"

I have always been in awe of mothers who give their children up for adoption. It takes a great deal of strength and love to bear a child, to carry it inside you, to give it life, and then let it go because you know you aren't ready or able to give them what they need and deserve. I wanted to celebrate that.

[Amy]

Elena wrote: "hello Amy!I love your books and I cannot wait for the song of david. did you listen to music while writing it and what song would you say is connected more to the book?"

I don't listen when I write, a lot of times. Song lyrics tend to overpower the words in my head, so I have to listen to classical or something acoustic or nothing at all. Every once in a while, I will listen to music as I stew, but rarely when I write. As I mentioned in another question, I actually wrote a song with my son called Song of David, just for this book. It's on iTunes if you want to listen.

[Vanessa]

Hello there Amy, I am new to Goodreads and the New Adult Book Club. I love that the club has shown me your pages, your books, and a competition. My question is: as a 1st time reader of your books, which do you believe I should start with? Many thanks and I hope the new book sells well. From a new fan, Vanessa

[Erica]

Hi Amy! I just finished Slow Dance in Purgatory, and I'm about to start Prom Night in Purgatory. In Slow Dance in Purgatory, when Maggie dances for a week after Johnny leaves, what is the "old favorite" song of hers? It's beautiful!

[Amy]

Erica wrote: "Hi Amy! I just finished Slow Dance in Purgatory, and I'm about to start Prom Night in Purgatory. In Slow Dance in Purgatory, when Maggie dances for a week after Johnny leaves, what is the "old favo..."

I'm a little shy about my Purgatory books. They are very YA - very paranormal, very Twilight-esque. I wrote them before I recognized my niche, I guess. But they were fun and light, and I have many readers who love them best. Go figure. I think I just created words to the "old favorite" as copyright is always an issue. I wanted it to feel like Unchained Melody without being Unchained Melody.

[Amy]

Vanessa wrote: "Hello there Amy, I am new to Goodreads and the New Adult Book Club. I love that the club has shown me your pages, your books, and a competition. My question is: as a 1st time reader of your books, ..."

The nice thing about my books, is that I write mostly standalone titles, so you could almost begin anywhere. But I think I might recommend Making Faces to get you started.

[Aleksandra Reads]

Hi, Amy! :)
I`m a huge fan! Read all your books and they are food for my soul!

I was wondering if you have to pick one of your characters to spend the day with, who would you pick and why? :)

[Charlotte]

Dear Amy, I was wondering how long does it take you to write a book ? and how do you get the inspiration ?

Thank You,

Best,

Charlotte

[Amy]

Charlotte wrote: "Dear Amy, I was wondering how long does it take you to write a book ? and how do you get the inspiration ?

Thank You,

Best,

Charlotte"

If I work long hours and stick with it, I can write a book in four months. So my two books per year pace is currently killing me. :-)

[Amy]

Aleksandra wrote: "Hi, Amy! :)
I`m a huge fan! Read all your books and they are food for my soul!

I was wondering if you have to pick one of your characters to spend the day with, who would you pick and why? :)"

Oh my gosh. I don't know. I tend to be in love with every male character I write, so I would have to think long and hard about which one I would spend the day with. Maybe Moses. I would pick his brain and make him do a "reading" for me. xxoo

[Loredana]

Hi!

I'm writing from Eastern Europe and my question is less related to your books than it is to your audience. Do you write with a specific audience in mind (North America, for example), or do you think your books could be read and loved by people all around the world? Will you ever set a book outside America? Sorry of it's a sensitive question, but I'm really curious. Here, in Romania, we have a newfound love for American YA and NA authors and their books, so I guess I'm curious what authors like you could be thinking.

Thank you so much!
Have a lovely day!

[Jennifer]

I was so blown away by The Law of Moses and am so excited for The Song of David. I am curious, do you know what you will be writing next?

[Andie]

Hi, Amy, I would like to ask you if you got any offers to translate and publish your books in Hungarian? I really would like to see them in my mother language, hopefully with the original covers.

Happy writing,


Andie

[Patricia]

How do you plot your stories? What inspires you?

[Bookphenomena (Micky)]

Amy wrote: "Micky wrote: "Hi Amy
This is a question about Making Faces (which I adored). Was there a reason for choosing the degenerative disease that Bailey had? I loved how he and his personality was portray..."

Thanks for you reply. I have looked after young men with this so I thought you did a fantastic job of this aspect. Bailey was one of the stars of this book for me! Thank you!

[Zili]

Hi Amy, I ugly cried reading Making Faces (like full on sobbed) and I wondered what if any book, movie or song ever makes you ugly cry?

[Amy]

Loredana wrote: "Hi!

I'm writing from Eastern Europe and my question is less related to your books than it is to your audience. Do you write with a specific audience in mind (North America, for example), or do yo..."

I think it's important for an author to actually know something about the place she sets her book. I would need to spend a great deal of time in Romania to put a book in that setting. I think that's the only difficulty with writing about some place else. Most of my stories center around the American west, where I grew up, because I feel like I can accurately portray this part of the world. I would love to go someplace else and have always wanted to write a book set during WWII. I do think, however, that a well-told story resonates across countries, and my books are being published in eight different countries, which is so exciting for me.

[Amy]

Andie wrote: "Hi, Amy, I would like to ask you if you got any offers to translate and publish your books in Hungarian? I really would like to see them in my mother language, hopefully with the original covers.

..."

I will have to double check - but I do believe A Different Blue is going to published in Hungary.

[Amy]

Jennifer wrote: "I was so blown away by The Law of Moses and am so excited for The Song of David. I am curious, do you know what you will be writing next?"

I do. I have already started. ;-)

[Amy]

Patricia wrote: "How do you plot your stories? What inspires you?"

Everything inspires me. It's crazy how a song or a bit of conversation you overhear, or something your child says can all trigger an entire scene or even better, an entire story line. I don't plot in an organized fashion. I spend a lot of time fleshing out my characters, and when I think I know them, then I start crafting scenes.

[Amy]

Zili wrote: "Hi Amy, I ugly cried reading Making Faces (like full on sobbed) and I wondered what if any book, movie or song ever makes you ugly cry?"

I'm a crier - I tear up at a lot of things, but I don't ugly cry very often. I cried in Me Before You. But it was more just an ache in my chest and throat and my eyes got wet. Same for Ugly Love. It was more an ache than a full on cryfest. But I cry in movies -- the last one I cried in was American Sniper, and I had to sit in the movie theater after everyone left and get control of myself so I could walk out.

[Laura]

HI Amy. As an author who writes New Adult books, what do you think of the negativity and hostility towards the genre?

[Amy]

Laura wrote: "HI Amy. As an author who writes New Adult books, what do you think of the negativity and hostility towards the genre?"

I guess I haven't thought a lot about it. I don't know that my books fit in a certain genre, so maybe I don't identify with any genre, therefore, I'm not upset by the labels others put on the genre. Does that make sense? Obviously, people love a more adult read that still has some of the discovery and coming of age topics that YA is so popular for. I happen to love so many new adult books, but I love books from every genre.

[Sierra]

What made you want to become a writer?

[WOWZA!]

Hi, Amy :D
making faces was a book that deeply inspired me <3 I would like to know what inspired YOU to write it :)

[Dani]

Hi Amy!!! Making Faces made me sob for hours, I absolutely loved it!!! It surprised me how dark it was. What made you want to write a beauty and the beast retelling of sorts and who was your favourite character to write? :) Also thank you for breaking my heart with the last word of the book!!! :'( Can't wait to read more of your books!!!!!

[Maricris]

Hello Amy! :) If you were given the chance to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and what book (yes, only one) will you bring?

[Amy]

PerformingBookFelf wrote: "Hi Amy!!! Making Faces made me sob for hours, I absolutely loved it!!! It surprised me how dark it was. What made you want to write a beauty and the beast retelling of sorts and who was your favour..."

Hello! I think that is the first time anyone has described Making Faces as dark. I guess it all depends on your definition of dark. Making Faces does deal with difficult issues and it is gut-wrenching. So maybe that's what you mean. It looks at hard truths and the way we deal with tragedy. But it is also transcendant, illuminating, and filled with overcoming and forgiveness. In this book, Bailey was my favorite character to bring to life, although I have a soft spot for all of my characters. I really didn't go into it wanting to do a retelling of beauty and the beast, which I don't think it was, exactly, but beauty, inner and outer, is definitely a theme in this book. So glad you enjoyed it!

[Amy]

Maricris wrote: "Hello Amy! :) If you were given the chance to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and what book (yes, only one) will you bring?"

I have a million places I would love to visit - never been to Australia, New Zealand, London, Ireland . . .the list is very long. I think the book I bring would depend upon the location. Maybe I would find a book of Shakespeares works - you know one of those giant things, and that could keep me in reading material for a long while.

[Amy]

Sierra wrote: "What made you want to become a writer?"

I have always been a writer - poetry, short stories, essays, song lyrics. I wrote my first novel about eight or nine years ago, just to see if I could. But I jumped into publishing because my family was in such dire straits financially, and I needed to help provide. xxoo

[Amy]

Rimal wrote: "Hi, Amy :D
making faces was a book that deeply inspired me <3 I would like to know what inspired YOU to write it :)"

I am not sure at what point I became inspired to write this particular story exactly, but my little boy was born with a port wine stain on his face. A port wine stain is a huge red birthmark that covers all or a portion of the face and deepens and thickens as a child grows. It caused me to think a lot about how we percieve each other and about the definitions of beauty in society. Making Faces is about beautiful people. Not necessarily physically beautiful, but beautiful all the same.

[Preet]

Hi Amy! I always love reading one of your books. I know I'm going to be engaged mind, body, and soul. Where do you get your inspirations for the amazing stories you write?

And which author friend would you say you go to first when you hit a difficult spot while writing?

[Jaydb]

Hi Amy! :) My question is about your writing method. Do you draft the sequence of events of your stories (hence you know from the very beginning how things will end), or are you the type who will let the characters and the story play out as the writing goes?

[Erica]

Hi Amy ^^ I love your books ^^ my queston is : when you were a kid what is your favorite book? Thanks for this giveaway =D Have a nice day

[Amy]

Chanpreet wrote: "Hi Amy! I always love reading one of your books. I know I'm going to be engaged mind, body, and soul. Where do you get your inspirations for the amazing stories you write?

And which author frien..."

I have never gone to an author friend when I hit a writing snag, amazingly enough. I think maybe it's because the writing process for me is so private. But I always call my mom when I hit a snag. I always talk it through with her. And just talking a story line through always seems to help. As far as inspirations - sometimes they come in the simplest ways, and a thread of an idea will lead to yet another thread and another, until the story looks nothing like the seed of inspiration that started it.

[Amy]

Mangarore wrote: "Hi Amy ^^ I love your books ^^ my queston is : when you were a kid what is your favorite book? Thanks for this giveaway =D Have a nice day"

Hi Mangarore,
I loved Anne of Green Gables growing up. It was my favorite, by far. xxoo

[Amy]

Jaydb wrote: "Hi Amy! :) My question is about your writing method. Do you draft the sequence of events of your stories (hence you know from the very beginning how things will end), or are you the type who will l..."

I have an overall arc in mind for the story, as well as very fleshed out characters, but I don't have a sequence of events at all. I fly by the seat of my pants a little, letting the story unfold in a way that the characters themselves dictate.

[J.]

Where do you get your ideas for the books you write?

[Erica]

Hello Amy! I'm trying to get into reading some classics. Which Shakespeare play is your favorite/would you recommend and why?