Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote.: Author Blog Hop for Children’s Authors, MG Authors, and YA Authors...

Monday, 12 August 2013

Author Blog Hop for Children’s Authors, MG Authors, and YA Authors...

I was invited by my author cohort, Corelia Dinsmore, to participate in a “blog hop interview.” Cordelia sent me some interview questions, which I answer here on my blog. Following my answers, I tag 3 other writers who will, in turn, answer questions on their blogs next week. It’s been fun checking out the Blog Hops to see what other children’s authors have posted!

Cordelia posted her answers to the questions at her blog, Cordelia Dinsmore - Writer on August 5^th. If you like, you can leave a comment on her blog and tell her that you connected to her through my link here!

Okay, so let’s get this Author Blog Hop rolling with my pithy, deep answers…

1. What are you working on right now?

I’ve just finished the fourth round of edits for the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series entitled, Legend of the Timekeepers which will be out August 30^th, 2013. I also have a completed manuscript of the second book in the series entitled, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, but there’s the fun job of revising it into Jordan Jensen’s point of view. I’ve also signed on with literary agency, Walden House (Books & Stuff) this past December to take on another young adult series I’ve created about teens with psychic abilities called, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, so I’ll be one busy gal!

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?

Keyword: Atlantis. I wanted to create a book series for upper middle grade/lower young adults that had a different slant to the time travel genre. I love history. I also love myths and legends. There’s many time travel series out there, but nothing that has roots leading back to Atlantis—at least what I know about and have read. And since there’s no concrete evidence that Atlantis did exist, then that left the door (or arch) wide open to possibilities.

3. Why do you write what you do?

I have a confession. I didn’t start out writing middle grade or young adult. Nope. I lurked in the deep pool of the paranormal romance genre before I ever considered dipping my toes into the welcoming waters of middle-grade/young adult fiction. The idea to write in this genre actually came to me through a dream. In this dream, I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an Indiana Jones feel to it. Then, boom. The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis was born.

At the time, I had just finished reading the first two books of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, as well as the first Harry Potter book. The young adult genre was starting to accelerate now that J.K. Rowling had fired up the engines. I really thought about that dream a lot to the point where an idea for a book started to grow, and take root. So, I thought I’d challenge myself and write a novel—a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience. I’ve always loved the time travel genre, so I imagined the arches I saw vividly in my dream as time portals. It was a no-brainer for me.

4. How does your writing process work?

Sometimes I’m a pantser (writing by the seat of my pants), sometimes a plotter (outline entire storyline)—it all depends on the tone of the book and where my imagination directs me. I have many notebooks and pads and sticky notes at my disposal. I also have a file full of ideas. I guess I start with the characters and build the story around them. The characters, my characters, must carry the story to completion, give readers closure. It’s a must. In order to do this, I begin writing out character tracking sheets (stats on characters appearances, clothing, likes and dislikes, etc.) which have served me well throughout the writing process. Then the fun begins. Research, research, and more research. When you’re writing time travel, you’ve got to know your facts to create the fiction. I love this part of the journey too. Only when I have enough facts, and I feel my characters are fleshed out sufficiently, then I begin to start the novel.