Review: DRIVE by Stephanie Fournet
I have loved everything I’ve read from Stephanie Fournet, and DRIVE did not disa[...]
I’m beyond thrilled to have Sherry Thomas, author of the The Elemental Trilogy, back on A Book and a Latte today! She’s here for a How I Write feature as part of her blog tour for The Perilous Sea (which I absolutely LOVED!!!). Check my Q & A with her below, and then be sure to enter the fantastic giveaway for a chance to win!
About Sherry Thomas
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Sherry Thomas is one of the most acclaimed romance authors working today. Her books regularly receive starred reviews from trade publications and are frequently found on best-of-the-year lists. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.
English is Sherry’s second language—she has come a long way from the days when she made her laborious way through Rosemary Roger’s Sweet Savage Love with an English-Chinese dictionary. She enjoys digging down to the emotional core of stories. And when she is not writing, she thinks about the zen and zaniness of her profession, plays computer games with her sons, and reads as many fabulous books as she can find.
Sherry’s next book, THE PERILOUS SEA, volume two of her young adult fantasy trilogy, will be available fall 2014.
Author photo by the lovely and talented Jennifer Sparks Harriman at Sparks Studio.
Are you a planner (outline, etc.) or do you “pants” it?
LOL, the older I get, the less I like the term “pantser”, at least applied to myself: it makes me think of someone falling down a chute, limbs flailing.
And yet I am most certainly not an outliner. The problem I have with outlining, or writing scenes that are just dialogue and action, is that I quickly lose touch with my characters. Even in books that are stupendously action-driven, I find it difficult to move forward without knowing what my characters are thinking and feeling.
So I’d like to term myself an explorer. I have a large territory to cross, I am armed with a compass and a destination in mind. Sometimes the straightest path lead directly into quagmires. Sometimes trails I’m certain would guide me out of the forest disappear completely. And sometimes, as it turns out, where I end up isn’t at all where I thought I was going, but exactly where I need to be.
Do you write daily or sporadically when you’re inspired?
Deadlines will inspire me to write daily. Coming off a deadline I might not write for weeks on end.
What time of day do you find you write best? Or you enjoy more?
2pm to 10pm. If I am all alone in the house, that’s when I’d write. But unfortunately 3pm is when children begin to turn up, looking for someone named “Mom,” and they don’t let up for hours. So I’ve had to adjust myself to writing at other times. But I am very much looking forward to a time when said children will have lives of their own and be no longer interested in dragging “Mom” off her laptop.
Do you have any writing quirks?
None, unless you count my disinclination for writing at desks.
Where is your favorite place to write?
Home, where I don’t have to think about whether to haul my laptop to the bathroom with me, or leave it where it is and risk its theft.
How do you stay motivated?
If I am under contract or some other kind of formal commitment for a book, a deadline is usually motivation enough. Otherwise, the only reason I’m writing a book is because I can’t stop writing it—so no motivation worries.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
I’ve never had writer’s block. My problem has always been writer’s crap, as a sufferer of which I will happily produce crap until someone screams at me to, for God’s sake, stop. Then and only then will I see the crap for what it is and go, holy smoke, I better scrap all or most of this and start again from scratch. What? Three weeks left to rewrite the whole book? Sherry, meet motivation.
What are your thoughts on traditional publishing vs. self-publishing?
They are both great. It’s a good time to be a writer, with more options than ever before.
What do you use as inspiration while writing? (Music, pictures, etc.)
I’ll Google Image something when I need to describe it, but usually music is what sets the mood for the book. (But I only listen to two kinds of music when I write, either epic or heartbreaking. I need to figure out how to compile a soundtrack for a comedy, because I’d love to write something funny.
What aspect of writing is most challenging for you? Easiest?
I think dialogue is not hard for me. Everything else is hard. Plotting is hard. Description is very hard. Getting a character’s emotional state down on paper is so hard that sometimes I play computer games all day just because I can’t get my head in the right space to write what’s in their heads.
And yet the stuff that is the hardest to do always ends up being the most rewarding, when finally done right.
The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2)
by Sherry Thomas
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.
Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother’s prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.
Many thanks to Sherry Thomas and Rockstar Book Tours for having me as part of the blog tour! I loved learning how Sherry writes! Readers, enter the Rafflecopter below for chances to win this amazing giveaway!
GIVEAWAY
For First Place US Only:
1 winner will receive. The Burning Sky, The Perilous Sea, and The Hidden Blade and a handmade solid lotion bar and some homemade face scrubs, plus a burning sky bag. US Only
Runners Up US Only
2 winners will receive The Burning Sky, The Perilous Sea, and The Hidden Blade. US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule
9/9/2014- Such a Novel Idea– Review
9/10/2014- Fiktshun– Guest Post
9/11/2014- The Irish Banana Review– Review
9/12/2014- Bewitched Bookworms– Interview
9/15/2014- Two Chicks on Books– Guest Post
9/16/2014- A Backwards Story– Interview
9/17/2014- Carina’s Books– Guest Post
9/18/2014- Nerdophiles– Review
9/19/2014- Candace’s Book Blog– Review
Twitter: bookwitchjen
says:
Absolutely loved the first book. Can’t wait to read the 2nd
Jen recently posted..Call Me Grim by Elizabeth Holloway #BookReview #Giveaway
What wonderfully generous prizes, I’d love to win one of them. With comparisons to Cinda Williams Chima and Kristin Cashore, two of my favorites, how could I not be excited. Thanks very much.
LOVE how even in action scenes, she wants to focus on emotion!!
that’s the best part of fantasy 🙂
Lovely interview!!
I’m a dedicated Sherry Thomas reader, and really looking forward to this book 2!
Do you find there is a difference in the way you describe Victorian London in your adult historicals vs. YA books? What I mean is that something can appear different from an adult perspective vs. a child’s.
I love the writer’s block question! And I can totally see how it’d be hard to get a characters emotions right. I am kind of surprised that finding motivation isn’t very difficult.
Cover looks so cool.
Love the interview Sherry! Especially ‘writer’s crap’, lol. Excellent cover–this book is going on my TBR shelf:)
Cindi Clubbs recently posted..Sci-Fi Tour GRAND FINALE and GIVEAWAY
I am so excited about this book I can’t see straight. I loved The Burning Sky and am a huge fan of her romance novels. I thought it was interesting that Sherry mentioned wanting to write something funny because I thought “His at Night” had some hilarious moments.
Great interview!
I am so excited for this book! I loved the first one. And the cover is really pretty!
Your thoughts on “writer’s crap” were most refreshing! I wish dialogue would come to me as purely as it flows from you. Any recommendations for overcoming this challenge? Other than pretending to listen to my iPod in Starbucks but really eavesdropping on all the conversations?
Oh man, I have heard GREAT things about this series. I’m not usually into fantasy or series but I’m trying to break out of that, this series sounds perfect for me!
Valerie Pennington recently posted..New Theme: Eighties
Twitter: bookandlatte
says:
I’m not in general either, but I love this one!
great post sherry! excellent interview!
I LOVED The Birning Sky! So excited for the sequel!
Thank you for this amazing giveaway! I’ve heard so many people raving about the book! 🙂
I’ll read anything that Sherry writes!
Twitter: bookandlatte
says:
Me too!!
Can’t wait for this book to come out!
I Love this series so far & Sherry has the best writing style that I’ve seen in a while!
I always love a good fantasy book and The Perilous Sea seems like it would be a good one.