What
do you write? Genre? YA Fantasy
Tell
us about yourself? Once I stopped complaining about how hard it was to learn
my letters, I loved writing. I've always wanted to be a "real writer."
I've written stage plays, radio scripts, creative nonfiction, short fiction
stories, and fantasy novels. I also love music, and I'm one of the
composers-in-residence for the Westminster Bell Choirs in Logan, Utah. I love
my long-haired dachshund, Jasmine. She's fat, bless her, but so adorable. My
favorite part of every day is coming home and having her wait for me and dance
around in excitement when I walk in the door.
What
prompted you to pitch your book in #Pit2Pub? I was looking for any opportunity
to pitch my book, because I had (and have) a lot of faith in the premise, and
knew it just needed to find the right people at the right time. When I found
out about #Pit2Pub, I was excited about the opportunities it presented. I'd
participated in Pitch Parties before, and both times they'd led to me
submitting my book. I was excited for a new experience.
Tell
about your #Pit2Pub experience. I was taking a break at work (I'm a
technical writer by day) and browsing through Twitter on my phone when I found
out about #Pit2Pub. Thankfully, I had a pretty stellar manuscript ready, so I
pitched my book. Blue Moon Publishers favourited the Tweet, and it all went
from there. They answered me within two weeks (astonishing, I know!) and asked
for the full manuscript. A few weeks later, they gave me a call and offered me
a contract for not just the book, but the entire series. I'm so grateful I
found #Pit2Pub that day, because without it, I'd just be a lonely writer with
no publisher.
Which
publisher did you sign with? Blue Moon Publishers
Tell
us about your upcoming book. Immortal Writers tells the story of Liz, a
writer whose words are so powerful that they've brought her stories out of the
Imagination and into the Reality Field. Unfortunately, along with all of the
good things, her villain has also come to life and is threatening to destroy
the world. Only Liz can stop him, but first she has to learn to master magic
and slay dragons, all while getting to know other Immortal Writers like
Shakespeare, Tolkien, Hughes, and others.
When
is your book scheduled to be released? Immortal Writers is slated to be
released in the fall of 2016.
What
is at the top of your bucket list? As a writer or as a person? As a person,
I want to visit London and tour the UK. As a writer, I want to be a guest at
Comic Con, a guest on the Ellen show, or, you know, make a lot of money. We'll
see what happens.
Parting
words for other authors? For one, give #Pit2Pub a try. It's not going to
hurt you, and it just might be your ticket to success. Second, be persistent.
Many people have the talent and the ideas to be professional writers, but they
lack the persistence. Don't be one of those people. Pursue your dreams. Keep
querying, as painful as each rejection is. When you hit head-first into writer's
block, rally through it and finish your projects. Persistence is key.
Links to FaceBook
Twitter
Blog/Website
Link to your publisher
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