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Whew! April has been a whirlwind, but I’m finally sitting down to write this blog post. The lovely Elizabeth Holloway tagged me, and you should totally check out her writing process post. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you. 🙂

 

Now, onto the questions!

1) What am I working on?

April was a book signing month for me; I’ve been bouncing around, promoting my newest release, DAUGHTER OF CHAOS, but now I’m shifting gears and getting back into revision mindset. I’ve got a few projects on my plate, including the rest of the RED MAGIC series, and I also just finished proofing the sequel to my NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY. It looks like I’m going to have a wonderfully busy spring and summer, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

That’s a fun question, since I write in a variety of genres. One thing I’ve heard again and again from readers recently about my paranormal YA is the difference in having active, involved parents who participate in my character’s growth (rather than the fairy-tale standard of the absent or dead parental figures).

3) Why do I write what I do?

I love magic and mythology, and my work is heavily influenced by both. I’m also a life-long reader, and my love of books has shaped the way I write and the stories I want to tell. Like so many authors, I write the stories that excite me, the ones I want to read.

4) How does my writing process work?

I’m a total pantser when it comes to drafting; my first drafts are fast, sloppy, and wild rides. Then, I’ll set the book aside to marinate for a few months and shift gears to another project. I usually have three or four books at different stages going at once, but the chaos seems to work for me. When it comes to revisions, I’ve got a lengthy, meticulous process; it’s almost like I write backward. All my planning and mapping and charting comes in on the second draft, and I regularly use the hero’s journey to help me flush out the story and shape the character’s growth. From draft to ready for readers, it takes me about two to three years per book (and that’s before I send it to my publishers). Every book is a bit different, however, and I try not to get too rigid in my process; I want to remain open and flexible as my writing and my career change.

 

And now…I tag…

 

Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and young adult novelist.

She started writing horror/fantasy tales as a girl. She still has the first novel that she wrote when she was 10. It’s (unintentionally) hilarious.

Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite).

She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”

Visit her at: http://wynnechanning.wordpress.com/about/

Dayanara Ryelle, CPhT (7 January) is a novelist from Michigan who would rather run out of words than time (but thinks it’s best if both happen simultaneously.) After earning her bachelor’s in alternative medicine from Everglades University, Daya has spent her time lurking around the medical field and trying to find her niche. (Pharmacy technician is a nice one, but there doesn’t seem to be many jobs!)

Since writing two novels, a poetry anthology and a novella, Daya is having a hard time deciding where to go next. Nevertheless, she’s certain she’ll manage to release another book this year–even if it’s only the annotated (Kindle) edition of her anthology.You can follow Daya on Twitter (@DayaRyelle), join her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/DayaRyelle ,or simply keep up with her blog http://dayaryelle.wordpress.com.

Chris Hoerter writes books for young adults. His current project is about a runaway whose sister wants to sacrifice him to bring back the souls of the dead.

Check out his blog at http://thinkingistheenemy.com/.