Hop of the Blog to Ye

Hey all, it's blog hopping time!

 You know, one of those fun get to know you things that we all love so much at awkward work parties.

Only this one isn't awkward. Hopefully.

The lovely and talented Taylor Hart forced...er...asked me to participate. She writes clean romancy stuff. Not nearly enough explosions for my taste, but she's an awesome writer who is great at making her characters feel terribly awkward. I feel she abuses this power on her actual friends. If you're looking for some cute, clean romance, check out her website. She's always got something going on. And the fact that I've made it through more than one of her books is a testament to her awesomeness.

On to me.

1-What are you working on?
 A computer.

Oh fine, you want the non-literal answer? Okay, but remember you asked for it.

Right now I'm in the middle of revisions for a YA post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel.

In a world gone feral, sixteen year old Wendy finds herself the only survivor of an attack by the Skinnies. When she wakes up, she can't remember much of anything, but if she's going to help the people who rescued her, she's going to have to cut through the blockade in her mind, even if it means facing her worst fears.

2-How does your work differ from other works in this genre?
 I write it, not other people.

Again with the needing the serious answer? *sigh*

The YA section of the bookstore has exploded over the last ten years. There is so much crammed on the shelf that it can be hard to stand out. My story is as much about this very tough, yet very vulnerable, girl facing a twisted sort of PTSD as it is about making new friends, not accidentally killing anyone when she finds out that she's a master at fighting and saving those who saved her. It's kind of a grown up story, but even when I was a teenager (more than 6 or 7 or a lot more years ago) I felt like the world was this heavy.

I'm also a little obsessed with some aspects of mental health, and I find it fascinating to explore it in my fiction. Lots of teenagers face a daunting world for which they may feel they don't have any real skills to cope. I'm trying to show them that while the world is ugly, there are plenty of ways to get through it in one piece. Even if you drew the short straw at some point.


3-Why do you write what you write?
Because I do.

I love YA. I love coming of age stories and I love a good team effort in a story. It's what I (mostly) read and it's what I write.

4-What's your writing process?
Spew forth many words onto the computer, scowl, rewrite-using only a third of the original words, repeat.

No serious side there. that's pretty much it.

I do try to outline, and I'm good at the major plot points, but the details come through exploration on my part. Again and again an again...

That's my blah, blah.
Now for the lovely and talented Sarah Boucher!