Hello!
Welcome once again, this week, I decided to interview
an author because I received a copy of her book New World Rising from
OfTomes publishing and I really enjoyed it a lot. Phoenix, the main
character of the story, reminded me a lot of the bravery that Katniss
shows us through the Hunger Games series. I kept in contact with
Jennifer after reviewing her book and I asked her if I could interview
her to gain some insight into her book and the sequel which will be
released soon (I can't wait to read it!) I hope that this interview
helps any reader understand her book and the inspiration she had for the
story and the characters as well.
I
liked being able to witness the transformation that Phoenix makes
through the book. At first, she's calculated and very cold after
witnessing her parent's murder and having to survive on her own but
through her relationship with Triven and Mouse, she's able to change and
transform into someone she never thought she could be.
I
have also left the links to purchase her book in Amazon and the
Goodreads page in case you need any more convincing towards reading this
series. Enjoy!
1. What was your inspiration behind Phoenix?
Phoenix
is a whole lot of me and so much more. Honestly, every character I
write carries a little piece of myself. Well… maybe less so when it
comes to Maddox. When I first had a vision of the story, I saw this
tough, life-worn girl standing on a roof’s ledge staring down at a
destroyed city below as the wind pulled at the hood shadowing her
hardened face. I knew at that moment, I had to get to know her—to find
out her story. Why was she alone? What had aged her past her years? Why
did anger and distrust twist her once beautiful features? Shortly there
after, Phoenix was born. To me, she is strong and broken, fearless and
terrified, she is so many of the best and worst qualities of a person
all wrapped up into one. But mostly she is human and proves that even
those of us that are broken can heal when they allow themselves to be
loved.
2. How did you visualize this world and these characters?
I
have always had a bit of an overactive imagination. My mind tends to
wander and being a very visual person, I generally get these flashes of
scenes—a girl on a rooftop, an action-packed fight sequence or an
impassioned kiss. From there, my mind melds around these moments and a
basic plot begins to develop. As the plot matures, so do my characters. I
tend to have a really loose technique when it comes to writing. I
always have an idea of where my story is going, but often the journey
getting there is just as unexpected for me as it is for my readers. I
jot notes on everything and anything within reach when inspiration
strikes, old receipts, paper bags, or on my hand. I find these moments
of epiphany are where some of my best ideas originate—not forced but
inspired.
3. Any character you can particularly relate to?
Phoenix,
for sure. While a little of myself goes into every character I write,
Phoenix holds the largest part of me. She and I think similarly, we are
very calculated. While she is colder than I am, there is a camaraderie I
feel between us. She is fiercely realistic about every situation, but
also has this can-do attitude that she can take on the world. She is not
perfect and at times a little unlikeable, but that’s what makes her so
human. She is not your average hero, and I like her even more for that
fact.
4. What was your favorite part of writing this story/series?
As
for the actual writing part, I love seeing Phoenix’s relationship with
Mouse and Triven. They both bring out a side of her that is more
likeable. She grows and blossoms under their influence, and it was nice
to see her experience love for the first time. I also thrive on the
action scenes. I nerd-out on action movies, so getting to write these
epic fights is heaven for me. It’s like my mind sets on fire and I can
visualize the whole thing as it’s happening.
As
a side effect of writing the series, I have adored getting to know my
fans. The book world is filled with some of the most passionate and
amazing people. I have cherished each interaction and new relationship
more than words can say. I love the fans I already have and can’t wait
to meet the new ones.
5. How has it been working with OfTomes publishing?
I
am very lucky that I happen to click really well with the Oftomes team
and couldn’t be happier under their name. Aside from getting to work
closely with the Oftomes team and Ben—who is outrageously talented and
passionate—Oftomes has really bred a family feeling amongst its writers.
My fellow authors are some of the best people to work with. We share,
support and help one another at every turn and truly want to see each
other succeed. It is amazing.
6. What can we expect in the sequel?
Ashes
picks up right where Rising left off. Phoenix’s life is thrown into
chaos as she is plunged into a world she doesn’t remember, but that
remembers her. Taking place almost entirely inside the confines of The
Wall—inside of The Sanctuary—Phoenix’s past is brought to light while
some of Mouse’s silent secrets begin to unfold. Questions will be
answered, while others twists will keep you wanting more.
7. Any part of the story that you decided to edit/remove? And why?
I
generally do remove some of parts of the story in the final rounds of
editing. It can be easy to go off on a tangent sometimes when the
writing bug takes hold, but that doesn’t always mean that the inspired
writing is integral to the story. I don’t believe in adding more words
just to fill space or pad the book, so if my editor and beta readers
agree, I will pull things from the storyline that aren’t as important.
8. What inspired Phoenix's story?
New
World: Rising was born out of an epiphany moment for Phoenix. I could
see this girl racing on rooftops, hiding in the shadows, being kind of a
badass. The opening scene in the first book is the moment Phoenix was
born in my mind, a dark shadowed figure standing on the ledge of a
building as her hair whipped around her face in the wind, the city below
her in ruin. The world just spiraled out from there, shaping around
her. I wanted to write about a girl who could take care of herself, who
was just as tough as the boys and preferred to rescue herself rather
than be recused. But of course she is not without her flaws. It was
important to me that she—and all of the other characters—were still
human, relatable and made mistakes. There is a lot of grey area in this
world. So much of my stories are based on me asking myself why... Why is
that person so damaged? Why would she say that? Why did this happen?
What would he do?
9. Were you an avid reader? If so, what was/is your favorite book and why?
Currently, I
read like there is no tomorrow, but honestly my love for books didn’t
start until I was in high school. I was a terrible reader when I was
young and had some issues with dyslexia. I was a really slow reader and
struggled with words, so kids used to make fun of me when I had to read
aloud in class. I began to hate reading because of that. It wasn’t until
a very persistent friend nagged me into reading the Harry Potter series
that I began to love books and read them. Since then, I read every
night and love getting lost in good story. Other authors now inspire me
every day. So obviously, J.K. Rowling’s books are at the top of that
list, but there are many other authors I look up to: J.R.R. Tolkien,
Rick Yancey, Dan Brown, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare and Diana
Gabaldon, to name a few. Alexandra Bracken and Marie Lu are also
recently added to my author crush list—I love that they too write about
strong female leads, who are imperfect and vulnerable at times. So long
story short, favorite books… Harry Potter. Always.
10. What would you like to change from your books?
Now
this is a loaded question. There is almost always something you would
write a little differently, a scene you wish you had added, a character
interaction you wished you had pushed a little further. But the truth
is, at some point you have to walk away and let your work be done,
otherwise no books would ever get finished. There are things I would
change given the chance to write the story all over again, but I have
come to terms with the fact I have to let those things go as to not make
myself crazy.
Hidden Sight by Simone Pond
