Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Blog Tour - Author Interview with Giveaway: Our Dark Stars by Audrey Grey and Krystal Wade


About The Book:


Author: Audrey Grey and Krystal Wade

Pub. Date: March 6, 2018

Publisher: Blaze Publishing, LLC 

Pages: 316

Formats: Paperback, eBook




Synopsis:
While she sleeps, the whole universe changes.


Princess Talia Starchaser has it all. Wealth. Status. Adoring citizens. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to publicly betray her best friend, a companion mock she’s had since birth, setting events into motion that lead to the destruction of the humans, and the princess floating through space, a remnant of a time when humans ruled over droids.


One hundred years later, half-mock captain Will Perrault and his ragtag crew discover a device floating in space. When a very human Talia emerges from its depths, Will suspects she’s the key to buying his way back into the regiment he once commanded against the last remaining rebel humans—and the ruling mock queen’s good graces.


Both Talia and Will would rather get space-tossed than trust one another, but with the queen’s forces chasing them across the galaxy and the fate of both worlds hanging in the balance, they’ll forge the unlikeliest of alliances to survive.


Author Interview:
1. What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.? 



Every story is different. Sometimes I plot every little detail (though things change along the way), and sometimes I just have a few ideas in my head and fly by the seat of my pants. When I do write it out, I usually use a pencil (because I erase constantly as I work through things) and put everything into a notebook.


2.  How did you write a book with another author?  Did you each do different chapters, etc.?

Well, Audrey and I are very similar in the way we think and, I believe, the way we write. For this, we established up front that we would not be offended by killing off any darlings, and we were pretty good about that! So we plotted the book in great details, then she drafted the chapters. I was partial to Will’s pov while she was partial to Talia’s, which helped a lot when I went in to flesh everything out. I’d add more story, make sure we stayed on track with the plot, change the characters up (and notify her so she could continue with the improvements), and since I’m also an editor, I would move sentences around, work on the structure, and clean up the manuscript.


3.     How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?


Hmm. Well, Our Dark Stars started with an idea: Sleeping Beauty in space. Audrey came to me with the idea, and then we fleshed it out together.

Most of my other stories come from a spark, usually in conversations with other authors or editors. Usually something they said gives me that OMG, I have to write this moment.



4.  What tips do you have for aspiring writers?

Just keep writing. Don’t be afraid of editing, even if an editor says you’re doing everything wrong. You can only grow this way. Also, take a Save the Cat course. Best class ever!



5.   What are your favorite:

Books/authors/genres

The Lunar Chronicles

The Hobbit

Maggie Stiefvater

Sarah J. Maas



Movies/TV Shows

I’m a little addicted to Fuller House right now, but I love Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, the OA, West World, Fallen Skies…. I watch too much Netflix



Music

EVERYTHING!



Food/Writing snack

Hershey Kisses – I could eat them forever. Oh, and chips. Chips and dips. Mmm!
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About the Authors:


About Audrey:
Hi! I’m an award winning and USA Today bestselling author of several books, including the Moonbeam Children’s Award bronze finalist, SHADOW FALL. I live in the charming state of Oklahoma with my crew: one husband, two little people, four mischievous dogs, and one poor cat. You can usually find me hiding out in my office from said crew, surrounded by books and sipping kombucha while dreaming up wondrous worlds for my characters to live in.



In between the chaos—What’s for dinner? Stop pinching your sister! Homework! Dishes!— and my writing, I make time for various projects. An admitted paintaholic, I’ve painted, sprayed or transformed nearly every piece of my house at least once. I even painted my husband’s beloved fabric chair. Oops!



I thrive on creation: starting from an idea, a blank canvas, or perhaps an outdated room, and using my imagination to create something new and emotionally engaging that’s all my own. But stories have always been my first love. Weaving together complex worlds full of flawed, conflicted characters allows me to express myself in a way I could never do otherwise.



I started creating stories during the sweltering Oklahoma summers spent laboring in my father’s wheat fields. Alone and bored, I dreamed up wild fables of vampires (the Anne Rice kind), cave men, and love-torn ghosts. By college my tales had grown more persistent, and I started to actually write them down.



Now, fiction is my life, and I look forward to sharing my characters and their stories with all of you.






About Krystal:

I’m happily married to the love of my life (don’t gag) and raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. We live just outside Washington, D.C., and every day I wake up to find myself stuck in traffic trying to get there.



The horrid commute gives me plenty of time to zone out and think about my characters in full, brilliant details (I’m a safe driver; don’t worry). Stories give me a way to forget about the sometimes smelly strangers sitting next to me on the fifty mile trek into town (I pick up hitchhikers every day. True story. Check out www.slug-lines.com if you don’t believe me).



I’ve been a part of organized hitchhiking for nearly fifteen years, but that’s just one small aspect of my oh-so-large life. When I’m not working, commuting, or chasing after my three children (four if you count the man), you can usually find me outside talking to my chickens like they’re the cutest things in the world (they are), or training my amazing dogs how to herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book (why can’t that be 100% of the time?).



I hope you love my stories (or just like them a little; that would be okay, too). And I hope that one day you find your passion, because there’s nothing in life better than doing what you love while surrounded by people you love.






Giveaway Details:


1 winner will receive a $30 Amazon GC and a hardcover copy of Cinder, US Only.

--> a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:
3/19/2018- Books at DawnExcerpt
3/19/2018- What A Nerd Girl SaysReview

3/20/2018- Emily Reads EverythingReview
3/20/2018- Darque Dreamer ReadsReview

3/21/2018- F A N N A- Interview
3/21/2018- Twirling Book PrincessReview

3/22/2018- The Desert BibliophileReview
3/22/2018- Here's to Happy EndingsReview

3/23/2018- BookHoundsInterview
3/23/2018- Sincerely Karen JoReview

Week Two:
3/26/2018- Wonder StruckExcerpt
3/26/2018- Dani Reviews ThingsReview

3/27/2018- Sweet Southern HomeExcerpt
3/27/2018- Smada's Book SmackReview

3/28/2018- Lisa Loves LiteratureInterview
3/28/2018- A Gingerly ReviewReview

3/29/2018- Novel NoviceGuest Post
3/29/2018- Twinning for BooksReview

3/30/2018- The Cover Contessa- Interview
3/30/2018- I Heart Romance & YAReview