The Summer Teen Reading Party continues! Have you snagged any fun books yet? If you've read any of the books featured, leave me a comment on my blog here and let me know what you thought.
Please welcome my Writer Chat Wednesday guest Amy Durham, author of Once Again, a book that sounds very intriguing to me! Check it out:
NATALIE WRIGHT (NW): Do you have any news to share about your work?
AMY DURHAM (AD): My first novel, “Once Again”, a Young Adult Paranormal, is currently available in both eBook and print format. It’s the story of Layla Bradford and Lucas Ellis, two teenagers who discover they are the reincarnations of a young married couple from the mid-1800s who suffered a horrible tragedy. The madman who hurt them was never brought to justice, and no one ever knew the truth about what happened. Layla and Lucas must solve the mystery of their past life in order to keep the tragedy from happening again.
NW: What genre do you write in?
AD: I write Young Adult Fiction. Most of what I’ve written and what I’m working on falls into the “YA Paranormal Romance” category, but I also have plans for a non-paranormal YA Romance. I love YA for it’s cross-over appeal. And I love that it give young readers hope and encouragement, while at the same time taking young-at-hearts (like me!) back to the exuberance and excitement of youth!
NW: What works in progress do you have?
AD: I’m currently working on the sequel to “Once Again”, which is titled “Once and for All”. It follows two of the secondary characters from “Once Again”, as they encounter their own reincarnation mystery, as well as an ancient curse that has never been broken. I’m also working on “Dusk”, book one in “The Messenger” series. Messengers are a bit like angels, but not exactly! Readers will just have to wait and find out!
NW: Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?
AD: There’s a LOT of me in Layla Bradford, the heroine in “Once Again”. She’s a typical middle-of-the-road student in her school, not popular but not the bottom of the social ladder either. She’s comfortable in her own skin, but still a little insecure when it comes to others’ opinions of her. Her journey in “Once Again” isn’t just about falling in love with Lucas or figuring out the mystery of their past life, but also of discovering exactly who she is, and learning that who she is is absolutely, positively good enough!
NW: Who is your favorite author and why?
AD: I have several favorite authors. First and foremost, JoAnn Ross, whose book “Fair Haven” was the book that finally said to me, “THIS is what you should be doing!” She’s a wonderful example of how to create vivid settings and write with a sense of community and family. She’s also a gracious and giving writer and a super person all the way around. On the YA side of things, I really like Rachel Vincent and her “Soul Screamer” series. Talk about teenage angst!
NW: How long have you been a writer?
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| Author, Amy Durham |
AD: I’ve wanted to be a writer since the 6th grade. It started out as poems and silly stories. In the 8th grade I began to take it more seriously, and from that point on, I always wrote. But I didn’t pursue it seriously…more as a hobby. I kept thinking “Someday, I’ll write a book.” In 2003, just before my second child was born, I decided that if I kept saying “someday”, I would never do it. If I was going to write a book, I was going to start NOW. I spent a lot of time learning from other writers and practicing the craft of writing fiction. This year, I felt like I was “ready”, and my first novel, “Once Again” was published.
NW: Do you have a “day job”? And if you do, what do you do when you’re not writing?
AD: In my day job, I’m a middle school music teacher. I also have three sons. So, I stay busy! When I’m not teaching, parenting, or writing I LOVE to cook! It’s a very big creative outlet for me. I also love to read (no surprise there), and when time and finances allow, I like to travel.
NW: Who is your favorite fictional character and why?
AD: My favorite fictional character is Jude Murray from Nora Roberts’ “Jewels of the Sun”. I read this book when I was pregnant with my second child, just before I made the decision to pursue writing in earnest. I identified greatly with Jude, who was a teacher (a college professor) who longed for something “more”, and then found herself when she began writing.
NW: What is your favorite movie – the one you can watch over and over again?
AD: “When Harry Met Sally”, followed closely by “Notting Hill”.
NW: What do you hope readers will take with them from your writing?
AD: I hope young readers come away from my story feeling like they were able to escape into their imaginations for a while. I also hope they are encouraged and feel hopefully that the struggles of adolescence won’t last forever and that they will survive! I hope young-at-heart readers are able to remember the beauty and the heartache of first love, the disappointments of youth, and the joy that followed when they survived into adulthood!
You can find Amy online at the following places:
Email: amybdurham@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorAmyDurham
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Amy_Durham
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Amy_Durham
You can purchase “Once Again” at the following retailers:
Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-again-amy-durham/1108428186?ean=2940014029940&itm=1&usri=once+again+amy+durham
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/126513
Thank you for stopping by :-)
ReplyDeletevery accidently I saw your blog. It sounds very exciting. I am very impressed with your blog. The interview with Amy is a insightful one.
ReplyDeleteall the wishes..
Thank you for stopping by; glad you enjoyed. NW
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