The Indelibles are kicking off the 4th of July a little early with INDIEpendence Day. Each participant in this blog tour is going to spotlight an Indie author (no Indelibles - this is a pay-it-forward event!) and hope that you find a new, awesome author to love.
For my part, I bring you Chelsea Fine, who is about a nice as can be and wrote a story I just adore! So without further ado, I present my interview of Chelsea.
1. First, can you tell us a little about the Archers of Avalon series and where you got your inspiration for the story.
I first got the idea for my Archers of Avalon series after a conversation I had with my sister about epic love triangles. We were talking about how super tragic it is when two brothers love the same girl, because there's no true "hate" in the triangle (the girl loves both boys, the boys care about each other because they're brothers, etc...) and I thought, "That's what I want to write about: An impossible, heartbreaking love triangle." So, that's what I did. Except I threw a few curses in there, as well as a hunt for the fountain of youth. :)
I first got the idea for my Archers of Avalon series after a conversation I had with my sister about epic love triangles. We were talking about how super tragic it is when two brothers love the same girl, because there's no true "hate" in the triangle (the girl loves both boys, the boys care about each other because they're brothers, etc...) and I thought, "That's what I want to write about: An impossible, heartbreaking love triangle." So, that's what I did. Except I threw a few curses in there, as well as a hunt for the fountain of youth. :)
2. In addition to that series, you first published a contemporary novel, Sophie & Carter. How was writing a contemporary novel different from your series with super natural elements?
For me, contemporary writing is easier. I don't have to think through things like, "If I was cursed by a wicked witch, what kind of attitude would I have at school?" (I have yet to be cursed by a witch, wicked or not.) For my contemporary writing, I think about things like, "What does it feel like to have my heart completely broken?" Now THIS I understand (thanks to my high school boyfriend, haha). Contemporary stories allow me to draw on my personal life experience, so I find that I write faster and with more honesty.
For me, contemporary writing is easier. I don't have to think through things like, "If I was cursed by a wicked witch, what kind of attitude would I have at school?" (I have yet to be cursed by a witch, wicked or not.) For my contemporary writing, I think about things like, "What does it feel like to have my heart completely broken?" Now THIS I understand (thanks to my high school boyfriend, haha). Contemporary stories allow me to draw on my personal life experience, so I find that I write faster and with more honesty.
But...contemporary stories are also more emotionally draining to write. I wrote Sophie & Carter while sitting at a Barnes & Noble and I just cried and cried, haha. Snot was running down my face while I was typing a million miles a minute and I didn't care, because I was writing something raw and honest. But it was emotionally taxing to finish. My Archers of Avalon series, however, is just plain FUN to write. :)
3. I know you're busy writing away. What's next on your plate?
Ohmygoodness, so many books! I have a Sophie & Carter sequel I'm working on, the last book in my Archers of Avalon series, a Christmas love story, another YA contemporary romance, and a super secret project my agent and I are working on together. *wags eyebrows*
4. Tell us your favorite thing about being an Indie author.
The readers!!!! OMG, readers are the BEST! I love hearing from them and reading their reviews and skyping with them....*big sigh* I freakin' LOVE that there are people out there who actually read my stories and care enough to contact me and let me know what they thought about them. It's AH-MAZING! Seriously. I could chat with readers all day long. (And sometimes I do :)
5. As fun as being Indie can be, I know you recently signed with agent, Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffee Literary. How's it been like working with Suzie?
Incredible. Suzie has turned my writing career upside down--in a GOOD way. :) She encourages me...she teaches in me...and she believes in me. Which is priceless.
6. Just for fun ~
flats or heels? Flats. I wobble on heels.
dresses or jeans? Dresses. Okay, I know this doesn't match my previous response, but dresses are just so comfortable and you can twirl in them and everything.
chocolate or sugary? Uh, chocolate. Hands down.
coffee or soda? COFFEE. I don't care if I'm addicted. I don't care. I don't care.
do you have any tattoos of your own??? No. BUT..I loooove tattoos! I love to design them for my friends and I love how they look, but I know myself well enough to know that if I ever DID get a tattoo, I wouldn't be able to stop. I'd just keep getting more and more until my body was completely covered in ink. And, while that wouldn't be a bad thing, I think I would get to a point where I’d be like, "Wait a minute...I don't have any more skin left to tattoo. Dang it! I need more skin!" and then I'd be all depressed. So, yeah. No tattoos for me.
See, I told you Chelsea is awesome! For more about Chelsea and her novels, check out her website, follow her on twitter, like her on Facebook, and of course, you can BUY HER BOOKS ~
Now, you can win e-book copies of both Anew and Awry simply by following Chelsea on twitter or Facebook. Leave a comment below with how you're following, your user name & e-mail address to be entered. And then be sure to continue on to the rest of the stops on the INDIEpendence Day blog tour. You won't want to miss it!
