Interview:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?
Inara:
There are a few people who can dash off a fabulous book every two weeks, but for the other 99.99% of us there's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in this line of work. Write and keep writing. Love what you do. Try to forget about the rest.
A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?
Inara:
I don't know that I have one favorite, but I dearly love Dragonflight--the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. I fell in love with this books because it's got everything I dream about--a Cinderella story; a tough, intense heroine; some romance; hot guys; and OMG DRAGONS.
A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for A Sleep So Dark?
Inara:
I always wanted to write one of those books where they assemble a team of misfits to save the world, and initially, the heroine for A Sleep So Dark was going to pull other people into her dreams and make them into a real dream team (sorry! pun intended)! But my books always start out as one thing and turn into something else, and somewhere along the way A Sleep So Dark turned into a love story and a mystery, which was even more fun to write than I could have imagined.
A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing A Sleep So Dark? What were they and how did you fix them?
Inara:
I think the hardest part about writing this book was making it scary. After my first couple of rounds with my agent, she kept pushing me to up the suspense levels. I really had to pull back and think about how much information I was revealing in each scene. It's hard not to spill too much too soon when you're writing suspense!
A.L.:
Which one of the characters in A Sleep So Dark is your favorite and why?
Inara:
I love Tandy, the main character, because I adore strong heroines, and she's really incredibly tough. But I also have a sweet spot for Bodie, one of the side characters. He's a football player nursing a terrible secret, and when you learn the truth about him, I think it hits you hard.
A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?
Inara:
I guess you could say I've done just about everything as a writer. I started out writing adult historical romance, and I don't think I would have tried YA if the first couple of books I wrote had sold. But they didn't, and I was desperate to try something new, and I was inspired by a workshop I went to by P.C. Cast. The Talents, the first book in my Delcroix Academy series, was actually my first book to sell and be published. From there, I started down a dual path, writing both YA and adult romance. I continue to juggle both, and love having the chance to do a little bit of everything.
A.L.:
What are you working on now? Sequel? Something new?
Inara:
I'm finishing up the third book in the Talents (Delcroix Academy) series, at the same time I'm working on a new adult contemporary romance series. I've been really busy lately!
A.L.:
Have you ever been to private school? If you went to Delcroix Academy, what would your Talent be?
Inara:
I have not been to private school, but I love the idea! I think I'd be able to manipulate people's minds through my writing. Kind of like Mr. Judan, who can control people through his speech. Creepy, right? ;-)
A.L.:
What's the most emotionally damaging thing you've ever read?
Inara:
Wow, that's an interesting question. I read a YA years ago that was unrelentingly depressing. I've blocked out the title. The protagonist is a boy who's parents are divorcing, and he ends up horribly depressed. He falls for a girl (I think she's the daughter of the person his father was having an affair with) and she's starts to save him, but then at the end of the book she's terribly injured. You think she's going to die, then there's a moment where she might be rescued, and then your hopes are dashed and the worst possible thing happens. He falls deeper into depression and ends up wasting his days playing the Sims. It's awful. I still shudder with horror when I think about that book.
Authors get to write whatever they want, but I can tell you, I've got no interest in reading things that are like that. I need redemption and hope. That's why I read.
A.L.:
What the cutest breed of puppy ever?
Inara:
OMG, totally Havanese! I have a Havanese-Coton mix. He looked like this as a puppy:
The Giveaway:
Inara is giving away a digital copy of A SLEEP SO DARK. Internationals welcome!
After watching her mother die in a car accident, sixteen year-old Tandy McIntyre is plagued by violent dreams. Terrified to sleep and losing her grip on reality, she agrees to attend an experimental group retreat with Dr. Robert Gillman, an expert in lucid dreaming.
Trapped…
In the bitter cold of a Colorado winter, Tandy follows Dr. Gillman and his enigmatic son Cade as they lead a group of troubled teens into the wilderness. There, Dr. Gillman claims he will teach them to control their unconscious minds and master their dreams. But when the dreaming and the waking collide, will Tandy ever be safe again?
Don’t Fall Asleep…
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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winners via email.
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