Tell us your latest news?
Hmm…where to start? The third book in my YA series Reality Shift, Cutting Cords, is out March 17. This one is narrated by Shanna Bailey, who also narrated the first book in the series. Shanna has to deal with stress at home while helping her classmate Tammi Hayes deal with a malevolent dead spirit.
In May, the first book in my new YA urban fantasy series The Dark Lines will be released. Reality Shift book 4 will be out in July, and somewhere in there, my first YA contemporary novel, Cluing In, will also be released.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
I think the hardest part of writing Cutting Cords was writing about what Shanna has to deal with at home. It brought up some unpleasant memories for me, and that made it difficult to write those scenes.
What are your current projects?
Right now, I’ve just submitted book two in The Dark Lines to my publisher, and I’m working on Reality Shift 5. I’m also working on another YA contemporary novel, about a boy who, in the same week, has to cope with his mother abandoning the family and with learning that his new boyfriend has bipolar disorder.
What books have most influenced your life most?
I think the books that had the most influence on me writing-wise were Susan Cooper’s series The Dark Is Rising. I read those over and over from about age ten until well into adulthood, and they made an impact on my imagination.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Through writing the Reality Shift series in general, I’ve learned a lot about energy healing, channeling, and just how strong some people can be.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Write for the love of writing. Getting published, getting paid, all of that is secondary. If writing becomes a chore for you, your stories won’t be as good because your heart won’t be in them.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started making up stories when I was only two or three, because I had a huge imagination and needed to do something with it. When I was five, I started writing the stories down. Even back then, I knew that someday I wanted to see my stories in books like the ones I read.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I wrote my first book when I was twelve (although that one will never, ever be published). I really can’t remember what inspired the plot; it was about a girl who’s picked on at school who becomes friends with a new girl, then discovers that her new friend is from another planet.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I like spending time with my daughters and my husband.
Which of your characters is your favorite?
Oh, now, come on! That’s like asking a parent which of their children is their favorite! LOL. (Although I’ll admit I’m partial to Eli Tyler in my The Dark Lines series…)
About you Fun TIME!
Things to do on a warm sunny day?
Going for walks around the town I live in. I live on a peninsula, so the ocean is all around and even on colder days, it’s nice to look at.
Things to do on a rainy day?
Reading and drinking hot chocolate.
Can you...?
Write with both hands?
I can write with both hands, but what I write with my left hand is barely readable. (I’m right-handed.)
Whistle?
Yes, I can whistle.
Blow a bubble?
I can blow bubbles, but not the big ones.
Dance?
No, I can’t dance… which is unfortunate, because my husband used to be a dance instructor. He tried to teach me, but gave up; I have three left feet.
Touch your tongue with your nose?
No, I can’t do that one.
Finish the line...
If I were a...millionaire, I’d own a house on Cape Cod and one in the town where I live now, I’d visit a friend of mine in Northern Ireland (she and I’ve never met face to face, even though we’ve known each other nearly six years), and I’d make sure I had plenty of money for my kids’ college educations.
I wish...my husband and I didn’t have to share a car.
Some people don't know that...I used to teach special education, and in 2000 or so I wrote a phonics-based reading program that was published by an educational publisher. The program is used in various schools around the US.
I am...very shy, but I still like having people talk to me or email me about my books.
My heart is...with my family
Would you like to win an ARC of her next book Cutting Cords?
US ONLY ENDS MARCH 25, 2011
Good Luck and Happy Reading!
"Since age five, Topher James has lived beside the "Black Bridge," an old iron railroad bridge with a history of unexplained disappearances. Topher's psychic abilities tell him that something dark lurks around the bridge, but as long as it doesn't bother him, he's unwilling to do anything. When Topher's girlfriend Linnette begins talking about sharing power with the dark presence at the bridge, Topher realizes that both the presence and Linnette are dangerous. Topher realizes he must do something to stop them. But it's too late! His best friend, Luke, dies, leaving his sister Callie in danger. Topher and Callie are plunged into the universal war between darkness and light as they attempt to protect themselves and their friends. But can they win...and at what price?"
, who is the author of a YA fantasy series called The Reality Shift series. Thank you Ms. Ramsey for joining us today!!
