Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Blog Tour: A Dewdrop Away by @c_a_allen #interview



Fantasy
Date Published: March 2013


Rupert has lived his entire life under the cruel reign of the black squirrels. When he finds out that the artifact that causes the immortality of his enemies is missing, he is sent on a quest to find it and claim it for his own. Rupert is determined to overthrow the evil Emperor Venul and rule justly in his stead, but he is warned by the wise white squirrel Zirreo to be cautious, for countless things can go wrong when holding an object of magic.

Years later, the Dark Wanderer, a shadowy figure claiming to be the servant of the squirrel goddess Astrippa, is loose in Arborand. When friends Mae and Flor accidentally cross paths with him, they get more than they bargained for when they discover that the darkest, wildest legends are often true.

Meanwhile, Theo, an orphaned half-breed squirrel, finds a compass that doesn’t point north and is compelled by a series of disturbing messages to set out with his faithful chipmunk servant Parris to follow where it leads.

What if inequality threatened to take over the land?
What if the gods who ruled your childhood fears came to life?
Would you bow down, or would you fight?

What if fate gifted you with only one journey on which to find out?

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Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

I would say one of the core messages is to focus on similarities instead of our differences when looking to understand others, because at the end of the day, we’re all having this same weird experience called being alive and we’re all equally confused about it.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Writing beginnings, for sure. When I go back to edit, they always have to get a complete reboot. Also, editing in general. I have a really hard time convincing myself that I don’t need certain parts I’ve really fallen in love with.


How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

 To date, I have written eight books, though four of them are still very much in their first drafty-infancy. Out of those I’ve published (A Dewdrop Away and the Dewdrop Prequel Trilogy), I don’t know which is my favorite. They’re all part of the same story/universe, and picking just one seems impossible.


If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

My main character is a squirrel so I think I’d be facing some major challenges.


When did you begin writing?

 I started writing when I was maybe 8 years old, when I discovered it was my passion.

How long did it take to complete your first book?

 From conception to publication, it took ten years for me to write A Dewdrop Away. There was a lot of dead time in there, though.

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?


 I think every author I used to read as a kid inspired me to write in some way, just from reading their stories. Some of my favorites that I feel helped inspire the Arborand books in particular, were Brian Jacques, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robin Jarvis, and Avi.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

The first draft. Which explains why I half twice as many first drafts as finished products. Uh.

(also I really enjoy the period before even setting pen to paper- figuratively- when the story and characters are just kind of building up, gathering life in my head. That’s the best).


Describe your latest book in 4 words.

I’m bad at these so I think I’ll leave it to the reader!
I might describe the Dewdrop series as fast-paced and whimsical with a dark tinge to it. That’s not 4 words, but I told you I’m bad at this.

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?


 I am currently in the process of writing/editing a trilogy centered around vampires. It’s almost as different as you can get from the land of Arborand.


C.A. Allen lives in the Northeastern U.S. with her family and one incredibly quirky corgi. She enjoys black coffee, thunderstorms, and the majesty of trees, which inspired the creation of Arborand. From a very young age she observed the secret life of squirrels in her back yard and decided they were an excellent subject for story-telling.

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