Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I have another utopYA 2015 unofficial author interview for you all. I just know you're gonna love this little lady. She's sassy, and she's doing a giveaway for you all! If you don't have tickets to utopYA yet, get them
here now. That link will take you to the Eventbrite page. You only have a week left to get in on the action. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!
Jo: Erin! So excited to have you here on the blog! As a utopYA 2014 first timer myself, I can’t believe I didn’t run into you at any point. But, I get to squee with you and give you big ole hugs this year! Are you ready to get going?
Erin: We will have to meet up for this UtopYA, most definitely. Let's do this!!
Jo: And so we shall! *grin* Let’s goooooo! A little birdie told me you lived in New Zealand for a long while (okay, okay, it’s on your bio). I must know, do you have an accent, and do people comment on it?
Erin: Haha, when we first moved back, my accent was a little funky, because I sounded American with weird twangs. We were there for four years, and moved back to the US in December 2013, so I sounded like a fish out of water wherever I was. It's toned back a lot now, although I did pick up on some Kiwi-isms, like to-mah-to and gehr-aige (tomato and garage) that I still say. Still, I can't record my voice and listen to it – I sound like a cocktail of a bunch of different accents.
Jo: That's awesome! I love a little twang in an accent. Makes talking to someone new a load of fun! What were some of the highlights of the Alabama Book Fest you attended? Meet anyone notable?
Erin: I had a great time at the Alabama Book Festival! I was there as an attendee, so I got to do whatever I wanted (as she says in five-year-old voice). I listened to a great pep talk from Reed Farrel Coleman, who is now writing Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, and he was incredibly inspirational. He also said that authors wear black, so I need to update my wardrobe, haha. I also got to see Deborah Wiles, Faye Gibbons, and UtopYA authors D.E.L. Connor and L.A. Starkey, who were awesome.
Jo: Black? Oh noes! I have a problem, too! LOL! I read that you want to live in Venice and Tokyo for a year. Do you think you’ll ever use either for a setting for a book? Which one and why?
Erin: Haha, that's EXACTLY why I want to live in both of those places for a year – to write books set there! I visited both places and I wanted to stay because they're both such fertile settings for stories. For Venice, the streets have a sense of mystery and history – perfect for a YA book I have waiting. And Tokyo – Tokyo is one of those places where anything could happen, so I'd love to see what would happen to my characters. Hopefully, right?
Jo: Heck yes! Visiting is so much better than doing a Google search for images, no? You did a virtual book tour, and I’m always curious about authors who embark upon a journey like that. Tell us, how did it work out? Did you sell a ton of novels, or was it more about exposure? Will you do it again?
Erin: Oh definitely! I look at tours as a way to get visibility. I don't expect sales (although they are certainly up during tours), but I seriously hope that in doing tours, I reach out to more readers and people who are interested in my crazy stories. I will definitely do it again, so I recommend them to anyone who wants to reach new readers.
Jo: There you go, folks! Yet another mixed review on blog tours! All in what you're looking for! What’s your favorite Poe story and why? Fave King story and why?
Erin: I know it's a poem, but my favorite Poe story is
The Raven. It paints such a picture that makes me shudder every time I read it. For Stephen King, I'm going to have to go with
The Long Walk. It's a story written as Richard Bachman, and man is it terrifying. Simple in its execution and plot, but there's so much going on with it. I highly recommend it. It ranks up there with my favorite novels of all time.
Jo: Okay, now I'm curious. Must read that King one! Rapid-fire question time! Orange or pink?
Erin: Orange! Tastes better!
Jo: LOL! Secrets or Lies?
Erin: Secrets. Lies hurt worse.
Jo: Right? Toilet paper: over the roll or under the roll?
Erin: Over the roll. I've never had toilet paper tear when it was over the roll.
Jo: True statement! Love it. haha! Time travel question! I’ve had so much fun asking these. Since the theme for utopYA 2015 is time travel, enjoy a question along that vein! Haha! If you could go back in time and meet Shakespeare, what would you ask him, and what response would you hope to get?
Erin: This going to be a bit deep and nerdy, so bear with me. One of William Shakespeare's contemporaries was a playwright named Christopher Marlowe who wrote
The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. In it, there is a line very similar to a line in a play that Shakespeare was writing at the exact same time. I remember my high school teacher speculating about it and that has always stuck with me. Although, for the life of me, I can't remember the line at the moment! Anyways, I would want to go and ask Shakespeare if he copied Marlowe or if Marlowe copied him. Or If they were even the same person! And I hope his response would be in iambic pentameter. Because I imagine that's how Shakespeare would speak.
Jo: Now that's an awesome answer! Having a zombie novel firmly under my belt, I have to know: What drew you to the horror genre, and what was the most difficult thing about penning your zombie novel?
Erin: You can ask my husband: I love a good horror movie and the visceral nightmares that you get from horror impact you like you couldn't believe. My horror novel
Fractured came to me in a dream, and I wanted to give readers the same nightmares that I had – which must have worked, because I had a blogger say she had to stop at 21% in the book because it was terrifying her so much. Actually, the most difficult thing was knowing where that line was when it came to too much horror versus just enough. I hope I satisfied all the
Goldilocks horror readers out there.
Jo: I'm sure you have! Love a good horror novel, I do. How about the werewolf genre? Was there something in particular you were looking to explore there, or were you just writing something you wanted to read? Which book so far is your favorite?
Erin: With my
Her Wolf trilogy, I was just writing something that I wanted to read. Quick, easy, and werewolfy. They were a lot of fun. My favorite book so far is
Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average. I loved the world that it's set in. Although I do have a few books that I'm working on right now that might rival it. We'll see. :D
Jo: I'm always intrigued by why an author is drawn to a specific genre. *grin* Great answer! Did you get your first LitCube? Were you happy with the contents? What was in there?
Erin: OMG yes, I got my first LitCube, Peggy is a genius. Loved it, and my husband loved it too (He enjoyed half the goodies in it). The first one had Chanda Hahn's book
Unenchanted, there was t-shirt that I wear every week, a cookie, some coffee, and other amazing stuff. Perfect for book lovers like me.
Jo: *itches to sign up* Tell me how we can meet you at the Great Lakes Book Bash in October! What novels will you have with you?
Erin: Will you be at Great Lakes Book Bash too? That would be awesome, please say you will be too!! If all goes to plan, I'll have a couple of new books with me, especially
How to be a Mermaid which is part of the
Falling in Deep Collection that I'm doing with fourteen other authors;
Damned if I Do, which is a vampire novel that I hope to wrap up shortly; and the sequel to
How to be a Mermaid, which will feature witches. I'm excited. It's going to be a big year.
Jo: I wasn't planning on going, no. But I know a few people who'll be there, so maybe. We'll see. *grins* Who are you most looking forward to meeting at utopYA Con in June? Why?
Erin: Everyone! I went last year, so I know quite a few from that, and to name any one person would leave out so many others. Just know that I'm excited to seeing familiar faces again and meeting wonderful people, no matter who you are.
Jo: I know the feeling! Do you have any writing quirks (must have XYZ snack, music, etc…)?
Erin: I listen to the strangest music when I write. Right now, I'm stuck on the
Attack on Titan soundtrack by Hiroyuki Sawano. Seriously, if you haven't heard it yet, go to Spotify and listen to it. It will make you shiver with its power. I also have my lucky Sailor Moon figurines watching over me as I work.
Jo: Okay, I'm geeking out right now. Sailor Moon?! For real?! I LOVE that show! Sorry, sorry. Back to the interview! Is there anything you’d like to add?
Erin: I will only have a table on Thursday – but I definitely will make it worth your while to stop by. I will have paperback ARCs of my newest book available for those who sign up for my newsletter (limited supply though, so make sure you get there). Which one? Well, you'll have to stop by and see!
Jo: Oh my! Great idea! Thank you so much for your time, Erin! If I don’t see you early on at the conference this year, come find me at the IBGW table so we can selfie! *grins*
Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!
Title:
Fractured
Author: Erin Hayes
Genre: Horror
Length (print): 234 pages
Buy links: Amazon
Kindle $0.99 ~
Smashwords $0.99 ~
B&N $0.99
Blurb:
Blinded by a mysterious seizure when she was three years old, Bash Martin has managed to carve out a normal life for herself as an adult. Yet she still yearns for a deeper connection with her twin sister Lily, who has always been jealous of the attention their parents bestowed upon Bash due to her disability.
A dream vacation seems like the perfect chance to heal their relationship, but Bash soon realizes there is something terribly wrong with Lily and that her sister is hiding a dark secret. And when a supernatural fire engulfs their hotel and corpses come back to life, the sisters are plunged into a nightmarish world that threatens not only their lives, but their very souls.
While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Erin a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?
Pinterest:
egulyas
Google +:
Erin Hayes
Facebook:
Erin Hayes Books
Twitter:
@erinhayes5399
Goodreads:
Erin Hayes
Website:
erinhayesbooks.com/
Amazon Author Page:
Erin Hayes
Erin has blessed you all with a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. Ms. Hayes will be around to answer and/or respond!
Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
Blurb: Not everyone wants to be a leader.
Blurb: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Blurb: When hope is lost, the one thing you can trust is love.
Blurb: Jacob Smith is an average thirteen-year-old boy.
