As the Page Turns...: Interview with YA paranormal author Genevieve Crownson & Win Amazon GC! #YAparanormal

I am honored to have as my guest today, Genevieve Crownson, author of the YA paranormal, The Soul of the Sun! Genevieve will be talking about her book and her writing life. Plus, she's giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! See below for details.

Genevieve Crownson graduated from the College of Charleston with a Bachelors of Science degree. A love of writing led her to pen her debut novel, The Soul of the Sun. This is book one in her highly anticipated trilogy, The Argos Dynasty. She currently lives in beautiful Charleston, SC with her family and beloved four-legged friends.

You can find her at www.genevievecrownson.com.

Title: The Soul of the Sun Genre: Paranormal/Young Adult Author: Genevieve Crownson Publisher: Genevieve Crownson Pages: 348 Format: Paperback; Kindle
Purchase at AMAZON

“The hands of time turn on the face of the sun. Only you can move them. If the Watcher controls the hands of the clock he can go anywhere, past or future-- and destroy our planet.”

Since the days of ancient Greece, the Argos dynasty has kept a secret, a mystery passed down through their descendants from generation to generation, in the hopes that the forces of good can stop the evil destruction of planet Earth.

Margaret Ingall is harboring that secret. Time is running out for the descendants of the Argos. They know a great healer and time traveler will be born of their blood. But the only person that knows whom they will call “the soul of the sun” is Margaret’s sister, Abigail. Before she can reveal the healer’s identity, disaster strikes…

Evil stalks them, watching and waiting to find out which member of her family has the ultimate power. Is it Margaret’s own child? Or her beloved granddaughter? Or even herself? Their only clue is a powerful protective amulet that will lead them all in a cat-and-mouse game to discover secrets as ancient as time.

If the Watcher discovers the truth before they do, all will be lost.

Fate, time and love weave together in their struggle to fulfill their destiny. Will Margaret’s fears sabotage her family’s protection? Can the healer accept her gifts in time? And once the soul of the sun is finally revealed, will it be too late?

Her power is incredible. The sacrifices required of her are immense.

Will it be enough to stop the Watcher?

Why did you write your book, The Soul of the Sun?

I have always written stories. In college I started writing full length novels based on my incredible dreams. I spent several years perfecting my craft, and then decided I wanted to share my stories with the world. Writing is just something I have always done, and my hope is that my books bring joy and happiness.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

My characters are from my imaginative dreams. However, as I write I often add quirks or personality traits from people I know in real life. One character may have a smattering of several different people in them. But when I dream these stories, the characters are already vibrant and complete. I just add some more idiosyncrasies so that the characters really jump off the page.

Are you consciously aware of the plot before you begin a novel or do you discover it as you write?

The main plot comes to me in dreams. Then I weave more into it with ideas that pop up as I write. For my first novel, The Soul of the Sun, I expanded the story as I went along, but for the second book in the series I outlined heavily and really knew the book start to finish. When working with characters that time travel this really helps.

Your book is set in Charleston, SC. Can you tell us why you chose this city in particular?

In my dream the story was set in Charleston, SC. I could see the beach house, the big porch and just felt that slow southern charm that is a part of this city. I am sure a big reason it turned up in my dreams is because I live here and it is just part of my everyday experience.

Does the setting play a major part in the development of your story?

For me the settings in books are almost another character in the story. The setting in my tale really was the perfect backdrop for my characters. It was nice to give my characters that contrast of sweet southern charm against the evil they faced.

Open the book to page 69. What is happening?

One of my main characters Margaret has decided to go the prison where the man that brutally attacked her is being held. She has seen a vision of her future where he is going to murder her. She feels that if she comes face to face with him, she might somehow be able to plead her case and avoid tragedy.

Is it hard to get a young adult book published?

For me it wasn’t. I decided I just wanted to get my story out into the world as soon as possible so I self published when my manuscript was ready to go. It was difficult in terms of learning how to get everything put together to be published. But it was well worth it in the end.

What would you do with an extra hour today if you could do anything you wanted?

I would write, or outline for one of my books most likely. I still work full time so any spare moments that I do get I just want to write and have fun!

Which holiday is your favorite and why?

Christmas! I like the joy the season brings. There is a feel-good warmth at Christmas that I adore. The baking, being with family, the beautiful Christmas lights and decorations, and the music! I love Christmas music. Oh and one other great thing is being able to dress up your pets in holiday costumes. (They hate it, but I enjoy it!) J

What do you like to do for fun?

I like to paint, ice skate, watch T.V, read, hang out with my friends and take walks with my dogs.

Can you tell us about your family?

My Mom is from New Zealand and my Dad is from England. They met when my Mom was in London. My Dad came to America for work and they have been here ever since! I have one older sister Natasha and she is a teacher. I have three pets, two dogs and a cat and they are my world. I love animals. They are just so wonderful to be around. Yes, my animals are definitely part of my family! J

What do you like the most about being an author?

I love that I can create a place where anything is possible. No matter how hard my day has been, I can always escape to this inner world of fantasy and adventure, where there are always new places to explore.

What is the most pivotal point of a writer’s life?

That moment when you finish your manuscript and realize what you have just written could bring joy to people. So you begin to embark on the journey of sharing it with the universe in the hopes that readers will enjoy reading it as much and you did writing it.

What kind of advice would you give other fiction authors?

If you have decided that you want to be a writer, don’t let anything stop you. Don’t let anyone tell you that it can’t be done, or it’s a foolish dream. Believe in yourself completely. In the world that we live in now we don’t have to wait for anyone else to tell us our book is good enough to publish. We can do it ourselves. Writing for me is in my blood. It’s something I have to do; I would be lost without it. If you feel the same way go out and chase those dreams—be that bestseller that you have always dreamed of being. You won’t feel ready, we never do when we are about to embark on big change. Read, learn and jump in with both feet, you won’t regret it. In the words of one of my favorite people; Marie Forleo, “Everything is figureoutable.” So get out there and put your stories into the world!