Amanda Hocking-Interview with the Author
With the release of WAKE -book ONE in the Watersong Series, we would like to welcome the author -AMANDA HOCKING to The Reading Cafe.
TRC: Hi Amanda and welcome to The Reading Café. It is a pleasure to meet the author behind the new release WAKE.
Amanda: Thank you for having me!
TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Amanda: I live in Minnesota, with my roommate, dog, two cats, and fish, and I spend a great deal of time writing, reading, and obsessing over Batman.
TRC: Many people consider you an ‘over night success’, but your rise in popularity started with a struggle-you faced several rejections before opting to indie publish? Will you please tell us some of the difficulties you faced in the initial stages of your writing career?
Amanda: I knew I was going to be writer since I was five or six, and I’ve been writing my entire life. I finished my first novel in 2002, when I was 17, and began submitting it to agents, where it promptly got rejected. Between then 2010 when I started having success has a writer, I’d written over a dozen novels and received hundreds and hundreds of rejection letters.
TRC: HOLLOWLAND was one of your first indie publications. The premise focused on zombies and a zombie virus. What was the deciding factor to write a book about zombies, when the recent phenomenon has focused on other supernatural characters such as vampires, werewolves, fae, elves et al?
Amanda: I’d written several books about very humanized monsters, where vampires and trolls are emotional and thoughtful creatures, and I wanted to write something less romantic and more kick butt. Zombies, I think, are the ultimate monster because even if you kill one, there seem to be a hundred more behind them. You can’t reason with them. You can’t bargain with them. They’ll just keep coming after you, and you’re only choices are to fight or run.
TRC: Do you think the difficulties you faced in the early stages of your writing career changed you as a writer?
Amanda: Definitely. It made me learn to become a better writer, and grow and adapt. It helped focus on what I really wanted to write and what I really wanted to do.
TRC: Your latest release is WAKE (August 2012) from your new THE WATERSONG series. Would you please tell us something about the premise of both the book and the series?
Amanda: It’s set in a fictional seaside town in Maryland and focuses on two sisters as they get tangled up with a trio of supernatural girls with a disturbing secret. On top of that, both of the sisters have their love lives to balance, and their own complicated relationship with each other to get in order.
TRC You have introduced several characters including The Watersong heroine Gemma in the premiere storyline. How many books do you have planned for the series and will Gemma be the principle character throughout?
Amanda: Gemma will definitely be a main character in all four of the Watersong books, but I think she shares the spotlight with her sister Harper, as well as some of the characters as the series goes on.
The audio book is now available from MACMILLAN audio. For anyone interested in the AUDIO BOOK click HERE for an exclusive excerpt.
TRC: LULLABY (November 2012) is the second novel in The Watersong series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
Amanda: LULLABY picks up right where WAKE leaves off, with Harper and Gemma dealing with the aftermath of the previous book, and Harper is left searching for the thing that matters the most to her.
TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing the new series e.g. research, logistics, schedules?
Amanda: The first book is always the hardest, I think, in a series. You have to devote time to setting up the characters and the location. But by the second or third book, everything’s all set up, so you can just dive into the action.
TRC: The TRYLLE trilogy released its’ final novel, but have you considered writing any short stories or novellas (including prequels etc) to keep the fascination with the series at the forefront?
LINK to: SWITCHED the first novel in the Trylle Trilogy
Amanda: I have considered it – and I’m not ruling it out – but I spent so much time in that world that I’m having playing in new worlds with new characters for now.
TRC: Many authors, including yourself, select a soundtrack for their novels. Do you listen to any particular music while you write and does the music you listen to inspire your writing?
Amanda: The music I listen to varies from project to project, and I try to listen to music that ties in the book or the feel of it. With the Watersong series, I listened to a lot of Florence + the Machine and Death Cab for Cutie, as well as the soundtrack for the movie Drive. While writing WAKE, I listened to “E.T.” by Katy Perry ft. Kanye West on repeat for awhile. I don’t know why really, since I don’t listen to very much Katy Perry ordinarily.
TRC: We read where one of your heroes is John Hughes? What is your favorite John Hughes movie and why or are you able to chose just one (like a bag of Lays)?
Amanda: Pretty in Pink is probably my favorite. It’s hard to say for sure, because he’s done so many great movies. I also really love Home Alone, which he wrote.
TRC: SPAMtown USA-we had NO idea it existed 😉 . Would you please tell everyone about SPAMtown and why it holds a special place to you?
Amanda: SPAMtown USA is actually Austin, Minnesota, the town I was born in and still live in. It has the Hormel HQ here, and SPAM was invented here. So there’s a SPAM museum, and there used to be a SPAM Jam every summer where people all over the world would come.
TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information between each other, family and friends. With whom do you bounce ideas and why?
Amanda: I mostly bounce ideas off Eric – my assistant/roommate/best friend, and sometimes my mom.
TRC: On what are you currently working?
Amanda: I just finished up edits on the third book in the Watersong series, and I’m getting ready to start writing the fourth and final book in the series.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food – sushi
Favorite Dessert – ice cream
Favorite TV Show – Futurama or Dexter
Favorite Movie – The Dark Knight
Last Movie you saw – in theaters, The Avengers – at home, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Dark or Milk Chocolate – Dark
Last Vacation Destination – Chicago
Last Book you read – Invisible Monsters Redux by Chuck Palahnuik
TRC: Thank you Amanda for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best and good luck with your new series THE WATERSONG. We are looking forward to reading Wake and Lullaby.
Amanda: Thank you for having me!
Amanda and Katie have graciously offered a copy of WAKE and the TRYLLE TRILOGY for a giveaway at The Reading Cafe. ONE member will win a copy of Amanda’s new release WAKE and another member will win the TRYLLE Trilogy (3 books).
1. You MUST be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.
2. If you are using one of the social log-ins, you MUST post your email address along with your comment, as the social log-ins do not account for your email address. The winner(s) will be notified by email, therefore, we require an email address.
3. Please answer one of the LIGHTNING ROUND questions to be eligible for the giveaway
4. The contest runs from August 6 to August 10, 2012
5. The contest is open to continental USA and Canada only.
