Friday, October 2, 2015

Interview (and Giveaway) with Jennifer Anne Davis, author of Cage of Deceit


Book Details:

Cage of Deceit by Jennifer Anne Davis
(Reign of Secrets #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Jennifer Anne Davis’ best-selling True Reign series captivated readers from the very first page. Now, get ready to become entangled in the follow-up series, Reign of Secrets. In this new series, follow Allyssa, the daughter of the beloved Emperor Darmik and Empress Rema— and find out what happens after happily ever after.

Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand.
Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.

Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23688106-cage-of-deceit?ac=1

Purchase:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cage-Deceit-Reign-Secrets-Book/dp/1634220986/ref=la_B00BSEJ0UI_1_7_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430932022&sr=1-7
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cage-of-deceit-jennifer-anne-davis/1121983469?ean=2940151928984

Author Interview:
1.    What does your writing process look like?  Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, note cards, post-it notes, etc.?

I never write a book without some sort of outline—otherwise it would be a mess! Before I write, I have to know my characters. I find pictures online of actors that look like the characters I envision. I print the pictures out and write down all of their character traits. Once that is complete, I create the world in which my characters live. I draw a map to help me visualize where everything is. Then I jot down the back story of my characters—who they are, where they came from, how they got here, etc. After that’s done, I create a story arc where I know my beginning, climax, and how the book will end. Then I start filling in how to get from point A to B. Finally, after all of that, I start writing. Sometimes things change and I adjust, but usually I can fly right through the story at this point because I’ve planned it out so well.

2.    How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?

Usually I think or dream of something interesting. For example, a girl who is living on a horse farm with an x-military commander. There’s an army after her. Then this little seed of a thought or dream nags at me. So then I start thinking of the larger picture. Who is this girl and why is she on this horse farm with this man? Why is the army after her? From there, my imagination runs wild and I create a story. (This is how I came up with The Key.)

3.    How long have you been writing?

I’ve been seriously writing for eight years now.

4.    What tips do you have for aspiring writers?

My number one piece of advice is to read. Read everything in the genre you write—and read the same book several times. That way you can learn the mechanics of writing—plotting, dialogue, pacing, etc.

5.    How important are names in your books?  Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds, or the meaning?  Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?

I made up all of the names for Cage of Deceit. I don’t have any one method that I use. The only thing I try to do is make sure I don’t have two names that are too similar so readers don’t confuse the characters. I also like to make sure my names are easy to pronounce.


AUTHOR BIO:
Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.

Author links:
Blog:  http://jenniferannedavis.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6466369.Jennifer_Anne_Davis
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferAnneDavis
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AuthorJennifer
 


Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

  • Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box 


  a Rafflecopter giveaway