I'm super honored and excited to be posting my first author interview with you. Trisha Wolf is the YA author of The Crystal Pendulum, which will be released in 2012 from Omnific Publishing.
After reading this interview, you can learn more about Trisha, her writing and her review blog by checking out her website HERE.
You've recently signed a book deal. Congratulations! Name three emotions that went through your head when you first got the deal.
Thank you! Um, it was strange. I remember emailing my CP (Rachel) and telling her. And she was like, what is wrong with you? Why aren’t you calling me?! Then she called me, and I was eerily calm. So much that I think she may have thought I was joking lol. Then later that afternoon it hit, and I tweeted. My feed blew up and I became emotional and actually cried. I think it just took a while, after nearly three years of trying, to finally sink in that I was getting a book published. So I went through disbelief, shock, and finally elation. Now, I’m kind of going through panic as I’m thinking about writing the sequel. ha!
Describe your novel in two sentences.
Oh, wow. This is dreadful lol. No, I’m joking. This is one of the hardest things to do, though. I actually didn’t work a logline up for TCP. But I’ll try: When seventeen-year-old Dez Harkly develops powers beyond her control as the Narcolym invade her haven, she must join forces with the enemy to save those she’s loves. Shew. That kind of describes it.
What is your favorite thing about writing?
Finishing lol.
Do you have any writing quirks or must-haves when you sit down to write?
Yes. Coke and ReeseStix. I really don’t need music, or quiet even, but I do need carbonation and caffeine. As for quirks? I write hard and fast. I don’t stop to edit, I just sit down in the morning and write till I go to sleep. Then I wake up and do it again. My second novel I wrote in seven days. I drove my family nuts. THE CRYSTAL PENDULUM I wrote in under three weeks. The plot was a little trickier lol. I don’t like to stop writing until I reach the end. Then I start at the top and begin editing. I’m not easy to live with while I’m writing, and my house tends to clutter. Luckily I live with all guys and they don’t mind that part ;)
You're a member of a critique group. How has that impacted your writing for the better?
My CP’s are phenomenal! I love those girls to death. As I said, I wrote my second novel pretty quickly, but without a CP by my side. This time around, I had an awesome chick checking behind each chapter as I went. She was able to point out flaws in pacing and plot and characterization that I wouldn’t have found probably ever. Rachel rocks! And having Tori, Hope, Lori Ann, and Brenda read through TCP later was fantastic. They found typos, character issues and world building flaws and helped me fix them. I could never go back to being a lone writer. Those girls are like the sisters I never had. Also have to shout out to my awesome beta readers! Julie, Jen, Shelly, Brandi, and I know there’s more, but my mind is blanking. Don’t worry, I will include everyone in the acknowledgments, which will be the longest ever written lol.
Name three books that you simply can't get enough of.
Dragonfly by Julia Golding
Candide by Voltaire
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
List the next five books in your TBR pile.
Accused by Kate Kaynak
Eternity by Heather Terrell
Breathe by Abbi Glines
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Steaming by Vanessa Barger.
Tell us about your road to publication so far.
So far it’s been an amazing journey. I’ve written three books, shelved two, and one will actually see the light of day. That feels awesome. When I began writing my first novel, I didn’t even know what a query letter was. I’ve done a lot of things the hard way, but I don’t think I’d go back and change anything. I’ve learned so much from my mistakes. And as writers we have to continue to learn. It’s the process. I actually had an offer from an agent for TCP. I know. A lot of people think I’m crazy for turning down an offer of representation. But at the time she offered, I had already received an offer from Omnific to publish my book. I talked to her for three and a half hours on the phone lol. I think it may have been the longest “The Call” in history. And she was wonderful. But at the end of the day (or week) I felt at this time in my writing career, and with where the market is now, I just had to go with a sure contract of publication. She completely understood this, and she’s still interested in representing me. I’m currently working on a YA Dystopian, and plan to send it to her as soon as I write “The End” lol. I don’t know where I’ll be in three more years from now, but I plan on learning everything I can about the publishing industry and how it’s changing, and supporting as many authors as I can along the way.
Thank you SO much, Trisha for the fun interview!
