LLM:What was your inspiration for this book? AG:Aside from always wishing I could be a mermaid or invent gills for humans (), I actually wrote the first chapter as a short story. That’s how all of my books and stories seem to start…the first scene pops into my head and it takes off after that.
LLM: Was it difficult deciding how to bring the characters to life?
AG:Not really. I’d always heard people talk about how characters will scream at them and demand a spot on the page, and I really didn’t get it until I started writing a lot. I think the hardest part is to make sure that they are who I want them to be by the end of the book. To make sure they haven’t lost the characteristics that make them individuals and likeable.
LLM: Are there any similarities between you and your characters?
AG:I guess there are probably pieces of me and my experiences mixed in with them all. I remember being that age and struggling with decisions (big and small) that had the potential to hurt people and I hated being there. There are also some characters that have the personalities or physicality of people I’ve known.
LLM: Is there a specific message in your book that you hope readers will understand?
AG:I think it’s important to remember that my characters are young yet are faced with adult challenges and responsibilities. They don’t always make the right choice. But I think that’s part of what YA literature is about …living and learning and being a better person (or mermaid) for it on the other side.
LLM: If you could travel back in time where would you go and why?
AG:The Italian Renaissance. I love the music, art, dancing, and fashion from that time so much that I think I lived there once in another life.
LLM: If you could be a character in a book, which book and what character?
AG:I’m a sucker for immortality, so any really old vampire (or other immortal) would be my choice. There are a lot of those out there, but perhaps one of the characters from Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid succubus series would work or even one of the old vampires from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. They’ve lived a long time and have seen a lot. I think that would be fascinating.
LLM:What's the best advice you've ever received?
AG:Don’t stress over the things you cannot change. It’s a great philosophy, but I still struggle with it!
LLM:What do you like to do in your spare time?
AG:Aside from writing when I’m done with the day job, I’m a dance instructor at a local studio and am involved with a statewide writer’s network. There’s always something going on, so on the days I need a break, I just read.
LLM: The day in the life of a writer, what's that like? Any other projects in the works?
AG:The first 8-10 hours of the day I’m at work writing scientific documents or discovering interesting things. When I get home, I try to block out enough time to write a whole chapter a night. I’m too anal retentive to stop in the middle! Now that I have a couple of books released, I also spend about an hour a day checking in on sites, stats, promoting, marketing…you name it. Right now, I am finishing up Arise, the last book of the mermaid series and I’m also editing my adult urban fantasy Touching Evil. I’ve started an adult dark fiction book that I hope to get back into this summer.
LLM:Favorite Quote?
AG: “Be obscure clearly.” - E.B. White
LLM: What is a question that you wish interviewers would ask, and the answer to that question?
AG:Hmmm…good question! (Can that be my answer? ) No, I would say that I get a lot of compliments on them but no one asks me who did the covers for The Syrenka Series. I worked with PhatPuppy Art (phatpuppyart.com) and have been thrilled to see the results each and every time. Her artwork is amazing and I wish that I could write a book for every piece she creates.
LLM: Choose only one. If you could choose between invisibility or the ability to fly, which would you choose?
AG: Definitely invisibility. I hate to fly!
About the Author
Amber Garr spends her days conducting scientific experiments and wondering if her next door neighbor is secretly a vampire. Born in Pennsylvania, she lives in Florida with her husband and their furry kids. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell. She writes both adult and young adult urban fantasies and when not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.
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What's next in the series:
Betrayal: Book Two in the Syrenka Seriesa Rafflecopter giveaway
Great interview! Hadn't heard of that quote by E.B. White before, interesting. Invisibility FTW! haha
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great questions! This was fun!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!You're welcome, I enjoyed your answers.
ReplyDeleteI loved the question about the question never asked. :) I LOVE that cover! I will definitely look her up if I go that publishing route.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview and liked the advice that you received.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. Thanks for introducing me to another great book.
ReplyDelete