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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Never completely broken, she must pretend in order to survive - Spark of Light (Avery #1) by Elizabeth Tuttle

Description:

Nearly a century ago the world was decimated by a magical war. In their defeat, elves were captured by humans, cut off from their magic, and broken down into lifeless, drone-like slaves.

Avery is different. Somehow, her magic has always simmered beneath the surface. Never completely broken, she must pretend in order to survive. When Zander, her master’s nephew, brings her magic out in full force, she finds out what it’s like to truly be alive.

Ripped from Zander’s side and sent to The Farm, Avery doesn’t know if she’ll be able to hide her light and make it out alive. But there, she’ll meet someone who knows her true purpose. 

The war isn’t over, and if Avery can survive, she could be the one to set her people free. All it takes is a little hope and a Spark of Light.

MB's INTERVIEW
Thank you, Mrs. Elizabeth Tuttle
There is a saying that art is 90% hard work and 10% talent. What do you believe about that and is this saying available for writers too? 
I think it really depends on what you want to do with your art. It would be easy to just take your talent and have fun with it (and there’s nothing wrong with that), but if you want to put your art out into the world, or make a living with it, then that takes a lot of hard work. And it’s definitely true for writers. 

Some authors say that they write for themselves, but I believe that they hide something… What are in your opinion the readers’ expectations and what their expectations should be? What do you do to meet these expectations? 
I’m one of the authors that writes for themselves. What that really means is that we take our ideas and run with them without worrying about trends or markets, or the readers that might hate it, or trying to change things because of what the reader wants instead of staying true to the story that is inside you. No story is going to be loved by everyone, no matter how good it is. It’s all a matter of opinion and personal preference, so you have to write for yourself or you’ll make yourself crazy. 

I think readers want a story they can get lost in and can relate to in some way. They also want a well written and edited book. I can’t control the first. My books won’t be for everyone, but putting out quality work is very important to me and I do my best to make sure it’s as close to perfect as I can get it. 

Lately very few authors use figures of speech to reach their stories. Are these figures of speech still needed? Why so? 
I agree, and I believe it’s happening because writers are told to avoid them, and that a lot of them are “cliché.” It’s actually one of the most strongly suggested pieces of writing advice I’ve been floating around. It’s everywhere. I can see why most writers, including myself, would think twice about using them. Like a lot of advice, I think it’s too pointed. It’s the easy way out of over using, or using them wrong; just don’t use them at all, kind of like adverbs. 

Like everything, they shouldn’t be used just to be used. They should have a purpose, but yes they are still needed. All parts of speech and writing are tools we can and should use to tell a story. 

Why do you think we, even if we are in XXI Century, still read about elves, vampires and so many other fantastical creatures? 
Because they are timeless and fascinating. They awaken our imagination and wonder, and even our fears. And it’s just fun! 

Who are the Rebels Writers and why are you one of them? 
The Rebel Writers are Theresa Kay, Regan Claire, Caylie Marcoe, Stormy Smith, Kat Nichols, Briggs Schneider, Deanna Zehnder, Jocelyn Barrus, and me. We started at as writing group where we share and get feedback, critiques, and all the other great writing related support a group can give, but we’re more than that now. We’re family. I count them among my best friends and this journey wouldn’t be the same without them. In fact, I’d probably still be fumbling around with SOL, nowhere near ready to publish, without them. We keep each other focused, motivated, and encouraged. They’re invaluable, and every one of them so talented. Take a moment to check out their work. You won’t be disappointed. 

About the author:

Elizabeth’s first writing award was in the 2nd grade with a story about a cat and a dog that overcame their differences and became friends. Satisfied with that success, she put her writing career on hold until the winter of 2012. Now, she spends most days in her pajamas making things up and writing them down. Her other interests include board games, being in nature, and binge watching shows on Netflix. 


Author's Giveaway
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6 comments:

Joseph Hawkshaw said...

Awesome cover love it so much great job.

Unknown said...

Thank you :-D

justwin4once said...

Great interview. I enjoyed reading the author's perspective of how sharing art takes both talent and hard work.

Piper said...

I enjoy anything with magic, elves and all the fantasy stuff. This sounds really good.

Unknown said...

This looks really good!!

Denise Z said...

Thank you for taking the time and effort to share with us. I am definitely intrigued by and looking forward to getting to know more about Avery :)