Hello everyone! How are we doing on this fine Friday morning? Afternoon? Evening? Whatever time it is wherever you are in the world. I have a SUPER fun interview to share with you today. Yesterday I shared my review of debut author, check Erin Albert‘s debut novel, The Prophecy. You can check that out here.
Today, I am excited to share an interview with Erin! She’s a totally sweet person, that I actually met through Twitter and blogging! I am very proud to have her as a friend, and she has been incredibly helpful in my own journey as an author. I wish her a TON of luck in her novel journey, and the journey we’ll take through her Fulfillment Trilogy.
You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, her website and GoodReads.
For now, let’s enjoy this awesome interview!
Sara: What can you tell us about The Prophecy? What can we expect from it?
Erin: The Prophecy is a fast paced YA fantasy novel set in the war torn lands of Vanguard and Etherea. For centuries , the two sides have fought a battle, the origins of which no one even remembers, but long ago, a prophecy alluded to a person who could bring eventual peace to the embattled nations. This story follows the journey of the girls proclaimed The Fulfillment of that prophecy. Let’s just say things don’t go according to plan! ;)
Sara: Will The Prophecy be a standalone novel, or will you be writing a sequel? If so, which book has been easier to write: the first or the second?
Erin: The Prophecy is the first book in The Fulfillment series, which will contain three books. Book 2 is tentatively called The Outlanders and Book 3 The Fulfillment. I wrote all three books in three months. The writing and creating are easy; it’s the editing that takes up the most time.
Sara: How does it feel that your debut novel is so close to releasing?
Erin: I vacillate, sometimes within a five-minute span, between being insanely excited and totally terrified. I spent so much time working on a story and creating the characters, a sliver of my soul within the piece. It’s both thrilling and nerve-wracking to present that to the world.
Sara: You won the Most Social Author Bloggy Award. Is staying in touch with your fans and readers important to you, and why?
Erin: Winning absolutely floored me because my competitors were just awesome! Yes, staying in touch with fans and readers is crucial to me. I love interacting with them, and I can’t wait until I’m free to discuss the characters and world of The Prophecy with them. Twitter has been such a wonderful place for me to meet and interact with people, and I consider my followers my friends. :)
Sara: What is your writing process like? Where do you get your inspiration?
Erin: You may have heard me mention them before, but I have a Dream Team in place to keep motivated and on task. I have ADD, so it’s very easy for me to just flit away into my own little world and forget what I’m actually supposed to be doing. Dream Team member Kim keeps me moving forward with the book. She requires a chapter a day which helps me complete my work in a timely fashion. Dream Team member Danielle is responsible for making sure I don’t flake out on the characters or the storyline. She full immerses herself in my world and catches all my “he walked through a wall” or “you said that wall was on the right and now it’s on the left” errors. And I turn to Dream Team member Dawn for my creative inspiration. She’s the one who helps me dream big and work out any writer’s block (usually over a bowl of queso at Moe’s). I think people can draw inspiration from a variety of sources with the right mindset.
Sara: Who are some of your influences? What are some of your favorite books to read?
Erin: The Prophecy is heavily influenced by Game of Thrones and Arthurian legend. Personally, I enjoy the works of Cassandra Clare, George RR Martin, Rick Riordan, Richelle Mead and Veronica Roth.
Sara: What advice do you give to aspiring writers?
Erin: My advice would be never give up. The road to publication can be long and hard, but keep pressing on to achieve your dream. Very few things worth having come easily.
Sara: What is one thing you have to have while writing?
Erin: Besides my laptop? Every day at 3:30, I MUST have a Diet Pepsi with Lime and a little container of chocolate.
Sara: What are two facts about yourself that some people may not know?
Erin: Wow, I’d say I’m a pretty open book, so there isn’t much people don’t know about me. Haha!! Let’s see…I’m deathly afraid of fire, so much that I don’t allow candles on my birthday cake. I have never missed an episode of True Blood (Alcide…’nuff said).
Sara: What are some of your favorite things to do outside of writing?
Erin: Besides writing, I enjoy running, kickboxing, reading, watching TV, hanging out with friends, and freelance editing.
Sara: And as I ask to all my interviewees, who is your fictional crush(es)?
Erin: a) Percy Jackson–When he comes of age and crawls out of the pages of a book, I will marry him. I LOVE a funny guy. Laughter is the way to my heart. Demigoddess in the house!!
b) Jem Carstairs–Could there be a more perfect man in all the world??
c) Adrian Ivashkov–I adore his snark and pretty much everything else about him.
d) Alcide from True Blood–He’s my Pack Master. Yow!
* * * * * *
I hope you all enjoyed this interview with Erin Albert and that you’ll be able to check out Erin’s debut novel which is out TODAY! Head on over to her website to find out how to get your hands on a copy!
If you’re feeling lucky, you can try your hand at winning a 50 DOLLAR Amazon Gift Card!
Good Luck and Happy Reading! Thanks to Erin for being awesome, and doing the interview, and for doing a great interview on top of it!