Today I got something special for you: an author interview!
The author Martine Lewis was so kind to answer a bunch of questions about herself and her new released book "Crossing the Barrier". Enjoy!
Please tell us a little about yourself and your background?
This is always the hardest thing to do. It took me days to come up with a decent bio.About me? Well, I’m in my forties and I currently live in Houston Texas. I absolutely love this city. There are so much going on all the time.
I began writing when I was eleven years old and I’ve written ever since. I never thought I would write to publish even if my sister asked multiple times. I always told her I was too lazy to create my own universe, I preferred writing in universes that already existed.
Then one day, the inspiration hit me and I’ve been writing originals ever since.
When I’m not writing, I read and I roller skate (the old kind, not the rollerblades).
What have you written?
Books: Crossing the Barrier – Gray Eyes Series One
Breaking the Mold – Gray Eyes Series Two (will come out on September 20, 2016)
Gray Eyes Series book 3, half of book 4 and book 5 are also written. I’m editing right now.
I also have multiple short stories and deleted scenes from the Gray Eyes Series that will be made available through my website in the near future.
Fanfiction: multiple Harry Potter fanfiction that can be found on fanfiction.net.
I also co-wrote a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfiction but it’s under my friend’s profile.
How did the idea of the story come to you?
For my books, the premise of the entire series was inspired by the first 20 minutes of the pilot episode of Roswell. The entire idea of the empaths came to me when Max shows Liz how he sees her. Of course, my empaths are not aliens! But there is something going on there…
I get the details from things that happen around me, from people I meet, from TV shows I watch. I also get a lot of plotting done when I’m driving.
For book one, I got my ideas from attending high school football, which I do regularly and I enjoy immensely.
For book two and three, those two were inspired by Roswell.
The others, you will see
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I don’t have any merits on this one. My editor found if for me. It comes from a phrase in the book.
For book two, Breaking the Mold, that was all me. We (my editor and I) wanted to keep the same title pattern, which is a verb finishing by “ing” with a “the” then a noun. And Elizabeth’s story is really about coming into her own, so Breaking the Mold was the perfect title for it.
Please give us an insight into your main characters. What do they do that is so special?
Malakai is the popular guy, handsome, broody a little, loyal. He also has an anger inside of him, something he doesn’t realize he has, something he has to deal with in order to grow.
As for Lily, she is an empath. She has the power of feeling everything people around her feel. That makes her very unique. In her personal life, in a more “normal” side of her, she has to deal with the loss of her father, and a mother who doesn’t like her. She doesn’t like to be home and she needs to get out in order to grow. But growing up is also scary. At school, she is popular in her own circle but nothing compared to Malakai.
What draws you to this genre?
I write Upper Young Adult/ Lower New Adult Contemporary Coming of Age Romance with a touch of Paranormal.
That’s a mouthful, right?
Why do I write this genre? Because I loved that period in my life. I also love to look at teens grow and come into their own. I also like things that are contemporary, set in the present, but at the same time, I like the mysterious and find it interesting (Buffy here! She was interesting for me as she had this special power no-one else had), therefore my touch of Paranormal with my empaths. I am not as much into werewolf and vampires, however, so I don’t write them… Okay, I know, that sounds funny since I was in Buffy, but what I liked of Buffy was her character, no so much the demons she was fighting.
Do the names in your book have special meanings?
Well, there is a special meaning behind Lily’s name, but my saying it right now would really sell something in the entire series I would like readers not to know just yet.
Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors and books?
I don’t read as much as I would want but I do lllloooovvvveeee Cambria Hebert, her #hashtag series. It’s a New Adult Series but I absolutely love it. I have also red CM DePorto University Park Series and I like that one too. It’s another New Adult.
I read a lot of Young Adult too but not so many in the indie worlds. I have a hard time finding any that are straight contemporary romance. Lots of them have magic or vampires or are dystopian. I love Kathy McGarry. She does YA Contemporary Romance at its best. I usually start crying in the middle of the book and don’t stop until the end!
I would love to find indie YA authors like Cambria and CM are for New Adults so I am opened to suggestions.
Which authors inspire you?
Definitely Cambria Hebert. When I get stuck, I re-read the #hashtag series which I’ve read three times already.
What is your favourite quote?
I love the quotes LL Cool J puts on Twitter. That’s the reason why I follow him. I think my favorite so far is “Dreams don’t have deadlines”.
What is your favourite movie?
I’ve got too many…
Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix
Star Wars Empire Strikes Back
Matrix
Pride and Prejudice
Etc.
What literary character is most like you?
I honestly don’t know.
I think I have the independence of Elizabeth Bennett.
What book do you wish you could have written?
#nerd from Cambria Hebert
Please list seven books your hero (*of your book) loves best!
Lily reads romance but after she found Malakai, she doesn’t feel the need to. So she will turn to Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Malakai likes Harry Potter.
In five words, please describe your 'Romance Writing Style'.
Hard, broody, sad, challenging, happy ending.
Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: twin, alley, luxury, wasp
The twins were driving in an alley in a luxury car when they came upon a nest of wasps.
What writing advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Keep at it, seek help, and when you’re ready to publish, do it right.
And finally, where can people find your book online?
Any Amazon affiliated website: http://goo.gl/UWC9zJ
Contact info:
Website: www.martinelewisauthor.com
Blog: www.martinelewisauthor.com/blog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/martinelewisauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorMartine
Pinterest: In the process of setting it up.
Instagram: www.instagram.com/martinelewisauthor
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/martinelewisauthor
Thank you so much Martine, to take the time and answer my questions!
So, that's it for now!
You can check out my review on Martine's book here: http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2016/03/crossing-barrier-by-martine-lewis.html
Love,
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