Interview: Elizabeth Sharp is one of the sweetest women I know. She's also a great author with a love of all things creative. I hope you'll take a moment to get to know her a bit more.
Book Questions
· How did the idea for “Supernova” come about?
My best friend decided to create her own superhero costume for Halloween. I thought it was such a fun idea and I jumped on the band wagon and created my own. After Halloween, I came up with the idea of writing a book about our characters. I am an urban fantasy/paranormal author at heart, so I wondered what would happen if paranormal beings used their abilities to become superheros.
· Where do you get your inspiration for book titles and character names?
Generally, ideas come to me with titles. In the case of Supernova, however, I struggled. While trying to figure it out, I called it Supernova's story. It kinda stuck in my head that way, though I dropped the "story".
· How do you approach tough or touchy subjects in your books?
I'm definitely not afraid to take on an issue, but it has to fit within the story. I dealt with religion and belief in my Forces of Nature series, and some of my future projects will take on some other touchy subjects.
· Who is your favorite character from your book? Why?
I really like Cleo. She's a crazy mix of super mature and childish. She's really smart, and protective of her family.
· Any new projects?
I'm currently working on the Reflection series, which will take on the topics of bullying and body image, as well as my usual paranormal flair. Hopefully I will be able to publish these this spring.
Personal Questions· Are you a procrastinator? If yes, list top 3 things you do when you are procrastinating. If no, what top 3 things do you do to avoid it?
Ugh, yes, sooo stinking bad. Number one I-don't-want-to-do-it distraction is Facebook (Me too). After that, I use writing when what I'm procrastinating on isn't writing, or art when it is. Next is my friends. I'll try and get someone to go do something with me.
· What are you reading now? What is next on your TBR list?
Right now I'm reading "The Only Exception" by Magan Vernon, "Five" by Christie Rich and "Theives of Heaven" by Richard Doestch. Next up is Silent Orchids by Morgan Wylie and Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington.
· Top 3 things readers can do to support their favorite authors?
Review on retail sites and Goodreads, tell everyone who will sit still long enough about the books, and interact with us online. Knowing someone is out there waiting really helps keep me on task.
· Who are your biggest supporters? Mentor?
I'm part of an amazing writing group. We are each others' cheerleader and biggest fan. I know no matter what is happening, they got my back. Any given day one of us is the mentor, another the student.
· Self-published or Publisher? Reason?
Indie all the way. I'm a control freak and want my book my way. Besides, I don't feel like the pros of a publishing house outweigh the cons of giving up control and my profits nowadays.
· Top 3 goals for the rest of 2013
Finish writing the Reflection series (It's three books, which means it's three things. I might've just cheated...lol) Haha, Good one, Elizabeth :) A woman after my own heart!
Ready for some fun? There's an excerpt to come and a giveaway! Don't miss out :)
Blurb:
On Cleo’s first day at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, things get pretty weird pretty fast. After being confronted by a strangely hostile boy, she meets two girls and instantly bonds with them. Before long danger threatens the entire student body, in the form of a soul eating possessor fae. When her brother is savagely beaten and left in a coma, the girls decide to use their fae powers to become superheroes and stop the possessions.
They quickly learn things are a lot more complicated than they had ever imagined. A government plot that had begun when they were infants endangers them all, and a demented former soldier bent on revenge is after them. The line between friend and foe has become so blurry, Cleo has no idea who she can trust. Will their superhero plot help them save the day, or just get them killed?
How about an exciting excerpt?:
How about an exciting excerpt?:
My tongue played in the hollow of one of my canines as I
debated whether or not to seize the opportunity. I wanted to know more about
Logan and what his deal was, but not at the expense of this boy who was
obviously suffering from his ties. My desire for information won. “Logan isn’t
an easy guy to be friends with, is he?”
Sawyer deflated. “He didn’t used to be like this. He was a
pretty good guy once.” He started walking back the way he’d come. “Now he seems
to be all hate.”
I fell into step beside him. “Did something happen?”
He stopped, his eyes meeting mine. They were a washed-out
green, but as I watched a hint of a red glow crept into them. He blinked hard,
rubbing the closed lids. “Contacts,” he mumbled.
I got close to him, speaking in a low voice for his ears
only. “I don’t think it is contacts. I think it’s fae.”
His eyelids flew up and there was no doubt about it. The
irises moved like liquid, glowing in reds and oranges. The only word I could
think of to describe it was lava. My hand flew to my throat and I took an
involuntary step backwards. All fae had a tell—like my glow or Antonio’s skin
ripple. I’d just found his. A voice I didn’t recognize rasped out of my own
throat. “What are you?”
“You faced down Logan, who’s a Metus Daemon—the basis of the
mythical fear demon—and I freak you out?” He snorted and shook his head.
“I just wasn’t prepared, sorry. Is this entire school fae?”
“Not the entire school.”
I laughed as we started walking again. “So seriously, what
happened?”
Sawyer shrugged. “I don’t know. Until this year, sure he was
a little cranky. He’s raising his little sister, so who could blame him. But
toward the end of the summer he started going on and on about living ‘his glory
days’ and it’s like he’s another person. When it’s just me and him at his house
he’s normal, but then it’s like someone flips a switch and I’m putting out
fires. I suppose who better to put out fires than a Vulcan.”
“Wait, like pointy-eared aliens?”
Sawyer snickered. “It’s only logical.” He flashed me a grin.
“Not that kind of Vulcan. More like volcanologist.”
“Oh, like volcanoes. So it was lava in your eyes.”
His shoulders rose and fell in an exaggerated shrug. “I
don’t wanna brag. What about you?”
“I’m more like astronomy.” My mouth twisted up into a grin.
“I’m a Stardancer.”
“Oh, so you’re like bottled supernova.”
Want some more? Here's another one just for kicks:
Want some more? Here's another one just for kicks:
Someone slammed into my shoulder, making me stumble into my
brother. I whipped around, my hair flying around my head as I lost control of
my power. Logan stood there, a wicked grin tilting up one corner of his mouth.
I considered letting a little of my explosive power loose, but I’d be on a
slippery slope if I did. I knew from past experience that I must be starting to
glow by now, but the other students seemed to be filing past without noticing.
With more willpower than I thought I possessed, I reined myself in. Once the
fires were quenched, I realized what a bad idea it would have been to let them
out. I glanced around, but the only people who seemed to have noticed were
Violet and Antonio.
“What exactly is going on?” Violet asked. She narrowed her
eyes as she studied me. “I…felt something. And I think you glowed.”
I wanted to tell her nothing had happened aside from a
confrontation with a jerk, but Logan wasn’t done being a grade-A bully.
Logan got really close, almost in my face. “Fae.” He spat
the word like it was distasteful. “And a good girl I’d bet.” He packed so much
malice into the words, I felt offended, despite the fact that I really was a
good girl.
My brother’s strong fingers wrapped around my upper arm,
pulling me back. As I took one reluctant step away from the boy who’d been
trying so desperately to rile me up, my hand raised, my fingers clenched
tightly in a fist I was moments from throwing. And if I lost control of myself,
even for a moment, I could turn the school into a fiery inferno. I took a deep
breath to calm myself as I glanced around at the students who had no idea how
close they had been to disaster.
Something odd was going on here. Why weren’t the humans
noticing us using magic in the middle of the hall? They should be freaking out,
stampeding out the doors and reporting the freaks to the government by now.
Instead they just hurried about their lives, chattering about inconsequential
things as if they were life and death. I suppose to them, it was. But it was
hard to imagine a formal dance as the most important event of the year when
you’re standing toe to toe with a boy who wanted to hurt you simply because you
were there.
“You reek of good.” Logan was cloaked in darkness as he
spoke, shadows rolling around him like smoke. Horns curved forward out of the
dark hair on top of his head, the tips curving up to his hairline. I glanced
around again but the students continued to flow around us as if they didn’t see
anything. Maybe they couldn’t.
My brother coughed and I could feel a surge of energy in
him, a strange sixth sense we shared. I grabbed his wrist before he did
something as stupid, as I tried not to do the same. I glanced around again,
still expecting everyone to be standing and staring at us. Aside from a few
scattered stragglers, we were alone in the hall. A boy with dark curls rounded
the corner, rushing to Logan’s side. He grabbed his arm and gave him a shake.
“Dude, back off.”
Logan snarled at him, and the shorter boy’s eyes glowed red,
moving as if the irises were made of liquid. With his jaw set, Logan stepped
backwards away from me.
“Is this entire school made up of fae?” I asked, spinning to
face forward with my hands thrown up in the air. Too late I remembered Violet
walking along beside us, oblivious to the fae world.
She took the weirdness in stride. “Not entirely, but we seem
to have more than our fair share. I think all the teachers are, and a good
chunk of the staff too.”
Or maybe not so oblivious. I didn’t realize I had stopped
until she turned to face me.
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About the Author:
Elizabeth has a near crippling Facebook addiction, dwarfed only by her need for Dr. Pepper. A self-proclaimed techno geek, she loves cell phones, computers, tablets and all things technological. The internet has to be the greatest invention since the wheel, in her opinion. She lives in a quiet subdivision with her husband, one-year-old son, three cats, and far too many electronics. It’s quite possible she has some raccoon in her DNA, because she loves glitter and anything that sparkles. She enjoys making jewelry and costumes. Halloween is her favorite holiday since it’s the one day of the year that you can be whatever you want.
But her first love will always be writing. Otherwise, hearing voices in her
head would make her feel schizophrenic.
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