That Fine Line: The Art of Balancing Life and Writing Time
Balancing
my personal life with writing time is not something I’m good at. It
seems a bit odd to sit down and write about this topic, when I’ve
failed so miserably at it, but I’ve decided even a bad example can
be a good example of what not to do.
Right
before I sent out Always
Kiss Me Goodnight to
Evernight for consideration to be published I fell off the face of
the earth. I received multiple texts from multiple friends asking me
if I was still alive. Then when I’d respond with a yes the next
text would read “are you mad at me?
That’s
how horrible I am at balancing writing time with everything else in
life. I’m not exactly sure where my imbalance stems from but I
guess it’s this sense of urgency I always seem to be carrying
around with me. It’s a hurry up and type this out while I’m
thinking of it or I’ll feel better about my progress after five
thousand more words kind of feeling that I’m working on calming.
For
the most part, I just want to be locked away in a tower in the middle
of the forest with nothing more than my laptop, ideas, and an
incredibly strong Wi-Fi signal, but that’s no way to be a writer.
I’m a firm believer in using real life experiences and
observations to form a story and you need to be living life for that
to happen.
I
can remember back when I very first started writing Always
Kiss Me Goodnight.
I used everything I did for inspiration and carried a notebook with
me at all times so I wouldn’t forget all my ideas. Reading my story
really is like a trip down Memory Lane because there are certain
parts where I know exactly where I was and what I was doing when I
thought of them, but that was back when I had a life.
When
it came time for editing I hardly saw the light of day and that was
really sad because this was during summer. But, things are changing.
There are two more books after Always
Kiss Me Goodnight that
follow Sophia and Leo so I know I have plenty more editing to do but
this time around I’m going to live my life. I have a few works in
progress that I am so excited about and I want to be able to look
back one day and remember a fond evening spent with friends that was
inspiration for a scene in my next book.
Writing
should always be viewed as part of your life but not your whole life.
Go out, meet people, get your face out there, network, learn,
study, and have fun. Finding that balance is something I know I
struggle with but it is the most important thing you can do. If not
you’ll find yourself with a mean case of writer’s block. Bottom
line I think you have to look at taking time for friends, family, and
fun as research so then really.
Always Kiss Me Goodnight by Megan Gaudino
Published by: Evernight TeenPublication date: August 26th 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Sophia Destino is supposed to die.
All seventeen-year-old Sophia wants is to coast through her junior year. But with her parents obsessed with her Olympic-swimming-hopeful brother, a psychic best friend with a penchant for reading tarot cards, and prophetic dreams that predict her death—that won’t be easy. As her nightmares begin to come true, Sophia finds herself dodging death and longing for the time when getting over her ex-boyfriend was her biggest problem. Until she meets Leo Knight. The mysterious stranger seems determined to keep her alive—and steal her heart. But Leo has a secret that is about to change everything and Sophia is about to learn that sometimes…your number is up.
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All seventeen-year-old Sophia wants is to coast through her junior year. But with her parents obsessed with her Olympic-swimming-hopeful brother, a psychic best friend with a penchant for reading tarot cards, and prophetic dreams that predict her death—that won’t be easy. As her nightmares begin to come true, Sophia finds herself dodging death and longing for the time when getting over her ex-boyfriend was her biggest problem. Until she meets Leo Knight. The mysterious stranger seems determined to keep her alive—and steal her heart. But Leo has a secret that is about to change everything and Sophia is about to learn that sometimes…your number is up.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Excerpt:
When
we made it to the living room Hercules began lapping up the puddles
of water we left behind us. Leo yanked the gray blanket off of the
armchair and wrapped it around me because I was suddenly shaking.
He
moved a salt stone lamp out of his way and sat on top of the coffee
table, motionlessly taking in my expression. Before he even spoke I
just knew he was reading me all wrong. I felt like I could read him
already too.
“I’m
sorry. I’m so sorry, Sophia,” he groaned.
“For
what? My idiotic carelessness or that you saved
my life once
again? You shouldn’t be sorry about either of those things.”
“I
shouldn’t have let that happen. I shouldn’t have been sleeping
still. I promised you I’d protect you and look what happened. Do
you have any idea how close you were to dying? Even closer than you
were last night. If I was just one second later I would’ve been too
late.”
“I
know. I was there. But you weren’t too late. It’s all over
now—I’m fine.” He put his head in his hands and scrunched his
hair in his palms. “Leo.” I reached forward and placed my hand on
his arm. He was still so hot to the touch. “Why’s your skin so
hot again?”
He
flinched away from my hand, stood up, folded his arms across his
chest and turned his back to me. His reaction made me question my
gesture.
“It’ll
go away.”
“Yeah
but why does it happen at all?”
He
hesitated for just a moment before he answered. “Because I keep
saving your life.”
“I
thought angels are supposed to save lives.”
“I
already told you. I’m not an angel. I’m not supposed to save
lives.”
What’s
the best way to keep in touch with you?
Always Kiss Me Goodnight: A Paranormal Love Story
Your
book features some supernatural experiences. Has anything
supernatural ever happened to you?
-
Kind of. One summer night a few years ago I was driving home from a
friend’s house. I was on a dark back road that is seldom used but
it was after midnight so it was completely deserted. All of the
sudden I see a ring of blue lights in the sky above my car.
Everything happened so quickly but I was so freaked out by the light
I actually stopped my car to get a better look. There in the sky was
an unidentified hovering aircraft. I reached to the passenger seat to
get my cell and snap a picture but in the two seconds it took me to
look away the aircraft vanished. After that I was so scared I turned
my car around in the middle of the road and backtracked to the more
populated maine road. I think of that night any time I’m on that
road.
Would
you date your heroine’s love interest?
-
Yes! Leo is the total package. In the beginning he has that whole
handsome mysterious stranger vibe going on, which who doesn’t like
that? Then we get to know him and we find out he’s not only good
looking but he is beautifully flawed. Leo is brave, maybe to a fault,
loyal, smart, and even a little mischievous. But my favorite thing
about Leo is how he loves Sophia. It takes Leo a long time to fall
for someone but when he does, he falls hard. Dating him would make
any girl feel special.
If
you could have any of the superpowers from your book what would you
pick?
-That
is a tough question because there are some pretty unique talents (as
I call them) in this story. I’m tempted to say Mya’s talent for
altering the weather. It could come in really handy to be able to
wipe away a storm with the flick of the wrist or create a snow day
without even getting out of bed. But, despite the usefulness of Mya’s
powers, I would want Tera’s talent. Tera can manipulate nature
meaning she can make flowers grow, rip tree roots right out of the
ground, and even create caverns. I think that would be the most
impressive and beautiful thing and you’d always have the best
looking garden on the block.
If
you could live in any book/movie with a world different from our own,
which would you choose and why?
-
In Panem from the Hunger Games. Just kidding! I’d never survive. I
love the YA novel Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. The story follows
Tiger Lily and her life in Neverland with Peter Pan. Neverland is a
place of magic and wonderment around every corner, not to mention no
one ages there. I think it’d be so fun to live in a world where
mermaids exist, people can fly, and fairies zip by all day. The whole
novel is beautiful and paints such a vivid picture I can really see
myself there.
Will
we get to see more of the Always Kiss Me Goodnight world?
-Yes!
There are two more books in the series so you will definitely get to
see plenty more of the world of Guardians of Fate. The next book
really dives deeper into what is happening to Sophia and why she is
seemingly singled out. We learn a lot about guardian politics how
their secret society is ruled. I’m really really really excited
about the upcoming titles because there is so much more action and
romance to come that I just know the readers will love! Not to
mention we get to see a lot more of Felix, who is a fan favorite, and
the romance between Sophia and Leo heats up.
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