This week I’m welcoming author Amber Skye Forbes as she readies for her October release of her debut novel WHEN STARS DIE the first book in The Stars Trilogy.
Synopsis:Amelia Gareth’s brother is a witch and the only way to save her family from the taint in his blood is to become a professed nun at Cathedral Reims in the snowy city of Malva. However, in order to become professed, she must endure trials that all nuns must face.
Surviving these trials is not easy, especially for Amelia, who is being stalked by shadowy beings only she can see. They’re searching for people they can physically touch, because only those they can touch can see them. Amelia soon learns why she is being stalked when she accidentally harms her best friend with fire during the third trial. Fire is a witch’s signature. The shadows are after witches.
Now Amelia must decide what to do: should she continue on her path to profession knowing there is no redemption, or should she give up on her dream and turn away from Cathedral Reims in order to stop the shadows who plan to destroy everything she loves?
Alright on to the questions,
So, Amber, when did you know you wanted to be an author?
It was in journal time in second grade when we all wrote in our journals for thirty minutes about anything we could think of. I used to write about things I just did everyday, but then I started to want to write stories like my favorite author at the time, Mary Pope Osborne, author of The Magic Treehouse series. It then became this compulsion, this need, and I knew I wanted to publish one day. There is no rationale behind why I want to be an author and be published an all that. I just know that I want to be.
I understand that. I have wanted to be an author as long as I could remember too. What has been the biggest thing you have learned in this process of writing a novel?
The biggest thing I’ve learned in the process of writing this book is that just because the story isn’t working now doesn’t mean it won’t work later. I started it at 15, which was 8 years ago. The story definitely didn’t work at the time, but unearthing it at 21 and re-doing it with the new skills I gained definitely made it something that, after much work, would be worthy of publication. So I learned to never give up on a story. Novels take time.
What was the most challenging character to write?
Nathaniel, Amelia’s younger brother, was hardest to write because he is eight and much younger than Amelia. I had a really hard time trying to develop him as a character because of this barrier, and even now I still don’t think I fully succeeded, but I’m still learning and growing as a writer, and Nathaniel is going to be in the second book, in any case–he will be much better developed, mostly because he will be older.
Who is your favorite character in WHEN STARS DIE?
Amelia, of course. I like her determination and loyalty and her unfailing will to want to do something good for her world, even though she is restricted in a lot of ways.
Your cover is absolutely gorgeous, who designed it?
Viola Estrella of Estrella Cover Art.
Are the names of the characters in your novels important?
I wouldn’t say they’re that important. I mean they are because the names differentiate them, but they don’t hold any special meaning. I name the characters based off the time period and what names I happen to like at the time.
Okay now the questions are going to get personal. 🙂 What makes you laugh?
Just about anything can make me laugh because I am a very easygoing person.
If you could choose anyone to be a mentor, which author would you consider?
Libba Bray. She has been an inspiration this entire time, and I would say fans of A Great and Terrible Beautywould love When Stars Die.
What is your favorite book?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It’s one of those books that makes me want to cry just thinking about it, and a book has never done that to me before.
Most of the readers of my blog are other writers, any advice to share?
Make sure something happens in every chapter, be it plot or character development. I had to learn that the hard way. Also, I recommend an outline at some point during the writing process. I also had to learn that the hard way. And last, try not to get too enamored with “rules of writing.” If you follow them so strictly, your writing will end up coming off as flat and unoriginal.
Amber Thank you for taking the time to be here today.
Want to know more? Ask a question for Amber in the comments!
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmberSkyeForbes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmberSkyeF
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