Interview by Angie Taylor

​Welcome, Casey Hays, to BOD’s author spotlight. It’s so fun to get to interview and feature you again on BOD in light of the release of your last book in the Arrow’s Flight series, Master. Thank you for joining us.

Hi Angie. Thank you so much for having me. I am honored to be here!

So, let’s get right to it. How does it feel to have reached the end of the Arrow’s Flight series?

Well, I have mixed feelings, actually. Part of me is kind of relieved that I survived the telling of this whole story! Part of me is already missing my characters. I’ve lived with Kate and Ian’s story in my head and my heart for so long that it’s going to be hard to move on from this. It’s the end of an era. But at the same time, I’m excited to begin working with some new characters.

When did you know you wanted to write a Christian Dystopian book/series?

Funny thing, when I first started writing Breeder, this was NOT a Christian series and it was also not Dystopian. I was just planning to write a good Sci-Fi story. But over time, pieces started falling into place to turn it in to what it became. Honestly, after Breeder was published, I still didn’t know that what I had written was called Dystopian…LOL. I had never heard of that genre. As far as the Christian elements, it didn’t take me long to realize that God was pushing me in that direction, and I had to decide if I was going to ignore his prodding to share the Gospel in this series or be obedient. I have to say I struggled with that for a while. And then, I just let it happen naturally. I am very satisfied with the outcome.

When you started the series, did you know where Kate and Ian’s stories would end up in Master, or did their stories evolve with each book?

They definitely evolved with each book. In fact, I know you’ve read the ending to The Archer. That ending was not in my mind until two weeks before I wrote it into the story. Also, I never in my wildest dreams envisioned Ian taking over as narrator in The Archer OR in a majority of Master. I’m telling you, Kate and Ian didn’t always keep me in the know!

I recently read an article about the importance of authors creating strong female characters. In what ways do you think Kate fits the mold of a strong female character?

In Breeder, Kate’s strength shines both physically and mentally. She endures a lot in that village of hers, and her rebellion and resilience play a key role in shaping her into the girl who has the courage to defy everything she knows and even leave the Village altogether. She’s a fighter, and in the later books, this is evident in several ways that I can’t share here without giving spoilers, so I’ll keep quiet. But with Kate, my goal was to create a healthy balance of independence and submissiveness to bring a well-rounded depth to her character. I wanted her to be strong when she needed to be, but to know when her weakness was attractive or necessary. Master contains loads of descriptions about weakness often being your only strength. Kate and Ian learn that lesson together, and it’s beautiful.

There is a paradox within religious based fiction between the message to love one another and help others to learn about God and the reality of characters being forced into violent actions. So I was wondering what your thoughts were on this subject in respect to the Kate’s role and the Eden Boys’ roles through the series.

Mmmhhh… this is a very hard question to answer because my characters don’t know God when the series begins. They don’t have anything to gauge their actions by except for their own innate desires and gut feelings. My story begins in a very pagan world where Kate has no knowledge of God. The series is not overly religious for a majority of the time, and it’s not until the final book that readers meet characters who are believers. Still, war has come to Eden’s doorstep, and the citizens have to gear up to defend themselves if they want to survive.

When it’s all said and done, you can love and help one another until you’re exhausted, and violence will still be a reality no matter what kind of book you write. Failing to depict this fact in a faith-based novel would be very unrealistic, especially for my main characters, who are just now finding faith. Knowing God doesn’t mean we always obey, but when we do, it’s rewarding. I think Claudia is the perfect example of this struggle in Master.

Also, keep in mind that God is not adverse to violence when necessary. He sent Joshua and Gideon and David into battle many times, and they taught about God by the sword, not by loving and helping others. God expects us to protect those who have been entrusted to our care when we can. And he expects us to defend ourselves, our integrity, our purity. He expects us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to forgive. He just expects us to do it in the right way at the right time and not in our own flesh. My characters struggle to do just that. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don’t. And that’s being human.

One of my favorite subplots to the entire series is the Eden Boys’ powers. So, if you could have any superhuman power, which would you choose and why?

I really like the healing ability. That would be totally cool. But I’d also love to be able to fly.

What was the inspiration behind the cover for Master?

Plain and simple, there is no greater message than the Cross, and I knew from the moment I saw where this series was headed that I wanted that Old Rugged Cross to be smack in the middle of my final cover. If you look closely, you’ll see the broken arrow dangling from the center of cross? This holds a very special meaning that I hope readers pick up on as they finish the series. Especially pay attention to the last sentence of Chapter 27…. Hint, hint.

What was it like having your son do the cover art for each book? Did you tell him what you wanted, or did you give him an idea and let him go with it?

It was a love/hate relationship… lol! My son is a great pencil sketch artist, but he doesn’t really like to draw. So it could be very challenging at times, and I often went into panic mode that he wouldn’t finish the sketches on time. But he delivered… every time. I always gave him a guideline of what I wanted and let him go with it. Usually, I was pleased with what I got. My favorite of the three is still the cover for Breeder.

Out of Breeder, Archer, and Master, which book would you like to see in real life/live in the most, or the least if you could, and why?

Well, The Archer was far too nomadic for my taste. I like a roof over my head and knowing where my next meal is coming from. Breeder has its pros and cons, but I’d probably end up in the Pit. So I’m going to go with Master. At least, as the author, I know how that one ends. 🙂

If you could have any actors play the parts of Kate and Ian, who would they be and why?

Based on appearance only, I’d go with Victoria Justice for Kate and Luke Benward for Ian. Victoria is dark-haired with chocolate eyes, and Luke is a blue-eyed blond. They have the right look. Although, Victoria would definitely have to get a tan. 🙂

So, what comes next? Do you have any book ideas you want to tell us about?

Actually, I will be starting a series of novellas to round off the Arrow’s Flight series. The first one is titled “A Scent of Lilac” and will hopefully be out in June, right before I head off for UtopiaCon. This novella will be told from Mia’s point of view and be set in the Village following Kate’s departure. It’s going to be fun! I also plan to release a Supernatural Romance in 2017 based on the legend of the Phoenix. That’s about it for now!

Thanks so much, Casey, for sharing your talents with all of us at BOD. Congratulations on the release of Master! 

Thank you very much for having me! It’s always fun to talk about my favorite pastime!

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Interview by Angie Taylor
​
Welcome, A.S. Winchester—known as Addison Sharon Winchester to everyone at BOD—to this week’s ON THE BOD BLOG author spotlight interview! It’s a pleasure to get to know you.

Thank you! I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of sharing myself and my work with others.

For starters, can you tell us why you chose to be a writer and how long you’ve been writing?

I don’t think I ever chose to be a writer. The profession chose me when I was old enough to have an active imagination. I was the kid always telling stories and dragging people into typing up my work for me. I wrote my first full story when I was four years old, with the help of my mother and her typewriter. It was over ten pages long about a kitten getting stuck in a tree after being chased up there by wolves.

The idea to publish was something I always wanted to do, but was never sure I was good enough for. It wasn’t until I started sharing an early version of Terra: Genesis that I learned I had a story people wanted to read. The sheer number of people telling me to take it as far as I could pushed me onto the track I needed to self-publish my first book.

Is there one author who has inspired you the most, or is there one author with whom you’d love to go to lunch and ask a million questions about writing and life in general?

I would love to sit down with James Patterson and talk writing for hours. His series Maximum Ride had a big impact on Terra and my thought process. More than that, Patterson’s ability to cross genres and age groups intrigues me. It’s something I really wish I could sit down and discuss with him. He writes all the way from children’s books to adult books. I really never considered that to be something possible, and I would just love to pick his brain.

On that same note, your dystopian book, Terra: Genesis, reminded me of so many awesome dystopian books I’ve read, while at the same time being a unique story all its own. Can you tell us where you came up with the idea or how it morphed into existence?

Oh goodness… Terra: Genesis actually started as a first person, short story, romance. I have always been good at creating flawed and in depth characters as well as creating chemistry between characters. I always believed I should stick to something like chick lits and romance, but the sheer lack of “action” bored me. As a result, I started Terra (as it was once called) as a romance between Cala and Liam. However, the more I worked with Cala and the Program, the more the romance became a subplot. I became intrigued by the science fiction/dystopian world and desperately needed something more from it. After playing with the plot, it went from a first person, short story, romance to a third person, dystopian, six book series. I haven’t looked back since.

I especially loved the scientific/medical world in Terra: Genesis, and I’d love to know more about the process of developing a character who’s a cyborg. Can you expand on how Cala/Aleka came to be?

Honestly, I wanted initial shock value. When I created the first draft, I only sent out right up until Cala is blown up and that was it. The response was explosive (no pun intended) and exactly what I wanted. However, in choosing to blow her up, I had to figure out how to bring her back. I didn’t want it to just be that she survived magically. I wanted to traumatize her, change her, and make her something that would allow me to play with the universal question of ‘what makes us human’ and thus she became a cyborg. I strongly hold to the theory that I should push my characters to their breaking point and then see what they do. Will they break or will they persevere?

Aleka… Aleka was an experiment in and of herself for me. I absolutely love psychology and am extremely fascinated by how horribly it’s depicted in the media. I wanted to do something with psychology and Cala, because after everything she has been through, she was bound to have psychiatric problems.

Dissociative Identity Disorder is typically not portrayed correctly and I wanted to take the chance to portray it how I understand it. I was hoping to show how it can manifest and be in someone who has experienced severe trauma. However, I also understood I was taking a huge risk with her. Cala as a cyborg was a risk because she is so different, but Aleka… she’s unorthodox, violent, and unhinged. I fully expected people to not like what I did with her. But surprisingly she’s been the most demanded and quoted character.

One of my favorite parts of your book is when Aleka is first introduced. She’s terrifying, powerful, and has the ability to completely suck readers into the story. Was it hard/scary/fun creating such a character?

Aleka is absolutely terrifying to write. I spend my life focusing on the beauty and the positive in the world, but to get inside her head requires something very dark and scary. It’s always exhausting writing her. She makes me question everything about myself, my morals, and half the time I’m left feeling nauseous. I love it because I know her saying things like, “The best way to a man’s heart is through his ribcage” as she tears out a man’s heart, is a complete shock, but it leaves me feeling off.

I found it particularly interesting how you slipped in the issue of mental illness into Terra: Genesis is such a non-invasive/discussable way. What attracted you to want to address this issue?

Mental illness is a huge part of my life. I actually have PTSD, which has led to me having severe social anxiety, insomnia, night terrors, and adjustment anxiety disorder (severe anxiety brought on by little changes). I’ve struggled with severe depression, self-injury, and have attempted suicide.

Up until the last few years, I felt it was something I needed to hide and be ashamed of because that’s how the world around me has made me feel. But that’s just the thing… it’s not something I need to shy from.

I have PTSD from circumstances outside of my control as a child and it’s not something I should be afraid to talk about.

It severely bothers me how much stigma is attached to mental illness these days, yet so many people struggle with it. I wanted to put my own foot in the door and make it a thing in the Terraverse as a way to open people up. It worked. Through social media, especially Instagram, I’ve connected with a lot of young writers who struggle with mental illness, and I’ve given them someone to talk to who understands. As I said, I love helping people. And knowing I can help someone stay away from the ledge, brings me a sense of peace.

What attracts you to writing/reading dystopian works? In what ways do dystopian stories speak to readers, or what do you see is their relevance for today’s society and readers as a whole?

I believe dystopian stories reflect the fears of current society. I love the fact that dystopian stories look at our current society and accelerate some aspect of it into a possible end line. Terraverse wasn’t something I just magically made up. I spent a long time looking at population trends in relation to death trends, resource usage, planetary responses to people, current technology, and the fear of how little we actually take care of our planet.

That’s where it started… we aren’t taking care of the Earth. And then dystopian stories are the big “what if”? What if we don’t reverse what we’re doing? What happens to the planet? What happens to us as a species? They allow us to look down a path of a possible future and truly reflect on what is happening now, what footprint we’re leaving, and even what can we do to prevent it.

Now, can you tell us a little more about you? What other responsibilities/hobbies do you have, or how do you spend your time when you’re not writing?

I have cats… three of them. All of them are just about a year old and I’m owned by my cats. I wish I was joking. They’re like dogs in cat bodies and just want to be loved on as much as possible. Even as we speak, my big guy Falke is pawing his way up my back and meowing for attention. Anyway, I’m only recently starting to work through my social anxiety so I’m a massive homebody. I love to sit at home watching Netflix, reading, and there is almost always a cat on me or next to me. I also work full time as a nanny and occasionally take on work doing photography. I do enjoy the occasional adventure to the zoo, museums, arboretums, or just getting out in nature to take photos.

What’s your favorite book series of all time? Do you read books more than once or are you a one-time-read kind of girl?

This is a loaded question… I’d have to go with Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympian’s series. I absolutely love the story by how the series started and I’m a sucker for Greek Mythology. I sway between being a one-time reader and a read many times girl. It really just depends on what the book is. I have a huge collection of books so I can always go back to one if I want or have them around for my future children to delve in if they want.

Do you have any funny or unique quirks/routines that help in your writing process? For example: listening to music vs. absolute silence, or eating/chewing gum vs. your favorite drink?

I always have to have music playing. I can’t have silence or else I overthink everything and anything possible. Music helps to direct me, but I’m so very awkward when I write. I’m a visualizer so as I go I’m picturing things that my characters are seeing and experiencing. I tend to look around, wave my arms, move, and so on as I would think my characters would react. I sometimes forget where I am. It’s why I very rarely write in public. I turn into the odd girl, waving madly with headphones in, sitting in the corner of Starbucks, that everyone stares at for small periods of times. I get very into my writing.

If you could go and do anything for one day, where would you go, with whom, and why?

This may sound ridiculous, but I think you caught me at a time where I’m homesick for my family in Tennessee. I’d love to go down to Newport where my family is, laugh with my brother and sister, spend hours talking to my mom, and just relax in the mountains. It’d be nice to sit and watch the sunset on the porch swing with my baby sister and her dog, Holly. It’s been forever since I have been able to go home.

And last but not least, how did you hear about BOD, when did you join, and what do you think makes BOD so fabulous?

Oy vey… I know I was in the group earlier last year and I want to say someone added me, but I’ve spent so much time around that I honestly feel like it’s been years. It’s like meeting someone and you feel like you’ve known them for a lifetime. I love BOD for its quirky people. Everyone has something they love within the dystopian world and that brings everyone together to support each other. The posts always intrigue me and the communication between people is impressive. We’re a family and I’m honored to be a part of it.

Well, thank you. It’s been such a pleasure to get to know you. And thank you for sharing your talent with us.

ABOUT A.S. WINCHESTER

Hello! My name is A.S. Winchester, but you can call me Addison or Addie if you would like. Winchester works too–people seem to get a kick out of call me by my last name. I’m a self-published author with my first book, “Terra: Genesis”, having been released July 28, 2015. I love all things writing and reading related with a special love for dystopian worlds and the science fiction genre. I’m an artsy and creative ambivert with a love for helping people. I work full time as a nanny and freelance in the writing field as I continue to build on the world of Terra and dabble in a number of other works I intend to one day publish.

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Interview by Angie Taylor

I’m so happy and excited to feature you, ER Arroyo, on BOD’s author spotlight interview. Especially in light of your recent release of Sovereign as an audiobook. I listen to audiobooks all the time. They are one of my favorite ways to become immersed in a story, so I can’t wait to learn about the process from book to audiobook. And I’m also excited to introduce narrator, Corinne Bupp. Thank you both for joining us, and for sharing your talents with us.

ER: Thanks Angie! Great to be here again. 🙂

Corinne: Glad to be here!

First off, ER, can you tell us a little bit about Sovereign?

ER: Of course. Sovereign was my debut novel. It’s a young adult dystopian/post-apocalyptic book that features a teenage girl named Cori. She’s trapped in a rigidly controlled colony of survivors and wants out, but she isn’t sure what could be out there. She’s been taught that the world was obliterated by warfare and the only people on the outside are savages.

When did you decide that Sovereign should become an audio story? 

ER: Honestly, just from seeing some BOD authors discussing audiobooks. It piqued my interest so I did a little digging. I didn’t know it was as accessible as it turned out to be. I’m so glad I went for it!

What was the process of making this happen, and what were some of the challenges to accomplishing this goal?

ER: It started with creating an account and opening up the book for auditions. I received, I think, around 30 auditions and nothing was really working for me. Then I came across Corinne and asked her to audition. I loved her audition and something about her voice just felt right, so we signed contracts within a couple of days.

I would say the biggest challenge we faced was the timeline of completing the project. We had a 60-day deadline and got a little behind right at the start. There’s surprisingly a lot of back and forth between author and narrator before it is finished. In short, it’s a lot of work! Especially for Corinne.

How did you go about choosing a narrator?  What was the process for even deciding who to audition?

ER: Basically, I listed my project on a site called ACX and then opened up for auditions. My project page included a brief script and an explanation of what I was looking for from the character. Narrators came to me, for the most part. I did search the site myself as well and I wrote a few people asking them to audition based on samples they had up from other auditions.

Ultimately, what made you choose Corinne to represent the voice of Cori?

ER: Lots of things, but basically it came down to her tone. I could tell from her audition that she would be able to voice Cori just right—not high-pitched, not too feminine, not too proper.

Are there any plans for making The Offering into an audiobook? Can you tell us about any other writing projects you’re working on?

ER: Corinne and I will be discussing The Offering in more detail here really soon. 🙂

Yes! I will be in an anthology called The Doomsday Chronicles coming out on February 19th. Aside from that, finishing up a couple short stories that are prequels to Sovereign will be my priority. After that, I think it’s time for a new novel.

Thank you, ER.  I can’t wait to experience Sovereign again in audio.

Now, Corinne Bupp, how fun to be a narrator! I have always wanted to narrate books, but my voice is way too whiny when recorded. So, I’m going to live vicariously through you. Can you tell us about your background and how you got started in narrating?

Corinne: Yeah! My background and degree is in musical theatre but it has been a dream of mine to work on an audiobook since 2009. While I was in college, I started working privately with a voice and speech professor with the sole goal of doing an audiobook. Since then I have been primarily performing onstage and not actively pursuing voice over. It wasn’t until this year, when I auditioned for E.R., that I really started to make that dream a reality.

Is it hard getting into character? How do you do it?

Corinne:  I love it. Most of it is intuition, analysis of the story, and the author’s tone. E.R. and I actually worked together a lot on the characters. We met and talked about other characters and actors that the characters of Sovereign were similar to or even sounded like.

What was it like working with ER?

Corinne: Great! She is so thoughtful and brought such insight to each character. She provided specific ideas for their relationships, backstories, and even their voices. We worked very closely throughout the whole process. 🙂

How did you feel when you discovered that the main character of Sovereign shared your name?

Corinne: I may have freaked out a little bit. I already get really excited when I meet another Corinne – especially spelled the same! Honestly, it made me want to be a part of the project even more. It just felt meant to be!

What was it that made you connect most with Cori? 

Corinne: Most of the way she handles her relationships felt very familiar. I think we can all relate to protecting ourselves by putting up walls, just not with such severity. That being said, her closeness to her father was probably my strongest connection to Cori.

What was your favorite part of working on this project?

Corinne: My favorite part of this project was definitely the character study. I just thoroughly enjoyed “being” Cori.

Can you tell us about any other narrating plans you might be involved in?

Corinne: E.R. and I are in talks for The Offering in the coming year! I’m very excited!

Oh, that’s exciting.  Both of you will have to keep all of us at BOD updated.

Thanks again, ER and Corinne, for spending time with us. Congratulations to you both!

SOVEREIGN AUDIOBOOK TRAILER

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