BookView with Erica Lucke Dean, author of Splintered Souls

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The doctor prescribed me some potent meds that made me seasick if I stood up, so I laid in my bed for 3 weeks and wrote a book. 

Erica Lucke Dean – 25 October 2015

The Back Flap

When Ava Flynn walks away from a scholarship to Georgetown and moves into her grandmother’s abandoned summer home in coastal Maine, she steps into the center of a centuries-old curse. On her first night, she notices a mysterious leather-clad stranger looking up at her third-story window. For weeks, everywhere she goes, Ava catches more glimpses of him, but she can never get close enough to find out who he is.

Over three hundred years ago, Lady Catherine Fairchild risked everything to protect her unborn child, sending a ripple through time that would change Ava’s future. As the mystery unravels, the horrifying consequences of Lady Catherine’s choices drag Ava deeper into a world she never knew existed, trapping her in a conflict that’s been raging since before she was born. A winner-take-all battle for her soul.

About the book

What is the book about?

Splintered Souls is about Ava Flynn, an eighteen-year-old college freshman who, after the death of her father, walks away from a scholarship to Georgetown University to move to coastal Maine with her mother and younger brother. As she’s settles into her new life in Maine, Ava begins to see a mysterious guy everywhere she goes. She’s attracted to him, but can’t decide if he’s real or something from her imagination. From there, things start to get fun.

When did you start writing the book?

I sat down to write this book last summer while recovering from an illness. The doctor prescribed me some potent meds that made me seasick if I stood up, so I laid in my bed for 3 weeks and wrote a book. I’m still trying to decide if I should lie and say I’m sick again so I can get another prescription for that stuff. LOL

How long did it take you to write it?

Believe it or not, I wrote the whole thing in 21 days. I even edited as I went. I can’t actually believe it myself. It was the most productive 3 weeks of my life.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’m not exactly sure where the idea came from. I wanted to write something different and tossed around different scenarios in my head until something stuck.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I always struggle in the first 25% of the book, trying to get all the plot issues settled in my head. Once I had those all sewed up, it was smooth sailing. I’m hard at work on the next book now, and I’m at that same spot where I keep second-guessing myself, but I’m just about over that hump. And I know exactly how it ends, so that helps.

What came easily?

The characters came easily to me. I always create the characters first. I think that if I can create believable characters I can put them into just about any situation and people will be interested. Create unbelievable characters and no matter how great the plot, it’ll fall flat.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

My characters are always created from real people, but not necessarily people I actually know. I do a fantasy casting before I write, picking either actors or real people to represent my characters in my head. That way, I never get lost while I’m working.

Do you have a target reader for this book?

I think the best books have a wide audience. My target audience for this book is anyone over the age of 13. It’s the sort of book I like to read, and my daughters like to read, and even a few of my son’s friends (20 something guys) picked up a copy as soon as it was out, so I’m hoping it works for any gender or age.

EricaLuckeDean

How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?

Aside from the speed and focus I’d never managed before, I think it was just that the story completely took over my life for those 3 weeks. I lived it. Dreamed it. It consumed me. Or maybe that was the wicked drugs I was on. LOL. (Side note: Don’t do drugs. They’re bad. Unless the doctor prescribes them and you have to. Which I did. Reluctantly.)

What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?

I’m not sure if I learned anything new this go round. Though every new book is like a new baby. I’ve had a few of those too, but each time was just a little different. As far as books, this is number 7, and after the first few, I stopped getting nervous about the process. But I never stop getting nervous and excited for the reactions of the readers. I want everyone to love Splintered Souls. It’s darker than what people expect from me, so I really hope they leave their expectations at the door and just enjoy the ride. And oh what a ride it is.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of Splintered Souls from Amazon US, Amazon UK, or Barnes & Noble.

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