I was tagged by Amber Duell on Twitter. Amber is a darling friend of mine, and she even graced an episode of Young Adult Edition with me not too long ago.

Here’s the game: It’s an online tag designed by @CaitlinALambert of Quills and Coffee and a great way to get to know more writerly folk! So, here are the rules.

RULES:

1. Thank the person who tagged you
2. Link to the original creator
3. Answer the ten questions
4. Tag at LEAST two other YA writers/bloggers

So here I go… ?

ABOUT THE WRITERS:

What draws you to YA?

The storylines. It’s about so much more than focusing on what you get out of a relationship. It’s about life and community and the things we go through. It usually focuses on lessons we learn in life and gives encouragement for doing the right things, even when it’s hard. And YA is just so much more adventurous.

Describe your writing process. Do you like outlines and structure, or seeing where the story takes you?

I definitely have an idea of where I’m going, but I like to see what happens along the way. So when I start a book, I usually know “the big events” but then I go on the journey with my characters to see how we get there (and yes, occasionally the characters hijack the story and change it lol) As I’m writing, I’m very strategic about it-I take massive notes, keep logs of character details, and maintain a running list of events.

How long have you been writing? Where are you in your journey?

I started writing a few years ago and then did nothing with it. A friend finally coerced me into attempting to publish, so I started researching. I sent it out to a few publishers, most of which wanted it or almost wanted it (I think there were two not-so-nice people in the crowd) but I ultimately didn’t find a good contract for my books. I actually walked away entirely for a year, thinking I’d try again when I found a better fit (but was also content to just keep it for myself) and a year after my last contract that I turned down I found the right fit. My debut, Golden, came out not too long ago and my second series comes out June 27. I now have four books and a novella coming out in 2017.

What do you need to write? Coffee? Music?

I usually need quiet. Music is bad because I sing along and then I end up typing lyrics randomly into my manuscript.

If you could offer one piece of advice to another writer (OTHER THAN “don’t give up”), what would it be?

Don’t feel like you need to take the first (or fifth, or tenth) book deal that comes along…even if it does have a good advance. You need to find the right fit with people you can trust. Never never never sign ANYTHING until you have a publishing lawyer look it over. Always talk to other authors with the publisher.

There was one company I almost signed with…I got a bad feeling when I was on the phone with them and my lawyer confirmed it…and now that company is in huge trouble. A bunch of my friends had signed with them and are either in litigation now or are trapped. Yes, it postponed my debut into the author world…but was it worth it? Absolutely. 100%

Take care of you and your books. If that means waiting, please wait. You’ll be better off!

ABOUT THE BOOKS:

What book still has you reeling from its plot twist? (*no spoilers please*)

That’s a hard one! There was a book I read awhile back, Shattered Memories, by Susan Harris. She decided to put a twist at the end that just destroyed me. I’m still not over it and I read it ages ago.

What books are you most anticipating for this year?

Nope, not fair. I have too many author friends with books out this year. I can’t go there 😉

In your opinion, which YA book/series has the most unique premise?

Another really hard one. Ugh! Let’s go with The Lost Imperial series by Sherry D Ficklin and Tyler Jolley. It’s a steampunk time traveler book that focuses on the lost Romanov children. Ummm…heck to the yes.

What is your all-time favorite quote from YA lit (I know, I’m cruel)?

What? *shutters* I think you’ve broken me. I really have no idea.

What book do you most hope will have a movie adaption?

A Sinner’s Series by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki. We’re talking Hunger Games and Divergent level amazingness, people.

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So, now to all those I tagged… “You’re it!.”

If anyone else wants to play along, comment below with a link to your post!  I’d love to read it!