Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Interview: Rose Channing

How did you get the inspiration for your book? 
When I first started, I wasn't trying to write a book. I wrote simply to play in my own world, explore it, and remember every detail. I was an imaginative child, but I always heard adults say that fades away as you get older. I was terrified of losing that magic, so I started to keep track of absolutely everything I did that helped me experience it: being outdoors, writing down my dreams every morning, drawing, daydreaming, etc. I wrote down storylines as I dreamed them up, as well as descriptions of my characters as I met them.
I think writing down my dreams gave me a lot of inspiration. I've formed loose storylines based on dreams, and many of my dreams were set in mansions. I always wanted a twin sister, so when I realized I could make a book out of this notebook-bound world, I knew my main characters would be twins.
I thought about what I wanted to see more of and less of in fantasy books, and tried to write mine accordingly. Writing a book with a multitude of female characters and an empowering message for girls was very important to me.

Could you talk a bit about your publication process/experience?
I always thought I'd go with a traditional publishing route. I had this dreamlike image of receiving the news from a publisher that they wanted my book. For a while, I actually looked down on self-publishing. But after talking with a co-worker, and doing some research, I realized self-publishing would be the best option for me. I like having control over my books. Doing everything myself can be a little scary sometimes, but I enjoy the challenges, and it's been a fun learning experience. Now I have a whole lot of respect for self-published authors. I found it very empowering to get the process going myself, and say, “Hey Rose, I want to publish your book!”


If you could jump into the world of your favorite book, who would you be and what would you do?
Oh, tough question. I just want to jump around through all possible book-worlds I can reach. So, I'd have to say I would go into the world of Inkheart. That way, I could be a Silvertongue, and read myself into anything!


Are you currently working on any projects?
Right now I'm trying to get the sequel to “The Mansion's Twins” together. I hope to release “The Mansion's Family” on June 21st. I'm also working on editing a prequel, “Acapella Angels,” which was my NaNoWriMo book last year. 


What is something that surprises people about you?
People are usually surprised when they find out I have a degree in psychology. They often ask why I didn't pick creative writing as a major. To be honest, I never did well in creative writing classes. I much prefer to write on my own terms, in my own world. Psychology has always fascinated me, and it helped me develop my characters. Plus, I knew that whatever major I chose, I would always keep writing.


What is the most important thing being a writer has taught you?
To support other indie authors. I used to be more competitive, and got jealous of other authors' success. That attitude got me nowhere. Supporting other authors doesn't mean people will read their books and not yours. It means we all lift each other up, and people read their books and yours. When everybody reads more books, everybody wins!


If your book were made into a movie, what would the tag line on the poster say?
Probably either “Welcome to the mansion” or “We'll hit your reset button.”


About Rose's Book:


Ellie and Savannah Senka, fourteen year old twins, ran away from their unhappy homes, thinking they'd return after a brief adventure. Together, they journey to another world. 

The new world is full of magic, but though it was once beautiful, it is damaged, unbalanced, and dangerous after a terrible storm. Ellie and Savannah may be the only ones with the power to restore the world to its original state, for the magic of twins is rare and powerful. 

The girls are welcomed into a grand mansion, the safest place in the aftermath of the storm. There, they learn who they are, and what they have to do. To restore the world, they must travel through the mansion to the center of magic and reset the balance. 

They discover their own magical abilities, find joy and friendship in the mansion's family, and face the dangers of the storm's left-behind magic. The journey to the center of magic is full of twists and turns, magic and excitement. Ellie and Savannah support each other to overcome obstacles along the way, knowing the whole world is depending on them.

Check out The Mansion's Twins on Amazon



Disclosure: this post contains links to an affiliate program (Amazon), for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases. 

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