Thursday 31 May 2012

Author Update: Pamela DuMond


I love it when writers I've interviewed have new developments to share. Today we welcome back the fabulous Pamela DuMond who has a new release.

Welcome back, Pamela! 

Hey thanks for having me here, Dorothy. I love your blog!

Thank you! Tell us all about your new book. What’s it called and what's the story about?

The Messenger's Handbook is a Young Adult romantic thriller, first novel in a series.  The story is about Madeline, a 16 year old girl, who discovers her soul mate lives three centuries before she was even born.

When Madeline's pushed off the train tracks, she wakes in 1675, the sole survivor of a Native massacre on a colonial settlement in a brutal war. Rescued and taken back to a garrison, she discovers she is a Messenger, a traveler who can slip through time's fabric at will, bringing messages that could change one life or many. Rumors of witchcraft and spying arise. But falling into a forbidden love with her soul mate Samuel, a mixed blood boy, could get them both killed.

The only way Madeline can save both their lives is to train with Samuel and the Medicine Woman, confront her deepest fears and fulfill her destiny as a Messenger. But jealous Hunters, dark-souled predators as well as skilled time travelers crave her powers and try to seduce her to join them. Can Madeline find the way back to her future? And will that future include her one true love, Samuel.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I've been in love with Last of the Mohicans - the movie - ever since a buffed out hot Daniel Day Lewis told Madeline Stowe's character that he would 'find her.' (Sigh.) I thought it  would be fun to do a twist on this story for the Young Adult genre. An epic romance mashed with a thriller.

There are a lot of YA heroines now but two seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. Bella from Twilight and Katniss in The Hunger Games. 

I knew my heroine could not be as passive as Bella or as skilled as KatnissIt was incredibly important to me that Madeline arc over the course of this story. She could be scared and incredibly flawed but she would still have to build her courage and confront her fears in order to fall in love, let alone survive.

 Are you a planner or a pantser?

Definitely a pantser. I read a post the other day by an agent who insisted the story had to be thoroughly outlined, because otherwise how could a writer know where the story was going? I disagree, and paraphrase author Ian Rankin, 'If I knew what was going to happen, why would I write the book.'

If you could give aspiring writers one tip, what would it be?

Let me throw in two tips: 1. Perseverance. 2. "No" is not an answer. Turn all those "Nos" into your own personal "Yes." 

Great advice! What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Besides the obligatory cyber-stalking a few ex-boyfriends? Hmm. Fake facelifts involving paperclips and rubber bands. Research for my first novel. I swear!

Time for the writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: rave, misfortune, and report card.

When Stella suffered the misfortune of spotting her history teacher making out with a woman who wasn't his wife at the rave, she realized she wouldn't be scoring an easy A on her next report card.

And finally, where can people find your new book online?

The Messenger's Handbook is currently available as an e-book on sale on Kindle and available in their KDP Lending Library. The paperback version will be released late June 2012.  It will be available on Nook later this summer.

Awesome! Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Pamela. And best of luck with your new book!

Thank you, Dorothy!

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