It's day four of the Blogger Book Fair, and today I interview Juli Caldwell, author of
Psyched.
What inspired you to write this
book?
My
wandering mind. No, seriously! I graduated from college a little later in life
(*cough* collegedropout*cough*). I’ve always been a writer, so I decided to
finish what I started and get a degree in English. I can’t remember what class
I was in at the time (probably linguistics or something similarly boring) and
my main character arrived fully formed and all kinds of sassy in my head when I
should have been listening to the lecture. I may or may not have started
writing instead of taking notes!
Can you give us an interesting
fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?
I
pull from all kinds of mythology to find my supporting cast—from the Apocrypha
to African mythology. There’s not really much in Psyched that could be called traditional.
How did you choose your title?
I
struggled with the title until about 2 weeks before Psyched came out. I settled on The Watchers or Portal Keeper early
on, but as the story unfolded, it became clear that those names just didn’t fit
how the story evolved as I wrote. The title, Psyched, is a word play on my main character Aisi’s psychic
abilities.
Tell us about the cover and how
it came to be.
I
actually hired a cover artist and we were going back and forth but we hadn’t
come up with a concept I felt captured the story. I was browsing through images
on Deviant Art for some inspiration and found the image on my cover. I
instantly fell in love. I contacted the artist and just asked what she might
charge for use of her art, and I was surprised at how affordable she was. I
recommend Morteque to any writer needing design services.
Did you self publish or publish
traditionally and why?
I
published my first title Beyond
Perfection traditionally. Psyched
is my second novel and first indie book. I like the freedom of self-pubbing, of
developing the story based on where the characters want me to take them instead
of worrying about putting in what my publisher thinks will sell or adding
filler to get their desired word count. We give up a lot in terms of support
for marketing when we self-pub, but it’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make for a
little more say in my story’s development.
What do you consider the most
important part of a good story?
Strong
female characters and witty dialog! I’m from the Jane Austen school of thought,
where she doesn’t apologize for her intelligent and independent women. I look
at Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy in Pride
and Prejudice as a template of what a good story should have—wonderful,
beautiful, flawed people, but still strong with just enough room to grow.
What is your writing process?
I
wish I were organized enough to have a process! I keep notebooks, tucked in my
purse or around the house. I keep them handy for when conversations or plot
points pop into my head. Sometimes the ideas come when I sit down at the desk,
sometimes I need a little caffeinated inspiration.
How long have you been writing?
I
refuse to acknowledge my age in a public forum...but that long! Seems like
forever. It always came naturally to me.
How did you get started writing?
Writing
is how I process everything I see. I’ve just always done it, as long as I can
remember, as an escape from reality.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Oh,
I’m a total pantser! I respect the plotters but my brain won’t go there.
What part of the writing process
is the hardest for you?
Hard
to say. Writing is my escape. If I get frustrated with what I’m writing, I just
walk away until the ideas start bubbling again.
What tips can you give on how to
get through writers block?
Just
walk away. If I try to force something for the sake of writing something, it’s
never very good. Take a break, focus on something else, maybe free write
something entirely different to move around the block.
What kind of music do you like to
listen to while you write?
Will
it sound weird if I say it has to be quiet when I write? I work best late at
night or when the kids are at school.
Who is your favorite author?
Jane
Austen, JK Rowling, Lois Duncan, Mary Higgins Clark...too many to list! If I
read a book, I generally love it. I do have some notable exceptions, a couple
of books I actively hate, but I won’t drop names here because any author who
gets people to read is the bees knees to me!
Who is your favorite character
from a book?
Karen
from The Third Eye by Lois Duncan.
She’s the character most like the characters I try to write. I love how she’s
so normal and so NOT normal all at once. That kind of person and the conflicts
that come with this really speak to me. Elizabeth Bennett is up there, too, and
Junie B. Jones. I know she’s in early chapter books, but that kid is just plain
funny. Barbara Park did a great job writing that character!
What is your favorite book?
So
many books, so little time...
Read anything good lately?
My
own book? Haha...when you self-pub, you read it an awful lot, and that
unfortunately doesn’t leave much time for other reading. The last thing I read
for fun was The Poisonwood Bible, but
it’s post-modern and I always struggle to read that style of writing. Really
great premise, though, with strong characters and a unique storyline. I’ll
probably read some Jane Austen or Edgar Allen Poe next time I pick up a book.
What do you like to do when
you're not writing?
Chill
out with my family. My kids seriously rock, and we have a great time together.
They’re both readers and budding writers as well, so we talk books quite a bit.
We hike. We play Uno. We like to travel together, and hit up amusement parks or
take cruises.
What advice would you give an
author just starting out?
People
will tell you to write this or write that because it will sell. Decide where
you want your writing to go, and do it. Don’t pay attention to algorithms on
price points and ignore what everyone tells you about adverbs, and just write
what you want. If you’re writing to sell something, there’s probably a
home-based business that will make you more money. If you’re writing because
you really have a great story to tell, tell it!
Have you had anything else
published?
Beyond Perfection, my first novel, was released by
Covenant Communications in 2005.
What's your next project?
I’m
working on the sequel to Psyched I’m
about five chapters into Freaked and
having fun with old friends, introducing another major character from African
mythology, and tying up loose ends left over from Psyched. After that I have a couple of other ideas, so I think I
have enough going on in my head to keep me busy for a couple of years!
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Cover Art by Morteque
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So far, great reviews for
Psyched!
"This is one of those books you just can't put down. What I
love about Psyched in addition to a great, spooky story is strong characters
and narrative voice. Aisi is the most awesome chick, strong-willed, sassy, and
deals with some crazy stuff happening with a spunkiness that I loved... Psyched is well-written, riveting,
surprising and genre-busting. Teens will love this book, but it definitely has
a more wide-ranging appeal."
and...
"Aisi Turay is one awesome girl. She
has power to see the dead...as in their souls...This is a great read, filled
with suspense. I NEVER knew from one chapter to the next what was happening. It
is well written and a very enjoyable...and a bit scary!"
Psyched is part ghost story, part suspense, part demon-hunting thriller, part budding romance.It's the story of a girl named Aisi who's doing her best to keep it together for her wreck of a family. She is smart, sassy, and sarcastic enough to keep things interesting. When she meets Vance on the single worst day of her life, she finds a guy who just might be the first person ever to get her, to believe in her, and to out-random her with bizarre observations at the worst possible moment. There's just something about him that she knows she can trust.
Together, Aisi and Vance wander through the memories of others to unlock the secrets of her past while battling a demon who wants to ensure she never finds what she's looking for. Aisi vanquishes demons all the time, but Malus Indolus is too strong. And he has plans for her...and her family.
Psyched is Juli's second novel, the first as an indie writer,
and her first experiment with her true love as a reader: paranormal
fiction. Her debut novel
Beyond Perfection is also available.
You can find Juli on
Twitter,
Facebook, and her
blog.
