Chat & Giveaway with Emma Michaels, Author of Owlet

1. Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.  

I am Emma Michaels, author of The Thirteenth Chime, Anasazi, Firstling and Owlet. I work as a cover artist and love YA books. I enjoy reading and am a total goof ball in person. I am a proud nerd and a fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars and all shows or movies based off of novels (and done well). 

2. When did you know that you wanted to write professionally and how did you take the leap to get into the business?  

I didn’t. It kind of just happened. My fiancé asked me what I wanted to be secretly because he knew I had never told anyone my deepest hopes. He had noticed that I owned more notebooks than some stores had in stock, most of which were written in and not blank. He encouraged me to follow my dreams and told me it wasn’t like I had to tell anyone I knew what I was doing or trying to do. I ended up going for it and becoming very invested in it. Somewhere along the way it became the one thing I want most. It was a strange process to describe. I guess it may have been what I had wanted all along and I just hadn’t realized it yet. 

3. Can you tell me a little bit about  your book and what inspired it? 

There was a book I read when I was a teen, maybe 11 or so, where the main character ran to get to the man she loved in time to save him. I was heartbroken when she was because I knew that if it was me and I were in her situation my asthma would have killed me before I could get to him. It crushed me. I felt so horrible, like someone I loved could be taken away from me because of how I was born and a part of who I am. After my original inspiration for Owlet the reason I started truly writing it was because I wanted to write a book that featured a main character who had limitations the same way I did but who was able to overcome them without it being unrealistic.

Releasing my other series gave me the guts to finally really put my heart into Owlet and pursue it. It is about an asthmatic main character that pursues the truth even at great risk to herself. 

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

4. What do you hope that readers take way with them after reading your book?  

There are so many things each individual reader can take away from a novel and each readers experience can be unique. I would say anything positive is fine by me. I want to provide an escape and a main character that is relatable to asthmatics and girls or women who love to read. I really just hope they can make that connection with Iris and if so, then I hope they can take away something positive from it. 

5. I find it interesting to know what environment authors find most productive… Do you use a pen and paper or laptop? Quiet room at home or bustling café? Basically, what gets your creative juices flowing? 

I tend to be able to write anywhere to be honest. I know most people have one environment that works for them but I write when I am at home at my table most often just because it is where I am most often. When I go out I end up writing in the car, at the beach , while eating, while in waiting rooms or at the library. Environments don’t really make much of a difference to me though I do find it exciting to be in a new one to write. I love going to new places and draw inspiration from them. 

6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I would say that I take criticism fairly well, the tough part is when you get someone who isn’t criticizing your work but you as a person and belligerently, I can’t stand that. I was told by someone that I should never have started writing and that some dreams are better left forgotten and then found out she had only read one paragraph. Later on I even found out that one paragraph… WASN’T from my book. *head desk* She apologized but I still spent a good few weeks before she did thinking that someone hated my work that much. The biggest compliment was a librarian who came to me and told me that reading one of my novels got one of her students back into reading for pleasure and escape. I loved knowing that I had been able to do that for someone. 

7. What book is currently on your nightstand? And who are some of your favorite authors? 

I currently haven’t had the heart to let my copy of The Fault in our Stars that my best friend gave me out of my sight. I read it and absolutely loved it. Some of my favorite authors include Tamora Pierce, Dia Reeves, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Kirsten White, Rachel Hawkins and now John Green.

8. What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

I work as a cover artist which I love. I also love to read and spend time studying or playing Dungeons and Dragons online – because I am proud to be a total nerd.

9. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Write the novel that only you can write, that come directly from your heart. So many people try their best to conform, don’t be afraid of stepping outside of the box and letting your imagination take you on a journey.

10. What can we expect from you next? 

Next July or so the final book in my ‘A Sense of Truth’ series will be coming out, next October book two in the ‘Society of Feathers’ will be coming out and I have a few stand alone novels in the works so one of those may be in there somewhere too. 

11.  Do any animals share your life? Please tell us about them.

Yes! My little Chihuahua named Hope. She is quite a character. She loves to sit on my lap and watch the screen when I type, when she wants attention she will stand up with her front paws on my shoulders and her face RIGHT in front of mine and butt the tip of her nose against mine. She also loves to rough house, so my fiancé and I learned quickly that getting toys for babies instead of dogs works WAY better because they are more durable. She is white and very fit because she loves being active. She has also recently learned how to say ‘no’… which is somewhat creepy but also very entertaining. 

And now for a little bit of fun:)  This or That?  

Coffee or Tea?   Tea

Sweet or Salty?   I love sweet things but things that are brined I like salty. 

Beach or Lake?   Lake

Winter or Summer?  Winter

Cats or Dogs?   Dogs

Zombies or Vampires? Vampires. Think about it, which sounds like a better way to die? :p  

Country or City?  City

Shower or Bath?   Shower

Morning or Evening?  Depends on my mood

M&Ms or Skittles?  BOTH! Yum. 

Trains or Planes?  Trains. 

Comedy or Drama?  Dark humor comedies. 

Title:  Owlet
Series:  Society of Feathers #1

Author:  Amma Michaels
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: October 13th 2012

Find the book: Goodreads   | Amazon    | Barnes & Noble  | Smashwords 

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

 

***

I can’t carry her on my own. Diana realized as she started to run down the dock. These are arctic waters. She will freeze but I can’t even swim. None of us can. How are we supposed to save her?

Stopping short, she felt the tears stinging her eyes as she realized there was nothing she could do. If she jumped into the water she would die too. Iris would not end up dying because of the Eyrie or other Stryx as she and Roger had always feared—she would die from something much more simplistic—a trip to an island.

Diana watched as Falcon had the opposite reaction. He didn’t stop halfway down the dock; he ran faster and arched in the air as he dove into the water. He is going to kill himself. She is dead, his job is completed. Why would he die to save her? He was able to dive. I don’t understand. He must...

If he does... 

    But his soul...

We will have to work together to save her. If he can get her out of the water I can try to get her breathing again, but I won’t be able to carry her back to the house. I need him to survive or she won’t. We are going to have to work together. Please, God, I beg you, be with them. Don’t let her leave me yet. Not like this. Not after Elena. Please.

***

Emma Michaels is the author of the ‘A Sense of Truth’ and ‘Society of Feathers’ series. Her goal with her latest YA novel 'Owlet' is to give others what she did not have growing up; a strong female protagonist with asthma.  While her previous aspiration was to be a lady knight she realized that not being able to run more than a few feet might become a hindrance so turned to writing instead. Her day jobs include being a cover artist, marketing consultant and silk screen designer. 

As the founder of The Writers Voice blog (http://OurBooksOurVoice.Blogspot.com) she loves to connect authors and readers. As a book blogger turned author, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, until she moved at eighteen to Washington State. Suddenly, the world was a new place filled with tall green trees that reached further for the sky with every moment, making her want to do the same. Ever since, she has tried to make her life something new and different from what it was before, pursuing her future career, setting high goals and reaching for them. With the support of her fiancé, Chihuahua, and her amazing blog followers and fellow bloggers, she wants to prove to the world that anything is possible and help inspire fellow literary lovers to reach for their dreams.

Connect with the Author:  Website    | Twitter   | Facebook  

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