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Series: Starbright #1
Release date: January 15th 2014
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The people need Justice, but she's not listening. One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to return and save them from their Fates.
Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior - too bad for them she isn't a believer. Trea fights against her false destiny: she rebels against her family and friends, then refuses her arranged marriage to the charming but deceitful Lexan. Learning her life is in danger, Trea is forced to trust Lexan - until she discovers a power she never knew she had, and one he already knew he did.
As betrayal closes every door, Trea decides she must submit to her stars and accept her fate. Then a handsome stranger offers her an unexpected escape and the chance to create her own destiny.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hilary Thompson is an independently-published author who released her debut Young Adult novel, Justice Buried, in January, 2014.
Justice Buried is the first in a dystopian fantasy series incorporating mythology and astrology, with the second full-length title due later in 2014.
She also teaches high school English, which gives her some insight into her target audience, and helps her maintain a thick skin.
When did you start writing?
I have always written, whether it was children's books, novels, poetry, or school papers. I have stashes of notebooks everywhere. In middle school, I was even invited onto the math team because they needed a writer to do the logic problem explanations!
What makes you want to write?
There's a Toni Morrison quote, "If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." I love to read, and I have many favorite authors and books, but there are so many stories in my own head that I pretty much have to write them down, or I feel a bit disordered. Another very recent reason to write is that, as a teacher, I think it's so important to be an example for my students of what you can accomplish if you set goals and just go. Every day, I break down that silly old saying about "those who can't do, teach."
Do you ever get writer's block and what do
you do to get over it?
Read! I love to read all genres, and especially
poetry for traces of ideas. Or look at Pinterest. Seriously, Pinterest is so
full of inspiration it should carry a warning. Warning: your brain will explode
with ideas and you will want to write all the stories.
Do you have a special way of going about writing?
No time for routines or special set-up. The kids
are asleep and I'm not? I get writing time.
What are your hobbies?
Amateur orchardist and gardener here. We try to
grow more fruits and vegetables each year. There is something undeniably human
about sweating in the dirt and eating sun-warmed food. Plus, the kids love it!
How did you choose the character names for Justice
Buried?
Most of the names have a specific meaning that
matches a character trait. I used a few different websites for baby names to
search the meanings, then picked the name that sounded right. (Technical, I
know.) Astrea means "star," Brenn means "teardrop," and
Stian means "wanderer." Lexan is the only name I actually made up,
and it's my favorite!
Do you have any works in progress?
I published a novella in the Starbright series this
March, called Lexan's Pledge, which tells some of the story from Lexan's point
of view. I'm currently writing the full-length sequel, Balance Broken. And I
have a few other projects waiting impatiently for their turns.
Who is your favorite character in Justice Buried?
Lexan is the character I identify with most on a
personal level: we're both Libras. You might have to read his novella to see
why else he's my favorite!
Where did you get the idea for Justice Buried?
The conversation went something like this:
Friend: Horoscopes are so weird - they always get
me! Wouldn't it be cool if there was a society where they always went by their
horoscopes?
Me: Yeah. You mean like they were forced to believe
in all of it? Like a religion thing?
Friend: No, I meant...[blah, blah, blah]...are you
listening?
Me: What? Sorry, I gotta go.
I know, not a technical explanation, but my ideas
typically come to me in full images, like a dreamscape. Then I have to figure
out why the people are there, what they're doing, and what they want to be
doing instead. It's very much a visualization process.
What was
your favourite part of writing Justice Buried?
This is a hard one! Part of me wants to say:
finishing it. But honestly, I enjoy the writing part so much. Watching my word
counts grow every day is so empowering. Justice Buried is not the first book
I've started, but it's the first one I've finished. Accomplishing that goal was
huge: I'd dreamed about it for so long that it was beginning to seem
unattainable.
What are you currently reading?
Right this minute, it's Origin, by Jessica Khoury.
But I read pretty fast, at least one book per week. I keep my Goodreads page
updated. In the last month or so, I've finished Wintergirls (Laurie Halse
Anderson), Beautiful Disaster (Jamie McGuire), Cress (Marissa Meyer), and
Ignite Me (Taherah Mafi).
What is your favorite book?
Agh, I can never do favorites...how can I pick from
so many? So I'll tell you the two books that had the most hand in inspiring
Justice Buried: Divergent (Veronica Roth) and Candide (Voltaire). Big
difference, I know. You'll have to wait for the complete series to see the
second influence, perhaps.
Who is your favorite author?
The books which influenced my early reading
more than any were the Anne of Green Gables series, by L. M. Montgomery. Anne
raised me up to prefer feisty heroines with red hair and a romantic yet
independent nature. So, although I have too many favorite authors, Montgomery
has top billing for the moment.
What is your favourite film?
Other than children's movies (because kids), I
don't watch many other than the superhero movies. The Avengers and related
films are my go-to, watch-again movies.
What is your favourite TV show?
Again, I mostly read whilst the babes watch
cartoons. I have had a recent soft spot for The Vampire Diaries and The
Originals, however.
Quick-fire questions:
Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate, always and forever.
Paperback or ebook? For my lifestyle, ebooks are
necessity. But I could live in a used bookstore.
Dogs or cats? Miniature dachshunds, to be exact.
Go out or stay in? Stay in. With coffee. And books.
Summer or winter? Spring and fall? I'm a 70 degrees
kinda gal. Which is approximately 7 days of the year here.
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