Sunday 4 January 2015

Interview + Giveaway - Uncross the Stars by Janell Rhiannon



Uncross the Stars by Janell Rhiannon
Publication date: December 15th, 2014
Genres: Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:


Fiona Lavender is the new girl at school. She has a chip on her shoulder and a penchant for poetry. Dario Martinez is the star quarterback, and the most unattainable guy on campus. Their stars cross when they are paired to study Romeo and Juliet for a senior English project. Their attraction is fragile and undeniable. But, Dario is afraid of what love will do; and Fiona is waiting for love to claim her.

Will they uncross the stars and find the love they both need to heal their pasts?













When did you start writing? 

I remember my first real writing was a play about Betsy Ross that I wrote in the 4th grade. I’ve been writing stories and poems since then. In high school I began to think more seriously about writing. I really liked writing short stories. 


What makes you want to write? 

Everything makes me want to write. I hear a song or a piece of music or an amazing soundtrack and a character pops into my mind. For example, a friend recently pointed out the song by Hozier “Take Me to Church” that I’d never heard before. Instantly a series of images streamed into my mind and I started writing what I saw...well, let’s just say it’s not YA. I spend a lot of time in reality thinking about “what if...” and stories come out of that. 


Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it? 

I’ve never really had writer’s block. Hope I’m not jinxing myself. But sometimes I get overwhelmed by various aspects of my writing that for whatever reason aren’t coming together, so I text my sister or my man-friend. They usually know what to say and snap me back into focus. Or I decorate something or run. 


Do you have a special way of going about writing? 

I keep journals and write all over them. Names, ideas, bits of conversation, images...I also tap into the feeling of the story and chose music that enhances that feeling...I don’t know if I’ve ever written without music. 


Do you have any works in progress? 

Yes, several projects. The immediate WIP is the second book in the Livingstone Saga about the Gargoyle of Compostela. After that there’s another YA romance that takes place at Sierra Crest High where Uncross the Stars is set, but focused on a different set of characters. 


What are your hobbies? 

Writing, reading, running, cooking... 


How did you choose the character names for Uncross the Stars?

There’s a funny story here. I was looking for unusual names and came up with Dario which is Spanish meaning “rich, or wealthy” and Fiona which is Gaelic and means “fair.” The antagonist originally had a different name. I was into the first round of edits and I went on a date with someone who had the same name as the bad guy. I felt weird calling my man-friend by his name because I kept thinking about my antagonist. My fantasy world had officially collided with my real world. After a couple months, I finally asked my friends to give me new “bad guy” names so I could pick one. I settled on “Ryan” and I’m okay with that. 


Who is your favourite character in Uncross the Stars? 

That’s a hard one. I love Dario and Fiona, of course. However, I found that I really liked writing Meagan’s character. She’s so flawed and desperate for love that it was great getting into her mind. 


How did you get the idea for Uncross the Stars? 

The “what if” that came to me first was...what if a popular football player fell for a girl challenging his vow to stay away from love because of a past trauma. Then I thought what if they met during English class. Then I thought what if he worried Fate had it in for him? And there you go... 


What was your favourite part of writing Uncross the Stars? 

I guess it was the initial draft after the outline. I really liked the pond scene, the Renaissance Fair, and Dario’s recollection of what happened to his mom. All the edits after that made me want to pull my hair out and text my support people sad faces. Writing really is a lonely thing sometimes! 


What are you currently reading? 

Saving Tatum by Micalea Smeltzer and Haunted Haven by Anna Snow. I’m also reading a non-fiction book called The Afterlife Unveiled by Stafford Betty. It’s kind of blowing my mind actually. 


What is your favourite book? 

It will always be The Odyssey. 


Who is your favourite author? 

That’s hard! Shakespeare. He’s a master story teller. 


What is your favourite film? 

Right now my favorite film is A Winter’s Tale. 


What is your favourite TV show? 

Sons of Anarchy and Game of Thrones. The series finale of Sons of Anarchy threw me off an emotional cliff. I’m still recuperating from the fall. 


Quick-fire questions: 

Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate.
Paperback or ebook? Paperback.
Dogs or cats? Dogs.
Go out or stay in? Stay in.
Summer or winter? Summer. 






About the Author


Janell has been writing since she was in grade school. In high school, her 9th grade English teacher suggested she consider a career in writing. After a decade in college and a Master's degree in history, she settled into teaching.

Writing never stopped. Stories never stopped. READING fiction never stopped. Now, she writes and publishes on-line. Invisible Wings is her first YA novel, a compilation of short stories centered on teenage life triumphs and tragedies. She believes being a teenager is difficult and wrote Invisible Wings to let teens know they aren't alone. That they matter. That even though life is rough, they can still find beauty and love.

Beside the YA stories close to her heart, she adores Mythology and Fairy tales. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles.

She currently lives in CA.

Visit her at Facebook @Janell Rhiannon Author. If you want to see what projects are in the works or find out more about the her, visit




Author links:
 







  
Two winners - One will receive a $10 Amazon card and another will receive an Uncross the Stars paperback.

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