Hi, Brandi! Thanks so much for letting me visit Nocturne
Reads.
With my debut YA novel, The Dark Light, releasing on August
28th, this has definitely been one of the busiest summers of my
life, and one I had no idea was going to be so crazy. As a debut author it’s a
brand new--and exciting--experience, so I thought it would be fun to share a
little of what goes on in the weeks and months before a novel releases from the
perspective of the writer.
The cover reveal
We all say, “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover”, yet
covers remain a major reason why a reader will be attracted to a book. They are
so important. As a writer, you never know what cover you’re going to get until
your publisher sends it along, so you can imagine my surprise--and
delight--when I first saw the cover to The Dark Light. The day the cover went
live was one of the wildest days of my life. My inbox has never recovered!
Interviews, Guest
Posts, and Giveaways
Following the release of The Dark Light’s cover, I started
to get invited onto lots of different blogs, and this is really where the bulk
of my events this summer have taken place. I have to admit that interviews and
guest posts are incredibly fun to do. I’ve had events every week since the beginning
of June--sometimes two or three different visits a week, including stops on the
50 Shades of YA Boys feature at Dark Faerie Tales. The Dark Light will also soon
to be featured on Deadly Destinations over at All Things Urban Fantasy. This
has by far been one of my favorite parts of the summer. Bloggers ask such
amazing questions. You really have to be
ready for anything!
Vlogs
I was invited to vlog for the Friday the Thirteeners, a
group of authors who debut next year. This was an absolute blast, and is
definitely something I’d like to do more of if I can find the time. As an
author I’m writing so often that it’s sometimes nice to just sit and chat about
things away from the computer. I was also incredibly fortunate to visit my
publisher, Simon & Schuster, and shoot an author video in their studio at
the Rockefeller Center in New York. Very nerve wracking! The video should
hopefully be going live around the time of The Dark Light’s release.
Blog Tour
I’m going to be visiting twelve amazing blogs beginning
August 20th through September 5th for The Dark Light’s
official blog tour. We’re going to be talking about everything to do with The
Dark Light: How I got the idea for the story, character interviews, reviews,
giveaways, and yes, all about that cover! Blog tours have become such an
important part of promoting a new release, because you can reach such a wide
range of readers at every stop. Can’t wait until it starts.
Signings
The bulk of my events have taken place online, but we will
be taking The Dark Light to bookstores once it releases on August 28th,
starting in September with a signing at Barnes and Noble at Oak Park Mall in
Overland Park, Kansas. I’m really looking forward to this as Kansas is where I
lived when I first got the idea for The Dark Light. It’s definitely going to
feel as if I’ve come full circle.
So that’s how my summer has rushed by! It doesn’t seem so
long ago that I was working through edits and the dream of the book being
published seemed a long way away. And things won’t end once The Dark Light hits
the shelves. I’ll be working closely with my publisher and will be one of their
featured authors all through September on Pulse It! Simon & Schuster’s site
for teen readers.
I have to say that it’s all been a huge adventure, and one that
sometimes feels rather strange. In many ways, I still consider myself a reader
rather than a writer, so it’s taken a while for it to sink in that a book
people are talking about is one that I wrote. As a writer, I can only express
my sincere gratitude and thanks to all the readers and bloggers who give up
their time to help authors spread the word about their stories.
The Dark Light
Jacket Copy
Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as
long as Mia can remember. And as far as she's concerned, that's about the only
interesting thing to happen in her small town.
That is, until Sol arrives. Mia's not one to fall for just any guy, but she can't get Sol--or the brilliant tattoo on his back--out of her mind.
Then Mia's brother goes missing, and Mia's convinced that Sol knows more than he's sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol's not who Mia thought he was--and neither is she.
That is, until Sol arrives. Mia's not one to fall for just any guy, but she can't get Sol--or the brilliant tattoo on his back--out of her mind.
Then Mia's brother goes missing, and Mia's convinced that Sol knows more than he's sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol's not who Mia thought he was--and neither is she.
Bio
Sara Walsh is British, but happily lives in Annapolis,
Maryland. She graduated college with a degree in psychology, but soon decided
that telling stories was much more fun. When not writing, Sara is usually
reading, drowning in tea, or frolicking around town with the world's cutest St.
Bernard. The Dark Light is her first novel.
Win a pre-order of a hardcopy or ebook of The Dark Light
(Ebook will have to be North America only).
Leave a comment below and one lucky person will be the winner!
Ends 8/16
Sounds really good! And all things tattoo at that age are awesome...Cheers,
ReplyDeleteOMG IT'S SARAH!!!! So happy to read more about you and your books!!!! I hate to say it, but I will always judge a book by its cover first, then synopsis, then recommendations. I'm happy to say that your book has passed my test, and I will DEFININTELY be reading it! And I can't wait to see the vlog with the Thirteeners! I love them, and follow them every Tuesday and Friday :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and giveaway!!!
Alyssa Susanna
lilleetleet(at)verizon(dot)net
That tattoo is definitely hot! Wouldn't mind seeing that guy in his undies (just sayin). Oh yeah, and the book sounds good too!
ReplyDeletedesiree1612@hotmail.com
Oh, my god. I've been waiting for this for the longest time! EEEK!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeletenatasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
I have been drooling for this book for awhile, love this cover too.
ReplyDeleteWould love to be entered.
Michelle L Lynn (Concise Book Reviews by Michelle)
concisereviews AT gmail DOT com
This info is priceless. Where can I find out more?
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Is there a sequel to dark light? Or is it going to be a trilogy.
ReplyDelete