Blog Tour: Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer
Today I am part of the blog tour for Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer by Lily Mae Walters. I interviewed her today. There is also a giveaway going on if you live in the UK!
Book Description:
Josie James is an ordinary 13 year old until something extraordinary happens during her summer holidays. Whist staying at her Great Grandmother’s cottage in the country she finds herself swept into the cursed world of Suncroft where it is perpetual winter.
Her new friends believe she could be the Chosen One who it is foretold will lift the curse, but there are more pressing matters.
The Teardrops of Summer – magical crystals that render the owner immortal – have been stolen. Along with her telepathic husky-dog Protector Asher and her new friends, Josie must race to find the Teardrops and prevent catastrophe for their world.
Buy Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer here!
JRR (Jessica’s Reading Room): Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m married with 2 teenage children. I was born in Coventry on April Fools Day. I have an older brother and trained as an accountant.
JRR: An April Fools Day baby! What inspires you to write?
Everything inspires me, from a song, something I see or overhear and even once an advert I saw on the TV.
JRR: You never know what may cause that inspiration! What does your writing process consist of? Do you research or ‘go with the flow’, do you handwriting or type, do you listen to music or have silence?
Most of my writing is go with the flow. I usually think about my next chapter whilst walking my dogs or as I’m drifting off to sleep. I always use my laptop now and tend to have silence or sometimes a movie I have seen over and over again that I don’t need to concentrate on.
JRR: I always think of things (not writing, but things I need to do) while in the shower. It just hits me! What kind of advice can you give to aspiring authors? I know the journey to become published and can be long and hard.
The best advice is to keep going. Keep writing, keep editing and keep querying.
JRR: Don’t ever give up! Who is your favorite author as an adult?
My favourite author is Philippa Gregory.
JRR: Who was the most influential author you read when you were growing up? Did his/her writings influence you to want to become an author?
The Worst Witch book by Jill Murphy has always stuck in my head and I dreamed of going to Cackles. I suppose in a way it was wanting to go to this imaginary place that made me want to make up my own imaginary worlds.
JRR: If you could have dinner with three people (living or dead) who would they be and why?
I would love to have dinner with the Queen, not a state formal occasion but something small where you could see what she was really like. My late grandparents, I always spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day with them and would love to have just one more meal with them. But most of all I would like to have dinner with my dad before his dementia set in so I could tell him I loved him just one more time and he would know I was his daughter again.
JRR: Which book have you always meant to get around to reading, but still not read?
Too many to list.
JRR: Too many books and never enough time! What’s the best advice you have ever received?
You can’t change the past. Why waste time worrying about something you can do nothing about? Instead focus on the future and what you can do to make it better for you and others.
JRR: For someone who has not read anything written by you, what do you recommend for a start?
As I only have one book out in each genre I can only recommend Josie James for children or people who enjoy a fantasy series. As an adult my time slip romance, Reflected Destinies is a must.
JRR: Where did you get the idea for the Josie James series? Is Josie based off anyone you know?
Josie came to me a few years ago. She just started to develop in my mind over a few weeks and months. She is very loosely based on myself and my friends as teenagers.
JRR: Josie James will be a series of five novels, do you already know how it will ultimately end? And what can you tell us about the husky Asher? How quickly do you think the complete series will be released?
I know how each book will vaguely pan out and how ultimately it will end. Asher is based on my own husky Aisha. She is absolutely loopy and many of the things that Murphy and Asher do in the books are things that Aisha and her brother Max have done. We are hoping to release a book every 9 months.
JRR: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for taking the time to interview me and share on your blog.
JRR: Thank you for your time with this interview!
About the Author:
Lily Mae Walters chose her pen name in honour of her beloved grandparents who also star in the Josie James series. She is married with two teenage children, and two huskies that are the inspiration behind Murphy and Asher in the books.
Lily Mae lives in Nuneaton, England and finds herself using local places and even her old school in her stories. Family and friends mean the world to Lily Mae and many will find themselves popping up throughout the series.
Lily Mae also writes for adults under the name of Florence Keeling.
Contact Lily Mae:
Twitter @LilyMaeWalters1
Instagram
**UK Giveaway**
Win a signed copy of Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.