Thanks so much for agreeing to be with us today, A.L.! What 5 things should readers know about you?
Geez, this is a hard question…Um…
- I can pick my nose with my tongue. That’s always fun at parties…
- I have anxiety and I’m not afraid to talk about it.
- I make cheese, write novels, and pet sit for a living.
- I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up and that’s ok.
- I drink nothing but tea and seltzer.
Okay, now I really want to go to a party you’re at! And kinda don’t, both at the same time… 😉
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
The first inspiration came from two of the women from my previous agency talking about wanting a Steampunk Cinderella concept. I got this idea for a Cinderella that loses her leg instead of her shoe. Of course, I was sick of writing Steampunk at the time and I was curious about writing futuristic pieces, so I chose to go with that instead. NEXIS, the resulting novel, went a completely different direction than the actual Cinderella story, but you can see some of the threads there. The follow up novel, REDUX, had a number of versions, but the current one came about through a sort of learning experience that the main character, Ella, and I had together as creator and project. I talk about that journey in the acknowledgements.
Cool! I’ll have to check that out.
How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?
I started writing for fun my freshman year of high school. My mother had always said to me that I was a good writer, but I never really listened to her. Parents are supposed to tell you stuff like that, right? It took a friend asking me to write a fan fiction with her that really got me into writing for enjoyment. She’d always enjoy the sections I wrote and I enjoyed writing them. I started to miss working on the fan fiction when it was in her possession. One day, I was waiting after school for my mother to pick me up after drama club. I finished reading this one novel that I had been really into and I was so bored. I wanted the book to continue. I wanted to be writing. Mostly, I just wanted something to pass the time. I thought to myself, “Why don’t I just write my own story? Something like this, but different.” That was my first novel. I went on to continue writing just for fun throughout high school and college. I finished this one novel about a year out of college and thought to myself, “This story needs to be shared with the world.” And that started my path to publication.
That’s awesome! I love that you started with fan fiction…
What are you working on right now? What can readers look for from you in the next year?
I always have a bunch of projects that I’m working on. I can’t really say which one will be finished first or what’s next. Rest assured that I have more YA novels coming – both Sci-Fi and fantasy. I also have some adult pieces that I’m excited to bring you in the future. However, I plan to take a nice long vacation after REDUX comes out. 😀
LOL—sounds like a plan!
What are you currently reading, and what are your thoughts about it so far?
Would you believe that I’ve been on a non-fiction stint? I started taking classes, so I’ve been reading lots of books for my classes. The current book I’m reading is on graphoanalysis. It’s pretty interesting and I find it hard not to start analyzing everyone’s handwriting, LOL!
That does sound interesting—and I can see how that would be very tempting… 🙂
If you had to “sell” your book in a single Tweet, what would you say?
I’m a firm believer that readers should read NEXIS before REDUX, so the pitch for NEXIS would be: A female version of Matrix meets Tron and Ender’s Game.
Excellent point—works for me! Thanks, A.L.!
About the author:
I write both YA and adult speculative fiction. I’m represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency. I’ve written FOR YOUR HEART; CITY STEAM; NEXIS; and M.I.A.. My latest novel, REDUX (YA science-fiction) is coming out with Entangled Teen in March 2017.
By day, I live in Connecticut with my feline hench-creatures and I make cheese. I’m a terrible blusher, have a weak spot for cuddly animals, love Laffy Taffy and Cadbury MiniEggs, and I’m a huge advocate of alternative healing methods. I wear purple shoes and corsets…Though not always in the same ensemble. I’m a Capricorn, a Hufflepuff, and a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal. I also suffer from Resting Bitchface Syndrome (RBS), so even though I might look like I’ll tie you in a knot if you come near me, I’m more afraid of you than you are of me (see blushing problem above).
About the book:
The domed city of Evanescence is in ruins. With nowhere to go, prodigy hacker Ellani “Ella” Drexel and a small band of survivors flee to the Undertunnel below their city.
To escape the wasteland she unknowingly created.
But sanctuary is hard to find. With malfunctioning androids and angry rebels at their backs, the group hopes to press on for the neighboring city of Cadence. But Ella’s chosen path is challenging…life-threatening, even. Worse, the boy she loves is acting distant, and not at all like the person she first met in Nexis.
But then Ella learns a secret…and it changes everything.
Ella knows she needs to turn back and make a stand to reclaim her home. She’s determined to bring a new—and better—life to all who’ve suffered.
Or die trying.
