FAQ: THE SOUL SEEKERS Series
Tell us about "THE SOUL SEEKERS"—what inspired you to write it and what's it about?
I did a lot of research while writing both THE IMMORTALS and RILEY BLOOM series, and the inspiration for THE SOUL SEEKERS was born from there. During my reading, I kept coming across themes of Shamanism, and was so intrigued by the concepts, I knew I wanted to create a new series where I could continue to explore those ideas.
The first book, FATED, introduces Daire Santos, a sixteen year old girl who lives a fairly glamorous and global life with her Hollywood make-up artist mother. Surrounded by celebrities and raised on movie sets around the world, Daire has never lived in any one place long enough to make a real friend, or attend a real school—she's never experienced the sort of "normal" life that most teens are used to. But all of that changes when the visions that have haunted her for years intensify in a way that can no longer be denied, and she's sent to live with the grandmother she's never met, but who recognizes the hallucinations for what they really are—a calling to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and the dead.
There, on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire will make friends, fall madly in love, and confront an enemy so dark, she's not only forced to embrace her fate as a Seeker, along with the sacrifices that go with it, but also to discover if Dace, the boy from her dreams, is her one true love—her fated one—or if he is allied with the enemy she is destined to destroy.
What inspired you to write about shamanism?
I'm fascinated by all forms of myth and mysticism, and Shamanism, being one of the most ancient practices, seemed like an interesting world to explore. Though, to be clear, the mythology I've created for THE SOUL SEEKERS, does not prescribe to any one belief system. Rather I've cribbed together various concepts I came across during my research and tweaked them for my own storytelling purposes. So while, Daire Santos' lineage began as Shamans centuries ago, Daire is now known as a Soul Seeker—a new generation of Shaman.
Did you ever meet a shaman personally?
Yes, I took a 3-day "Introduction to Shamanism" course that was taught by a female shaman. The class was truly fascinating. I had some amazing experiences that definitely found their way into the books!
The interesting thing about Shamans is that the title is one that is given to them by the community. They can learn the trade by studying, but they will only be called Shaman by earning it with the quality of work they are able to provide.
What kind of research was involved in writing this series?
Research is one of my favorite parts of the process. Not only does it help to create a more authentic world for my books, but it also allows me to study the kind of subjects I've always been interested in. For THE SOUL SEEKERS series, the research is ongoing, but so far I've read a lot of books on Shamanism, mysticism, ancient spiritual practices, ancient myths and legends, etc. I also took a three-day "Introduction to Basic Shamanism" class, which was really fascinating. And I've made a few trips to the beautiful state of New Mexico where I interviewed local teens about what it's like to grow up there, as well as a Native American about life on the reservation where he lives.
THE SOUL SEEKERS takes place in the fictional town of Enchantment, New Mexico. Is there a reason why you chose this particular setting?
The first time I visited New Mexico—over a decade ago—I fell in love with the landscape and it's remained one of my favorite places to visit ever since. With its rugged setting, mystical legends, rich cultural mix, and Native American influence, it was a natural fit for the world of THE SOUL SEEKERS. So I created the fictional town of Enchantment and placed my story there.
How would you characterize the main character, Daire Santos?
Daire is a gutsy, independent, well-traveled, slightly world-weary, a little bit lonely, and terribly vulnerable sixteen-year old girl who finds herself cast in a life-altering role she's not at all prepared for, but is determined to learn all that she can in order to rise to the challenge.
She has a loyal, albeit sometimes challenging, relationship with her mother, Jennika—and bears a fierce loyalty to her very wise grandmother, Paloma. And, once she settles into her life in Enchantment, she makes lasting friendships in Xotichl Gorman—a beautiful blind girl with a great deal of insight; The pretty and popular Lita Winslow; and, of course, the dreamy Dace Whitefeather—the boy who's been haunting her dreams.
Daire's grandmother is an extraordinary character! Can you tell us more about Paloma Santos—was she inspired by anyone you know?
Paloma is one of my favorite characters in these books, and she's inspired by many of the strong, fascinating, wise, and brave woman I've been lucky enough to meet in my life. Her physical traits were modeled after my own Abuela (I'm one half Hispanic, and that's how we referred to my grandmother on my father's side) who I only met once but I remember as being petite and pretty with incredibly kind eyes. She was a warm and loving soul, completely devoted to her family. I dedicated the first book in the series, FATED, to her memory.
Animals play a central role in THE SOUL SEEKERS—can you tell us more about the crows and the ravens that appear during Daire's hallucinations?
In the world of THE SOUL SEEKERS, everyone is guided by an animal spirit guide, whether they know it or not. The type of animal that guides one, says a lot about a person's character, and the life journey they're embarked upon.
Crows and ravens are members of the same Corvidae family. But while crows herald Daire's arrival into the world, and play a large role in the disturbing hallucinations that mark the start of her journey as a Soul Seeker—the raven is her actual animal spirit guide.
Ravens are highly intelligent creatures with great survival instincts. They are also the subject of much magic and lore—possessing powers that are said to be both magickal and transformative. Daire's challenge lies in learning to trust her Raven, even when, on the surface, its guidance doesn't seem to make any sense.
How many books can we expect in the series?
Every six months brings a new SOUL SEEKERS novel: look for ECHO, MYSTIC, & HORIZON in 2012/13!
FAQ: advice on writing/publishing
I wrote a book—how do I go about getting it published?
First you'll want to get an agent since it's nearly impossible these days to sell a book without one. Most of the bigger New York publishers won't even look at unagented manuscripts. Also, those publishing contracts can get pretty complicated so it's good to have someone on your side who knows the ropes.
Okay, so how do I go about getting an agent, then?
I'm not gonna lie, getting an agent is tough, but then, publishing is a tough business, so if you really want it, you can't let that stop you.
A good place to start is by going to your library and/or bookstore and checking out the most current version of Writer's Market, which provides a comprehensive listing of all the major agents and publishers and tells you how to contact them, you can find Writer's Market on the web as well.
Once you've decided whom to target, you'll need to write a one-page query letter that briefly describes you, your book, and why a publisher would want to buy it. It's a lot tougher than it seems, so be sure to take your time to get it in the best shape possible as this alone will determine whether of not the agent will request to see your book. Though if they don't ask to see more, don't get discouraged. Rejection is the one thing you can count on in this business, which is why perseverance is key!
I can't seem to finish my book, what do I do?
Honestly, there's no silver bullet here—it all comes down to B.I.C. ("Butt in Chair") it's really the only way to get from the beginning to The End. Because the truth is, the story idea is always the most exciting part. Writing the beginning of the story is fun too, but then, somewhere around the middle, it becomes, well, not-so fun. And that's usually about the time when a shiny, newer idea starts to beckon. . .
But, if you want to be a writer, you have to learn to ignore that new idea in favor of the one you've already started—(though make sure to write it down in your Idea Folder—you have one of those, right?—so you can revisit it later). Finishing a novel is a huge accomplishment, one that many would be writers never get around to. I know, it took me 15 years to finish my first book!
Every time I start a new book I get a better idea for another one, and then all I want to do is write that book-how do I stay focused?
See above—it's all about BIC! BIC—one page at a time—it's the only way!
How do you come up with the names for your characters?
I love names, especially unusual ones, and I collect them in a little something I like to call "My Unusual Names File" (I'm big on keeping files!). So every time I hear a new one, I add it to the collection, then when I start a new book, I search through the list and pick and chose among them.
Should I outline my entire book before I write it?
If that works for you, then sure, why not? The important thing is to find what works for you, since there's no right or wrong way, just your way!
For me, I like to do a general outline, (I use the Beat Sheet from Blake Snyder's amazingly useful book: SAVE THE CAT) listing all the major turning points along the way, which is sort of like a roadmap that leads me to my final destination, aka—The End. Though I still allow plenty of open road so the journey can involve an alternate route if I chose. But that's just me, lots of other writers like to pre-plan each and every scene, it takes a while to find what works best for you. The key is to try varying techniques and see which fits best.
How do you get past writer's block?
By refusing to believe in it. Seriously. If I believe in it, then I might experience it, and I just don't have time for that. Though, when I do find myself "stuck" I usually go back and do more research into my world, my characters, their motivation, etc, and it always spawns the next sentence. Always. Never fails!
What is "I-suck-itis" and how do I make sure I don't get infected?
I-suck-itis is that feeling you get when you're happily engrossed in your writing, everything's going great, and then, smack out of nowhere, that horrible, annoying, little voice in your head pipes in with all sorts of judging, and snarking, and horrible little comments—determined to convince you that you'll never be as good as so and so.
When that happens, the only cure is to tell that little voice to mind it's own business, thankyouverymuch. That you are just trying to get the first draft written and have every intention to go back and revise later. Because the truth is, writing is all about re-writing, and to paraphrase Nora Roberts: You can't fix a blank page!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
The best advice I can give any writer is to READ—and read widely. The books you like, as well as the books you don't like—they all have something to teach you. Reading a lot of books, in a wide variety of genres, goes a long way toward teaching storytelling rhythm. It's the most valuable tool a reader has.
And then, of course, you have to WRITE. Get in the habit of writing when and where you can because the more you write the better you get. And again, allow yourself to write without judging, since you can (and should!) always go back and revise it later. I revise my books countless times before I hand them into my editor, and then, even after that, I usually revise them again before they hit the bookstore shelves. Then, once your work is finished, it's good to put it aside for a few weeks while you work on something else. It's amazing what you'll see when you revisit it with fresh eyes!
If you have writing classes available in school take them—if not, there are a lot of good writing books out there—two of my favorites are actually geared toward screenwriters, but whether it's a movie or a book, the story elements are basically the same. One is STORY by Robert McKee—and the other is SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder. ON WRITING by Stephen King is really helpful as well—the first part is mostly autobiography (which is really quite interesting), while the second half is some really solid writing advice.
Oh, and don't forget to LIVE! Don't spend so much time writing that you're not out there living! Your own experiences will make for much richer stories, so make sure to walk away from your computer now and then and go make some memories!
How long should my book be?
Publishers go by word count, not page count. The average adult novel is 90,000 words, while the average teen novel is 55,000 words. Though the key word here is "average" there are countless exceptions.
How should I format my book?
Double space, 12 point font, I use Times New Roman.
How long does it take to write a book?
It really depends. My first book took 15 years. These days I write them in a few months.
How old do you have to be to get a book published?
There is no age limit. Publishers are interested in great stories—not birthdates!
What's the best part about being an author?
Tie between wearing pajamas to work, the short commute from the kitchen to the office, and getting to converse with so many awesome readers!
Since starting your career as an author, what would you say are some of the most important lessons you've learned?
That I will always panic the week before a new book comes out, and that this is not likely to change.
That the brilliant ideas that stop by in the middle of the night always disappear by morning.
That it's never too late to follow your dream, though there's nothing wrong with getting a head start.
That there is no magic bullet. Writing is hard work, much harder than it seems, and perseverance and a willingness to revise will take you a very long way!
That publishing is a tough business, one that is always changing, and the road is often long, and bumpy, and riddled with rejection. But if you really want it, you just have to keep going, reminding yourself that it only takes one "Yes!" to get you where you want to be!
That inspiration is not very punctual, so it's best not to sit around and wait for it to show up. Just get started, and know that if you keep at it long enough, eventually, it'll show up!
