#BlogTour: WE AWAKEN by Calista Lynne

Hello folks! I have a special post for you today about

WE AWAKEN by Calista Lynne!

I sit down with the author to discuss her thoughts on being an author and give you guys some insight on her novel WE AWAKEN, which releases today! So let's learn more about the book...

WE AWAKEN

Author: Calista Lynne
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Publication Date: July 14, 2016

Summary:
Victoria Dinham doesn’t have much left to look forward to. Since her father died in a car accident, she lives only to fulfill her dream of being accepted into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. But soon she finds another reason to look forward to dreams when she encounters an otherworldly girl named Ashlinn, who bears a message from Victoria’s comatose brother. Ashlinn is tasked with conjuring pleasant dreams for humans, and through the course of their nightly meetings in Victoria’s mind, the two become close. Ashlinn also helps Victoria understand asexuality and realize that she, too, is asexual.

But then Victoria needs Ashlinn’s aid outside the realm of dreams, and Ashlinn assumes human form to help Victoria make it to her dance audition. They take the opportunity to explore New York City, their feelings for each other, and the nature of their shared asexuality. But like any dream, it’s too good to last. Ashlinn must shrug off her human guise and resume her duties creating pleasant nighttime visions—or all of humanity will pay the price. 

Purchase:

Amazon

What is the best part about being an author?

Calista Lynne: The adulation. Actually that’s a lie considering I write under a pseudonym. The best part is coming up with a plot line and finding where all the pieces fit together. It sounds a bit cliche, but writing a story is a lot like building a rather irritating puzzle, and when something clicks just right and it all makes sense, that’s magic.

What were the hardest scenes for you to write in WE AWAKEN?

Calista Lynne: The opening. It is difficult to think of something interesting that won’t confuse readers and will pull them into the plot. Originally, I had a three or four page long opening scene that just wasn’t working, and one day I woke up, realized what was wrong, and hand wrote the entire scene. Those three pages turned into one and it is much more succinct.

Do you find it difficult to balance being an author with the other aspects in your life?

Calista Lynne: Definitely because I try not to tell many people about being published so there’s frequent confusion about what I’m doing all the time. Not to mention a lot of questions when the beans are inevitably spilled. 

What do you think is most important about on page representation?

Calista Lynne: For my novel in particular, representation is important because I want young asexuals to understand that they are not broken. I’m hoping that readers will be able to relate to the characters and know that there are other people who don’t feel sexual attraction out there. Many asexuals feel like there’s something wrong with them just because of the amount of oversexualized media available nowadays. I am also hoping to explain the sexuality to people who aren’t ace and show that there is a wide range in asexuality itself and very few people experience it the same way. In general, people do not want to be what they can not see, and I am showing that asexuals can strive for happiness and relationships if that’s what they want.

What do you hope readers take from WE AWAKEN?

Calista Lynne: Besides a better understanding of asexuality, I honestly just hope they enjoy themselves. There’s nothing wrong with reading a book just for fun and I want readers to revel in the happy ending and know that literature isn’t lesser for being cheery. It’s okay to look for joy between the pages of a book.

What are you currently working on?

Calista Lynne: Well I just finished typing up the second draft of a romance novel but I think I may abandon that one in favor of a new idea. On an airplane the other day I was struck with a brilliant idea for a middle grade novel involving fairies and time distortion, so I’ll work on that one for a bit seeing as it has more promise in my eyes.

Any tips on avoiding writer's block?

Calista Lynne: Although it comes for me as well, I try to avoid it by making lists. My novel outlines are written up as numbered lists, so if I get stuck on one scene I can just move on to the next number and work on what was troubling me later. It doesn’t matter what you write or even if it’s in the correct order during the first draft just so long as you write.

Are there any famous people you would like to meet?

Calista Lynne: Studying for my degree has given me a strong desire to time travel and drop kick both Freud and Aristotle. 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Calista Lynne: Because the biggest word I knew in elementary school was “volcanologist” and I was a kiss up, that’s what it says I want to be when I grow up under my picture in the fifth grade yearbook. I also went through a baking phase. What I learned is that I can neither bake or do science so those dreams died on the vine, which everyone else is better off for.

What is something you have learned through the publishing process?

Calista Lynne: Comma splices are everywhere. Watch out for them. And don’t accidentally quote George R. R. Martin in any drafts, regardless of whether or not you even watch Game of Thrones.

Calista Lynne grew up on the American East Coast and is currently studying in London. She is having difficulty adjusting to the lack of Oxford commas across the pond and writes because it always seemed to make more sense than mathematics. Look for her near the caffeinated beverages.

Connect with the Author:

Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Want to win a copy of WE AWAKENS + a $10 Gift Card to B&N? Enter over on Calista's blog!