Welcome to Shannon Delany's Start Your Day with Serial Tour!
Shannon's debut novel (and first in her YA paranormal series) 13 to Life started as a winning cell phone novel written in serial segments. During the tour you can read bits of the book in order. Miss a day? Hop to Shannon's blog http://13toLife.us/blog and check the link to the blog tour calendar in her sidebar.
There will also be a contest that will close at the end of the tour. Winners get a bunch of stuff.
When did you first decide on becoming an author?
I’ve always wanted to pursue writing (and art) but only recently began being somewhat serious by picking up freelancing jobs. As much as I wanted it, I didn’t decide on it at some specific point—I think it was a desire for self expression that just grew.
Was it hard choosing a genre when you first began your writing career?
The genre sort of chose me. I’m currently most comfortable writing with a YA voice and (as for the paranormal) weird stuff tends to happen around me.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Mercedes Lackey, Orson Scott Card, Neil Gaiman, Maria V. Snyder, Ann Aguirre, Jim Butcher, Anne McCaffrey and Jeri Smith-Ready.
Can you tell us a bit on how 13 to Life and how you came up with it? 13 to Life is a story of teenage love, loss and—oh, yeah—werewolves. It’s not meant to be this heavy paranormal story when our narrator, Jessie, first starts to realize what’s going on around her. It walks readers into the world Jessie’s seeing open up as she sees it open. It’s very much a story of teens, family and real world trouble that deepens into trouble of a paranormal sort as the story progresses. It all developed very organically (written “by the seat of my pants” as some authors say). Two thoughts simply bumped together in my head and I gave that seed room to germinate.
How did you find out that your book was going to get published?
My agent, Stan Soper, told me that one of the editors who was interested in the book wanted to talk to me on the phone. That was probably when it first hit me that the book was very close to getting contracted. I mean, we’d been talking to a few people, but that made it suddenly real.
Who was the first person you told that your book was going to be published?
Wow. I don’t remember. It was probably a girl who was my best friend at the time (because my husband would have been at work). But I might have called him to interrupt anyhow. Huh. I just don’t remember who got the call first.
Are you working on anything right now and if your are... Can you tell us a bit about?
I’m getting ready to finish the first real draft of book 3 in the 13 to Life series. I’ve had a rough draft sitting around for months now but needed time to get back to it. As soon as that’s done it’ll be time for something completely different.
Would you ever, if given the chance... would you ever work with and write a novel with one of your fellow authors?
Maybe, but it would have to be a very unique situation. I get a bit control freaky about things. ;-)
and if you would... who would you like to work with?
Ann Aguirre. I think we’d work well together. Ann and I both fast-drafted novels together (where you write a rough draft in 2 weeks) and when I’m really freaked about something in publishing she’s one of the first people I contact. She’s simply wonderful (and if I was being stupid, I think she’d tell me).
What do you consider some of the harder parts of being a published author?
Finding time to write while trying to promote a book’s release. It’s like there’s never enough time in the day!
What are some of great things about being a published author?
Almost everything’s great about getting published (but I’m repeatedly told I’m one of the lucky few—there are some horror stories out there)!
What do you do on your free time? Do you have any free time?
Ha! Barely! Free time is time I veg out and just let my mind wander and my eyes and ears observe. It’s time I spend refilling my creative well.
What is one thing that always manages to relax you?
Being alone in a quiet house with a few spare moments to let my mind wander to fantastic places I’m writing or will be writing soon.
13 to Life: Chapter 3, part C (used with the author’s permission)
He had dumped that prima donna Jenny… Everyone knew there was nothing to her but bleach, makeup and some well-structured bras. Maybe Derek realized he wanted a more complete package — someone with a brain. But in the back of my head a voice kept whispering, Does it matter why he’s interested? Be happy he's actually interested!
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Shannon's hosting several contests during the Start Your Day with Serial Tour. The big contest will award one lucky winner with a royal amber pendant, pietersite jeweled bookmark, stuffed wolf, 13 to Life mousepad, pen, tote, signed poster, personalized copy of 13 to Life and both of the 13 to Life pins. All you need to do is comment at 13 of the blogs hosting Shannon during her 30 day tour. Everyone who does so will be entered into a random drawing. Winner may be international.
Shannon Delany info and links:
My main site: http://shannondelany.com/
My main blog: http://13toLife.us/blog
The 13 to Life Series Website: http://13tolifeseries.com/
Link to massive list of where you can buy 13 to Life online: http://tinyurl.com/BuyLinks
Serial Tour participants, the first excerpt Shannon's sharing with everyone on this blog tour can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/13toLifePro12 (scroll down a smidge). Each day throughout the month of June Shannon is at another blog or site sharing another serial bit of her story. If you follow along and comment as you go, not only are you entered for great prizes, but also you'll get to read the:
Remember to follow the tour each day throughout June to read the next section of 13 to Life free and online!
