The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less: A teen time traveler accidentally takes her secret crush back in time. Awkward.
What else are you working on? Secrets? Inside scoops? Give us the juicy stuff!
My next book is going to be completely opposite in feel, a darker drama about a boy who grows up in Hitler Youth, tentatively called PLAYING WITH MATCHES. After that, look for another light and fun romance set in the Merfolk world called SEAWEED.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No, I’m probably among the few who discovered my passion later in life. But it’s never too late, is it!
What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?
Well, this is an interesting story, since, though I have an agent, I’m not publishing CLOCKWISE traditionally. It is the manuscript that got me my agent, but it turns out editors were either not interested in time travel or they wanted edgier time travel. My agent encouraged me to indie-publish because she believed it should get out there and read!
Tell us something about yourself we don’t know.
I was born in Chicago to Canadian parents, so I actually have dual citizenship. I have two passports, though I’ve lived most of my life in Canada and so culturally I’m more Canadian, eh?
About WRITING:
Best writing advice?
Don’t write what you know (necessarily), write what you’d like to know. Also, the first draft will be crap— don’t fight it, just finish it.
What’s your schedule like? How do you manage the insanity of writing among your real life?
My schedule has changed dramatically this year since my youngest child now drives (!). It’s pretty fluid from day to day, what needs to be done. The “what” has changed a lot, too, since putting on a publisher’s hat.
RANDOM:
Would you kiss a frog to get a prince?
Absolutely.
Favorite board game:
Scrabble (Oooh, yes. Word games. Nice.)
Bacon or chocolate?
Chocolate (Foiled again!)
Quick! You’ve been chosen as a contestant on Survivor! What luxury item do you take?
Soap, but a toothbrush would be a close second. (Soap? Okay, I guess that's a luxury item.)
Also, CLOCKWISE is launching electronically this week and it’s only 2.99 on Amazon, £2.17 on Amazon.co.uk! To celebrate, Elle is giving away five debut books by authors that you can meet on her blog tour which is happening now.
LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden
THE CLEARING by Anne Riley
THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL by Heather McCorkle
PERILOUS by Tamara Hart Heiner
THE HATING GAME by Talli Roland
How to win? Sign up for Elle’s newsletter (left side on her blog) to enter. For extra entries just comment on any blog in the tour. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more chances you have to win.
Five books, five days, five winners!
So go check that out, okay?
What's a debut you've read that you really enjoyed?
Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week at the Reading Room.
Or on their blogs:
- Christine Fonseca is wowed by The White Assassin - with giveaway
- Shannon Whitney Messenger loves Lola & the Boy Next Door – with giveaway
- Corrine Jackson is crazy about Cracked
- Shelli Johannes-Wells falls for Fracture
- Stasia Ward Kehoe swoons for Swan and To Dance
- Shana Silver steps up to Audition
- Beth Revis delights in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer – with giveaway
- Carolina Valdez Miller adores Ashfall – with giveaway
- Jessi Kirby marvels at The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Great interview! I'm about 1/3 of the way through Clockwise and loving it! Casey is a terrific character! :)
ReplyDeletegreat interview! Elle you don't look nearly old enough to have a child that drives! Congrats again and I'm looking forward to reading Clockwise!
ReplyDeleteAh, but how many frogs would you kiss if that first one didn't morph into a prince? ;)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this interview very much. I've got this book on my to-read list, and I wish you great success with the indie publishing.
Congrats to Elle!
ReplyDeleteI love how she said about the first draft: don't fight it, just finish it!
I'll use that advice!
Elana, thanks for hosting Elle.
ReplyDeleteI'm noticing more and more agents are encouraging their writers to indie published then the books don't get picked up. Good luck, Elle!
Loved the fun and interesting interview with Elle.
ReplyDeleteI just finished ENTWINED by Heather Dixon and really liked it. I believe it is her debut novel.
ReplyDeleteYeah Bookanistas, and congratulations Elle!
ReplyDeleteI love that quote, Elle! "Don't fight it, just finish it."
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I'm tweeting it now....
this sounds right up my alley -- congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteRock on! Thanks, Elana! Love me some CLOCKWISE--review's up on my blog today, and MATCHES is also fantastic. Elle's got talent~ :o) <3
ReplyDeleteInteresting interview Elana and Elle.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking the bacon or chocolate question responses would fall clearly by gender though.
I love Elle's advice about not fighting the first draft. It so easy to let our fears bog us down.
ReplyDeleteLove the book's premise and LOVE the price. Think I'll pick it up . . .err . . download it. Great advice about writing what you want to know.
ReplyDeleteHee hee. I love the questions you asked. And yay for chocolate (although chocolate covered bacon would be lovely).
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book Elle! =)
Great interview. The book sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteYay for Elle! Best of luck to her with Clockwise!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many great debuts that I've read recently that I really enjoyed (Possession among them of course!). I make it a point to try and read as many debut authors in a year as I can. Recently, I just finished Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes and LOVED it. It was the kind of book that made me laugh until I cried, rare and wonderful.
Elle's dual citizen, eh? Friends of mine just found out that it currently takes 18 months for a US-born baby to have their Canadian citizenship processed. Wow.
ReplyDeleteClockwise sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds great. Just need to get an E-reader. ;0(.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite a twist! It sounds like a great story.
ReplyDelete"the first draft will be crap— don’t fight it, just finish it."
ReplyDeleteLOVE, LOVE, LOVE that!! :-)
Great interview! Nice to meet you.
ReplyDeleteAwesome price. I'm SO getting that on my kindle. Thanks for the heads up Elana!
ReplyDeleteAlso like what she says about the first draft. So true!
Great interview. And I love that the agent believed strongly in the story and encouaged indie publishing. Cool beans!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Elle! If only I had an e-reader. But I'll have to wait for the hardcopy. Seriously sounds like a fun book!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, Elana and Elle! I'll definitely check out Clockwise on Kindle! And Elana, have you considered chocolate-covered bacon? My husband tried some in Ocean City, NJ.
ReplyDeleteHe said, "Eh."
Elana, thanks so much for hosting me! *tosses gift wrapped bacon* And thanks to everyone who stopped by!!
ReplyDeleteCool to get to know what's inside Elle's head. I love hearing about the diverse paths that different writer's lives take. Reinforces that there isn't one right way.
ReplyDelete