Series: A Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mystery
Publication Date: July 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Urban Fantasy
"For as psychic as she is, shit goes sideways far too often around Diana Hawthorne."
Diana now has everything she ever wanted–her memories, and the soul mate she didn’t realize she was missing. There’s just one problem… the old gods expect her to make amends for her absence. And her work starts now.
But time lost at the oracle isn’t the only thing she has to atone for. Her friend Demetri was stripped of his powers–and it was all her fault. If she could just set things right, she’d feel a whole lot better about moving forward. Unfortunately, Demetri wants nothing to do with her and knows exactly how to keep her out of his head.
To make matters worse, in the age of social media, Diana’s abilities have gone viral. People from all over the world are clambering to get on her books. One case, in particular, hits her radar and despite herself, she can’t shake it. A 14-year-old boy is wrapped up with a deadly governmental agency and he’s scared to death. And he should be–they want to weaponize his power.
Torn between what was and what is, Diana struggles to fully embrace who she’s becoming. Will she be able to help Demitri and make things right? Or will her new role mean leaving the past behind?
Calling fans of KF Breene, Shannon Mayer, and Shayne Silvers! If you like snarky-fun humor, gripping supernatural scenes, and twists that leave you spellbound — then you will LOVE Carissa Andrews’ world built especially for Diana Hawthorne.
Hello and happy summer. My name is Emily and thank you for giving me some of your time.
Was writing your first love?
No, if I had to pick a first love, I’d say it was art. My mother is an acrylic painter, so we were forever drawing, painting, and creating at my house as a kid. It’s part of the reason I went on to get a graphic design degree. But after trying to break into the graphic design world, I decided I didn’t like the corporate grind of it and instead, switched to incorporating it into my other love – writing.
Where do you like to write? I can write just about anywhere.
But if I had to pick a favorite place, I guess I would have to say in my gazebo outside. It’s breezy, quiet, and peaceful. I’m surrounded my nature and can focus on the world I’m building.
Is writing everything you thought it would be?
For sure! When I first started, I don’t even know if I had big expectations. So, in honesty, when writing cracked open my imagination and I was able to go… it was like a whole new world had opened up. I can’t imagine myself ever not writing. I’ll be doing this until the day I die.
Who is/was your favourite character to write about?
I love writing my secondary character Renaldo (from the Diana Hawthorne series). He’s flamboyant, boisterous, and hilarious. And I adore him to pieces. He’s the best friend I wish I had sometimes. HA!
How do you form your story ideas?
It all depends. Sometimes they come to me with a flash of insight. Other times they are hard fought and plotted. I pull a lot from mythology, though. So, often you’ll see a twist on an old story or elements that have been altered to fit what I want to write about. I do a lot of research to figure out what kinds of characters or tropes I want to dig into, so when I start, they definitely weren’t chosen lightly. There’s almost always a deeper meaning behind everything I write.
Do you keep notes during the day? (In case something inspires you or, if you had a lively conversation and thought, “Hey that would be great in a book.”)
Absolutely! I actually have a whole Evernote folder just for random story ideas. I’ll also do voice memos to myself if I’m driving or not able to type something up. I try to capture as much of that creativity when it flies!
Do you write in one sitting or in bursts?
I guess I’m kind of a hybrid. I write in bursts of 6-week writing sprints. I like to give my creativity time to unwind and fill back up. So, I tend to write every day (or near abouts) for those six weeks and during those days, I block out a 2-3 hour chunk of time to get my words in for that day. I don’t typically start and stop though. Once I’m in it, I keep going until I finish up the chapter or word goal.
What was the last book you read? Did it live up to your expectations?
The last book I read was KF Breene’s Sin & Chocolate. It’s the first book in her Demigods of San Francisco series. Ironically, it was a book/series I swore I’d never in a million years read (I have a thing about avoiding stories with a bare-chested dude on the cover). But I found out the main character is a necromancer, and having written a series about a necromancer, I was curious about it. So, I gave it a read. Of course, Breene sucked me right in with her wit and sarcasm and now I’m reading book 2! HA!
What are some of your most difficult parts to write?
Ugh, action scenes. I am usually a fast typist and fast scene builder, but fight scenes make me slow right down and then the scene drags out for me. They usually read just fine for the reader, but for me, it can take 2-3 days until I have it just right because of that.
Did this book follow your original plan?
Or did it turn into something completely different? This book definitely worked out the way I anticipated. I had three storylines all going on and each would have to cross paths with the other, so it took some upfront plotting. But once I started writing, I’d like to say it all came out the way I anticipated.
Did your characters ever stop talking to you at any point in your writing?
For sure. And then other times, they start talking when you’re not ready! Diana Hawthorne is definitely one of those. When I was in the middle of writing the Windhaven Witches series last year (2020), I was getting all sorts of ideas and insights into her new books, but I wasn’t ready. Instead, I started mapping them out and putting them in their own folder until I could get to them.
Was it hard to stay motivated during your writing process? What were some of your go-to strategies to stay on point?
I think every author has good days and bad days. The key is to keep pushing through it. You’re never going to ALWAYS want to write. That’s where the 6-week writing sprint comes into play. When I know it’s only 6 weeks, I can hammer out the story and then take a break to breathe a bit. That makes all the difference.
Do you have a playlist for this book? Or any song that helped you develop a particular scene?
I do! In fact, I have playlists for all of my books/series. I tend to find a vibe that I’m going for and fill it with songs that fit the bill. Diana’s series has a lot of P!nk and Avril Lavigne. HA! You can check the Amends playlist out here: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/96e0aafccbcb42cbb9600e1892b582e5sune?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US
Lastly, what is one key piece of advice you would give to anyone wishing to go down the writing path?
I’d have to say listen to my Author Revolution Podcast, so I can give more than one piece of advice! HA! With almost a hundred podcast episodes out there, there’s plenty to learn. You can learn more by going to authorrevolution.org
Thank you for your time today :)
Carissa’s internationally bestselling trilogy, The Pendomus Chronicles, is now in digital, print, and audiobook formats. She has hit the scene as an up and coming speculative fiction author who uses a mix of scifi and fantasy, twisted in modern mythology and alternative history. Check out The Final Five, Oracle, Awakening, and Love is a Merciless God!
Carissa has big plans for 2020. Check out her upcoming series, The Windhaven Witches.
For more information on their release, visit Carissa Andrews’ author website: www.carissaandrews.com and sign up for her newsletter notifications.
She lives in central Minnesota with her husband and brood of five kids. Not to mention, her insane husky puppies, Aztec and Pharaoh.
Carissa is also a freelance graphic designer, writer and content creator, social media manager, and marketing professional. She writes consistently on topics of science, technology, art, writing, photography, graphic design, health, self-improvement, and more. Her articles can be found published across the interwebs. Carissa is also a Top-Rated Freelancer on Upwork, and can be contacted for freelancing opportunities: http://bit.ly/UpworkCarissaAndrews
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Thanks so much for being a part of the tour! I appreciate it!
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