Today is my stop on the blog tour for For The Lost Time by Heather Blair!
I have an excerpt, and an exclusive interview for you! Make sure to check out Booktamins on Twitter for more bloggers' stops on the tour!
EXCERPT
There he was, standing by the darkened bay window, staring ominously into the night sky—the most handsome man Thomas Greely had ever laid eyes on.
He was very tall, over six feet to be sure. Perhaps six foot two? Three? And in all that long space between the top of his umber head and the soles of his umber oxfords, there stood an astonishing figure. He was broad-shouldered and slender-waisted, his posture delicately sloped at the shoulders as if he carried a lofty burden upon them.
From where he stood, paralyzed with curiosity, Thomas could make out only the man’s profile. A long neck dotted with oversized freckles, a square jaw, a subtly cleft chin. His single visible eye showed an iris so dark one could hardly distinguish where it ended and the pupil began. The look of it might have been sinister were it not so spellbinding.
Every muscle in Thomas’s body ached to reach out and touch him. To trace the line of that commanding jaw with the pad of his thumb and follow it to the tip of his sturdy chin. To connect the dots of those beauty marks and discover the shapes they made. To brush the back of his fingers against the grain of his sandpaper stubble.
Thomas then began to wonder why the stubble was there at all and why the hair atop the man’s head hung a bit loosely in one spot. Why such sorrowful crinkles marked the wide plane of his forehead, and most puzzling of all, why did he cast a million-mile stare out the window with such torrid focus?
Why, why, why?
Are there any books or authors that inspired you to write?
I've been writing since I was a little kid, so my inspiration came from authors like Jerry Spinelli, Louis Sachar, and especially Beverly Cleary. I read all of her books when I was little and I tried to write just like her. As an adult, I am more inspired by acting than books, but everything great that I read leaves a mark.
Do you have a favourite genre to read? Is it different to what you like to write?
I love classics, adult fantasy, and contemporary fiction, but the last few years of my life have been consumed by young adult fantasy. Oddly, what I write is generally more romantic than what I read! While I like my stories to have romance in them, I don't read much in that category.
What was the best part about writing For The Lost Time?
The best part (and the worst part) was writing in a different time period. I've never done that before! Learning the lingo and history was really cool, but it was also very hindering to the creative process (which is why I say best and worst). Tied for best is always developing characters. It's my favorite thing to do.
Do you have a favourite place to write?
I always write from my living room couch because I don't have an office. I wouldn't say it's my favorite place though. My goal is to create an awesome writing space for myself someday, surrounded by books.
What is one thing you wished your readers knew about you?
Plot is not that important to me so don't hate on me, haha. I always anticipate some readers may be disappointed by this when reading my work, but limited plots or "slice-of-life" stories are typically a conscious choice on my part. Character relationships, growth and psychology are what I love to write (and read) so plot always takes a backseat with me. I've made my peace with that and I hope my readers will too.
Do you have any tips for your readers who may want to write their own stories?
Don't try to write something you don't care about. It will make something you love into something you hate. As I mentioned before, if you're not a plot person, don't force yourself to write a complicated plot. If you're not a dialogue person, keep the talking to a minimum. Writing is art and there are thousands of styles and flavors. You don't need to adhere to any strict mold when creating your work. Just do what feels right for you! There's always going to be someone who loves it and someone who hates it so why not just have fun?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post! Make sure to check out For The Lost Time, and the other stops on the blog tour!
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