Interview with Author Angela Townsend and a Giveaway!

I would like to welcome author Angela Townsend to the blog today. She's the author of the new young adult novel AMAROK. I really love the book and you can read my thoughts about it here. Angela is not only kind enough to stop by to answer a few questions, she's also giving you guys a chance to win a Kindle eBook copy of AMAROK! So keep reading to find out how you can enter!

First off, here's more about AMAROK which is published by Spencer Hill Press...

Emma's life has been hell since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Abandoned by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her planned escape leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.

Dragged across the tundra by an evil mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she learns that love can be found in the most unexpected places. Amarok, as she's nicknamed the wolf, is a young man from the gold-rush era enslaved by an ancient shaman. Emma's gentle touch and kind heart win his love and devotion.

When a vicious madman--trapped in bear form by the same Shaman--attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to face her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But that means she must face down the evil shaman, a Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

Cool premise isn't it? Let's hear more from Angela Townsend.

Angela, in AMAROK, the lead character Emma has this great inner strength that pushes her through everything that happens. You never portray her as a victim that should be pitied, quite the opposite in fact. How did you develop Emma as a character? Did she change much after the first draft?

I had a solid idea of who all my characters were before I started. I knew from the moment I wrote Emma's name on the page-- who she was, what her strengths and weaknesses were. 

I like how you created this micro-world deep inside the Alaskan wilderness, a world with its own mysticism and ancient lore that I thought played well into the story. How do you approach creating this small world? Did you research local folk-lore and expand on it? Or did you build everything from the ground up?

I created all my own mythology, blending bits of Celtic lore with my own  Ice Age myth. 

Why did you pick the setting of Alaska? Why not Montana, where you're from?

When I was young I lived in Alaska--in a small fishing village and I will always remember how much I loved it. Alaska stays with you.  The raw wild beauty, the utter isolation--all of it is incredibly haunting to me.   

AMAROK has this great pace to it. Even when you switch to the point of view of a different character, the book never loses its momentum. As a writer, how do you approach plotting your books?

I swear by Martha Alderson--The Plot Whisperer--She is a plotting genius.  Even though I fought plotting for so long I realized I need to plot in order to write quality work. 

What is your writing process like?

I write in utter distraction, at home with mood music or crowded cafes. I also watch movies and write at the same time. I hate the sound of a ticking clock. I don't like rules-I like to live as free as possible --so I rebel when it comes to sitting at a desk to write.

Who is your favorite fictional heroine and why?

Harry Potter--I love anything written by JK Rowling.

What projects are you working on now?

I am working on an exciting YA Russian paranormal mystery. 

To wrap things up, I would like to borrow five quick questions from the great James Lipton, host of Inside The Actor’s Studio. Here we go.

Now, Angela…

What is your favorite word?

LOVE!

What is your least favorite word?

HATE

What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

MUSIC

What sound or noise do you love?

My children's laughter

What sound or noise do you hate?

The sound of an ambulance siren

Thanks again for stopping by Angela!

AMAROK is a great book and a fast read so I encourage all of you to check it out using these links:

Amazon

Indiebound

Barnes & Noble

Powell's

And don't forget to visit Angela Townsend's Blog! 

Now who wants to win a Kindle eBook of Amarok? To enter the giveaway, leave a comment by answering this question, "What would you do if you were trapped inside a wolf's body?"

The deadline to enter the giveaway is Sunday, February 10th at Midnight CST. Only one entry per person is allowed. Winner will be announced on Monday, February 11th. Good luck!