BooksChatter: ℚ♫ The Fading Dusk : Smoke and Mirrors [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Melissa Giorgio to talk about The Fading Dusk (19 July 2015, Melissa Giorgio, 408pages) a Young Adult Fantasy book one of Smoke and Mirrors.

Synopsis | Teaser | Author Q&A | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Hello Melissa, welcome and thank you for joining us today.

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in The Fading Dusk, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"I’m not one for playlists, but for The Fading Dusk I basically listened to the first Sherlock Holmes movie soundtrack by Hans Zimmer on repeat as I wrote the first draft."

What was the inspiration for The Fading Dusk?

"Sometimes my ideas start with a single spark. One image, one phrase, and suddenly I’m itching to write a brand new story. This is what happened with The Fading Dusk. I was having a conversation with my dad (about what, I sadly can’t remember) when the phrase “smoke and mirrors” came up. That single phrase invoked such strong images of a girl wandering the gritty streets of a dark and gloomy city that I almost opened up my computer and started writing the story right away. I didn’t, though. I knew there was more to the story than just a girl walking around a city, so I spent months outlining before I started writing the first draft!"

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"A little bit of me is always in my main protagonists, but they’re all braver than I am. I’d be the one giving up at the first sign of trouble, but my protagonists keep going, no matter what."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Fading Dusk - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"My cover was designed by the amazing Regina Wamba of Mae I Designs!

I knew I wanted a cover with Irina, the protagonist, on it, but I also wanted the city of Dusk on it as well. Dusk is just as much of a character as Irina, and its presence is very important to the story. Regina was able to capture the gloomy atmosphere of the city perfectly, and she also added a nod to the street magic that exists in the book. Basically, she created a cover that captures my idea of The Fading Dusk perfectly, and I couldn’t be happier with how it came out."

Why should we read The Fading Dusk and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"It’s so hard to discuss The Fading Dusk without giving away spoilers, but I can say that after you read the blurb, you may think you know which direction the story is going to go, but it doesn’t, not by a longshot. So if you enjoy reading a book that keeps you guessing, then you should check this one out!"

Can you tell us something quirky about The Fading Dusk , its story and characters?

"Captain Leonid was inspired by the Darkling from Shadow and Bone, although they are nothing alike, I promise you."

Who would you recommend The Fading Dusk to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I write for teens, but adults can read this too! Basically, anyone twelve and up. There’s a little bit of violence, but nothing too horrible."

If you could / wished to turn The Fading Dusk and the Smoke and Mirrors series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"You’re going to hate this answer, but I never think, “Oh, this actor would be a good match for this character! In fact, finding images of characters for my Pinterest page is hard! (That said, I did pick Boo Boo Stewart for Vernen, which is about the only time I’ve ever picked an actor before!) I’d rather my readers do it for me. I love hearing their choices!"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I generally write fantasy stories, and all of my finished novels have some sort of magical elements to them. I like the idea of people being able to wave their hands and do all sorts of unbelievable things. Even in my Silver Moon Saga, which is set in modern New York, magic exists. Someday I’d like to write a non-magical contemporary YA romance, just to see if I can do it.

As for reading, I read it all! Fantasy, historical fiction, contemporary, dystopian… If it’s good, I will read it."

What is your writing process?

"I’m Team Write Every Day. I don’t focus on word counts (although I try to aim for one thousand words a day) and instead try to get something written. There will be days where I’m completely distracted and can only write a few hundred words. And then there are days where I can’t stop writing and I’ll write two or even three thousand words. Either is fine with me, as long as I accomplish something that day.

People always ask me how I write and finish books, and I tell them I can’t give up. I can’t let days or weeks pass between writing sessions because the more time I’m away from the story, the less I’m inclined to finish it. Even when I’m struggling with a part, I keep writing it, knowing I can go back and fix it later.

That’s another thing. I have to write linearly. Some of my friends write scenes out of order. They write the good stuff first and then fill in the other parts later. I could never do that. Those other parts? The scenes that might not be that interesting to write? They’re still necessary. And rather than pushing them aside and going back to them later, I write them in order. Then, eventually, I get to the scene I want to write, and writing it is my reward for getting through the less interesting scenes.

Writing is tough, but with enough discipline, you can reach that magic “The End.”"

What is in store next?

"Book two in the Smoke and Mirrors series will be out in 2016. I wrote it earlier this year and I’m almost completely done with edits. I don’t like writing around the holidays since it’s such a crazy, busy time for me, but I might start the first draft of book three in late October or November."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I have a ten-year-old parakeet named Finny who is absolutely not interested in my writing. In fact, if you showed him a copy of my book, he’d either fly away or try to chew it. And if I’m sitting with my laptop writing, he’ll fly over and perch on my fingers until I stop what I’m doing and pay attention to him. He’s a nut, but I love him!"