BooksChatter: ℚ♫ All The Feels

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Danika Stone to talk about All The Feels (7 June 2016, Swoon Reads, 337 pages), a Young Adult Contemporary Romance novel.

“An amazingly heartfelt fangirl novel.” I Write, You Read Reviews

“From the chapter headers to every mention of nerd culture, All the Feels is a blast for anyone who's ever been completely consumed by a fandom.” Kelly Spear, Goodreads Reviewer

“Whether you are a fangirl/fanboy or simply know someone else who is, this geeky romance is sure to give you #AllTheFeels.” Chrissie Morrison, Librarina Reviews
“All the Feels is young adult fiction done right, with all the jagged emotions of love and rebellion, the thrills of obsession and furious fandom, the skills of a girl who really can make it and just needs the world to see who she really is, and the kindness of genuine people, friends and family, helping each other.” Sheila Deeth, author

“EVERY fangirl needs to read this when it comes out. I spent all 300 pages swooning and laughing. It's a must!” Amanda Lovelace, author, LadyBookMad Reviews

“Highly recommended to all you fangirls (and fanboys) out there!” Milka, Goodreads Reviewer

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

A very warm welcome to Danika Stone; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

To start Danika has shared with us her music playlist for All The Feels - enjoy!

What was the inspiration for All The Feels?

"I’ve always LOVED fandom. I wanted to write a book that celebrated that love, without the need for a character to “grow up” and leave their beloved fandom behind. (I’m pretty sure I’m an adult, and I’m still involved!)

This interest coincided with an online friend of mine –whose twitter handle is @CoulsonLives— starting up the #CoulsonLives campaign after Agent Coulson died at the end of The Avengers. This phenomenon took off, eventually resulting in the creation of Agents of Shield.

Seeing that process in action got me thinking about the power of the online public. Why COULDN’T fans change the fate of their OTC [One True Character]?

The rest is history!"

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

"I’m a huge fangirl and I got involved in my first all-consuming fandom, Battlestar Galactica, because of the death of a major character: *SPOILER WARNING* Kara Thrace. I wanted so desperately for her not to be dead that I read literally thousands of fix-it fics. Liv’s experiences with Captain Spartan’s death are based pretty clearly on those emotions!"

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

"I wish I could take credit for the design, but I can’t! The Swoon Reads cover designers are absolutely amazing. They created several options and fans made the final choice.

As to the artist, the small illustrations are Cirrus Stone, who also did some fabulous cosplay coloring cutouts for Liv and Xander."

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

"If you’re a fan of anything and you’ve ever felt like people didn’t understand that love, then All the Feels will speak to you. It’s fun, it’s touching, and it’ll give you a fan’s perspective on the convention experience!"

Can you tell us something quirky about All The Feels, its story and characters?

"Something a lot of readers have commented on is the fact that Xander lives in cosplay when he’s not working.

This isn’t just a cute thing I added. It’s actually based –quite literally— on my brother-in-law who lives his non-working life cosplaying Indiana Jones. I love that notion!"

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

"This book is for teens and young adults who want a cute romance with a fun fandom twist. You don’t have to be a fangirl (or boy) to enjoy it!"

If you could / wished to turn All The Feels into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I. Love. This. Question. (and I’ve spent far more time thinking about it than I probably should have.) *ahem* Here’s my fancast:

Liv Walden: Alycia Debnam-Carey
Xander Hall: Ezra Miller
Captain Matt Spartan / Tom Grander: Chris Hemsworth
“Granola” Hank: Ansel Elgort
Arden: Sasha Pieterse"

Captain Matt Spartan / Tom Grander: Chris Hemsworth

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 write in a variety of genres. My earlier books tended toward NA (Intaglio series), but I’ve written everything from YA (All the Feels, Macmillan 2016) to thrillers (Edge of Wild, Stonehouse 2016) and everything in between.

I read EVERYTHING. Fiction and Non-fiction, YA to cozy mysteries, serious science fiction to romance. I feel like as long as you are enjoying a book, you’re learning something about the process of writing. I love experiencing new authors!"

What is your writing process?

"Think about the story I’d like to tell.

Consider what characters would tell that story.

Do a bit of pre-writing (getting the voices down).

Make a point-form list of plot points using a 3 act structure.

Write like hell for two months. Lose all my friends. Never do laundry.

Put it away and forget about it for another month.

Reread and tear it to shreds. Rewrite it. Hate everything about it.

Send the revised copy to beta-readers.

Rewrite anything that more than two readers have mentioned.

Send the first draft off to my editor. Tada!"

What is in store next?

"I can’t give away any details yet, but there’s definitely another YA romance in the works!"

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 love collecting paintings and photographs, and my house is full of original artwork. Here’s a picture of me and my friend, Barry Lorne, a famous contemporary artist from Canada. Incidentally, my friend Barry was the inspiration for “Chim”, one of the characters in my very first novel: The Snake and the Coins."