First off I want to wish the wonderful author of POWERED a Happy Birthday!!
Here is a virtual birthday cupcake for you :)
Title: Powered
Author: Cheyanne Young
Release date: November 28th 2013
Published: 336Love
Maci Might's sixteenth birthday is supposed to be the day she's awarded Hero status. But thanks to a tiny anger problem and a questionable family tree, King City's elders think it's best if she doesn't join the Hero ranks. Determined to change their minds, Maci will break whatever rule it takes to prove she's Hero material. As her hair darkens and her anger grows, everyone turns against her except Evan; a childhood friend turned scientist who may be able to unlock the secrets hidden in her DNA.
When a villain attacks King City and her dad is held prisoner, Maci discovers a truth she refuses to believe. She may not be a Hero after all—but this time the Heroes of King City need her more than she needs them. And she won't let them down.
When
and why did you decide to be a writer?
I’ve
been writing my whole life. I don’t exactly remember when I decided
to be an author, but I know it was about 5 years ago after a few
reading binges. I read so many books in one year that I ended up
thinking I should write one myself.
What
has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has
been the best compliment?
I don’t read reviews so I don’t
know what my *real* toughest criticism is, but I’ve found that many
of my beta readers complain that my romances take too long. Call me
crazy, but I like when characters can fall in love naturally and not
the split-second they first meet.
The greatest compliment ever was
from a girl who had read DEADBEAT by my pen name Amy Sparling. The
book is about teen pregnancy and she was a teen mom and it really
inspired and helped her. That meant a lot to me since I was once a
teen mom myself.
Do
you have any advice for other writers?
Yes:
chill out. Writers put too much pressure on themselves and are way
too critical of their work. Have fun and love your story…that is
how the best writing gets done. Don’t worry about what everyone
else is doing. There will always be better (and worse) writers than
you.
Also,
on a more practical level: KNOW YOUR GRAMMAR! Anyone struggling with
grammar is welcome to email me for advice at any time.
How
many drafts did you have to write for Powered? Any scenes that were
cut from the original that you want to share?
Powered
went through two storylines… the first one was just awful and it
had Maci having been born with no powers… I can’t even… yeah…
I don’t know what I was thinking. The second draft is where I
really found the story and got it plotted out and it went through
about 4 more drafts before final editing. I don’t have any cut
scenes but I would love to share this Wordle of Powered:
What
inspired the idea for Powered?
I
was at home sick and ended up spending all day watching the Superman
movie trilogy. By the end of it, I thought that I could probably
write a better superhero story…so I did . ;-)
What
was your favorite chapter (or part) to write in 'Powered and why?
I
really enjoyed writing all the scenes between Maci and Evan. They’re
playfully mean to each other and their sarcasm and banter always
makes me smile. Maci is a lot to handle and I think Evan’s calm
personality is perfect for her.
What
is your favorite snack/treat or drink while writing?
Coffee,
coffee and coffee. With a side of coffee. And maybe some more coffee.
What
are you currently reading?
North
Pole Reform School by Jaimie Admans. It’s a super cute YA story and
it’s totally getting me in the mood for Christmas!
Who is
your fictional character crush?
I
have the hots for Jackson from Sarra Cannon’s Peachville Demons
series.
Do
you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I
want to say a huge thank you to everyone who takes a chance on my
book. Superhero YA books aren’t very popular but I’m hoping we
can change that!
And thank you Brenna for this awesome interview!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cheyanne Young is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, nail polish and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her daughter, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.
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Great interview. I feel so bad for forgetting to wish her Happy BDay :( Busy time of year I guess.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating.
No prob! Thanks for stopping by!
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