Author Interview: ANN DAYLEVIEW

I'm delighted to be chatting with another awesome author today about the whys, the whens, and the hows! 

Check it out... 
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The Author...
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Ann Dayleview writes fantasy novels which aim to transport the reader to worlds unlike any other. She reads any young adult and middle grade fantasy novel she can get her hands on. Her writing is often inspired by the wild assortment of music she listens to. Everything from classical to pop and beyond! In addition to writing,

Ann loves spending time with her two dogs, baking all the sweet things, and bringing awareness to mental health issues. She lives in Pennsylvania with her ever rotating collection of books she lugs from place to place. 

Follow Ann here! 

Website
Twitter
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The Book...

HUMAN TEENS ARE GOING MISSING, AND ALL EYES ARE TURNING TO THE FAE.

Seventeen-year-old Freddie is a human at a magically diverse boarding school who longs to report on the war-torn realms of Fairy. When humans disappear on campus, it's the perfect opportunity to jump-start her journalism career. While the public blame the fae, Freddie wants facts. If she's going to get published, she'll need to find out who or what is behind these disappearances.

Aiden is a fae soldier with a murderous reputation. Raised in the dark fae court and forced to partake in the brutal Fairy Civil War, he thirsts for revenge against the realm which murdered his family. His new mission gives him the opportunity he's longed for. But when Freddie snoops into his life, he questions if revenge is worth the price of his freedom.

Lured by her suspicions and distracted by his curiosity, Freddie and Aiden form a tenuous bond. But as their feelings for one another grow, so does the danger. Every clue points to Aiden as the kidnapper, and as his enemies close in, Freddie must make a choice: turn against him or fight for a relationship doomed to fail. 

Buy your copy here! 

Add to Goodreads here!
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The Interview...

 Did you always dream of being a writer/illustrator?
 
I didn’t, but I’ve always used writing as a way to relax and I’ve always been a super avid reader. It wasn’t until I was getting married and got really stressed out and joined a writers group that I started getting serious about my work. The people there were so supportive and really encouraged me to pursue it and here I am!

 
When did you start pursuing publication of your work?
 
I didn’t start pursuing publishing until I wrote this story. With each round of edits I loved this story more and more and felt the message was one I want to share with readers. After I finished, I sent it to a few editors to ensure it was right for the market and the writing was solid. By that time I had the confidence to move forward and start the process of getting it published.
 

How long did it take from that first thought to release day?
 
If I don’t count the breaks I took to write other books, this book took a year and a half. I drafted the book during Nanowrimo so that only took a month, but it took me about a year to revise and edit it. The professional edits and proofreading took another couple of months, and the marketing (and figuring out all the publishing platforms) took/ is taking about five months.
 

What's been the hardest part of publishing a book so far?
 
Since this is my debut novel, the hardest part of publishing this book has been figuring out how to get this published! I’m new to Ingramspark, Draft2Digital, and KDP and figuring out those platforms and doing everything correctly is HARD.

 
And the easiest, or most enjoyable?
 
I don’t think there is any easy part of writing, every bit takes hard work. But the most enjoyable would be coming up with the world, the characters, and the relationships. I love the plotting phase even if I get frustrated coming up with all the little details. Sometimes I will call my friends on long drives (pre-COVID) and spitball ideas.
 

What's next for you?
 
I’m looking into trying to become traditionally published, but self-publishing has been so fun so I guess I’ll keep exploring. The other novel I wrote features characters struggling with mental illness in a fantasy world based in the Caribbean. I LOVE the story and the characters, and I hope I can show strong characters in spite of mental illness.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to writers just started their pursuit of publication?
 
Revise. Feedback. Edit. Feedback. Edit.
 
If you want to be published make sure you’re putting your best work forward, and that takes help. Everyone has their own process to refine their book, but at some point you’ll be too close to a project to see its flaws. For me, the more feedback I get, the better. But if you work better without too many people in your head, that’s fine too, just make sure you have killer editors.
 
And if you’re just starting out, don’t give up. Sometimes you’ll have to shelve a project and acknowledge you don’t have the skills to tell that story in the best way, but you’ll get there later.
 
 
Last book you just read?
 
The last book I read was The Cruel Prince to get me in the fae mood for marketing A Tale of Ashes.
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What book are you reading now?
 
I’m currently reading Serpent & Dove. Can you believe it’s my first non Hermione witch book?

 
Best book you've ever read?
 
That’s a hard question, there are so many good ones! I really liked the Trickster’s Choice duology by Tamora Pierce, but the book that really holds a place in my memory is The Claidi Journals by Tanith Lee. That series is filled with the most bizarre worldbuilding and twists. I’m not sure if I love it because it’s strange or it’s such a good story.
 

Fave author?
 
Although she wrote mostly middle grade, my favorite author is Eva Ibbotson. Her stories make me want to travel and experience the worlds where the characters live, even when they are set in our world!
 

Best moment of your writing life?
 
So far, the best moment of my writing life has been seeing this book release come together. I’ve gotten to partner with the best bloggers and authors, my ARC readers have all been so nice, and partnering with the artist who’s doing my character cards, my amazing cover designer, and the amazing woman who’s doing a custom tea blend for my giveaways has been a true delight. I LOVE working with people!
 

Name of your newest WIP?
 
HA! My WIPs never have titles until I’m nearly done. Right now I’ve been shifting between the Atlantis book and that book with the crazy world building.
 
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If not an author, what would be your dream job?
 
I think I’d like to be a pastry chef, but I’m not sure if I could handle the stress. Maybe a pastry chef in a small town shop where the occasional magical mystery happens. I really like baking and you can see some of my creations on my Instagram.
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