Interview with Amber Garr and Giveaway if the the Syrenka Series (ebook)
Amber Garr spends her days conducting scientific experiments and wondering if her next door neighbor is secretly a vampire. Born in Pennsylvania, she lives in Florida with her husband and their furry kids. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is a Royal Palm Literary Award winner and author of The Syrenka Series and The Leila Marx Novels. When not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.
Hey all my little crazy bats! Today we are welcoming the talented Amber Garr, author of The Syrenka Series!!!! I am very excited to have her here today! I have just recently gotten into her books and they are phenomenal! So you all should check them out. Now for some questions to get to know Amber a little better!
Thanks so much for visiting us here today, Amber! I greatly appreciate it.
Thank you for having me!
1. I have never even thought about the possibility of a series like this but I am glad you did so I have to ask what drove you to write about mermaids?
Well, I've always had a soft spot for mermaids, and used to wish I could be one. I love being in the water and have been jealous of creatures who can live there all of the time. In writing this story, I also thought about the idea of a forbidden love between species and how the couple would handle the pressures. Then the story evolved from there!
2. After I read your book, I started doing my own research I found a lot of stuff on selkies and mermaids, did you read this kind of stuff growing up?
I don't remember really reading about mermaids, although I used to always pretend I was one! I wasn't that familiar with the selkie folklore until I started writing these books. I did have a huge unicorn collection and would wish that I could live in a different world...so perhaps my love of fantasy took me to the mermaids, selkies, and sprites.
I don't remember really reading about mermaids, although I used to always pretend I was one! I wasn't that familiar with the selkie folklore until I started writing these books. I did have a huge unicorn collection and would wish that I could live in a different world...so perhaps my love of fantasy took me to the mermaids, selkies, and sprites.
3. Would you say you have a unique writing style?
Probably not. I think I definitely have my go-to quirks, but I'm not sure if my style would be classified as unique. I do hope I have my own unique imagination though. :)
Probably not. I think I definitely have my go-to quirks, but I'm not sure if my style would be classified as unique. I do hope I have my own unique imagination though. :)
4. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I've always been a storyteller - I just happened to use movement more than words. I've been choreographing dances, plays, and shows since I was a kid. But I'd always planned on being a scientist. It wasn't until a couple of years ago, when I had to take a break from the dancing, that I began to write fiction on a regular basis. And then I couldn't stop. I absolutely LOVE it!
I've always been a storyteller - I just happened to use movement more than words. I've been choreographing dances, plays, and shows since I was a kid. But I'd always planned on being a scientist. It wasn't until a couple of years ago, when I had to take a break from the dancing, that I began to write fiction on a regular basis. And then I couldn't stop. I absolutely LOVE it!
5. If you had to chose one author, living or dead, to be your mentor, who would it be?
You know, I'm going to stick with someone current. I think Richelle Mead or Kelley Armstrong would be great mentors. They've been successful in both the YA and adult urban fantasy markets, and that is something I strive for. I'd love to pick their brains!
You know, I'm going to stick with someone current. I think Richelle Mead or Kelley Armstrong would be great mentors. They've been successful in both the YA and adult urban fantasy markets, and that is something I strive for. I'd love to pick their brains!
6. What are you currently working on?
I have a brand new release coming out November 5th called Touching Evil and it's the first book in my adult urban fantasy series. I actually wrote this one before The Syrenka Series, so after coming back to it earlier this year, I'm happy to be sharing it! I also have an anthology coming out December 11th called Furthermore. I'm really excited about this project, because not only does it include two brand new Syrenka Series short stories, but I've teamed up with six other awesome authors and we are donating 100% of the proceeds to The American Cancer Society. A good story all around. :)
I have a brand new release coming out November 5th called Touching Evil and it's the first book in my adult urban fantasy series. I actually wrote this one before The Syrenka Series, so after coming back to it earlier this year, I'm happy to be sharing it! I also have an anthology coming out December 11th called Furthermore. I'm really excited about this project, because not only does it include two brand new Syrenka Series short stories, but I've teamed up with six other awesome authors and we are donating 100% of the proceeds to The American Cancer Society. A good story all around. :)
7. What was the hardest part of writing the Syrenka series?
Making sure that all three books tied in well together and the overarching plot lines came to a satisfying conclusion. Some pretty major events happen in the last book, and I needed to be sure that they stayed true to the characters and also that the readers would feel good about the ending.
8. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Read, read, read! Read in your genre, and find a small but good group of beta readers where you can critique each other. By reading other writers, you learn what works, what doesn't, and you'll start to build your own style from there.
Read, read, read! Read in your genre, and find a small but good group of beta readers where you can critique each other. By reading other writers, you learn what works, what doesn't, and you'll start to build your own style from there.
9. How are you alike and/or different from Eviana?
Ooh - good question. We both have blonde hair - although originally hers was supposed to be a different color (but it didn't work on the cover art). ha! But I guess that even though I didn't have the same challenges in life that she did, I think I can relate to that time when you realized that your childhood was over and now you had to be responsible. Making decisions, breaking hearts, doing things you don't always want to do....it's never easy, and we all have to deal with that sooner or later.
Ooh - good question. We both have blonde hair - although originally hers was supposed to be a different color (but it didn't work on the cover art). ha! But I guess that even though I didn't have the same challenges in life that she did, I think I can relate to that time when you realized that your childhood was over and now you had to be responsible. Making decisions, breaking hearts, doing things you don't always want to do....it's never easy, and we all have to deal with that sooner or later.
10. What are some things you do to cure writer's block?
Music is my muse - always. No matter what kind of mood I'm in, I start listening to music and tune out the rest of the world to help get the story flowing again! My problem right now is that I can't find enough time to write. I have so many stories in my head and not enough hours in the day!
Music is my muse - always. No matter what kind of mood I'm in, I start listening to music and tune out the rest of the world to help get the story flowing again! My problem right now is that I can't find enough time to write. I have so many stories in my head and not enough hours in the day!
You can find Amber here:
http://www.ambergarr.com/
http://ambergarr.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Garr/232359720165110?sk=wall
https://twitter.com/AmberGarr1
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13182274-promises
The rule:
The giveaway will run November 2- December 1, plenty of time for you to enter over and over!
This giveaway is international!
The winner will be announced on here and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before I will be forced to pick a new winner.
Other than that good luck and stay tuned for other giveaways!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so much Chasity!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for doing this! AND I LOVE THE INTERVIEW!!!!!!! Great post. Great blog. :) :Following you:
ReplyDeleteFrom the Kozy Korner,
Kimberly
KimberlysKozyKorner.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing Amber. I'm really intrigued by your series of mermaids and selkies. I've always loved those creatures in mythology and it's refreshing to see a story about them. One can only take so many vampire and zombie tales ;)
ReplyDelete