The Halves of Us by Sydney Paige Richardson [Q&A + Giveaway]
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| Pub. Date: October 9, 2018 | Publisher: The Parliament House | Formats: Paperback, eBook | Pages: 480 Twin Sisters: one destined to rule, one cursed to destroy. Some say blood is thicker than water. But for twin sisters, Adie and Aura, their connection runs even deeper than blood. After investigating a surprise attack carried out by dark souls controlled by the Wicked Willow, an evil residing in a neighboring region, Aura uncovers a family secret: she is the fulfillment of a curse placed upon her family centuries ago. While Aura is destined to destroy their planet, Thindoral, Adie is fated to follow in their mother’s footsteps and become Ruler, but even Adie’s path comes with revelations. Dangerous premonitions plague her dreams, all depicting Thindoral’s demise at the hand of her sister. As darkness takes control of her mind, Aura must determine whether defying fate and time is the choice that will seal her destruction, or if self-sacrifice will save all she holds dear. Meanwhile, Adie is faced with an impossible decision: save her sister, or protect their world? |
A Little Bit of Q&A
How long do you take to write a book?It really depends. I have been writing The Halves of Us trilogy for almost ten years – at first it was a way for me to take control of my night terrors, but then I realized it was a full story that I could develop. So it took me years to finalize the first book and get it to where I thought I could query (which it wasn’t really ready). It took me about two years to write the rough first draft of book 2, and I am hoping to complete/finish book 3 this year. All in all – three books in ten years(ish). Now that I am focusing on this as a career, I think I can up that quota and hopefully finish the rough drafts of books within less than a year.
How do you incorporate the noise around you into the story you are writing at the moment?
Well, a lot of times when I write I have my headphones in and I am listening to my writing list on Spotify. Music plays such a huge role in how I write, letting me hone in on certain emotions based on the music.
Do you prefer being intoxicated to write? Or would you rather write sober?
I have totally written tipsy. There was one time I was stuck in a rut with this one scene and frustrated so I had (a few) glasses of wine. It helped me work through the scene in a unique way I probably wouldn’t have thought of sober. Granted, the next day when I read it, I had to do some heavy editing – but it worked. I wouldn’t recommend doing that all the time – my liver probably wouldn’t be too happy with me.
What is that dream goal you want to achieve before you die?
I would really love to be a full time artist (writer/photographer), be on the NYT bestseller list, write an episode for Doctor Who, be a mom, and perform on Broadway (even if it is in the chorus or delivering a single line).
Do you think translating books into languages other than their origin forces the intended essence away?
Probably. So many languages have words that cannot be translated into other languages – because the word itself has no like-for-like word in the other language. I don’t think that means we shouldn’t do it, I just think when translating we should be mindful of the words and descriptions used in order to keep the essence as true as possible.
Do you blog?
I do! I blog book reviews, personal updates, and show previews of my photography sessions (I am a portrait, fine art, and wedding photographer). I probably should blog more – that is a goal of mine in 2019. You can see my blog here.
How active are you on social media? And how do you think it affects the way you write?
I am active on social media (I will list my links below. Follow me – I follow back!). I really love the writing community I have found on Twitter and Instagram. They are very inspiring with how real they are with their struggles from writer’s block, to fear of failure. It really helps you feel like you are not alone and can work through your struggles and get the story done!
Do you enjoy theatre? Would you ever like one of your stories to be turned into a play?
I adore theatre! That would be a dream come true if one of my stories became a play! I would probably watch it every night I could.
If you had to pick one other author to write your biography, who would it be?
Surprisingly I think I would want someone I know to write my biography. That away I know they would write something that is true to me. I luckily know a few authors so I think I could run it by a few of them. Probably two of my closest writer friends (who I have a critique group with), Tiffany Biagas-Munn and Robert Allen.
And who is that one author you would love to write the biography of?
Oooh, see this is tricky. Because I totally don’t know this person in real life, but I would LOVE to get to know and spend some time with Holly Black to write her biography. We can dye each other’s hair crazy colors and have sleepovers in haunted castles while I get to know her and write her biography.
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| Even before I could hold a pencil in my hand, I was making up stories in my head. I wrote my first book in the second grade, Girls [sorry Lena Dunham], about me and my best friends in college [because college was super cool when you were 8] who went on treasure hunts and fought bad guys with our super powers. My second grade teacher was so impressed with me, she laminated a cover and bound it. That will forever be the moment I dreamed of holding a copy of my own book and placing it on a shelf. Now all grown up, my head still stays in the fantasy world, fashioning worlds where the power of a star can be harnessed and used for time travel, flying is just as easy as walking here on earth – and my best friends are fairies. My characters are dark and lost individuals, but your love for them will grow when you realize not everything is black and white. I am represented by Rebecca Angus at Golden Wheat Literary. I have a three book deal with The Parliament House with Book One of my current trilogy, The Halves of Us, scheduled to be published in 10/9/2018. |
1 winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.
Tour Schedule:
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2 comments
This sounds like a fantastic read!
ReplyDeleteNice Q&A.
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