Since this is the first day of a new year, I thought it would be fun to introduce you to a new author. I was lucky enough to read Enrule by Holly Sparks before it was published--and I loved it. It's not my typical genre, but I found myself engrossed in the story. Holly and I became friends, and it's my pleasure to introduce you to her and to her first book.
*****
About Enrule: I remember waking to the scream.
I remember calling my sister's name.
I remember seeing the blood smeared along the staircase.
I remember the creature's green eyes.
They say there's a cure. They say there's a way to stop this madness, a way to stop the hunger.
I think they're lying.
My name is Ella, and this is my story.
In this exhilarating debut, Holly Sparks presents a horrifying dystopian world, a remarkable heroine, and an unforgettable adventure. (You can purchase a kindle copy here.)
My review: (5 stars) Holly Sparks is a new author to keep your eye on. I don't often read books with this concept. With that being said, I have to tell you that I fell in love with Enrule. Sparks has created a world that the main character, Ella, must navigate carefully in order to survive. Ella is strong and determined, the supporting characters are well-written, and the description sucks you right it. The writing flows smoothly, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I'm so impressed with Book 1 that I'm actively wishing for Book 2.
Holly was kind enough to answer some questions for me. Here's our interview.
Tell me a little about yourself?
My name is Holly Sparks, I live in England where we have nothing but rain! I'm 22 and I still collect teddy bears. I think I have 10 in total so far. I'm just a normal downtown girl who loves spending time with friends/family and just reading in general. Instead of seeing me out at bars and clubs, I'm normally tucked away in front of a warm fire with a good book. I do enjoy watching TV as well, nothing wrong with a little Bridget Jones now and then ;)
Enrule is your first book. Can you tell me how you came up with the concept for it?
Would you believe it if I said the idea came from a dream? Yes, the start of the book came from a dream and I wrote it down and thought ‘You know what? This would make a great book!’ They say chocolate gives you nightmares before bed, but in this case it gave me a book! I started writing and just couldn't stop, I fell in love with the characters and just wanted to develop them from there.
Tell me a little about your writing process.
Now, do not judge me. I am a free-hand writer. I just write and write until my hands ache and once I'm finished the draft, I tend to look back over it and think: 'What a load of junk!' But that's the fun part, nothing worth doing is ever easy so you work at it. I work very hard correcting my grammar and just making the words flow better... After about the forth time I've looked at it... It actually doesn't look that bad. I tend to just write when I have an idea, I jot it down and then start my own version of editing.
What or who inspired you to write?
Well, I started reading first of all. I got really into ‘The Fallen Star Series’ and even took days off of work just to read it… I recommend that series to anyone as its AMAZING! Anyway after reading that, I decided to start my own book. I joined a website where it let you share your stories with the world. My first story was a big flop! Plus I was new to the writing scene back then and my grammar and spelling were awful, so I taught myself how to write… I did my research and just kept reading more and more until one idea I had just popped up from nowhere and the next thing I knew….I had written Enrule! So I’m a self-taught and self-published author!
Do you enjoy reading? What are your favorite genres?
I LOVE reading. I don't think my life would be complete without it. I could spend all day reading, getting lost within magical worlds. Is it weird that I picture myself as most main characters when I read? Hopefully I'm not the only one who does that. My favourite genres have to be Apocalyptic/Romance/Dystopian/Paranormal/Horror and I adore Teen Fiction! So, not many ;)
What are you reading now?
It's called 'The Crescent Chronicles' by Alyssa Rose Ivy. One of the best series I've ever read! I recommend it to anyone who wants a little romance with a twist.
Let's circle back around to your writing. What are you working on now? Are there any long-term plans or goals you want to share?
Right now I'm working on several stories I'm going to publish. The first one being the second instalment of 'The Enrule Series.' The second book will be called Venom. I'm also working on a book about an asylum, a girl who doesn't know who she is or where she came from. I love a good mystery. My long term plans are to just keep writing and see where my books take me. As I'm only 22 I have a long way to go!
What do you do when you're not at work or writing?
I love spending time with my family and friends. I'm also a gym-o-holic these days! I do love walking along the beach as its right near me and I love my shopping also! Kind of spend too much sometimes...make that all the time ;)
Is there anything else you would like to share with me?
I could seriously chat with you all day but I'll keep it simple! I tend to talk too much any ways... I do have a giveaway going at the moment onGoodreads.com! I think it ends near the end of January, feel free to enter to win a free copy of Enrule!
Where can readers find you? Are there any links you would like me to post?
I have my own website here:
I also will include my Goodreads page also:
*****
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read about Holly. I hope you'll check out Enrule, as well as her website and goodreads page.
Aw this is such a wonderful blog, thank you for doing this with me.
ReplyDelete