The Author
S.L. Wallace
The work of Art:
The Reliance on Citizens trilogy.
Where she creates:
The northern middle part of the United
States of America, but on occasion, I've wished my ancestors had not
decided to immigrate from Canada.
The genre that gets to claim her:
I would describe this series as a
dystopian political thriller with romantic elements. The stand alone
book I'm planning to write next is a dark fantasy with elements of
historical fiction. I understand the need for classifying books, but
it feels so restrictive!
In her own words, her series is about:
Price of a Bounty (book 1) is about a
future society that has been intentionally split by an economic
Divide. The Elite have all the money and power, leaving everyone else
with...well...leftovers. We meet Keira and her sister and brother who
have all responded to their life circumstances differently. Keira has
become a Freelancer-think hired killer/thief/bounty hunter; Aimee
works as a maid for one of the most ruthless members of the Elite;
and Scott joined the military at the Age of Eligibility, a life
sentence working for the Gov in this society. In the very beginning,
Keira meets Guy, a member of the Elite who is trying to change
society for the better. Keira has never met anyone like him before.
He spins her world out of control.
The sequel, Canvas Skies, picks up
right where Price of a Bounty left off. Aimee begins to heal
emotionally from events that took place in the first book, and the
Resistance becomes a more central part of the story. Past characters
are still important, but some new characters move to the forefront as
well, including a politician who doesn't like what he's seeing and
hearing in session.
The third book, Heart of Humanity, due
to be published later this year, focuses on the ramifications of past
events. All three books are told through multiple points of view, and
in the third book, we'll come to understand some of this world
through the eyes of a child.
Her muse has a process:
I tend to begin with free writing.
However, the story has already begun in my mind when I sit down to
write. It's a matter of having these ideas that just need to be
written down before I forget them. My first drafts are usually filled
with a lot of action and dialogue, then I'll go back later and add
more description. After I've written about a third of the story, I
tend to stop and think about what I've done. That's when I'll create
a loose outline so I'll have an idea of where my story is heading.
Sometimes I'll skip ahead a chapter or two to write something that's
on my mind. I think it's best to write it down while I'm excited
about it, even if my story isn't quite there yet.
When she wrote it did she think: The world has got to see this?
Not exactly. Price of a Bounty grew out
of a dream. When I woke, my first thought was, “Wow! I'd watch that
on the big screen!” And later, after enough time had passed, when I
should have been thinking, “No, that dream was actually pretty
lame,” instead I found I was still thinking about it and wanting to
see it in action. That's when I knew I needed to write it down. From
there, it grew into a short story, and then into a novella.
Eventually, I realized I would need to write a trilogy if I hoped to
tell the full story.
Who helps her to get her series perfected?
I edit my own books but ask plenty of
people to act as beta readers. Some are friends, some are
acquaintances and some I've only run into online. Some readers give
me plenty of editing corrections while others read more for story or
dialogue or description. Every piece of advice is welcome.
Carl Graves at www.ExtendedImagery.com
has created all of my covers so far.
whose book did you read that made you
suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life
then you would never be happy?
It wasn't a book
that did that for me, although I do have many favorites. What made me
know I needed to write? I guess I've always been a writer, yet these
are the first novels I've ever published. Writing gives me a creative
outlet. It's a way to relax and have fun. I guess I decided to
publish this series because it felt timely due to political events
over the past two years. What keeps me going? What urges me ever
onward? It's the positive comments and reviews I've received and the
questions people have asked me that let me know they're interested in
my work.
Is there anything she finds particularly challenging in your writing?
For me, formatting is the most tedious
part of the process. And editing sometimes makes me want to pull out
my hair but only because I'm a perfectionist.
Does she write her characters, or do
they write themselves through her?
I guess they write themselves through
me. This series is told through multiple viewpoints. I'll literally
spend days thinking about the next chapter before I write it. I take
time to get into that character's head so that I can stay true to
each character.
Does she ever write herself into the
characters?
Not intentionally, but sometimes I'll
find myself thinking, “Hey, I'm sort of like (insert character's
name) when it comes to this or that.” Other times, I understand a
character's motivations but know I would never react the way they do.
Is writing her full time job, or
is she “keeping her day job,” so to speak?
I'm keeping my day job for now. If I'm
ever successful enough as an author to quit teaching, I think I'd
still volunteer at the very least. More likely, I'd sub on a regular
basis. That would allow me the flexibility to take off a day here or
there to focus on writing. But for now, I love teaching and writing
equally.
If she could go back in time and
meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?
I would love to meet my distant
ancestor, William Wallace. You know... “It's all for nothing if you
don't have freedom.” (Braveheart) I think he has a lot in
common with my protagonists.
There are millions of new books
released every year. What, in her mind, makes hers stand out from
all those millions in her genre?
The way I've written from multiple
points of view isn't done often. That was intentional. It's important
to this story in that it allows the reader to experience their world
through many eyes.
In the world of Indie, marketing is
very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it.
Has she found a great free way to market her work that she thinks other Indies will benefit from?
I'm sorry. Marketing is my greatest
weakness. After publishing two novels, I finally decided to join
Twitter last week! The Amazon KDP Select free days are what has
helped readers notice my books. Other than that, I try to connect
with readers and other Indie writers through Facebook, through my
blog and by doing interviews. Really, I think the most important part
of marketing is to write a good book and to try and find your niche
audience. I also recommend connecting with other writers in any way
possible.
Here are the links to follow and stalk her:
Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/author.slwallace
Twitter: @authorSLWallace
Here are the links to purchase her books:
CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/3678440
and https://www.createspace.com/3847671
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