Interview with Debbie Brown

In honor of announcing the winner for the I <3 YA Giveaway today, I have done an interview with the author who donated the awesome book I'm giving away! Debbie Brown was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions about Amethyst Eyes in addition to donating this wonderful novel!

Question: How long have you been writing?

Answer: I have been writing for about as long as can I remember, or at least making up stories. I started to write them down from the time I was twelve, and hated to leave home without a pad and pencil.

Q: Is Amethyst Eyes your first book?

A: Yes. Although I had thought about writing for a long time, this one finally came to be. I lost a baby at the end of my pregnancy 2 years ago, and writing helped me focus on other things. I believe that in some way it kept me sane. I started to write, and it was as though the story unfolded before my eyes. At times I had trouble writing fast enough because the scenes were moving so fast. It was an incredible experience. I wrote, revised and had the book edited, ready for print in less than a year.

Q: Will there be a sequel to Amethyst Eyes, or is it a stand alone book?

A: There will be a sequel to the book and maybe even a third, as Tommy has room to grow in his new environment. The possibilities are endless. I hadn’t written it with the intention of creating a series, but there are some doors left open, and avenues to explore. It just feels right to go on.

 Q: Can you tell us a little bit about what other projects you're working on at the moment?

A: I am taking an advanced writing course with The Institute of Children’s Literature, which requires me to write another book. I have almost completed the first draft of another YA sci-fi novel, but the story line is quite different from Amethyst Eyes.

In between homework assignments I am working on another Amethyst Eyes related book and have just about reached the half-way mark. It cannot be a YA novel though, since it tells the story of Tommy’s parents…from his father’s crash landing on Earth to Tommy’s birth.

Afterwards, I will get on with the 2nd in the Amethyst Eyes line. Since I live in Quebec, I am working on having the book translated into French. I am bilingual, but not at ease enough to do the translation myself.

Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only have on book with you, what book you have?

A: Could I take my Kindle with the hundreds of books inside?
That is almost impossible for me to answer, since I read a book every two days on average. I read just about everything I can get my hands on, from home improvement, auto repair, flight manuals, spiritual, self-help, YA, fiction, sci-fi and even romance (I read my first a few months ago, wanting to see how other authors portrayed human interaction)…and now I’m hooked.
So, if I could choose one per genre, then maybe I could give you an answer.
I do not care for gore, extreme violence or overly graphic novels though.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

A: My three-year-old keeps me busy ;o). I also have 3 grown children.
I am a CIC officer (a captain) with the Canadian Forces and work with cadets. I’m answering your questions after having spent the day on a field training exercise in -35 degree weather (Celsius) …and thoroughly enjoying my toasty fire!
I have taught martial arts, namely Kyokushin Karate and Tai Chi for over 20 years, in fact most of my jobs are teaching related. I was a nurse, and have turned to holistic healing, so I spend a lot of time reading and researching this topic.
I love woodworking, painting, music, reading, cooking, gardening…you name it.

Q: Are Tommy and Jayden based off of people you know in your everyday life?

A: Tommy came to life on his own, but Jayden’s fire comes from my 3rd child Eliane (Elly-ann).

Q: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

A: Kind of hung up on Ireland, but I could start with Scotland or England and work my way through LOL. For some reason I feel drawn to Ireland, it’s countryside, music, folklore and culture. I have been reading a lot of books set in Ireland lately too.

Q: What song would you choose to be the soundtrack of Tommy's life?

A:I had actually chosen one by my son Devan, called ‘It’s OK to Cry’ which basically says that sometimes life can be hard, but tells you to hold on to life and it’s flair, that it’s ok to fall and it’s ok to cry…once in a while. I thought it was fitting for Tommy.

Q: Where did you come up with the idea for Amethyst Eyes?

A: I had written the first chapter (minus the flashback) as an assignment for a writing course some 10 years ago, but the idea of an abandoned child who had a father that worked in space came up when I was eleven. I used to read a lot of science fiction throughout elementary school, but I was given my first Star Trek book when I was twelve and fell in love with it (and the idea that there are always options)…I own about 150 Star Trek books now, several from different countries, in different languages.

Thank you Debbie for allowing me to host your awesome book for the giveaway and for taking the time to do this interview!

Buy Amethyst Eyes today!