Interview with Emily White!!!

Emily White!

Brief Bio:
Emily White is a twenty-eight year old writer, happily married with two boys. Her debut novel, ELEMENTAL, is a sci-fi book about seventeen-year-old Ella being published May 1st by Spencer Hill Press. Her favorite color is pink--not magenta, a "pretty" pink.
How Leslie and I came to meet her:
Leslie and I discovered her blog a few months ago, and we emailed her asking if she wanted some YA input on ELEMENTAL  before it was coming out that June (this was before she got the offer by SHP). So, she send us the ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies), and Leslie and I absolutely loved it. We were planning on reviewing it right when we started the blog, but then the offer from SHP came, and she informed us that the decision is no longer up to her for us to review it. Mrs. White said that we would have a chance at being the first to review it if we got our follower level up a lot higher (as in we would need at least a hundred followers) and that SHP probably wouldn't be allowing anyone to review it until at least just a few months before May 1st. 

The Interview:

1. What was the first thing you did when you got the offer from Spencer Hill Press?

I called a good friend of mine because I really didn't know what I wanted to do.  I'd been self-publishing and was very close to the release date and Kate, the person from SHP who'd contacted me, made it clear that my book wouldn't come out for another year if I signed with them.  It actually took me about a week to make my decision. 

2. How long did it take you to get the cover together?

Well normally authors don't have much to do with covers for their books, but seeing as I'd started by self-publishing my book, I actually did have quite a bit of say over it.  I can't remember exactly how long it took Victoria Caswell (the genius behind the cover) to design it, but it was at least a few weeks.

3. I heard that there's going to be a book trailer for ELEMENTAL, when can we start looking for that?

The trailer should make its appearance some time in October.  The song we've gotten permission to use is from an AMAZING band who will be releasing their first album in October, so the trailer's release will coincide with their album's.

4. Why did you choose the name ELEMENTAL?
Ella can manipulate the elements, and though she's never outright called an elemental in the book, that's essentially what she is.  Plus, she's a little crazy and I like the play on the title--Ella mental.  :)

5. How long did you spend writing it?
Between my first first draft, my second first draft where I decided to change the whole thing to first person and ended up rewriting all of it from scratch, and edits I worked on this book for almost three years.

6. Are there any other novels you've been working on?
There are a few.  I've got a paranormal book that's in the middle of edits, a hard sci-fi that's still in first draft stage, and the sequel to Elemental that's also in first draft stage.

7. How is your relationship with your editor, Kate Kaynak?
Kate is great!  She's so easy to work with and fun to talk to.  I've never actually met her in person, but will be doing that this August at Pi-Con in Connecticut.

8. Describe your book in 150 characters or less.
Seventeen-year-old Ella may be able to control a few elements, but not the monster inside her.

9.  Nice! How far into the second book in the series are you?
Just the first draft stage, I'm afraid.  After I finish the edits my editor has sent me for Elemental, I'll be able to work on Elemental #2.

10. When did you start to have a passion for writing?Since I was four.  I used to doodle lines and lines of swirls, pretending they were real words and great stories.  I always knew I wanted to be a writer.  There may have been other dream careers that popped in there once in a while (like paleontologist, archaeologist, politician, etc), but I always knew that those were just secondary careers.  Writing always came first.

11. If your house was on fire, and all of your family was out of the house, and you could only save one thing, what would it be?Oh dear, this is embarrassing.  Can I lie?  Please?  No, well...honestly, I'd save the blanket I've had since I was a baby.  There are too many memories wrapped up in that thing; I could never willingly lose it.

12.  Well, at least you're willing to admit it. What would your advice be to young YA writers?
Push yourself.  Try harder.  Always improve.  When I was in school, I was always better at writing than everyone else in my class, so I allowed myself to stay at that stagnant level.  My standard of talent was based on how good I was compared to people who didn't have a passion for writing.  When I graduated from college and started socializing with other writers, I realized how much I still needed to learn.  I'd wasted so many years thinking I was "good enough" when I wasn't even close.  When I finally realized that I could always improve, that's when my writing started looking like something other than gibberish.

Well, thanks for letting me interview you!

Thanks, Leslie and Elizabeth, for having me!  These were some great questions and I loved answering them!  Do be sure to check out Elemental, which is now available for preorder on Amazon, and Elemental's facebook fanpage to keep up with giveaways and contests. 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Elemental-Emily-White/dp/1937053040/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310833109&sr=1-2

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elemental/212879475408278

My blog : www.emilytwhite.blogspot.com

Victoria Caswell's blog: http://viccaswell.blogspot.com/ 

SHP's website: http://www.site.spencerhillpress.com/ 

Well, followers, that was RWR's first interview! Leslie and I love suggestions, so tell us (either by email or in the comments) who else you want us to interview/have guest post!!!~Elizabeth