Title: Shadow Eyes
Author: Dusty Crabtree
Series: Shadow Eyes #1
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Published: July 15th 2012
Blurb
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.
Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.
As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.
Author Interview
Hi Dusty! Thank you for taking the opportunity to chat with me today!!
Thanks for hosting me on my Anniversary Blog Tour!
I have a few questions, nothing too stressful.... here we go!!
How long did it take to write Shadow Eyes? Did you have to wait long for it to be published?
D: It took about 8 months initially, but that’s before extensive revising and editing! I think I was still messing with it until I was signed by Musa Publishing another 8 months after I finished the initial draft. It seemed like a long time to wait, but I’m pretty sure that’s just how it goes for new authors, and established ones for that matter.
Where did you get the idea of the Shadows?
D: The idea actually first came to me as a screenplay for a Christian horror movie of some sort. The movie would have been about a cast of intertwined characters going about their lives and making mistakes with dark, creepy shadows (demons) hovering around them, whispering to them, and influencing them to do evil things. Only the audience would see the shadows. The characters would be completely oblivious. I simply tweaked that idea until I had something workable for a YA book - a 17-year-old girl who had this special ability to see the shadows and light figures when nobody else could.
I found Shadow Eyes to be a very emotional journey. Do you plan on it being such an emotional story?
D: Yes and no. I went into it knowing the ending, of course, so I knew at least that much was going to be pretty emotional. I actually wrote a few parts of the end early on in the first draft (I guess I just couldn’t wait!). The rest of her emotional journey throughout I planned in my outline, but I’m not sure I realized how many different facets of emotions I’d end up having my characters explore and my readers indirectly experience.
When you began writing Shadow Eyes, did you stick to your writing plan or did you keep throwing twists in while writing the book?
D: Good question! I wrote a very detailed outline before writing much of the actual book, so that was when all the crazy twists and subplots came to me. I can’t tell you how much that outline helped me! With different twists that needed to be foreshadowed and subplots that needed to be weaved in here and there, it helped me to look through my outline in order to remember every aspect of the plot. While writing the outline, though, there were some definite twists and surprises that worked their way into the story without me thinking of them initially. That was always exciting! A lot of work to add them in, but exciting nonetheless!
How much of yourself or from personal experience have you put into the characters?
D: Oh, bits and pieces here and there. Iris has a few of my characteristics – being a perfectionist and an organizational freak mainly…I’m not kidding, sometimes I seriously think I have OCD. The funny bit about Iris’s sister waking up and showering in the middle of the night actually came from my sister who used to do the same thing! Also, I also went on a spelunking trip with my Advanced Earth Science class and a goofy teacher who didn’t know what he was doing, just like Mr. Keller. However, the thing with the boy in the cave…that didn’t happen to me. J
There are a number of yummy guys in Iris’s life that play a major role in the book, did you intend on having so many guys fighting for her?
D: Lol! Yummy – I think that term is very fitting for them! Well, there are mainly just two, but yes I purposefully included the love triangle. They always say, “Write what you’d want to read,” and I love love triangles! I think it helps add suspense and interest, but also, as a female reader, we get to either act as the protagonist’s best friend, offering our advice on whom she should pick, or we get to live vicariously through her and feel what it’s like to have two guys vying for our attention. How awesome would that be? Okay, I’m married…but if I were single…how awesome would that be?
Ok, so here are some fun questions...
Do you have any favourite authors that you read today?
D: Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Becca Fitzpatrick, Lauren Kate, Rick Riordan, Kaitlin Bevis (she’s a fellow Musan!)
If you could travel in a time machine into a book, what book would it be and why?
D: Oh, wow, that would be awesome! Sadly, though, two of my favourite books (The Hunger Games and Divergent) wouldn’t be my first choices – I don’t think I’d like to live in those dystopian worlds. Hmm…how about Pride and Prejudice? I would love to see 19th century England! …And Mr. Darcy, of course!
Do you have a favourite book boyfriend?
D: You mean besides Patrick in Shadow Eyes? Lol! Okay, maybe that’s too weird since I created him – can a writer have a crush on her own characters? Is that against some author code or protocol I am unaware of? Well…besides him, I might have to go with Tobias from Divergent! There are too many to choose from, but I really liked his character!
If you could travel anywhere in the world with a book, where would you go and what book would you take??
D: Interesting question! I would go to some remote island, and I would take the next book in whatever favourite series just had a recent release (right now that would be Finale from the Hush Hush series or Rick Riordan’s The Mark of Athena – I know I’m a little late in reading both). Either way, it would be a new book. I’m kind of weird in that I never read a book more than once. My time is just so precious, and there are so many good books out there I want to read! I’d rather continue tackling my TBR list than read an old favourite…although I have come close a few times. Insurgent was probably the closest I’ve come – I almost reread it immediately after finishing it! J
Thank you so much for allowing me to participate in the tour and for chatting with me today!
Thank you! The pleasure was all mine!
About the Author
Dusty Crabtree has been a high school English teacher since 2006, a challenge she thoroughly enjoys. She is also a youth sponsor at Cherokee Hills Christian Church in Oklahoma City and feels very blessed with the amazing opportunities she has to develop meaningful relationships with teens on a daily basis. She resides with her husband, Clayton, in Yukon, Oklahoma, where they often serve their community as foster parents. Apart from the obvious reading and writing, she also enjoys serving on the praise team and drama team at church and watching movies. Shadow Eyes is Dusty’s first novel, but there will definitely be more to come!
Find Dusty online at:
Buy Shadow Eyes at: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=176
(also available at all major online bookstores)
View the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UP9A0Fm78
Giveaway
Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a print copy of Shadow Eyes, your full name in the sequel, and a KINDLE FIRE! Open to US residents.
Great interview! I'll be participating in this tour in about a week, too :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway! This looks great!
ReplyDeletemestith at gmail dot com
She had some great interview questions, didn't she? Thanks for hosting me today, and thanks for stopping by everybody! :)
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment I saw this cover, I knew this would be one for me to read. I am looking forward to reading Iris's journey :)
ReplyDeleteI love the cover too! Thanks for stopping by. By the way, one of the posts on the tour is the story of my cover art with the mockups along the way to get to this one. Super fun! You can check out my blog for the schedule if you want. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Was fun to do too!!
ReplyDeleteGoodluck!!
ReplyDeleteAnytime Dusty!! Was my pleasure!!
ReplyDeleteYou would love it Denise!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know Dusty!! Has been awesome!!
ReplyDeleteliked the blurb and interview thanks for the giveaway! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteThank you!! You are welcome!! Goodluck!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read! Thanks for the chance to win
ReplyDeleteAnytime!! Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI have been following the tour and enjoying the different posts. Thank you for participating in the fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's always my pleasure Denise!! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!!
ReplyDeletePretty darn cool! Thanks so much for the Giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks Julia!! Best of luck!!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! Good Luck!!
ReplyDelete