When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad’s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they’d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.The reason they've never met Chance’s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance's quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.
Then Chance's mom turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance and his dad. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent...they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can’t trust a word Chance says?
Writing, as a general rule, is an isolated profession/hobby/passion, one that requires concentration and quiet. For me, anyway. When I'm in the writing groove, I don't want to be social or interact. I want to focus.
...Well, okay, I'm never social. But that's beside the point.
Not to mention I'm horrible when it comes to talking to people about my writing! Online is easier, but
in person I'm sort of a staring, stuttering mess because I never know what to say. It gets easier over
time...and this is in part due to the fact I often get the same questions over and over. They're all legit
questions (uh, I guess) but some of them never fail to amuse me.
What kind of books do you write?
Most readers—unless they read young adult or new adult—don't know the term, so I often say, "I write dark books, sometimes mysteries or thrillers, for teens." Easy enough.
So, like Twilight?
I've seen many writers get this, oh my goodness. "No. Not like Twilight at all."
If you've been published, aren't you rich?
Yes. I've been asked this. To which I want to sink to the ground and sob because oh, friend, I wish that were the case. "Unless you're a big-name author like Stephen King, writing doesn't bring in as much money as you would think."
What do you think about those books like 50 Shades of Grey?
This is where I smile, very strained, and keep my mouth shut so I don't offend anyone.
Why don't you write stuff with vampires or witches or something, like Harry Potter? Make a big series and get the big bucks!
These are questions that are hard to explain to people. The market, trends, how things work. Especially since replying with, "It's not that simple," gets me a response of, "Why not?" Sometimes I forget how foreign the publishing industry is to your average, everyday person, even someone who actively reads a lot. Unless you work in the industry, it's hard to pay attention to the inner workings of it.
Don't get me wrong. These are never "dumb" questions, because—like I mentioned above—people
simply don't know. And frankly, I find it endearing when anyone cares enough to question me about my books, even if they're questions I've heard a lot.
Maybe someday, I'll even stop being nervous and feeling unworthy when someone asks.
If you're a writer, what questions do you get asked a lot? If you're a reader, what questions do you
always want to ask, but are afraid to?
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