Friday, June 01, 2012

The Sand Bar by Rebecca Bryan Blog Tour Interview



Hello everyone!! I have had the lovely opportunity to interview Rebecca for her "The Sand Bar" Blog Tour. So sit back, relax, and get to know Rebecca a little better :)


About the Book:
Give me the blurb for the book in 140 characters or less: 

The Sand Bar is a story about a girl named Marlo, who returns home after a bitter divorce to care for her sick father. Life gets complicated when she runs into an old boyfriend, Brandon, who is in a loveless marriage and Marlo’s left wondering if she is to blame. A mysterious old woman appears and offers her the opportunity to travel in time. Marlo accepts the offer, but doesn’t get the do-over she is expecting and finds herself, not in the past, but in the future, married to Brandon and living the life she ran away from 8 years earlier. Worse, she discovers Brandon’s wife mysteriously died the night she reconnected with Brandon. With the help of her old classmate Luke, now a handsome police officer, she must solve the mystery and return to the present to save those she loves.

Do you have a favorite character? Why is he/she/it your favorite?

I really enjoyed writing from Marlo’s perspective. Her inability to fit in, her klutzy nature, her desire to be fashionable-- yet never quite hitting the mark--yeah, I related to her a lot. Let’s just say it was easy to get in her head.

What do you hope readers will get from your book?

I hope readers are, first, thoroughly entertained. Secondly, I hope they will internalize the themes of starting over, moving forward, and forgiving others and ourselves for past mistakes. Thirdly, I hope readers will [once in a while] step outside of their comfort zones and take risks, like Marlo and Melissa do when they go four-wheeling in the middle of the night. It may have been crazy, but sometimes crazy is just what we need.


About the Author:
What/Who inspires you?

Dark chocolate for starters. Mostly, I’m inspired by every day people. It’s true that everybody has a tale to tell, and I’m a sucker for good ‘remember when’ recountings. The best fodder for stories is often right around the corner, inside the want ads or down the aisle in the grocery store. Real life is full of humor, heartache, suspense and hope.

Hardest aspect of writing? Best/Easiest?

The hardest part of writing for me is making it seem effortless. This is something people never think about if it’s been done right. And maybe for others it isn’t the hardest part, but I go over and over and over my sentences until they nearly flow right off the page. The easiest part is writing dialogue, especially between crossed lovers. When I’m writing dramatic scenes, I usually can be found with a smile upon my face. Yes, I’m almost giddy about it.

Who is your writing hero?

There are so many I admire, but I have profound respect for Kathryn Stockett. When I first read The Help, I was depressed for days thinking, “I’ll never be as good a writer as her.” Then I read an interview explaining how long it took her to become published and it changed my thinking about success. She had as many rejections as I’ve had and had to wait several more years, but in the end she published an amazing piece of literature. Will I ever write like she does? Not likely, but I’m okay with that, because it takes all kinds of stories to make the world go round.


About the Future:
What’s next for you? 

 I’m preparing to publish my second novel titled, Escaping Bubble Land. This next book is about a girl named Cass who uses alcohol to hide the guilt she feels for the death of her younger brother, Cooper. After getting clean, she returns home to her farm in Wyoming and meets up with her childhood secret crush, James, who is working on her parents’ farm for the summer before heading off to medical school. This story is about her journey of recovery, forgiveness, and her struggle to win James, if it’s not too late. It is definitely more of a romance and was a ton of fun to write and should be available to readers this fall.

One outrageous goal for the future?

Writing related… I’d love to see The Sand Bar become a movie. That would be the ultimate dream.

One non-writing outrageous-ness would be for me to star in a movie. I don’t dream big at all, do I?

Do you have any advice you'd like to share with other aspiring writers?

There are different seasons in life and you don’t have to be everything for every season. I always wanted to write, but couldn’t until just a few years ago. It’s easy to get discouraged when others are succeeding and you feel so far behind. But life’s like a Ferris wheel. While some are getting off, others are getting on. Your turn will come and when it does, enjoy the journey!


Randomness:

Sweet or salty? 

Sweet

Beach, plains or mountains? 

Oh, that’s tough. I love them all. Let’s just say, hammock, good book, water, plenty of sun and I’m in heaven anywhere.

Online, letters or in person? 

I’d like to say in person, but judging from my past I have to say online. Life is just so busy, but I do love a letter in the mail.

Ebook or print?

I’m super old-fashioned and just can’t pull myself away from a real book. I get the idea of an ebook. I just haven’t totally switched over yet.

You can stalk Rebecca at her Blog, Goodreads, and Facebook
You can buy Rebecca's books at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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