Monday, September 16, 2013

Interview with Candace Osmond


Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?

I'm a big fan of old school names like Charles, Jack, Henry, etc. So it makes it easy to choose names for characters who are hundreds of years old. For modern names and characters that aren’t mythical I tend to search through the people around me. Avery Quinn is the main character in The Iron World Series, and I took her name from my best friend who's last name is Avery.

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?

I think writing the characters from the Dark Court of Faerie were a bit challenging for me because they have to be menacing and scary. I'm far from either of those traits so I find myself watching a lot of horror shows and movies with a lot of evil to draw inspiration.

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?

Surprisingly, I love writing Max. She's temperamental and a super B*#ch, but just a simple girl underneath it all just looking to be loved and accepted. Her character has many faces and emotions; it's always fun to write scenes with her in them.

Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?

I don't create a list of attributes or outline a character sketch. But I do dream up a pretty good idea of what I want them to be before doing any major writing. Then I just let them grow with the story.

What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?

That's easy! I love the ending. It's a major cliffhanger. Throughout the whole book Avery struggles to stay alive and protect her friends, but in the end something happens that makes you scream "Nooooooo!" lol I might anger a few readers, but I think it's worth it.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

Ah, writer's block, my mortal enemy. I suffer from it more than I'd like to. Juggling a freelance writing career, being a mom and wife, all the while working on my own published novels is very time consuming and can take its toll. There are days when I don't even want to see my computer. But, I just remind myself that writing is what I do, it's what I love. It makes me whole. And when I need some inspiration I just pick up a book by my favorite author and start reading. It always recharges the batteries.

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?

Yes! I require something caffeinated and something crunchy to stay at my computer. Also, when I need to write a certain mood or dramatic scene I pull out my customized writing playlist and listen to songs that embody that certain mood or emotion.

Do you write in different genres?

Actually, not many people know this, but I do. I'm a published YA author with the Iron World Series, but I'm also a published Erotic Romance Writer. Some works are under my own name but I also have some under a pen name, Jennifer Shires. Other than that, I am branching off into New Adult. (Don't worry, I will always write YA and Urban Fantasy, it's my true love)

Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?

Not at all. I know not every writer is the same, just like not every person is the same. We all have things that inspire us, scare us, and drive us to react or create. I go through phases in my life and those phases give birth to new ideas.

When did you consider yourself a writer?

Believe it or not, I didn't consider myself a real writer after I was published. It wasn't until I started a freelance writing career on the side that I truly felt like one. I think it's because writing my own stories is more of a passion, I don't look at it as a job. But freelancing literally is just that, a job.

What are your guilty pleasures in life?

Watching Netflix and going to movies. I'm a huge 'cinophile' lol I speak fluent movie quotes. (Don't judge) But I just love curling up on the couch with my blanket and crunchy snacks and watching full seasons of my favorite shows on Netflix.

Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?

Oh dear, this list is long. I'll just stick with the top five. I love making giant, crazy diaper cakes. Weird, I know. But it's so much fun. I also enjoy making jewelry, painting, making my kid laugh, and paint balling.

What can readers expect next from you?

Ooo, I like this question! Right now I'm in the midst of putting together something big. Along with some other industry professionals, I'm creating a platform for new writers and aspiring authors that will help them break out into the publishing world and will also help improve the quality of indie books available to the world. That's about all I can say right now, but stay tuned for more details! I'll be announcing stuff on Facebook and Twitter.

Where can readers find you on the web?

The Iron World Series on Facebook, @candaceosmond on Twitter, Candace Osmond on Wattpad, or via the contact form on www.ironworldseries.com. I LOVE hearing from readers and other writers, so don't be shy. And, yes, I always write back.

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

Change has an irrevocable impact on the mind, body and soul. To the fearful its threateningit means there’s a possibility that things could get worse. To the hopeful, however, it’s encouraging because it means things could get better.
Was I fearful or was I hopeful?
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in my sunlit bedroom and pondered about that. To most people this wouldn’t be so stressful. To most people change meant a new hair color or a new job.
But I realized a while ago—I am not most people.



Blood and Bone
The Iron World Series
Book Two
Candace Osmond

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

ISBN: 9781301362028
ASIN: B00ED406KI

Number of pages: 250 roughly
Word Count: 74,960

Cover Artist: Corey Majeau from Coris Designs


Book Description:

The stakes are high in the second installment of The Iron World Series as Avery Quinn decides which path her life will take. Become a vampire and be with Jack forever, or pledge herself to the Fey and help save Faerie from the horrible Queen Mabry?

The more she thinks about it the more she wants to remain human. But as she sinks further into the magical world she has come to love, Avery realizes that remaining human is next to impossible, especially when a dark king sets his sights on her. To make matters worse, a secret society of shape shifters have sworn themselves as Avery’s enemy all because of a certain classmate with a caustic temperament.

With a mythical war brewing and Evaine close on her heels, Avery must decide who to give her humanity to before it’s too late


About the Author:

Born in 1985 as Candace Osmond in North York Ontario, I began to travel with my parents at the very young age of four years old. I had lived all over Canada and seen everything my country has to offer, from the enchanting shores of Newfoundland to the gigantic snowcapped mountains of British Columbia all by the time I was ten. I did, however, spend most of my life in Eastern Canada where I was surrounded by folklore and legends, not knowing how they would shape my personality and imagination for the rest of my life.

Being the only girl of my age in a small group of kids, in an even smaller town, left me spending most of my time by myself and, in result, letting my imagination take over. I would sit by the shore and dream up stories of mermaids and other fantastic creatures to pass the time. Coming from a family with writers and artists dispersed throughout, it was only natural that I spend my time writing, drawing and reading. I dreamed of becoming nothing more than an artist, a creator of any kind. By the age of eleven, I spent most of my waking hours scribbling down short stories, poems and anything else I could think of, while adding my own personal illustrations. By the age of fourteen, I had won numerous local and minor arts and writing competitions.

I excelled at anything art and literature related so, naturally, I planned to attend university for nothing more or less than that. In 2003 I planned to attend university for Creative Writing and Literary Studies. But, with the fear that I would spend all my time and money on an education and end up in a field that I may very well struggle to succeed in, I backed out and attended school for Design instead. Now, a successful Designer specializing in interiors, I met a man and fell in love. His passion and talent for art far exceeds my own, but he motivated me and awakened my old habits of staying up late and waking up early to scribble down dreams and ideas before I had forgotten them and they disappeared forever.












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