Q: The mythology surrounding A Diamond in My Pocket is very unique, how did you come up with the idea?
A: The storyline for A Diamond in my Pocket and the major plot points came from a dream one night. The dream was like a movie with a beginning, middle, and end and when I woke the next morning I knew I had to write it down. The mythology actually came a bit later with the help of my son, Joshua, who is an avid fantasy/sci-fi fan. I remember one day after writing most of book one, he asked me what the lore of the diamond was. I stared at him with a blank expression. “The what?” He helped me fill in the gaps and connect the dots, and keep everything straight.
Q: How long did it take you to write this book?
A: A Diamond in my Pocket took about two months to write. The initial ‘purge’ was four days of constant writing resulting in 50,000 words. Much of that was edited later but the story line remained the same throughout the edit.
Q: How long did it take you to write A Diamond in My Heart?
A: It took me three months to write A Diamond in My Heart. Of course, there were many interruptions and delays because of the holidays and life in general.
Q: Is A Diamond in My Pocket the first book you've written?
A: No. The first book was The Dictator’s Daughter, book two of the Scars of Defiance series. Once I completed the book, I realized the characters Sara and Paul had an exciting story to tell as well and that became book one, Scars of Defiance.
Q: Along with A Diamond in My Heart, what other projects are you working on?
A: I’ll be jumping right in to writing the third Diamond book. I will then change streams and write book three in the Scars of Defiance series to complete it.
Q: How many books are you planning to have in the Unaltered Series?
A: As of right now, I plan on four books in total all centered on Calli. The Unaltered series has the potential for many books if you consider there are twenty-one Diamond Bearers living with their own exciting stories of how they came into possession of a diamond.
Q: If you could have coffee with any of your characters, who would you pick and why?
A: Maetha. She’s lived thousands of years, witnessed the rise and fall of empires, civilizations and cultures and collected artifacts all along the way. I would join her for many cups of coffee.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about A Diamond in My Heart?
A: A Diamond in my Heart has a different feel to it. Calli no longer feels the guilt and burden of lying to her friends about the diamond and she’s accepted her role as a Diamond Bearer. She’s still the same girl; sarcastic and tosses her dry humor around often. Calli discovers a new power in a boy from school but she cannot figure out what it is. Maetha tells her that this boy isn’t the only one wielding the new power and Maetha assigns Calli to teach him about his new world. This is not an easy task for Calli as the boy is using his ability to manipulate girls; he’s a regular horn dog and an opportunist. Chris Harding is on Calli’s mind quite a bit, but she knows according to the vision she saw before she left the Runners compound she won’t see him until she ages and matures. The book spans over three years allowing Calli to attend her freshman year at college and experience life in a co-ed dorm. A Diamond in my Heart is slightly more advanced than book one and some younger readers may not understand the innuendos. It contains violence, blood, and a bit of mild language.
Q: What song do you feel describes Calli's life?
A: I’m glad you asked this question. I listen to music as I type and there are so many songs that fit Calli’s life. Here’s a couple:
A Diamond in my Pocket:
Linkin Park -Waiting for the End “I know what it takes to move on, I know how it feels to lie, all I want to do is trade this life for something new, holding onto what I haven’t got…”
A Diamond in my Heart:
One Republic -All this time
Mat Kearney -All I need A great song for the end of the book
Q: Who are some of the authors that inspired you to write?
A: J.K. Rowling, Beverly Cleary, Madeleine L’Engle, Nora Roberts, Stephanie Meyer
Thank you Lorena for taking the time to answer these questions! I look forward to reading A Diamond in My Heart, which will be released on 1/31/2012!
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