Children of the Glaring Dawn, Book 1
Young Adult Fantasy
Published Date: November 19, 2019
Publisher: INtense Publications LLC
Ihva is horrified to find out she might be the most dreaded individual in all of Gant, but before she can discover the truth, she is whisked away on a rescue mission. Prince Jasper’s fiancee has gone missing. As they chase his betrothed all over the continent, Jasper is hiding secrets of his own, and he’s willing to risk his life to keep them. Is Ihva the feared harbinger of the world’s doom? Will Jasper find a way to save his bride and his kingdom? Only time will tell the answers, and then it might be too late.
Interview with Lauren C. Sergeant
As a writer, what would you choose as your
mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I think I’d describe my writer self as
a cheetah—when I’m writing, I’m sprinting, but then my brain gets tired and I
leave off writing for a few days or weeks. I’m pretty intense when I’m writing,
too.
How many hours a day do you put into your writing?
On days when I’m writing, I’ll put
in 2-4 hours, more on the weekends.
Do you read your book reviews?
I’ve made a habit of not reading book reviews in
general. People’s negativity and bitterness run rampant in many reviews, and I
hate reading any author being disparaged. Books aren’t meant to be universal,
and I hope my books will help those who might benefit from them. I wrote my
books for them, not for the overly critical and negative.
Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only a few
people will find?
I do so by accident most of the time, though I do
remember adding one inside joke into this first book. Honestly, those hidden
messages are hidden even from me until one day, it dawns on me why I wrote
things the way I did. Contrary to some people’s understanding of writing, it’s
a journey of self-discovery in these stories I’m making up as I go, and people
close to me might identify my own battles in these characters.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Light of Distant Suns?
Oh, the characters. There are a few
who we follow through the whole series, but I’ll stick with describing the main
two, the perspective characters. Ihva (pronounced Eeh-va) is the picture of
naive optimism. She’s the last person someone would pick out as intending harm
to anyone. She’s sweet, caring, surprisingly bold, and determined to make a
difference. I admire her for her quiet confidence.
Jasper is the opposite of Ihva in a
way, at least in terms of outlook on life. He’s embittered, cynical,
pessimistic, or so he imagines. He thinks of things in terms of responsibility,
and duty weighs heavy on him. He has courage of his own, though. He won’t give
up, even when everything looks bleak to him, even when he’s despairing. I feel
for Jasper in his inner battles.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have
planned for the future?
This series called Children of the Glaring Dawn has five
books total, and my plans are to have them all published through my awesome
publisher, INtense Publications. After that, I have some non-fiction I plan to
write, 4 books on the intersection of mental health and Christianity. And then
I’d like to work on a more mature fantasy epic, though I realize it’ll be a
while until I can get there. In the meantime, I’m reading a lot to get the
thoughts flowing.
Do you allow yourself a certain number of hours to write or do you
write as long as the words come?
I write for as much time as I have
for as long as I have something in my head to write. That being said, with a
30-hour per week job and a family including a five-year old son, there are
other things on my agenda as well.
Do you have a certain number of words or pages you write per day?
I mentioned my on and off periods
for writing earlier. When I’m writing in an “on period,” I write 2000-4000
words per day, but then there are periods I’ll write 200-500 words per day for
a length of time. I call those my “off periods.”
What inspires you to write?
It might sound strange, but my
characters inspire me to write. They were not the original reason for writing,
though. I began with just telling a story, but it’s become so much more than
that to me, and I am on the edge of my seat seeing what interactions my
characters will have as the events of my series play out. My need to process
life, my desire to share this story with others, and the sheer fun of watching
it all come together are what inspire me to write as well.
Would you rather
Read fiction or
non-fiction?
I’m on a fiction kick right now.
Read series or
stand-alone?
Depends on the genre? Fantasy is best for me as series, but
I love standalone novels like The Chosen
by Chaim Potok and Cry, the Beloved
Country by Alan Paton, standalone books like that.
Read Science fiction
or horror?
Science fiction.
Read Stephen King or
Dean Koontz
Stephen King, I suppose. I haven’t read anything by either
one, though.
Read the book or
watch the movie?
Read the book!!!!
Read an ebook or
paperback?
Paperback, for sure!
Be trapped alone for
one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi
only?
A room with a computer and Wi-Fi. While I don’t prefer
e-books, I could find them on the internet, and I’d have the option to write as
well. I don’t do much watching of TV shows or anything, though. I guess a pen
and paper in the library would do just as well.
Do a cross-country
book store tour or blog tour online?
Probably a cross-country book store tour. I love meeting
people and getting to interact with them in person.
About the Author
Lauren C. Sergeant is a poet, a founding contributor for the Auburn-Opelika Moms Blog, a writer, and the author of Light of Distant Suns, the first book in the Children of the Glaring Dawn series. Her writing career began in junior high with composing poetry, and by age 26, she started on her first novel. She has always had a passion for fiction as a means of both escape and reconnection to the world around her. Her fascination with world customs, her deep interest in personal relationships, the plethora of spellbinding stories she has read and watched, and her enthusiasm for the fantasy genre combine in wondrous ways in her engaging debut novel. Shaped by these influences, she creates compelling cultures and fascinating, relatable characters in lush imaginary realms.
In her spare time, when she is not writing, you can find her curled up on the couch with a good book, whether it be fantasy, history, physics, or calculus. She lives in Opelika, Alabama with her beloved husband and dear son, though she grew up in Southern California and never imagined calling the American South home.
It seems the unanticipated things in life are sometimes the most delightful, though.
Contact Links
Purchase Link
1 comments:
thansk for hosting
Post a Comment