It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means – it’s Writer Wednesday! Today I’m thrilled to have fellow Shenandoah Valley Writers author Sydney Scrogham join me. Sydney’s debut YA fantasy novel, Chase, hit the shelves August 1st, so this seemed the perfect time to get to know her and her work a little bit better.
Sydney doesn’t do things half-measure, so she decided to answer all seven questions I threw at her, rather than just picking a few. Woot! More for us to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and hang out with us for a few moments.
What inspires you to write?
Memories, and more specifically, heartbreak. Nothing makes me want to write more than being in pain. That sounds awful, doesn’t it? But when life doesn’t deliver happy endings all the time, rewriting happy endings in a story is healing for me.
Which type of romance do you love most, and why?
Regular guy and girl with NO triangles or squares or anything else with more sides. I like to see strong personalities become something better when they’re together. It makes the chemistry sizzle off the page for me.
Name two things people don’t know about you:
I met my real-life version of Chase while I was in college, long after I’d finished writing the first draft. You bet I was shocked (and no, he wasn’t interested in dating…). Second, as more of a writer’s life thing, my favorite position for writing is lying on my tummy in front of my laptop.
What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?
Susan May Warren. I nabbed an ARC of When I Fall In Love and I was hooked from chapter one. Warren took the cheese out of Christian romance for me – the hero actually said, “I want to make babies with you.” (I was cheering – I hate it when Christian romance isn’t done well, but Warren nabs it in the Christiansen Family Series.) And those were the most realistic characters I’d seen in years.
What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?
Don’t take the first deal that’s offered to you. Figure out what you want, and don’t compromise anything until you get it.
What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?
Hm… This doesn’t qualify as a romance, technically, but the relationship between Sean and Puck in The Scorpio Races (MaggieStiefvater) is STILL on my mind months after I’ve read the book.
And now . . . Chase
He’s chosen to die.
She’s destined for Snix skin.
Financial strain from her mom’s lost job means Lauren has to sell her horse. In a desperate attempt to keep her beloved animal, Lauren pursues an escaped genetic experiment worth a ten thousand dollar reward—a bright red horse.
With the red horse in sight, Lauren disappears into Agalrae and comes face-to-face with Chase, a man raised by Alicorns. Lauren wants to return home, but the Snix, Chase’s enemy since birth, has other plans. The Snix confronts Lauren with an ultimatum: Kill Chase for ten times the red horse’s reward money, or sacrifice the lives of her mother and horse.
Forced to stay in Agalrae until she decides, Lauren wrestles with possible outcomes. But she can’t hide the truth from Chase forever.
When destiny splits, which path do you follow?
Find Chase here:
Woot! Congratulations on your new release, Sydney, and thanks so much for joining us!