Storytelling

Life is full of circles, even if we don’t notice the cyclical nature of things right away.

I grew up listening to my father’s stories.They were filled with fantasy and always managed to transport me into another world. It wasn’t until later that I realized that the basis of many of his stories were books like Lord of the Rings. I wasn't disappointed by that realization—instead it excited me. I couldn’t imagine how amazing it would be to write a story that others would love enough to adapt into stories of their own—stories worthy of their children. It was these stories that cemented in me a lifelong love of fantasy that has fueled many of my book ideas.

My daughter is now old enough that I have become the storyteller. Although some tales are new, I can’t help but pull elements from the stories my father told me. And so the cycle continues. As I put my own spin onto the stories, infusing them with my voice, I can’t help but hope that my children will continue the tradition of storytelling. I hope that when they do, their stories contain hints of the tales told before.  

New Beckoning Light Cover

I'm very excited about this gorgeous cover designed by Laura Estill!

College Basketball

     I admit it. I have only been a fan of Carolina Basketball for a few years.Yeah, I know that two major characters in Beckoning Light have played or are going to play for the Tar Heels, but my time as a fan is embarrassing small. Actually, my time as a fan of college basketball has been short. I only went to a handful of games while in college and grad school but then something happened—I moved to the triangle of North Carolina. I am convinced that it is impossible not to become a fan of the game when you live here, it’s even hard to go to the store during basketball season without someone asking what team you root for. Eventually I got pulled in, even with Carolina failing to make the tournament the first year we were here. Sometimes the place we live manages to change us—it becomes part of the fabric of who we are and once that happens it’s impossible to turn back. So yes, I’m a new fan of the sport, but really who cares, all that really matters is that when the game starts I’ll be yelling Go Tar Heels! 

Tell me about your favorite team. 

Writing Update

I've finished the first draft of Perilous Light and am starting the editing process. With a toddler and infant at home I may be working more slowly than I would like but I should be right on schedule for an early spring release. I've had so much fun writing Perilous Light and am so excited to share it with everyone. I'll post a book description soon.

In other news, once I finish Perilous Light I'll be working on the first book of a new series, The Crescent Chronicles. I'll have more information up soon but it's an urban fantasy/paranormal romance set in New Orleans narrated by a college student (and no, it isn't autobiographical :) ).

Friends and Community Service

     In life there are people who make a significant impression on you and who you can never forget. One of those people for me was Jena, one of my closest college friends and roommates who died tragically last year when she was only 27. Jena was one of those people who lived to give back to others. She believed fiercely in giving her time and energy to community service and outreach. In her honor, her friends and family started an organization, the Jena Ashley Smiles 929 Foundation, to help continue on Jena's strong commitment to community service, particularly in the areas of youth, literacy and medical research.

For the month of October, I will be donating all profits from the sale of Beckoning Light to the foundation.

For more information please check out     The Jena Ashley Smiles 929 Foundation

New Baby Boy

I became a mother of two on Wednesday when my son Samuel was born! I'll be taking a short break from writing but I'm almost done with the first draft of Perilous Light and I'll be sure to update everyone soon! 

Favorite Books

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about preference in books. What makes us love one book and dislike another? How do we choose what books we want to read, and which ones we pass up? In some ways it's similar to how we choose other things in life like foods and movies, but at least for me, taste in books becomes even more personal. My preference in books is broad, and my favorites vary but usually I stay in certain genres. However, my all time favorite book, Moby Dick, doesn't fit any of my usual book categories. There is just something about Melville's depiction of obsession and his prose that has me coming back time and again.

Does anyone else have a favorite book that doesn't quite fit in with your usual taste? How do you know that you have found your perfect book?

Creativity

I recently had coffee with a friend and we ended up discussing the creative process. She brought up how people tend to create in two distinct ways either with a flash of inspiration that is more emotionally based or in a more logical manner. Although my initial reaction was to say that my creativity always comes with a flash, recently my writing has become more of a hybrid of the two. I have been writing Perilious Light with a set plan, but letting the details fill in naturally.  I'm hoping that the result is positive... you will all have to let me know this Spring.

New Beginnings

As summer comes to an end and fall seems within sight, it's hard not to think about new beginnings. Although September in North Carolina is still very hot, even the faintest hint of cooler weather reminds me that the seasons are changing. My daughter starts a new year of preschool this week, bringing with it a lot of excitement and some additional time for me to work on Perilous Light.  Book two picks up about a year after Beckoning Light ends, and while the characters are of course still dealing with the aftermath of the events of the year before, they are also experiencing their own new beginnings. I'm about 1/4 of the way through the first draft and I look forward to sharing the next chapter of Charlotte and Kevin's story with everyone this Spring.

There are some good things in life you can get for less than a dollar...

On Monday Beckoning Light will have been out for a month. It's been wonderful sharing the story with so many people, and I have loved hearing all of the feedback. In an attempt to expand my audience further, I have decided to lower the price on the e-book for a limited time to .99 cents. Be sure to tell your friends :)

Moving

I woke up at four in the morning on Friday with an idea I just couldn't wait to write. It was a scene with Charlotte back in Energo after more than a year away. Charlotte, as usual, is full of a variety of different emotions, and is trying to come to terms with changing environments. As bleary eyed and exausted as I was, I could relate to Charlotte.

I'm no stranger to moving. Since graduating high school I've lived in three different cities and even more apartments and homes. Each move involves the unavoidable packing and unpacking, perfectly situating furniture and finding a place for way too many things. A move also requires finding a new place to write. Even when using the same computer and desk, it still feels strange to sit facing a different wall, or looking out a new window. It's been two weeks since my family moved into a new home, and I'm still getting used to the setup. With all the change, it sure feels good to be working with some familar characters.

Music and Writing

It's almost impossible for me to seperate writing from music. I've always been more creative with the right tunes, and my experience writing Beckoning Light was no different. There were a couple songs that hit record levels of repeat play during the writing process, including Sia's I'm in Here, One Republic's Come Home and Borne's The Guide. 

Writing through the voice of Charlotte made me even more aware of music. So much of Charlotte, including her relationships with other characters is tied to music in one way or another. Instead of posting my playlist for the whole book (which I may do at another time), I thought I'd post the playlist that Liam made for Charlotte, because these were the songs she was listening to when she was in Energo.

Home- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Lisztomania- Phoenix
Daylight- Matt & Kim
Crooked Strings- Kiev
The Reeling- Passion Pit
Faking the Books- Lali Puna
Shut Your Eyes- Snow Patrol
Morning Yearning- Ben Harper
I'm in Here- Sia
Heaven's on Fire- The Radio Dept.
A Lion's Heart- The Tallest Man on Earth
Spacewalk- Lemon Jelly
The Guide- Borne
Young Blood- The Naked and Famous
Couldn't Sleep- Milosh
Blah Blah Blah- Say Hi to Your Mom
Breath- Telepopmusik
To Build a Home- The Cinematic Orchestra 

Perilous Light

I'm excited to be working on the second book of the Afterglow Trilogy, Perilous Light.  I'll keep everyone updated on the progress.

Thanks!

Thanks for all the support everyone! It's been great to hear how much you are enjoying the book.  For those of you without e-readers, I'll have the print edition out soon.

Other Places to follow me:

Goodreads-Alyssa Rose Ivy

Facebook-Alyssa Rose Ivy

Now available on the Kindle and Nook!!

Beckoning Light - Kindle Edition 

Beckoning Light - Nook Edition

As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again...

Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she’s going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she’s completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.

 Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it’s up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses.

Progress

The editing process has been going really well. I've had a great experience working with Lynn O'Dell of Red Adept Reviews. I'm happy to report that the book is with the proofreader. I'm hoping to get it out in late July or early August. I cannot wait to get started on the second book of the trilogy (tentatively titled Kindled Light).

Beckoning Light

Coming Soon...

Beckoning Light

Book One of

The Afterglow Trilogy