Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Interview with A.L. Davroe, Author of Nexis + Excerpt & Giveaway


I'd like to extend a warm welcome to A.L. Davroe, author of Nexis, a new YA Sci-Fi novel from Entangled Teen.


Tell us about the main character in Nexis. Who is Ella?
Ella is a “Natural” girl in a world of people who have been genetically customized, Altered, and Modified.  Everyone is perfect and Ella is not.  Ella only has fashion to keep up with everyone else and while her skills at designing clothes are top notch, she just can’t keep up!  She wants to be like everyone else -- especially now that her father’s new virtual reality game is doing so well and they’re now Elite.  She has a crush on the most popular guy in school, but he doesn’t even look at her.  Her best friend’s name is Delia and she, like Ella, is a Natural too; however, Delia is able to Modify and Alter herself while Ella cannot.  Ella also wants to be a Designer, not the Programmer she was born to be.  But, she’s soon going to learn that those programming skills are going to come in handy…

Nexis
is book one in the Tricksters series. How many novels do you have planned for the series? When can we expect book two?
Book two, REDUX, is already written and handed in.  I expect I’ll get content edits for it after NEXIS releases, but I’m not entirely certain when the release date for it is.  As it stands, I’m only contracted for these two books, but we are hoping to pitch at least a few more.  I’d like to write a third book for Ella and then I’d like to write a few companion pieces for some of the secondary characters in the series.

What inspired the series? Did you do any special research while prepping and writing?
Oh, there is a fun story behind this.  Believe it or not, the initial idea for Nexis came about when my agent, Louise Fury, was still part of the L. Perkins Agency.  She and Lori Perkins and I were eating dinner at a convention and they were talking about wanting a Steampunk Cinderella story.  I also write Steampunk, so the idea was intriguing to me.  On the spot, I came up with a Cinderella who loses her whole leg instead of just a shoe and ends up with some crazy Steampunk gadget for a leg instead.  I didn’t want to do another Steampunk story though, so I decided I’d try and do a futuristic Cinderella instead.  I’ve always been a huge fan of anime and, if you’re also a fan like me, you’ll probably be able to pick out some of my influences.  Anyway, I wrote this sort-of futuristic Cinderella story.  The initial set up in the original version was very Cinderella, but then, I sort of flew off the track with the whole virtual game idea and the ending.  The work and the character became so much bigger and better than its initial starting point.  After numerous edits and Cinder coming out in print (yes, I wrote Nexis that long ago), I decided to nix the Cinderella aspect all-together and really make Nexis its own story.  I really love what this story has become and the journey that the characters and I have taken.

As for prepping: I didn’t do too much of that with the initial writing process.  I did have to go back to check facts and flesh out some wobbly bits in the narrative but, for the most part, everything in Nexis came from what I already know.

I love your cover! Did you have any input in the design?
Entangled has you fill out a cover form to let the artist know what your characters look like, the summary, the setting, things you like and dislike, etc.  Beyond that I had no input on this particular cover other than to choose between it and another mock-up.  Both had the same setting, just different models and this one was perfect.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what songs were on your playlist for Nexis?
I actually have a Nexis playlist on YouTube.

Fun Question—If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would you entertain? What would you serve?
This is, like, the hardest question I’ve ever been asked!  In all seriousness, how can I pick just one?  I think that changes about every two minutes for me – depending on the mood and moment.  I think you’re asking book characters, but my brain wants it to be ANY fictional character.  So, we’ll go in between and choose a manga character.  And, at this moment, I’m inclined to say Vash the Stampede from Trigun, but I have no idea why.  I donno, maybe it’s the height?  Maybe it’s the cool hair and fun glasses?  Obviously, I’d feed him donuts.  Although, pizza is a fine choice as well.

Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you or your novel?
Just that I hope they love it and I’m always available to talk if they have additional questions or comments about the book.  I’m very approachable, if not a bit flaky. ;D

Where can readers find you online?
I’m everywhere!
Author Email: ALDavroe@gmail.com
Author Website: www.ALDavroe.com
Author Blog: www.ALDavroe.com
Author Twitter: @ALDavroe



NexisNexis
Tricksters, #1

A.L. Davroe

Release Date: Dec. 1, 2015
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Published by: Entangled Teen

Goodreads
Amazon | B&N | Entangled

In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.

Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again. But Nexis isn’t quite the game everyone thinks it is.


ALAbout the Author: A.L. (Amanda) Davroe writes both YA and adult speculative fiction. She prefers revisionist tales in paranormal, romance, Steampunk, and fantasy. She is the author of Salvation Station (adult psych horror), The City Steam Collection (adult psych horror), For Your Heart (YA Paranormal Romance) and her YA Sci-Fi novel, Nexis, is coming out with Entangled Publishing December 1, 2015! By day, Amanda lives in Connecticut with her two feline hench-creatures and makes cheese. She’s a terrible blusher, has a weak spot for cuddly animals, loves Laffy Taffy and Cadbury MiniEggs, and she’s a huge advocate of alternative healing methods. Amanda also wears purple shoes and corsets…Though not always in the same ensemble. She’s a Capricorn, a Hufflepuff, a bit gothic, and a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal.

Author Website: www.ALDavroe.com
Author Blog: www.ALDavroe.com
Author Twitter: @ALDavroe
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALDavroeFanPage
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5212441.A_L_Davroe
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/RBlXP

 


Excerpt from Nexis, Chapter 5 (pgs 31-32)


Sighing, I stare down at the headband until a shadow falls over me. “That’s quite the contraption.”
                I close my eyes. It’s Zane. Great, he saw the spectacle, too. Will my shame never cease? Well, there goes the courting. He’ll never want to be with a pariah like me now. “It was a stupid idea to wear it.”
                He steps to the side and sits next to the headband. He picks it up, turns it over between his fingers. “Was it? I think it’s pretty revolutionary, actually.”
                “That’s my point. If I could do that with a simple holo-mask, then anyone could.”
                Zane purses his lips. He knows I’m right. If I was able to program a mask to make my face look just as Modified and Altered as any Aristocrat’s, then what’s to stop one of the Disfavored from doing it? A mask like that undermines the system. Eventually he smiles, apprehensive, and meets my eyes. “Well, they don’t have Programmers as talented and ingenious as you out there. So it’s a good thing you’re on the side of the Aristocracy, isn’t it?”
                I snort and look away. “I’m a threat to them.”
                He places a hand on my knee, and it makes my stomach go aflutter, despite my bad mood. “It’s good that you’re aware of it.”
                My floating stomach sinks, and I shake my head with a bitter scoff. “Is that supposed to comfort me?”
                His fingers tighten, drawing my leg open so that our knees touch and he leans closer to me. “Not at all,” he whispers in a spine-tingling purr, eyes alight with secret sparkle. “It should scare you. It should scare you and enliven you. It should make you want to start a fire. Because you can.”
                Confused by his words and what he’s doing to my body, I stare at him for a long time. He sounds like Dad, spouting nonsense like this all the time. But, unlike Dad, Zane has a wild and dangerous charisma on his side. His touch and tone stir my insides, make me want to get up and run, make me want to do what he asks me to do.




The Giveaway:
  • Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB + Nexis Swag Pack (US/Canada)
  • $50 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
  • $50 Amazon Gift Card (US/Canada)
  • Nexis Swag Pack (US/Canada)
  • Opportunity to Name / Build the Look of a Character in the next book in the Trickster series with any of the Mods and Alts you can imagine! (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

18 comments:

  1. I'd love to have hair that changed color every day, but never needed to be cut.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have my eye color change according to my moods

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This would be mine too. I want my eyes to turn red when I'm angry. That would be cool.

      Delete
  3. No, no changes for me. Too scary I think.

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  4. Great question! I was reading some of the other comments - terrific ideas! I really like the eye color changing based on your mood. In addition, I would love to never be able to gain weight, no matter how much I ate or what I ate. Counting calories would be a thing of the past lol. Or perfect skin that is immune to acne breakouts!

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    Replies
    1. I am so sick of counting calories. Can you imagine a holiday season where it didn't matter what you ate?!

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  5. I agree with an above commenter: I'd be too scared to do any drastic changes/mods. Not only does it sound too scary and painful, but I think it'd be too easy to become addicted to it. But I love reading things about it.

    ~Lori

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    Replies
    1. It would be like a drug with people needing their "fix"

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  6. I like the idea of never having to fuss with my hair again lol that would be something I wouldnt mind having take care of itself

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    Replies
    1. I do love the idea of changing hair colors to suit my mood.

      Delete
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    ReplyDelete

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