Six years ago a monster broke Ava Monroe's soul. She was left with nothing but an empty house and no reason to live. In starting a new life in a new city she finds the strength to carry on, but can she ever erase the demons of her past?
When an act of fate brings Seth into her life, they'll attempt to discover the truth about their tainted pasts. But Seth Carter has a secret; one even he doesn't know exists.
Will Ava's connection with Seth be enough to lift her up, or will it destroy what little she has left?
When an act of fate brings Seth into her life, they'll attempt to discover the truth about their tainted pasts. But Seth Carter has a secret; one even he doesn't know exists.
Will Ava's connection with Seth be enough to lift her up, or will it destroy what little she has left?
**WARNING: This book contains mature content**
Hi Emily! Thank you so
much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me. Shall we
get started?
Thank you for having me! It’s an honor to be here!
Thank you for having me! It’s an honor to be here!
Where did the idea or plot for the Moving Forward emerge from?
Are the characters or any of their personality traits from any people you know in real life?
I may be biased, but I adore the characters. Though none of
them were written with anyone I know personally in mind; they each have a
special quirk that reminds me of a friend or family member, Carissa especially.
She has little quirks that reminds me of all my friends trapped into one body.
I just love her. And Seth, oh Seth. Talk about swoon-worthy. If I could order
men, I’d order a tall glass of him!
Where do you do your best writing?
In my bed! I have a very full life outside of writing. I
work a full time job, go to school online, and chase around a redheaded
two-year-old. There is not enough hours in the day to find anywhere special to
get the creative juices going. So instead, I curl up into bed with a good movie
or a rocking playlist and get to it.
What's your favorite way to Brainstorm?
This might sound strange, but a dance party with my little
one usually gets the mind running wild. We will put on the soundtrack to Frozen
(it’s always Frozen) and dance around the living room. It clears my head and
kills two birds with one stone; thinking up awesome new ideas and spending time
with my daughter.
What's the best gift you have gotten from a fan?
I got a message two days after the release of Moving Forward
and it brought me to tears. She told me that she felt so many emotions with
Ava’s journey and that she just wanted to thank me for putting her story out there. The reader also said that Ava made her want
to be a stronger person, to face her life head on. I was humbled that my words
could make such an impact on someone I had never met before.
What's your favorite part of writing?
What's your favorite part of writing?
My favorite part of writing is that it allows me to take a
journey I otherwise wouldn’t. Every page is a new surprise and each character
is a new friend. Ava, the main character in Moving Forward, wrote her own
story, creating her own life and allowed me to tag along on her ride. It was
invigorating and gave me a sense of pride I haven’t felt before.
Do you see Seth and Ava getting their happily ever after?
Do you see Seth and Ava getting their happily ever after?
I can honestly say I have NO idea how their story will end
and that breaks my heart. It’s scary and unfair, but that’s life sometimes. I
can; however, tell you that sometimes things have to get worse before they can
get better.
What about
Carissa, will she get one too?
Oh Carissa, she has so much more to show the world. Only
time can tell what her fate will be. I’m curious to know myself. She’s one of
my favorite characters.
Will Dawson
finally be able to put this case behind him?
Dawson was the hardest character to write. He has lost so
much but he keeps his head up and fights harder than ever. If he doesn’t get a
happy ending, I might scream and hunt myself down!
Will there be any books for any other characters, like a spinoff?
This will be the first time I am clueing anyone in on this
little secret. Carissa is begging me to get out and I have officially decided
to write her story when the time comes. She grew on me as I wrote Moving
Forward and so many people have told me how much they like her and want to know
more about her. Well, we are all going to get a look into that spitfire’s head
before too long! Guess we will find out her happy…or not so happy…ending after
all!
How do you handle the negative criticism, if you even get any?
How do you handle the negative criticism, if you even get any?
I try to take the negative criticism and use it to make my
writing better. It’s never easy to hear that someone doesn’t enjoy your work,
but you can’t take it personally or let it discourage you from writing. Not
everyone is going to like it, and that’s okay.
Are there
any other genres you would like to write?
I would love to write a children’s book! I know, a far cry
from my New Adult Romantic Suspense story! I just love the idea of writing
something for my daughter, and any future children, to enjoy. My two-year-old,
Anna, loves to read. She will pick up a book before she picks up a toy. She may
not be able to read on her own yet, but is so intrigued by the pages of a book.
It’s rather adorable.
If you could
say one thing to a new indie author, give one piece of advice, what would it
be?
Don’t give up, just keep writing! Don’t be afraid to ask
questions either. There are times when self-publishing seems like the world’s
most difficult task. It’s not! I found that asking questions and joining
support groups made it such a great experience. Sometimes you have to take a
step back and regroup, just don’t ever give up.
What is the
best advice someone ever gave you?
When I sent an insanely rough draft to a friend of mine to
read for me, I was all but in a state of panic. Even though she was a friend, I
knew she would be completely honest with me (which is why I sent it to her). I was a mess for days,
shaking and afraid to check my emails. Each time my phone went off I thought it
would be her telling me how crappy my story was or that my writing was
horrendous. I was so nervous. When she sent me a message telling me she
finished, I told her I wasn’t sure I wanted to know how she felt. She said to
me, “Just remember, you write for yourself. This story is yours and no one can
change that.” As a reader, I always assumed authors wrote for their readers. As
a writer, I realize that we write just as much for ourselves. If I love my
story, then that’s good enough for me. If others love my story, that’s even
better! It means so much to me to know that someone else is enjoying something
that I poured my heart into. Remembering to write for myself allows me to put
my all into the characters and the plot line—it makes my writing better and I
couldn’t thank my friend enough for reminding me of that.
I don’t
suppose maybe there are any hints, teasers, or spoilers you can give us about
the next book?? Pretty pretty please???? Cause you know that was one helluva
cliffhanger!
That cliffhanger broke my heart! Secret time: Moving Forward
didn’t end that way in the first draft. I knew after reading the original
ending that Ava’s journey wasn’t over. It couldn’t just end all happy go lucky,
so I wrote a cliffhanger of epic proportions. One that had me feeling guilty
for weeks. I can tell you that the next book picks up where the first one
ended—only this time it’s in Seth’s POV. He has an internal battle to fight and
a heart to mend back together. We will learn a lot about him as well as Dawson
in book two, titled Two Steps Back. The emotions these boys face are so raw and
terrifying to me, that sometimes I have to remind myself that it isn’t real. I
can’t wait to continue this journey with you all.
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