Author Spotlight: Emma Michaels author of "The Thirteenth Chime"

Book Lovers Delight is proud to present, Emma Michaels. Her brilliantly titled debut novel, The Thirteenth Chime, is scheduled for release on August 13, 2010. Young adult, paranormal and urban fantasy readers, and everyone in between, mark your calendars and be the first to get your hands on this one. Emma Michaels is about to share with all of us the many reasons why we will enjoy The Thirteenth Chime. So let us get started...

BLD: Congratulations on the publishing of your novel. How exciting! We are thrilled to have you on Book Lovers Delight. Let's begin with your name and where are you from?

EM: My name is Emma Michaels and although I am originally from California, I have been living in the state of Washington for two years now and loving it!

BLD: Tell us about your latest project?

EM: My latest project is "The Thirteenth Chime", and it is a YA Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy with a bit of mystery to it. Here is the short teaser:

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.

BLD: Who was the first person to hear about your success as a newly published author?

EM: My fiance and my Chihuahua tied for first place on this one *laughs* I shrieked so loud they both turned towards me worried. My little chihuahua looking around to see if there was an intruder who got past her (which of course there never will be unless it is a spider... even then) and my fiance worried something might be wrong. Obviously, I had to explain before they both got ready to defend me against invisible attackers that it was time for us to celebrate!

BLD: As a writer, what has been your greatest inspiration?

EM: Emotions and my move to Washington State. It is so beautiful and filled with lush, green forests that extend for as far as the eye can see and yet is home to the ocean, deserts, mountains and far more beautiful wonders. It is amazing and feels almost endless at times with the trees reaching high for the sky and the ocean spreading out as far as you can see. It is just amazing!

BLD: Who is your greatest fan and what would you like for them to know?

EM: Probably my father. He has always hoped that I would one day reach my dream of becoming an author, and he was ecstatic to learn that I was being published. I hope I will always make him proud.

BLD: What was the last book you read?

EM: I am currently reading Beautiful Dead by Eden Maguire

BLD: Do you prefer to read about a bad boy or a goody two-shoes?

EM: Both are boring! No I am kidding, I enjoy reading about either but I like writing a very different type of character. I think potential fans will really enjoy David and the kind of man he can be (when he isn't getting in trouble *laughs*).

BLD: What are the top three things you couldn’t live with out?

EM: Chocolate, books, more chocolate... okay, I'll skip the 'more chocolate' and go with trees. There is just something about having a forest all around you and yet being able to hear the sounds of the ocean in the background.


BLD: How does your debut novel differ from other paranormal/urban fantasy novels?

EM: I feel that it differs from others because there really is no other book like this one currently on the market. Not only is the cover and concept completely different, but the human side of the characters will touch the hearts and minds of the readers. They aren't just good or bad, they are human like all of us and have a bit of both sides in them. It is who they are and what is unique about them that sets them apart.

BLD: What do you think your fans will like best about your main character Destiny? David?

EM: With Destiny, I think they will like how much they are able to sympathize with her heart. She is a young woman trying to find her place in the world and she believes that at long last she has succeeded. With David, who is always a catalyst of change for Destiny, I think they will like the way he thinks and feels. There is just something so raw about him. He is a thinker and a doer. He tries to find the best solution and goes for it, he never just stops halfway, especially when his heart is in it and it always is.

BLD: If being a writer meant you were cursed and everyone’s Karma was dumped on you, what would you be instead and why?

EM: I'd still be a writer. I'm in this because I love to write and that I am hoping to be able to help others through my writing, just as I was once helped when I was younger. If there were no writers or no one else willing to take up the burden of crazy karma there would still be amazing stories that needed to be told and heard. Plus, stories and novels almost always make a bad situation better for many individuals, so if there was THAT much crazy karma I think everyone would need a good book even more.

BLD: Open to a random page in your book. Can you tell us what is happening?

EM: That would be telling before the release date! *laughs* You will just have to find out on your own!

BLD: Favorite quote?

EM: It changes with my mood to be perfectly honest. Today it is:
“In life, you can’t choose your family. And sometimes certain family members aren’t necessarily your friends. But you can choose your friends, and when you love them as much as family, that makes them family.”
from In The Spotlight by Ann Mauren

BLD: What is your inspiration when confronted with writers block?

EM: Music and consistency. I find that by writing regularly, it really helps me to reduce any potential writer's block that might occur, especially when I am writing an emotional scene. Music has a way of igniting the passion of the heart. It helps me to set the mood for the scene I will be writing next.

BLD: When developing characters, your perception of each character may change throughout the story. In your debut novel how do you feel about your main characters, Destiny and David at this time?

EM: They have grown as people, just as I have grown as an author. The thing about people, whether they are fiction or real, is that each experience they encounter is an opportunity to learn. David and Destiny make mistakes just as I have, and they have learned from those mistakes just as I have learned from my mistakes. To me, they are human beings with a bond that will survive anything, even being apart.

BLD: If you had 3 wishes what would they be?

EM: I was very ill when I was younger and I have never gotten to feel what it is like to do something like running. My first wish would be to know, even if only just once (though I wouldn't mind for much longer), what it feels like to run fully. My second wish would be for my writing to be able to help others, just as reading once helped me. My third wish... I think I would save it for the person I feel would need it the most.

BLD: Where can book lovers find your novel and how can they contact you for more information?

EM: "The Thirteenth Chime" will be available from Bokheim Publishing and other major distributors starting on August 13th, 2010. They can contact me through my website or blog: www.EmmaMichaels.Blogspot.com or www.EmmaMichaels.com
It will also be available on Amazon for those of you who are like me and love being able to order it as quickly as you can!

BLD: Is there anything else you would like to share with your fans?

EM: When I was younger, I took a journey to a new world that filled me with new emotions, unlike anything I had gotten to previously experience. I would not have gotten to have those wonderful journeys without novels. Reading books, especially YA books, helped me in ways I can't even begin to describe. It is my hope that my future fans will find both great pleasure and hope within my writing. I hope that I can also help others, just as I was once helped. I hope you all love "The Thirteenth Chime" as much as I loved writing it! With your support, we can help me make it to my goal of one day being on the New York Times Bestsellers List!!!!

Emma Michaels, it was so great to have you on Book Lovers Delight. Thank you for your time and we wish you much success with your debut novel, The Thirteenth Chime.