Lark Giveaway

Hi everyone!
I know I've been absent but I am reappearing to do a great giveaway for my dear friend Erica. Erica released her first novel, Lark, and I love it. She also agreed to do an interview for me! So - here is the blurb!

The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.

And here is me - picking her brain!

1.What inspired you to write Lark?

 I woke up from a dream and couldn’t go back to sleep until I wrote it all down. The next day I couldn’t stop thinking about what would’ve happened before and after the events of that dream so I started writing it down!

2. What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome during the writing process?

Growing thicker skin! I’m a naturally sensitive person and I knew that as soon as I released LARK that I was bound to get negative feedback, simply because that’s just the way it is. There is no one book out there that everyone loves and I had some serious anxiety over it. But I just remind myself to focus on the positive and not let the negative get me down.

3. What's your perfect writing atmosphere?

I need complete and total silence to really get into the zone. But life with the three Blondies is hardly quiet so I spent a lot of late nights working on LARK because it was the only time I could really focus. I would put them all to bed at 8pm and immediately go sit at my desk. I would be there for hours! I

4. Who is your favorite character and why in your book?

 Jacoby is pretty much my ideal guy so I guess he would be my favorite though I’m really rather fond of all of my characters (even the not so nice ones!).

5. Who is an author that inspires you and why?

Oh gosh, that’s tough because I have so many favorites! But if I have to pick one, I’d say JK Rowling just because she created such a vivid world in the Harry Potter books. I can only hope to be that imaginative!

6. Can you tell us anything about the sequel?

I can tell you that I’m working on it right now….. and I can give you a teeny tiny (completely unedited)  sneak peek of Chapter 1:

Grey and I walk silently side by side to my locker. He stays with me until I gather all my books and then he walks me to my first class.

            “I’ll see you later,” he says softly.

            “Yeah, see ya.” I turn to go, but he suddenly grabs my arm to stop me. “What?”

I turn to face him and his eyes are narrowed at something or someone behind me. I   follow his gaze and shock hits me like a Mack truck.

            He is back.  

Who could it be?? J

7. What is your ultimate goal as a writer?

Realistically? I’d like to be able to write full time someday…..but if we are talking, like in-my wildest-dream goal, I think it would be absolutely the coolest thing ever to have a book turned into a movie. Or at the very least be a guest on The Ellen Degeneres show. J

8. What's the best piece of advice you got while writing your book?

A friend of mine told me to join a “crit group”. She had joined one (through Yahoo I think) and while I didn’t go that route, I did get some awesome people to help me with the editing/revising process of Lark and they were all amazing! They really helped me mold my story into what it is and for that I’m immensely grateful!

Thanks for the great questions, Michelle! It was fun!

And on to the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway