I'm hugely excited to be the official blog partner to Tara Hudson for The Dark Days of Supernatural tour, and today Tara is joining me for a question and answer session before her paranormal young adult novel Hereafter releases tomorrow (June 7th)! Please mark your calendars and run out and pick this one up, it's an absolutely fabulous read (you can check out my review HERE). The Dark Days of Supernatural tour is sporting a very impressive list of young adult authors, so be sure and check the bottom of the post after the interview for more details and information on Tara and the tour itself!
How do you get through a dark day?
I love dark days! I can’t wait for the opportunity to kill the lights, draw the blinds, and get some writing done while I listen to the rain outside. On emotionally dark days, though, I usually do what Amelia does: I overanalyze the problem until it either goes away or I have to fight some epic battle. (But maybe less of the latter than the former!)
How did you make the transformation from being a lawyer to an author?
For me, the two skill sets kind of go hand-in-hand. A good lawyer absolutely has to be a good writer, and an author should have an analytical side – especially when it comes to editing her novel! I also found that law school made me become more economical with my words, which is so helpful to my fiction.
What do you think makes a good supernatural read?
A good supernatural read has to have an element of mystery to it. The reader should always start with some essential questions about the main character: Not only who she is, but what she is; not only where she’s going, but where she’s been. And, of course, it never hurts to add some blisteringly hot romance.
Where did you get the inspiration for your story?
The idea for Hereafter came from a short story I wrote in college, told from the perspective of a young woman who doesn’t yet realize she's dead. I set the original story in a place I only vaguely remembered—a Choctaw Indian cemetery, to which my grandparents had taken me as a child. I could only recall how strangely quiet and overgrown the place was, and how I wondered whether anyone had visited those graves in this century. Only later did I learn this cemetery was where several of my paternal family members were buried, with graves dating back to the late 19th century.
One rainy afternoon, years later, I rewrote part of that ghost story to distract two of my best girlfriends on their lunch break. When they both demanded more from the story, Hereafter was born.
Do you believe in ghosts?
I believe that places and things have memories, just like people; that strong emotions linger in places and, over time, can change them, haunt them, just like ghosts. The cemetery in Hereafter is one such place, as is High Bridge.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
How do you de-stress?
I’m always less stressed after I’ve had a good writing session, or after I’ve had a great plate of sushi.
Item you can’t live without?
My iPod! How does anyone accomplish anything without their personal soundtrack playing in the background?
Favorite flavor of ice cream?
It’s a tie between blackberry almond sorbet and chocolate with peanut butter cups. I’m not even going to confess how often the healthier option loses.
What would surprise people about you?
I used to own a chemically-grown frog who couldn’t survive outside water. The creatively-named “Gilly” lived 21 years. Seriously.
Favorite movie?
Another tie between 28 Days Later (zombies rule) and Ghostbusters, which my family watches every year when we decorate the Christmas tree. We’re a weird bunch.
TOP 10 LIST: TOP TEN REASONS WHY OKLAHOMA IS AWESOMELY CREEPY
10. Masons. All the mystery surrounding is creepy enough, but Oklahoma also houses the largest Masonic Temple in the country. Take that, Illuminati.
9. Okie Noodling. No, really. YouTube it. You won't be disappointed.
8. Indian Burial Grounds. As the last stop for the 5 Civilized Tribes on the Trail of Tears, Oklahoma was primarily Indian Country for a long time. So the state has many Indian cemeteries, all of which are sacred…and sometimes spooky.
7. The Flaming Lips. This awesomely weird indie band is from Oklahoma. Score one, Oklahoma's music scene.
6. Tornadoes. They're scary as hell.
5. Bigfoot. No, really (again). Southeastern Oklahoma has a huge number of Bigfoot sightings.
4. Ghost Towns. During the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, thousands of families had to flee Oklahoma. They left behind almost everything, including many of their towns. Many of these Ghost Towns still exist, empty of their inhabitants—or the living ones, anyway.
3. The Walking Dead. Every year, downtown Oklahoma City plays host to the Ghouls Gone Wild Parade, which includes something called “The March of 1,000 Flaming Skeletons.” How cool is that?
2. Robber’s Cave State Park. The place Amelia and Joshua first touch is a labyrinth of mountain caves, where Jesse James and his gang hid from the law.
1. And the number one reason Oklahoma rules: It’s the setting for Hereafter!
Thank you so much for stopping by Tara! For more information on Tara, Hereafter, and all the other authors who are part of the Dark Days of Supernatural Tour, just follow the links below!
Tara's Website
Tara's Blog
Tara on Twitter
Tara on Facebook
THE DARK DAYS OF SUPERNATURAL
Official Website
Dark Days on Facebook
Dark Days on Twitter
Dark Days Trailer
