Book Divas

Book Divas had a chance to interview Suzi Davis, author of the newly released eBook Amber Frost. The book tells the story of Grace Lynn Stevenson's adventures with love, relationships, mysteries, and the paranormal.

For more information about Suzi Davis and her new book, check out: the website, twitter, and Facebook pages.

And check back to our Book Reviews section in in January for reviews of Amber Frost.

1. Amber Frost is described as a Young Adult/Teen Paranormal-Romance e-Book. There is just something about those paranormal romances that catches the attention of readers. What do you think it is about this type of book that makes it so appealing?

I think there are many reasons why this genre appeals to such a broad audience. In our teenaged-years we often experience love for the first time. It can be such an amazing, unforgettable time when many experiences and emotions are fresh and new. The world can be an exciting, magical place full of endless possibilities. Who wouldn't want to relive those emotions and sensations through a good book? This genre offers the best of so many different worlds; the innocence of young adults, the charm and emotion of a good love story, and the magic and endless possibilities of the paranormal.

2. Your novel explores the intense relationship between Grace and Sebastian and you've written that you enjoy writing about emotionally charged experiences and relationships. What do you hope your readers draw from your exploration of such relationships in your book?

I want my readers to feel what my characters are feeling. I want them to smile and laugh out loud as they’re reading. I want them to feel tears in their eyes as they empathize with the characters’ plights and for their hands to tremble as they turn the pages (metaphorically-speaking, since Amber Frost is an ebook!). My goal is for Amber Frost to take readers on the same emotional journey as its characters to both entertain and to inspire.

3. Amber Frost is available as an e-Book. What do you think the benefits of releasing your work in this format are? The drawbacks?

E-books are becoming increasingly popular. I hope that the technology, convenience and low cost of E-books will appeal to my audience. For me, it was also a benefit to work with a smaller publishing house and to be able to develop a more personal relationship with my publisher. E-books also have the advantage of being easily accessible – not to mention the smaller carbon-footprint that they leave behind. As for drawbacks…  I suppose considering that E-books make up less than 10% of book sales, it does mean I will be accessing a smaller audience. Ebooks are gaining popularity everyday though and I am excited to be releasing work into such a rapidly growing (and changing) field.

4. You describe yourself as a writer and a poet. How do you incorporate your poetic nature in your book writing?

I have always written poetry; I love the challenge of expressing a thought or emotion into a few simple lines, especially while trying to adhere to rules of rhythm and rhyme. I hope that my poetic inclination is evident in my writing through the complex emotions, images and sensations that I am able to clearly convey without being overly wordy or losing the flow to my words.

5. Your website lists a playlist to accompany Amber Frost. How do you see this playist as adding to the story?

The Playlist tracks are songs that I feel match the mood and tone of my novel. Some were songs that I listened to while writing, others are songs that I have listened to since. Either way, for me, they evoke the same emotions that Amber Frost does. Amber Frost gives readers a glimpse into Grace and Sebastian’s world; the Playlist adds to and deepens that experience. Also, I love being introduced to new music and I hope that my readers might be exposed to something new that they’ll like.

6. We have many aspiring writers in our online community who love advice on writing and getting published. How long did it take you to write Amber Frost? What was it like finding an online publishing site?

It took me about three months to write Amber Frost, start-finish. It then took me another six months to properly edit my manuscript (during which time my son was born), and then several more months for me to properly research which publishers to query and to prepare my submission packages. I originally queried only traditional, print publishing houses. There was some interest but nothing ever panned-out. A friend suggested trying online publishing sites, and that was how I came across ireadiwrite Publishing; a local, Indie, online Publishing house. The best advice I could give to aspiring writers is just keep writing. Work hard, believe in yourself and never give up.

7. Finally, what do you think makes you a Book Diva?

I am a Book Diva because I absolutely love to read and to write. I dedicated my novel, Amber Frost, to my Mum – the original Book Diva who inspired my love of reading and writing from a very early age onwards. I honestly feel like this is what I was meant to do; being an author is a dream job for me. I get to tell fun, imaginative and exciting stories, I get to share a little piece of my imagination with the world and hopefully, I get to inspire some future Book Diva's in the process. I can’t think of anything I'd rather do!

About Suzi Davis
I am a 27 year old British-born, Canadian writer and artist.  I live in a small town on Vancouver Island (in British Columbia, Canada) with my husband and young son. I've been writing stories and poetry for as long as I can remember but in recent years my focus has centered on writing Young Adult/Teen fiction. This genre allows me to explore such high-interest subject matter as relationships between families, friends, young lovers and more. I am also interested in writing about the supernatural and there is always an added element of magical fantasy to whatever tale I spin. I love and live to write; there is nothing that I'd rather do.  And I feel that my passion for writing is evident in the high-quality, exciting and endearing stories that I tell.