12.21.2015

#HolidayBookBash Author Interview #6 with Julia Ember

I'm so happy to welcome Julia Ember to my blog today! Julia's YA novel, Unicorn Tracks, is also featured in the prize drawing.
Author Name: Julia Ember
Book Title: UNICORN TRACKS
Release Date: April 21 2016
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Genre: YA Romantic Fantasy 

Back Cover Copy (BCC) or Blurb:


After a savage attack drives her from her home, sixteen-year-old Mnemba finds a place in her cousin Tumelo’s successful safari business, where she quickly excels as a guide. Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her.

Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.





CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO READ JULIA'S INTERVIEW AND ENTER TO WIN!



 
Where can readers find you?

Blog: http://www.julia-ember.com
Twitter: @jules_chronicle
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliaemberwrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25231892-unicorn-tracks
Other:

Note from Julia...

I am genuinely ALWAYS happy to talk to readers about my book or any other book I might have read. I think of myself as a reader first and a writer second, so talk to me about books! Especially if it's speculative and queer!

When did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?

I wrote stories all the time when I was a kid, ranging from fan fiction to originals to picture books. I actually had my first story published when I was 7, in GEMS (like Girl Scouts) Magazine. It was about friendship and princesses and horses, so maybe it's not shocking that my first book is about Unicorns.



I wrote SO much fan fiction in high school. One of my proudest teen achievements is my epic 200k Sirius/Severus slash fic. It's still online but I will never divulge my secret Fan Fiction identity! 

I wrote all through my teens, but pretty much stopped from my last two years in college through my graduate education. I think with all the essays I had to write, my writing desire just kind of died.  I started writing again in 2014 and started with a milt-perspective MG novel. It wasn't publishable quality, but it definitely taught me a lot about myself and how I like to write. I wrote Unicorn Tracks next! 

As I said before, I still consider myself to be primarily a reader. I love books. I devour books voraciously. I love the stories, the way they smell, the way they're designed, the escapism of them ... everything. And my day-job involves selling mass quantities of children's books. I think my desire to write comes from a need to create more books, and make a contribution towards a world that I love. I think my characters and my worlds are worth sharing, and I hope other readers agree!


In your words, what is your book about?

In 5 Short Sentences! 

1) Two girls falling in love while saving Unicorns. 

2) Learning to move forward after the trauma of sexual assault.

3) HORSES WHO HAVE PERSONALITY AND ARE NOT DROIDS. 

4) The magic of the safari experience. 

5) What happens when cultures collide and personal greed takes over. 


What is the hardest part about being an author?

I fairly severe anxiety problems. Worrying about things like  -- Will anybody like the book? What happens if they all hate it? How do I promote it? etc. do literally cause me to have stress dreams at night. 


What is your favorite part?

I have met so many great people in the wider writing community. I'm more aware of new books to read because I know more authors and some of my favourite authors speak to me on Twitter. I still find all of that so insanely cool.


What kinds of things do you like to do in your free time (when not writing)?
I spend an inordinate amount of time talking to my cats. Yes, I'm totally serious. 

I also love reading, ponies, watching way too much Netflix, educating other people about polyamory and of course, as anyone who follows my twitter knows -- Adult Colouring Books. 


What book are you reading now?

Undone by Cat Clarke -- AND IT IS DESTROYING ME IT IS SO SAD. 


What are some of your favorite books of 2015?

I'm going by when I read them, rather than exclusively 2015 publication dates. Yes, my list is super varied! I read everything from Picture Books through to Erotica. If it's an amazing story with good world building, I'll read it!


(1) The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
(2) Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
(3) Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
(4) The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie 
(5) The Wild Swans by Jackie Morris. 
(6) Simon Vs the Homo sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
(7) Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland 
(8) Bliss by Heidi Bellieau and Lisa Henry 
(9) The Prince and the Porker by Peter Bently 
(10) Jill and Dragon by Lesley Barnes


What was your favorite book as a child?


I loved pretty much everything by Tamora Pierce.  Also ARTEMIS FOWL -- because I think I kind of saw myself as a super smart uber villain. And of course, Harry Potter.

Describe your hero in three words.

Mnemba is ... Brave, Intuitive and Resourceful! 


What are you working on now?

I'm working on a Little Mermaid retelling novel! 
https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif
 


Thanks so much, Julia, for joining us today!
Reminder, #HOLIDAYBOOKBASH runs from 12/19/15 - midnight EST 12/24/15. 

Each day will feature interviews from amazing authors, 
as well as your chance to enter to win the GRAND PRIZE PACK. 

*You can enter daily with each author interview, so be sure to check back each day of #HolidayBookBash! *

ENTER NOW TO WIN the GRAND PRIZE PACK!
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