Tell
us a little about yourself.
Hmm
Not much to tell. I’m a wife and mother who’s obsessed with
books. My favorite color is green, I love crime shows but have a weak
stomach, I have a very dry sense of humor, and I’m a Dr. Pepper
addict.
Your
book Through Infinity, what is it about?
Through Infinity is about a family coming together when one of them is in
need. The overall theme would be ‘does love reside in our heads or
our hearts’.
Where
did the idea for your book come from?
The
idea for the book came from my son. My husband had been working out
of town for several weeks. He came home for a surprise visit. Our son
ran up to him and said, “Hi, Dad! Do you remember me?” Of course
my husband said yes, but I wondered what would happen if you didn't
remember, and from there, Through Infinity was written.
The
children in the book, their characters where amazing, and Dawson I
think will have a special place in readers hearts. Can you tell us
about Dawson and is he based at all on someone?
Dawson
is probably the only character who’s really based on a real person.
He’s based on my son and the son of my editor. Both of our boys are
on the spectrum. I took some of the characteristics from each of them
and created Dawson.
Do
your characters talk to you?
No,
they really don’t. It’s more like I see what happens between
them.
How
difficult was it to write about Candice's recovery?
Candice
was a difficult character to write because she’s very
self-contained and like most people, she had some thoughts she didn't
want to acknowledge. She’s not very vocal in her feelings and she
felt a lot of shame for not “automatically” loving her family. I
think that’s a struggle some new mothers, and fathers, deal with.
Loving someone, even your child, isn't always automatic. A lot of
parents feel judged for that and guilty for that, so it was something
I wanted to highlight.
It
was difficult, in a sense, to keep it true to a story of a family
coming together without sensationalizing it and turning it into a
soap opera. When I wrote through infinity, it felt like most of the
“drama” I could add was contrived and really didn't fit with
the story, so I kept it true to the story line I envisioned.
What
authors have inspired you?
Too
many to name. Even authors of books that I didn't connect with
inspired me because they took the step to put their work out there
for judgment. But to name a few:
Nora
Roberts
Debbie
Macomber
Johanna
Lindsey
Annette
Broaderick
Kelly
Elliott
Aleatha
Romig
Anne
Elliot
But
most of all, Lois Faye Dyer.
Talk
about your cover, where did the idea come from and who designed it?
Awe
the cover. I could probably write a book on that alone. Lol When I
came up with the concept of the cover, I knew it wanted the infinity
symbol on it with a color scheme of gold and/or silver. I didn't
want the infinity symbol to be broken, but it needed something to
highlight the tension of the story. One night, as I lay in bed (which
is when all great ideas seem to appear), the idea of missing puzzle
pieces came to me. I passed that on to the cover designer I was
working with at the time. When I received the cover mock-up from the
designer it was nothing like I envisioned. It had a very somber tone
to it, and while through infinity deals with a somewhat somber
subject, the overall tone of the book is hopeful, or at least I hope
it is.
After
seeing that mock-up, I knew I wanted what I was envisioning to
capture the story. I approached a different designer with my concept.
I had figured out that I wanted something to represent her family as
the missing pieces of the puzzle, but I didn't want faces and I
didn't want silhouettes because they just didn't convey emotion.
That night I was going somewhere and I put on my charm bracelet, and
the light bulb turned on, which is where the pictures under the
missing puzzle pieces came from.
The
next issue was the positioning of the infinity symbol itself.
Normally the infinity symbol is orientate horizontally, but that left
too much blank space on the cover, so we turned it. Turning it, to
me, kind of represented how Candice’s world had shifted.
Than
as you see in the book with the chapter headers, the puzzle becomes
filled in as Candice gets to know her family, which is why the back
cover is a completed puzzle. The puzzle pieces, along with the
colored background, also represent another sub‑storyline in
through infinity.
Overall,
the cover has been well received. I find that those who didn't like
it before they read the book, love it once they've finished.
Choosing not to put a ‘standard’ cover on it was a risk, but I
wanted the cover to really represent the story, and story isn't
about sex, although there’s chemistry.
Nathan
with Nate’s Art did the final cover. He did a great job of turning
my vision into reality.
Do
you have a special time of the day you like to write?
I
would probably write more at night if I could, but my early morning
alarm clocks don’t cooperate with that schedule.
What
has been the hardest thing about writing?
Writing
wasn't hard. Writing something that was coherent that people would
want to read was hard. It’s everything that comes after writing
that’s hard.
Will
there be a follow up book to Through Infinity?
There
will be one more book and a novella for the Woodruffs. The free
holiday novella will be released during my blog tour 12/29 – 1/9,
and then as a complete novella afterward. Jason’s POV will be told
in & beyond… There will be scenes that the reader didn't get
in through infinity. Jason had his own struggles that weren't shown
in through infinity. That was a conscious decision on my part because
I felt that the reader wouldn't empathize as much with Candice and
how lost she felt if they had all of the same knowledge Jason had.
SPOILER
ALERT: Candice and Jason are together and they will stay that way, so
I can’t imagine another story for them.
Do
you have any writing rituals?
Nope.
Not one. Maybe I need some.
What
other projects do you have for the New Year?
Thanks
for the memories – The Woodruff Christmas Novella
Reft-
a completely new book
&
beyond… - Jason’s POV
Damn
– a standalone novel
Coffee,
Tea, or Soda?
Dr.
Pepper and occasionally a Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce or Gingerbread
Latter.
What
is a fun day for you?
Hanging
out with my family doing fun trips, like right now we’re in the car
going to see Santa’s Wonderland. I’m doing this interview and the
kids are playing on their tablets and we’re listening to Christmas
music. Once, we get there it’s just family time. We’re trying to
pump Belle up to visit Santa. Last year her visit with the big guy
didn’t go so well. But if I gave you the non‑PC answer, it
would be to curl up with a book and read without interruption.
Jason
Woodruff, Candice's husband in Through Infinity, I fell in love with
him and the reviews from other readers all say how much they loved
him. Did you realize that he was going to mean so much to your
readers?
I
would say I was hopeful. He’s very open about what he feels, and
he’s loyal. Those are characteristics my husband has and I fell in
love with him, so I guess I can understand falling in love with
Jason. He’s what I would want if what happened to Candice happened
to me.
You’re
a new author, can you give any advice to others who are just
starting out?
Hire
an editor. Invest in your project, but be realistic about it’s
potential. Be personable and understanding. Everybody has lives, and
most blogs and readers are inundated with request to read books. It’s
a slow process. Keep writing. Write, write, write, and write some
more.
Contact Author Libby Austin
