“… since not everyone is able to see the evils we battle, being transparent about what we do would turn into a massive legal, moral and political disaster. I’vs always agreed with this assessment. “

Hey guys! Today I’m back with another post which is a blog hop hosted by Snow Wings Publishing. I’ll be spotlighting Sarah Dale, the author of Something Wicked, a fun horror themed book.

About The Book
Something Wicked is a Middle Grade / Young Adult supernatural adventure novella, the first of the Zodiac Cusp Kids series which comes is being released on 26th November, 2019.
Synopsis
It’s 1983. Angie, Jenny, and David are watching MTV, riding bikes, and looking forward to their summer vacation before they start junior high school. Lincoln, Nebraska is a pretty quiet place to grow up, and when the kids take off at 5:00 am to deliver newspapers on Jenny’s route, they aren’t expecting trouble. So, when a creature straight out of a horror movie appears, the kids are forced to draw on their wits, their strengths, and most of all their friendship to survive.

Something Wicked is the first of seven stories drawn from Angie’s diaries. Kept safely hidden for decades, they tell how the kids spent their teenage years – working with their mentor, Mr. Rakow, and Jenny’s mom who dabbles in witchcraft, to uncover their power and battle the forces of darkness that menace their hometown.

Sarah Dale is an author, mom, daughter, partner, dog-walker, cat-appreciator, library book-balancer, word lover & think-thinker, just generally trying to get things done. In addition to the Zodiac Cusp Kids series, Dale has authored the fantasy novel, “We Could Be Heroes” co-authored the suspense thriller, “Collision Course” with Welsh author, David Owain Hughes, and her short story, “Something Old, Something New, Something Cursed, Something Blue” is featured in the collection of horror short stories, “What Goes Around.”

I had so much talking to her and I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

1. What inspired Something Wicked?

So, two things. First, a friend asked for a short story for his anthology about 80’s horror movies. I’ve worked with this friend before, and I knew for a fact that my horror wasn’t going to be as horrifying as his horror, but since I had the kernel of a story in my head I thought I’d give it a shot. That kernel was the real, actual Halloween sleepover with my friends and where we did, in fact, watch all four movies from the story (Creep Show, Poltergeist, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and American Werewolf in London) and we did in fact go directly out and do the paper route at 5:00 a.m. Fortunately for us, there were no walking undead possessed monsters out that day! Unfortunately for my friend, my ‘short story’ attempt turned into a novella, so I was of no use to him, but the story has turned into a whole series about Angie, Jenny and David!

2. What is your writing process?

I do a lot of incubating and scribbling to begin with. I usually wait to start actually writing until a phrase floats in that feels right, and then I dive in. Later, I consult my scribbled notes to see if I’m on the right path. I am equally comfortable composing by hand or on the computer, but I find that if I keep my notebooks close to hand, I’m more likely to have them when I need them.

3. How do you keep track of everything in the book as you write? ie characters, plot, world building etc

I scribble notes; in my planner, on envelopes, on sticky notes, on my phone, and a on a unique sort of scratch paper we sport here at my library called a p-slip. I have no earthly knowledge of how a 2.75″ x 4.25″ scrap of paper comes to be called a ‘p-slip’ but several dozen of them are now stapled into the stacks of notebooks I use to corral my ideas.

4. Do you relate to any of your characters? If so, which ones and why? Or why not?

Yes, absolutely! I spend a lot of time observing people, and thinking about what makes us all tick. In this case, the Zodiac Cusp framework provides some interesting into these characters too. But yes, there are parts of all my characters that I feel personally connected to. In fact, when I create new characters, I spend a lot of time figuring out what sorts of past experiences they’ve had that have molded them into who they are at the time of my story. Those experiences are frequently things I’ve been close to, so that gives me that link, that solid connection to how m character will or won’t react to the action in the story.

5. What are you currently reading?

“No time to spare: Thinking about what matters” by Ursula Le Guin

6. Tea or coffee? How do you take it?

Yes! Both!! I’ve spent the better part of the last year trying out new and different non-dairy creamers for my coffee, which has been it’s own sort of adventure, but one dictated by my aging physiology. I’ve lit upon Rice Milk, which I didn’t even know was a thing, but it’s now, officially, my jam. The tea I take straight, but the coffee must have some kind of milk!

7. What’s the one book you feel everyone should read?

What a question!! I’ve tossed around so many ideas; The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Prodigal Summer, The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon, Aimless Love…goodness! OK. I’m landing on “Skinny Legs and All” by Tom Robbins which is ridiculously silly and terrifically thought provoking, and because anyone who hasn’t discovered it yet, really should.

8. Where can we find you?

Usually in the library or out walking the dogs. Otherwise:

o website
o Facebook
o Twitter
o Goodreads
o Instagram

The first two books are available on Audible.

As a thank you for participating in our blog, we’re offering a chance to win eight (8) ebooks and two (2) paperbacks from our middle-grade authors!
An ebook of Something Wicked by Sarah Dale (releases Nov 2019)
An ebook of The Falling by T. Damon
An ebook of Keara’s Raven: Escape by Mindy Klasky
An ebook of The Missing Guardian & The Mer Queen’s Daughter by Melanie McFarlane
An ebook of the World of Aluvia series (Fairy Keeper, Mer-Charmer, Dragon Redeemer) by Amy Bearce
A paperback of Life and Death & Gods and Demons by Selenia Paz

Enter here

Hop around and make sure to visit everyone today!

October 25th – YA/NA Book Divas

October 26th – Selenia Paz

October 27th – Mindy Klasky

October 28th – I Love Books and Stuff

October 29th – Amy Bearce / The Reading Faery

October 30th – Melanie McFarlane / Jenifer Reads

October 31st – Sarah Dale / Suckerforcoffe