Last week, I review Sahana Epari's debut novel, Pure at Heart. I was lucky enough to also have the chance to ask her some questions for an interview:
How did you come up with the concept for Pure at Heart?
I don't really remember. I guess I was just in that phase where I was obsessing over urban fantasy and paranormal novels. I still am :) Anyways, I guess the supernatural being that got to me the most was the werewolf. No matter what book I read, if there was a werewolf in it, the character would automatically be my favorite. As for the plot itself, it took a while to come up with something that I would read myself. Pure at Heart is basically everything I, as a person, would want in a book.
What was the toughest part of writing the novel?
The toughest part would be the conclusion. To be truthful, when I started, I wasn't completely sure I wanted a sequel. I was thinking I could write maybe one of those single novels. Then, I realized that it would be a really big book, because there were so many things I wanted to introduce. The conclusion of Pure at Heart was hard to write because I had to conclude things, but leave a lot of room for questions. I wanted the readers to think, "What happens next?" and want to read the next book.
Is there anything you would want to change about Pure at Heart?
I actually like it the way it is. I elaborated the characters enough, the plot, the setting. Everything is the way I need it to be. If I did have the chance, however, I would want to be a little more descriptive in some scenes.
Who is your favorite author?
Cassandra Clare.
What is your favorite book(s)?
City of Bones, or the Mortal Instruments series.
Many authors tell aspiring young writers to wait until they are older to publish because they haven't lived much and their writing is great for their age, but don't compare to older authors. What do you say about that topic?
I completely disagree. Now that there are self-publishing companies, like CreateSpace, it allows anyone to publish anything they want. Everyone knows that young authors are still growing, and haven't experienced a lot, but that makes it all the better. There's a surprise when you read a really good book, and then discover that it wasn't an adult who wrote it but a young person. Yes, novels written by young authors like myself, shouldn't be compared to books written by older, more experienced, and more educated adults. However, that shouldn't be a restriction to publish something.
What can you tell us about the sequel to Pure at Heart?
It will continue a few days after the end of Pure at Heart. I haven't really decided on the name yet, but it will definitely summarize the novel. I'm hoping to add a big surprise, so hold on. Not sure about the release date as of now.
Where can readers contact you?
You can go to my blog:
evalineandthepack.blogspot.com
