Find more about Shana @ her website
Um—no. I don’t.
I guess people who wallow about in the muck of practical life will never understand how wonderful it is to indulge in the possibility of imagination. And no offense to them: they’re the folks who are really good at the stuff I hate, like drawing straight lines and planning out highway interchanges and balancing checkbooks so you’re never, ever overdrawn. Kudos to them.
I write about dragons because they’re cool. I made them gorgeous shapeshifters, so that they could Turn from human to smoke to dragon, because that’s even cooler.
I made them endangered, because it fit so neatly into the European mythology of knights hunting them to death—and because it meant they’d have to learn to hide amid humanity to survive. Conflict!
I gave them glitter and glamour and set my entire first series in the eighteenth century, because I loved the notion of these feral, beautiful creatures forced to live behind human faces, in human bodies, wearing powdered wigs and corsets and satin and silk.
I think it worked out pretty well! It’s so easy to tell when an author is passionate about the story, and I definitely felt passion for every one of these tales. It’s one of the reasons that I decided to continue with the drákon but to skip ahead in time: long before “Downton Abbey” hit the airwaves, I was proposing the story that would become my next novel, The Sweetest Dark. It was a tough sell at first; few people thought the Edwardian period would be popular. But my dream bloomed on. Even when I didn’t think I’d be able to sell it, I kept writing it. It burned inside me and needed to come out.
And now, happily, The Sweetest Dark is being released this summer by Ballantine. I have a new, kick-ass heroine named Eleanore who has not one but two magical suitors, and I’m totally excited to see what happens next.
So! Hooray for us, all of us who believe in magic (or at least would like to), who stare out windows while lost in daydreams, who don’t think dragons are any weirder than fairies or vampires or witches or werewolves or angels or even true love….
We’re the dreamers. With us, all things are possible.
And that’s not weird at all. Giveaway!
What’s a good comeback to people who accidentally insult you? lol.
Please comment below and include your email addy & make sure you tell us which book you prefer.
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arf again Us and Can only so i can’t enter the giveaway
i prefer book that make me dream either by thinking or feeling… just to evade myself
as if someone insult me…i’m too emotionnal so i guess i cry immediately ( but that’s not a great comeback that’s for sure)
Wow…OK I like books that make me do a bit of both. But over all feel wins out. A good comeback. I wish I knew. I am terrible at them. Usually I just try to avoid people that would make me have to have a good comeback.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Mary
i like both , someday I want to think and others I just want to escape into a world of feelings .
A good comeback – well other than the yeah and I made so much on those “silly” things or you could just ignore them cause who cares what other people think as long as you enjoy it
I love books that make me think, but I’m a thinker for sure. I’m always emotional, so it doesn’t take much to make me feel. =)
When insulted on purpose I usually respond “Ouch” if it’s true and “Whatever” if I doubt it is.
Hop that helps and that this entry works!!
I prefer both, and neither. Sometimes I would rather just feel the ride, and other times I would love to think. When reading some novels I have high expectations of both.
A good comeback, is never a comeback at all. If it is an accident sometimes it is better to ask what they mean for a better understanding.
Everyone has such good answers! And I asked those questions without really knowing the answers myself, so I’m glad to read what you all think! 🙂
I think I like both, but especially books that make me think. I don’t have a good comeback, I usually just clam up myself, or say something like “Okay then, or what do you mean?”
I like both kinds of books. How can you lose either way?
My comeback to an insult is my back. LOL
sandy(dot)wolters(at)q(dot)com
I def prefer books that make me feel! Sometimes I need to get away from thinking too much after work!:-)
I like both, books that make me feel and books that make me think. Otherwise, what else would we read besides technical work books! LOL!
I usually come back with “That means what to me?” when someone insults me. They don’t know how to respond to that.
Is it really too much to have both. A thinking feeling book, what can possibly be better.
For me I prefer books that make me feel but on some level that means it has to have me thinking as well.
A good comeback for me is a classic: It takes one to know one!
I would like to read The Treasure Keeper.
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
You all are so awesome!! I love your answers. It’s so fantastic to get such thoughtful input from others. I think that I (and maybe a lot of authors) get so stuck in my head sometimes I tend to lose focus on practical matters. So I’m extremely glad to hear what you all have to think and say! Thank you! 🙂
It’s a bit of a toss up for me… I like books that make me think and books that make me feel.
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I think it just depends on my mood and what feels right. Some books make me feel so much, it can be exhausting. Others make me think and question, and while that can be a good thing, there are some days where I’d prefer an easy read that doesn’t make me think.
Everyone has such great answers!
I usually just say something along the lines of “What is it you don’t like about 2 people having to overcome obstacles to find love?” And then I just blink and wait.
Big Thanks to Shana for coming on our blog to chat and share her fantastic books!
I look forward to reviewing your next new book!
DL
Can I do a cop out and say both? lol… I love books that challenge and make me think. However, they are often intense and exhausting, so to “cleanse” the palate, I’ll often immediately after read a book that makes me feel; romantic and humor mostly.
Thanks for the great post and giveaway! I love Shana Abe’s books, but unfortunately have fallen behind in the series 🙁
I prefer books that makes me feel, er makes you think, ugh I can’t choose.
I really don’t have a good comeback, sorry.
Morganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com
Forgot to put that I was a follower.
GFC- Krysta Banco