Winter Solstice Event: Interview & Giveaway with Amy Joy Lutchen

 

Don’t miss out on the other author interviews and giveaways that have already gone! You can enter all giveaways until December 19th! Just click here.

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Shera ( Book Whispers): In your own words, introduce yourself.

Amy Joy Lutchen: Hi! I’m Amy Joy Lutchen, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be here! I could almost pee in my pants. But don’t worry, I won’t. Oh, and by the way, I wrote a unique urban fantasy called Renhala.

BW: How would you explain Renhala, a realm that coexists alongside earth?

AJL: Renhala is a coexisting realm which houses the most interesting of lands you can imagine. It resembles a giant puzzle, where lands of astounding beauty connect with lands of nightmarish proportions.

BW: What was the process you took in building the world of Renhala? What’s your favorite thing about it?

AJL: I have to say that often Renhala took a running start on its own. So many mornings I would awaken and find an innumerable amount of scribblings on tissues on the side of my bed—ideas that couldn’t wait until the morning. Funny thing is when I’d wake up with black ink all over my face ‘cause I happened to use those tissues.

BW: Meeples. just have to ask how did you come up with them, a little Holy Grail inspiration? ( Meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others.)

AJL: I am only going to say that you wouldn’t believe the amount of fictional literary genius that falls out of the mouths of babes.

BW: What was the hardest part of writing Renhala? What was your favorite?

AJL: Wow, I haven’t been asked this yet. Hmmm. I’d have to say that the hardest part was actually writing a scene in the first version of the book (which my editor read). It was an explicit assault scene which I actually lived (in real life), but we, my editor and I, thought it best to maybe start the novel AFTER “an assault” occurred, which was fine by me. I was happy to just get that ugly event out of my head and on paper, where I could knead it and mash it into something entirely different. You see, my book was actually a therapeutic, literary jam session for me, which morphed into the most magical and inspiring land ever: Renhala! Those awesomely quirky creatures/characters that were birthed as I wrote proved to be heroes of mine that I will forever cherish.

Cool, I think I just answered both of your questions!

BW: Is there any particular character that you ended up loving the most by the time you were finished?

AJL: It appears that Bu (the stinkiest, but most adorable six-hundred pound creature you’ll ever meet) seems to be a BIG (pun!) winner with my readers, but I have to say that Kioto, the Akita, steals my heart, for unconditional love is one of the greatest gifts around.

BW: When you're in a writing jam, is there a particular author you look to for inspiration? One that makes you ask, "What would ‘insert author's name here’ do?"

AJL: Ok, perhaps Stephen King? But when I do that I scare myself and then cower in a corner.

BW: What can readers look forward to seeing from you? Are you writing more books for the Renhala universe?

AJL: HaHa! Why, yes, they can. I am currently working on book two of the series, and let me say it’s a bit darker, a bit shorter, but no less exciting! AND, while working on this project, the most wonderful YA book idea happened to fall out of my head, too.

BW: For you personally, not your characters, between a vampire love interest and a werewolf love interest which do you prefer? (What team are you on? Team Vampire or Team Werewolf.)

 AJL: Yikes! I think about this ALL the time (is that weird?). I’m thinking Team Werewolf. Immortality’s just not cuttin’ it for me. Hot werewolf love wrestling sounds much more interesting to me . . .

BW: Go wild! Let us know something funny about you, share something that's on your mind, or anything else that's important about your books.

AJL: Random Thing On my Mind: Just today I was scrolling through Facebook, and I saw a relative of mine who actually asked for advice on picking either a kindle fire or a nook. I let her know that that was equivalent to asking “Republican or Democrat.” I was ready to see some blood.

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About the author

Was born in Chicago and slept in a dresser drawer for the first few weeks of my life, marking me as a future claustrophobe.

I studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man I grew up quick), where I became a number, but decided it was a good number.

I now write in my spare time as I eat snacks, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes me nervous.

Author of Renhala, a unique urban fantasy.

Goodreads | Blog

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Giveaway:

There are two giveaways below! The eBook copy of Renhala is open internationally, while the necklace is only open to US and Canadian residents.

Good luck!

Here is what the lovely necklace looks like, designed and made by the author herself!