We have something a little different for today's post. We interviewed Tiffany McDaniel, an award winning author and overall really sweet person, about her and her debut novel The Summer That Melted Everything. here's what she had to say:
Why did you want to start writing? I've been writing since I was a kid. Writing is the first thing I remember doing without anyone telling me to do so. There was just an innate desire to write down what was in my head. Writing is my compass. I'm lost without it. What is your favorite book to read? There's still a lot of reading to do in my life, but so far some of my favorite novels are Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I also love About the River: The Collected Poems of James Wright, a poet from my land in Ohio. What inspired The Summer that Melted Everything? the novel first started as a title. It was one of those hot, Ohio summers that I felt like I was melting. From true heat, the title was born. I always say that what inspires me are the characters. I'm inspired by them to write their truth to the best of my ability. What is the preface of the setting and the basic synopsis of the book? The Summer that Melted Everything is about a man who one day puts an invitation in the newspaper, inviting the devil to town. A boy, claiming to be the devil, answers the invitation, only this boy is not your stereotypical devil of red flesh and horns. This so-called devil's arrival coincides with the start of a heat-wave that threatens to destroy the town's very sanity. As the summer unfolds, the boy's presence has tragic consequences on the town and everyone in it. Who is the real devil? That is a question The Summer that Melted Everything sets out to answer. Does the cover art contain a particular significance? As the author, I don't have any say on the cover. That's up to the publisher and their design team. I will say I am really happy with the paperback cover, which releases July 3rd. About how long did it take to finish the writing process for the novel? I wrote the novel during the summer I was 28. It took me a month to write it. That may seem quick, but on average, for all the eight novels I have written thus far, it takes a month to lay the bones of a story down. I like to get into the story as quick as I can because if a story sits for too long, it can began to lose its essence. After the bones are laid down, then you can really begin to add the other layers of the story, and this process can take longer. Added to that is the cop-editing stage, when you read the book a million times to make sure everything is as it should be. How do you stay motivated during the process? Because I've been writing since I was a kid, it's something that is just a part of my life. The characters themselves are really a driving force, as is the dream of publication. I want to make a career out of writing, and that's enough motivation unto itself. Why should people read your book? What is this book trying to convey in terms of a message or theme? My goal with writing is not only to entertain, but to write stories that are part of that larger conversation about who we are, and, ultimately, who we want to be. Furthermore, the novel is tackling subjects that are relevant to today's world. Novels have always served as another lens through which to look at our reality. I only hope that my novel serves some of that purpose. Which character(s) in your novel can you relate to the most? I think I'm in each of the characters. I can only hope there is more of me in the heroes than there are in the villains Lastly, where and how can people buy the book? The hardcover is available for purchase now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all other major retailers, including your nearest indie bookstore. The paperback of the novel releases July 3rd, just in time for those summer vacations. The Summer that Melted Everything is just as it sounds. It's a novel with heat and one hot summer, which makes it a great companion for these days in the sun.
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