YALLFest Author Interview: Jocelyn Davies

Happy Monday, Swooners.

I'm getting super excited since YALLFest is 2 weeks away and then it'll be time to meet all these authors we've had the lovely chance to interview. So, for today, I have the awesome Jocelyn Davies, author of the A Beautiful Dark series.

Here's what she had to say:

What one thing do you need to have when you write?
COFFEE! And a cocoon of silence.

Describe your book in 5 words:
Girl has angel blood, torn.

What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last?
It differs from book to book--really, it's anyone's guess! Sometimes, the first line is hardest, because I'm just getting started and I'm not warmed up yet, and by the time I get to the end, I've got the momentum of an entire book to propel me into that last line. Then again, sometimes a first line just pops into my head, and the whole idea unfolds from there. Theres usually no way to know what is going to happen until it's happening, which is often the approach I take to writing.

Best writing tip you ever received?
“Create interesting characters, give them an excuse to meet, and the story will write itself.”

Tell us 5 random facts about yourself:
I'm a dog person--cats kind of freak me out.
I was a theater kid in high school. I used to dream of being an Oscar-winning actress.
I love everything about autumn.
I live a few blocks away from my best friend from high school.
In my day job, I'm also a children's book editor.

What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?
I love magical realism—a novel that's set in the real world, but ever-so-slightly different.

At what point in the development of an idea do you know that it will become a full-length novel?
I usually have a pretty strong sense right from the moment the idea comes to me. I start writing knowing I’m embarking on a novel.

Thanks so much for passing by, Jocelyn! I can't wait to meet you!

For more information about YALLFest, visit their website: YALLFest.org