Jeyn Roberts Rages On: Win a copy of RAGE WITHIN

My good friend and amazing author, Jeyn Roberts, has stopped by to talk to us about her latest novel RAGE WITHIN and some other things she's been up to. Check out the bottom of the interview for how you can win a copy of her latest book.

Sharon: A lot of writers talk about how hard it is to write that second novel after their first one has been published. Did you experience this issue at all for Rage Within?

Jeyn: I think every novel is hard, no matter how many you write. I'll admit, I had a few nervous breakdowns while writing Rage Within. I was so worried that everyone would hate it. I worried that it would suck and that Dark Inside was a fluke (and I'd never compare to it), and I worried that I wouldn't be able to make it better than the first one. As I said, lots of breakdowns. There were tears and rants to friends and family.

Funny enough, the actual book didn't feel that hard to write. It took me about five months (DI took me three) so I felt I was moving slow. It was really great getting back into my characters and I fully understand why so many authors write trilogy's and sequels. Some stories just can't be told in a single book.

Sharon:  Tell us a bit about what's in store for readers with Rage Within?

Jeyn: The story focuses on a few months after Mason, Michael, Clementine and Aries join forces. They're hiding out in a safe house in Vancouver. The Baggers are getting more organized. They've started searching for survivors and they're rounding them up and putting them into work camps. Clementine is still searching for her brother, Heath and Michael is helping. Aries is still trying to be the leader but it's harder when she's constantly afraid of making a bad mistake. And Mason and Daniel have joined forces (which I thought was hilarious since they really don't like each other) and are fighting for a certain someone's affection. 

Sharon:  There's been a lot of buzz about Aries and Clementine being such strong female characters for a YA book. How did you ensure they were?

Jeyn: Simply put, I like strong female characters. Wimpy girls are so last century's fairy tales.  And I think girls are way tougher than people give them credit for. Being that I'm a bit of a strong force myself, I think I find it easy to create girls who are independent and willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

 Sharon: You said Rage Within took a bit longer. Tell us a bit about your writing process for the sequel?

Jeyn: Writing the sequel was a bit more difficult because I was still doing edits for Dark Inside. So every now and then I kept having to drop the book and go back and fix problems from DI. But my process didn't change much. Everyone has their own ways of writing. I tend to start from the beginning without an outline and just write straight through. It works well for me.

Sharon: Who would be in your dream cast if Rage Within was made into a movie (not sure if you have put this out there already?

Jeyn: Yes, I've been asked this before and these were my answers.   Mason - Jeremy Irvine. Aries -Hailee Steinfeld. Michael - Douglas Booth. Clementine -Ella Purnell.

Sharon:  What can readers expect from you after Rage Within?

Jeyn: No idea. haha I'm currently working with my editor on a few new ideas. So hopefully something new will emerge soon.

Sharon: What are you hoping to see come out in YA over the next 12 months?

Jeyn: I'd like to see more horror, mostly because I'm such a big fan myself. Also some realistic ghost stories would be cool.

 Sharon: You've started a new Forum, the YA Book Club, what prompted you to start it?

Jeyn: It was a friend who convinced me to do it. We sat down and started talking about whether or not I wanted to do one. And I did but as we talked, we started talking about how cool it would be to have other authors involved. We liked the idea of having a Q&A section where readers could come in and discuss the books and ask authors questions. It's just kind of grown from there.

Sharon:  What can YA lovers find in the forums?

Jeyn:  It's great. We've got a lot of authors now who have joined the mix. There is a large variety from well known to up and newcomers. We've even got a self-published author now who is willing to discuss alternative choices. There is also a section where we discuss publishing and querying for aspiring authors. And there's also places to post your own work for bragging rights or critiques. So far it's been great. Still a bit quiet but new people are signing up every day. And we're having some great giveaways right now.

One lucky blog follower will win a copy of RAGE WITHIN!

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