SPOTLIGHT & AUTHOR Q&A: The Light Over Broken Tide by Holly Ducarte @hollyducarte
The Light Over Broken Tideby Holly Ducarte
Blackladder Publishing
👻 COMING MARCH 2018 👻
Have you heard of Holly Ducarte yet? No?! Well here's your chance - she's an extremely talented poet and is coming out with her debut novel, The Light Over Broken Tide - a YA paranormal story that, if it's anything like her poetry, will be a must read in the spring.
Continue down for the synopsis, watch the trailer, learn about Holly through my Q&A with her and then see a listing of her other work that you can start reading while waiting for this one to arrive. 😉
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Out of the blue, Rebecca Stafford’s Father arrives to parent her after years of absence, and then extracts her last bit of normalcy by moving them to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The shocking news plunges Rebecca into a despair that brings about an otherworldly encounter; she begins to have visions of her deceased Mom.
Uncertain whether what she sees is reality or the product of a troubled mind, Rebecca searches for an anchor to keep her from drifting in the new coastal town. She clings to Shawn, the eccentric, spritely boy-next-door promising adventures…with surprises of his own, involving an Irish legend and a hidden lighthouse. This brings on a whole new dimension to Rebecca’s visions, and sparks feverish romance between her and Shawn. A bond eventually threatened by forces beyond her control, sending her spiralling into dark, stormy places, leaving her to wonder how broken a mind can get.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Holly is a creative writer and award-winning poet from Canada. The Light Over Broken Tide is her debut novel, to be released Spring 2018.
Her writing has been showcased in magazines, newspapers, various online sites. Browse some of her acclaimed and featured works on Wattpad.
Holly completed a commercial novel writing course through Author Salon and is a member of The Underground Writing Cohorts.
Aside from writing, Holly spends time outside, gets lost in the magic of music, and collects books, antiques, and Funko pops.
Currently resides in a modest lake town with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
Her writing has been showcased in magazines, newspapers, various online sites. Browse some of her acclaimed and featured works on Wattpad.
Holly completed a commercial novel writing course through Author Salon and is a member of The Underground Writing Cohorts.
Aside from writing, Holly spends time outside, gets lost in the magic of music, and collects books, antiques, and Funko pops.
Currently resides in a modest lake town with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
Q&A:
What is the most difficult part of your writing process? Your writing kryptonite?
My biggest writing kryptonite is, and always will be, procrastination. Sometimes I want to simply enjoy life, the simple things, maybe throw in some mindless television and chocolate for good measure. I don't always wish to stare at a computer screen for days on end.
I don't know if it's strange, but I leave sticky notes everywhere. Even when I have a perfectly good notebook lying around. Also, it's not rare for me to jump out of bed all hours of the night with a good idea I must jot down.
What is your favorite part of the writing/puglishing process?
One of my favorite parts is the planning beforehand. I like feeling geared up when ideas are flowing. Plots are being planned. And then from there, I want to skip to it being done. Because that's the top of the top. Nothing beats that sense of accomplishment.
Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
Big ego hurts anyone, in my opinion. For me, it's all about enjoying the ride, giving thanks where it's due, and seeing the blessing in having your work out there. Some people don't even get that far. You should have humility. Those who don't, I think, tend to get jaded. you shouldn't go into anything thinking success is sure, or money is about to fall from the sky. Do it because you love it. Plain and simple.
What was an early experience where you learned language had power?
As soon as I knew how to
write, I knew language had power. But more so, after reading some of the
classic books, Shakespeare, and other poets like Frost and Poe in high-school…I
was enamored by words and wanted to be part of that world.
What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I am currently working on
promoting The Light Over Broken Tide and sending out the ARCs. As well, plugging away at a dark suspense piece, set
in a small, superstitious little Victorian town.
What's the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Like any character, you have to be able to get in their head. Think like them. Writing for the opposite sex is no different. As a writer, you should set aside who you are, when necessary, to get down to the bottom of who the character is. If you can’t do that…it complicates things big time. I enjoy writing my male characters. They are tons of fun.
What literary character is most like you?
Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit. I feel a connection with him because he has this propensity for the comforts of home, but somewhere deep inside is also the urge to go out and explore the great unknown. Be spontaneous with adventure. He and I share this same battle within. Once you get me out the door, there’s no telling what lies ahead.
What author have inspired you?
A lot. But predominately, the authors of classics (even if it happened to be through just one book of theirs). JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Bram Stoker, JM Barrie, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Gaston Leroux, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and that’s just naming a few. I love how they weaved words back then. They were thoughtful with prose, deep, and creative. Their writing withstands the test of time for a reason.
Obviously you love all your charaters, but if you could choose a favorite character(s), who would they be?
I’ll keep the focus on my upcoming novel, The Light Over Broken Tide. I really enjoyed writing Shawn Barringer. He just had an appeal to the inner-child in me. Bold, young-at-heart, devil-may-care. Fun. If I could choose another character, it would be one that doesn’t show up often, but who impacted me with his enigmatic, deeper story…Jack O’Sullivan.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yes, I hide secrets. I’d like to call them subtleties I hope are caught somewhere along the reading journey. Whether it’s a reread and the person goes, “Ah ha. That makes total sense now.” I love moments like those.
What's the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Like any character, you have to be able to get in their head. Think like them. Writing for the opposite sex is no different. As a writer, you should set aside who you are, when necessary, to get down to the bottom of who the character is. If you can’t do that…it complicates things big time. I enjoy writing my male characters. They are tons of fun.
What literary character is most like you?
Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit. I feel a connection with him because he has this propensity for the comforts of home, but somewhere deep inside is also the urge to go out and explore the great unknown. Be spontaneous with adventure. He and I share this same battle within. Once you get me out the door, there’s no telling what lies ahead.
What author have inspired you?
A lot. But predominately, the authors of classics (even if it happened to be through just one book of theirs). JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Bram Stoker, JM Barrie, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Gaston Leroux, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and that’s just naming a few. I love how they weaved words back then. They were thoughtful with prose, deep, and creative. Their writing withstands the test of time for a reason.
Obviously you love all your charaters, but if you could choose a favorite character(s), who would they be?
I’ll keep the focus on my upcoming novel, The Light Over Broken Tide. I really enjoyed writing Shawn Barringer. He just had an appeal to the inner-child in me. Bold, young-at-heart, devil-may-care. Fun. If I could choose another character, it would be one that doesn’t show up often, but who impacted me with his enigmatic, deeper story…Jack O’Sullivan.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yes, I hide secrets. I’d like to call them subtleties I hope are caught somewhere along the reading journey. Whether it’s a reread and the person goes, “Ah ha. That makes total sense now.” I love moments like those.
Have you edited out anything in your novel that you wish you have kept?
Nothing. I’m more like,
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” I’ve poured over the words many
times and for many years. If it wasn’t kept…it was probably for a good reason.
If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
The life of Christ. It
would be remarkable to walk alongside that man and witness his miracles,
baptism, hear his stories. Ask him questions. You can’t get more profound than
that.
Which celebrity do people say you resemble?
Oh, it varies from person
to person. I’ve been said to look like a young Priscilla Presley, Emma Watson,
Kristen Stewart, and Marie Avgeropoulos. My real doppelganger though…is my twin
sister. 😉
What songs are included on the soundtrack of your life?
At random: Yellow Ledbetter
by Pearl Jam, Zombie by The Cranberries, Heart of Gold by Neil Young, Red Flag
by Billy Talent, Bei Mir Bist Du Scheon by The Hot Sardines, Sea of Love-Cat
Power, Blue Jeans by Lana Del Ray…all different, all for their own reasons, all
tied to a story.
What do you miss most about being a kid?
Playing outside all day,
doing daring things without a second thought or worry.
If you could live in a different era, what would you choose and why?
I’d like to try living in
the 50s. Men and women dressed classy. The lingo was awesome. The swing music
was bumping. And most everyone knew how to dance.
BOOKS BY HOLLY:
Holly Ducarte's debut poetry collection plunges readers into her world of bohemian dreams, macabre musings, and romantic rendezvous, mirroring the classic styles of Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Frost. Each poem reads as a short story, written in Holly's late teens and twenties, while she learned and practiced her voice poetically. It's a bit of nostalgia for her to have them in book form and she hopes you enjoy the read.
An anthology of micro-poetry on subjects of the heart, life, and nature. Each one a thoughtful and richly meditative journey that speaks to truths not only observed from the eye, but from the deepest and most relatable parts of the soul.
Hiding Bones is a compilation of Holly Ducarte's best poetry from her retired chapbooks Hiding Skeletons and Literary Bones. One of which, she won an indie award for. It's a storytelling blend of light and dark themes with classic and contemporary styles.
Holly Ducarte's second poetry chapbook won the Excellence in Indie Literature Award! This book is an eclectic blend of classic and contemporary poems meant to dig deep, right down to our bones. Meant to plunge us into life's dark mysteries, nature, romance, woes, and triumphs. Much like her first collection, each poem stands alone and was written in Holly's late teens and twenties, while she learned and practiced her voice poetically. She hopes you enjoy it as much as you did Hiding Skeletons.
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