BLOG TOUR: Annabelle’s Story by Leigh Michael
Welcome to today’s blog tour stop for Annabelle’s Story by Leigh Michael! If you are in the market for a delicious YA paranormal story about water sprites, self-discovery, and mythology, this might be the series for you! Author Leigh Michael stops by today for an awesome interview about her can’t miss YA series. Thanks so much to Leigh for dropping by!
But first, don’t you want to know more about these amazing novels?
Annabelle Walsh thought she had it all. She was the star of her swim team, had a loving family, a great boyfriend, and to top it off, she’d be starting at UCLA in the fall. One day, she’d be referred to as Dr. Annabelle Walsh.
She was living every girl’s dream – until her life was turned upside down. All starting with finding out that she’s not just a human, but also a water spirit. Half-human, half-sprite to be exact. Although not just any sprite, Annabelle is prophesied to be the only one who can save both the sprites and mankind.
With a mix of current events, anecdotes from Greek mythology, tidbits of folklore, and Leigh’s own imagination, we join Annabelle in her journey to restore order beneath the sea. Each step of the way her mind, body, and soul are pushed to the limit begging the question, how much can one half-human, half-sprite take?
What drew you to write young adult fiction versus books for adults?
I enjoy reading both YA and adult fiction. When it came to writing, and I’ll be brutally honest with this answer, I couldn’t picture myself writing for an adult audience. Mostly, this has to do with the type of content. Crafting an erotic scene in a book that my mom or grandmother would later read felt… weird.
Of course, there are a few disclaimers to this: Not all adult books mimic 50 Shades of Grey. Some YA books get a little racy. I think it comes down to an author’s preference. Mine is just to keep things PG 13 or below in the romance department.
But along with being uncomfortable with my loved ones experiencing intimacy through the eyes of their daughter/granddaughter, I love the idea of showing the growth of an adolescent. Of course, people never stop growing and learning, but I feel this is key to a YA story arch.
Can you tell us more about your heroine Annabelle?
I wrote Annabelle in hopes of displaying this growth as a character. She comes from a somewhat sheltered background of a stable home, success in school, and healthy relationship with her boyfriend. When life goes astray and she’s thrown into the unknown, Annabelle is forced to pick up the pieces. Her change in surroundings includes new responsibilities, temptations, obstacles, and even heartbreak.
If I’ve done my job right, you’ll see Annabelle mature from a hesitant heroine to one that embraces what’s expected of her (and kicks ass). I’ve written a guest post over at The Character Connection that features the development of Annabelle’s character. If you wanna learn more, feel free to check it out.
What sets the Annabelle’s Story series apart from other books out there?
Man, there are a lot of great books out there. How bout I tell you what I hope you’ll see as things that set this series apart? Sprite & Kin are both written to be very conversational. The story line is fast paced. Tons and tons of research went into writing it. The concept is unique. And although, mermaids and selkies have been explored in other novels, my series is also jam packed with hippocampus, megalodons, and other types of water sprites.
Feel free to explore more of the folklore and legends behind Annabelle’s Story in my “Real or Make Believe” PDF.
Do you have a favorite mythological tale?
I find Pandora’s box to be very interesting. For those unfamiliar (and I’ll generalize here), Pandora opens a box that unleashes various types of evil to haunt mankind for all eternity. Who knows, maybe I’ll even write about it one day.
Do you have any strange writing quirks or habits?
Based on what I’ve seen from other authors, this is a strange habit I possess. I can’t listen to music while writing. I need it to be quiet. So many authors put together playlists that corresponds to various chapters, themes, etc. I just can’t. I become distracted by the lyrics. I’ve even tried listening to classical music, but my mood rises and falls with the instrumentals. Guess I’ll stick with silence.
Have you ever had a scary moment where someone told you that you were half a mythical creature?
I don’t think this is scary, but as a little girl my grandmother called me her “itch.” If I had to equate this with an animal, I’d say a Tasmanian devil or a monkey. My Granny always said that I hung and clung to her (and other family members) relentlessly. I’d shimmy up my uncle to play the banjo on his bald held. And I’d launch myself an unsuspecting people trusting they’d catch me. I guess I just craved attention at all times. Hence, I made her itch. I suppose I was a half-human, half-Tasmanian devil little girl.
Leigh Michael is an author of YA fiction. She’s worked within the advertising world for nearly a decade before writing her debut series, Annabelle’s Story. Leigh lives in Washington, DC with her husband and goldendoodle. Please learn more about Leigh and her works at www.LeighMichaelBooks.com.
Contact info:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Email
Amazon
Smashwords
Megan, thank you so much for participating in the AS Book Tour. It’s much appreciated