Part I Interview with Alyssa Rose Ivy and US giveaway

Welcome back, everyone-- here is the Monday post a little early! I am very excited to introduce this author. A friend of mine is a good friend of her husband's (yes, I know a little bit removed, but in the end, the fact that we got connected is the important part!), and I was thrilled to realize that lo and behold, she's a YA author-- a genre after my own heart. She has written two really great novels in the Afterglow trilogy (and also has just finished a couple more--prolific as she is). She was generous enough to offer a Prize Pack of signed copies of Beckoning Light and Perilous Light (US only).  

Goodreads Book Description for Beckoning Light: As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.

Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she's going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she's completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.

Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it's up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses. 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon review: Beckoning Light Review

Goodreads Book Description for Perilous Light: 

Would you sacrifice everything for a world you barely knew?

A year has passed since Charlotte and Kevin first stepped
through the gate into Energo and neither has been able to settle back into their normal lives. Charlotte tries to distract herself from thoughts of Calvin with the antics of James and her growing friendship with Liam. Kevin can’t seem to shake his feelings for Samantha as he adjusts to his new identity as a college basketball player.

When they unexpectedly return to Energo, both Charlotte and Kevin must face their fears and become the leaders they were always meant to be.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon Review: Perilous Light Review 

Author Blurb: Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Author Interview Part I.

1) When did you start writing and how did you get started?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. However, it wasn’t until I was home with my daughter that I decided to publish my first novel.

2) How did you come up for the world behind Beckoning/Perilous Light?

The concept for the Afterglow Trilogy started with a dream. The dream was set in the world that would become Energo, and involved the characters of Charlotte and Calvin. The more I played around with the characters, the more my vision of the world grew.

3) I love how Charlotte is such a powerful, independent female character who really comes into her own throughout the series. What was your inspiration for this character and are any of her traits derived from people you know?
 

My inspiration for Charlotte came from a number of different places (other than the dream mentioned above). She definitely has a lot of me in her. She also has some of my best friend in her too.  From the beginning I wanted to tell the story of a girl who discovers her own strength. I have always loved books that do that. 

Tune in tomorrow for the rest of this awesome interview!

Don't forget to enter this great giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway