by H.D. Gordon
Being seventeen and an outcast is hard. Being seventeen and
only half human is harder.
When Aria Fae gets cast out of the Peace Brokers, a secret supernatural organization that’s trained her since infancy, and is left to fend for herself in the human world, she finds herself in Grant City, intent on attempting a normal human life.
As a Halfling, Aria has abilities that are a little underused in the flower shop she lands a job at. And when her new friend Samantha Shy enlists Aria to help investigate her mother’s death, the two girls decide to become vigilantes.
A new drug called Black Magic is running rampant in the streets of Grant City, turning people into supercharged maniacs. With Sam’s mad computer skills, and Aria’s Faevian abilities, they may be just the heroes Grant City is in need of.
Or they may find out they’re in way over their heads, and their mutual crush on the same guy is the least of their worries.
Paperback, 1st Edition, 319 pages
Published March 3rd 2016 by Black Quill Publishing
H. D. Gordon is the author of young adult and adult fiction. She has independently sold over 40,000 e-copies of her books worldwide, and has an eclectic taste in genres.
H. D. is a poet, a mother, a philosopher and an earth-lover. She believes our actions have ripple effects, and in the sacred mission of bringing love and light to the world.
She loves big dreamers, animals, children, killing zombies, eating dessert and old souls.
She is 26 years old and resides in southern New Jersey—which she insists is really quite lovely.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hd_gordon
Website: http://www.hdgordonbooks.com/
Q & A with H.D. Gordon
1. Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
In some ways, Aria is very much a normal teen—she likes video games and wears skate shoes and has a current-day humor about her.
In other ways, however, she's an outcast—different from everyone around her. As a Halfling, she's got certain abilities that make a "normal" life impossible. We meet Aria just as she's been cast out of the organization that had provided her entire way of life.
She's now alone in the human world.
At the new high school Aria is attending, she meets Samantha Shy, a sophomore with mad computer skills, and the two turn into a sort of vigilante team, taking on the issues in Grant City.
While there is certainly some romantic interest in book one, the story really focuses on Aria's and Sam's budding friendship, and they get themselves into some serious trouble.
That, and always strive toward constant improvement and growth, in all aspects of your product. I'm always trying to get better formatting, cleaner writing, better advertisements, images, and covers. Especially as an indie, and the primary creator of my books.
I just started Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, since the movie is coming and I like to read books before the movies come out, and I like it very much so far! Excited to keep going.
1. Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
Aria Fae is the main character. She's the hero and the narrator. She's a
seventeen-year-old girl who's half-human/half-fae, but who was raised in the
human world by an organization run in a military-type fashion.
In some ways, Aria is very much a normal teen—she likes video games and wears skate shoes and has a current-day humor about her.
In other ways, however, she's an outcast—different from everyone around her. As a Halfling, she's got certain abilities that make a "normal" life impossible. We meet Aria just as she's been cast out of the organization that had provided her entire way of life.
She's now alone in the human world.
At the new high school Aria is attending, she meets Samantha Shy, a sophomore with mad computer skills, and the two turn into a sort of vigilante team, taking on the issues in Grant City.
While there is certainly some romantic interest in book one, the story really focuses on Aria's and Sam's budding friendship, and they get themselves into some serious trouble.
2. Who designs the covers for your books and what is that
process like for you as an author?
My covers are done by Deranged Doctor Designs, and I can't say enough great things about their company. The process is a breeze with them, by far the best experience I've had concerning cover art (they do the awesome promo art for me too) in all my thirteen books. They're a team of professionals and artists who know their stuff, are accommodating, and more than reasonably priced. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.derangeddoctordesign.com
My covers are done by Deranged Doctor Designs, and I can't say enough great things about their company. The process is a breeze with them, by far the best experience I've had concerning cover art (they do the awesome promo art for me too) in all my thirteen books. They're a team of professionals and artists who know their stuff, are accommodating, and more than reasonably priced. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.derangeddoctordesign.com
3. Describe your ideal writing spot.
My ideal writing spot has little to do with location or scenery or anything like that, and very much to do with the state of mind I've trained myself to fall into. I'm a single mother of two (which I seriously LOVE so much) and so I can write with my girls running and jumping and screaming around me, with the television on, or in complete silence. It's about narrowing my focus, about being able to divert attention and come right back to the page. And morning time is best for me, after a good night's sleep.
My ideal writing spot has little to do with location or scenery or anything like that, and very much to do with the state of mind I've trained myself to fall into. I'm a single mother of two (which I seriously LOVE so much) and so I can write with my girls running and jumping and screaming around me, with the television on, or in complete silence. It's about narrowing my focus, about being able to divert attention and come right back to the page. And morning time is best for me, after a good night's sleep.
4. What is the best advice you have been given?
The best advice I've been given has been to myself. That may sound silly, but let me explain. Writing is a solitary profession at its core, and there will be times when you get so low you'd swear hell was above you, and no one can pull you out of that but you. In the words of RA Salvator, If you can quit, then quit. If you can't, then you're a writer.
The best advice I've been given has been to myself. That may sound silly, but let me explain. Writing is a solitary profession at its core, and there will be times when you get so low you'd swear hell was above you, and no one can pull you out of that but you. In the words of RA Salvator, If you can quit, then quit. If you can't, then you're a writer.
That, and always strive toward constant improvement and growth, in all aspects of your product. I'm always trying to get better formatting, cleaner writing, better advertisements, images, and covers. Especially as an indie, and the primary creator of my books.
5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I didn't know. I always wrote. Like, always. But I never really thought about doing it for money. As a child, I was oversensitive, prone to anxiety and depression, and writing was what I did when the world made no sense, or was threatening to break me. Now that I'm older, and better at life in general, I write for myself and others. I feel as though writing was always where I was meant to end up. Like the inevitable return home.
I didn't know. I always wrote. Like, always. But I never really thought about doing it for money. As a child, I was oversensitive, prone to anxiety and depression, and writing was what I did when the world made no sense, or was threatening to break me. Now that I'm older, and better at life in general, I write for myself and others. I feel as though writing was always where I was meant to end up. Like the inevitable return home.
6. Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
I feel like the default answer to this is paperbacks, but in honesty, the advent of e-books has changed my whole life. I probably wouldn't be published without them, and no one will have ever read my work but my mom. Also, I'm a big fan of trees, and even though I love a beautiful paperback as much as the next nerdgirl, I like that e-books don't require any tree-chopping. So, boom! I'm a rebel! Give me the e-books!
I feel like the default answer to this is paperbacks, but in honesty, the advent of e-books has changed my whole life. I probably wouldn't be published without them, and no one will have ever read my work but my mom. Also, I'm a big fan of trees, and even though I love a beautiful paperback as much as the next nerdgirl, I like that e-books don't require any tree-chopping. So, boom! I'm a rebel! Give me the e-books!
7. If you could have any supernatural power, what would you
choose and why?
I think I would choose super speed. One, because The Flash and I are totally in love (or it could just be me) and two, because it would offer the ability to manipulate time, which is both terrifying and irresistible.
8. What book are you
reading now?I think I would choose super speed. One, because The Flash and I are totally in love (or it could just be me) and two, because it would offer the ability to manipulate time, which is both terrifying and irresistible.
I just started Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, since the movie is coming and I like to read books before the movies come out, and I like it very much so far! Excited to keep going.
Great post. I read The Halfling and loved it. Keep up the great work, H. Have a super weekend.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental