WRITE THE STORY THAT YOU WILL LOVE

My guest today is debut author, David Powers King. He and Michael Jensen have a fabulous new book out called Woven. While it's audience is primarily young adult it's a story that can be enjoyed by all age groups who love fantasy.

I was a bit curious about David's writing journey and what he's learned along the way and he was sweet enough to share that with us here.

Writing is an integral part of my life. It has been for over half of my life. It started as an outlet when I was a teenager, more or less to shy away from peers and the chagrin of doing something socially awkward. I was a weird kid, so this happened a lot. It’s a part of growing up, but being told so didn’t change how I felt at the time. This led to allowing the opinion of others to rule me, that my self worth was graded by how others viewed me. This isn’t exactly a healthy habit.

 

Thankfully I found an interest in writing. Movies and video games only took me so far.

 

Adulthood has been kinder to me, where I found my footing in studying psychology (which has helped me learn a lot about myself). And through it all, up until now, I’ve never stopped writing. I am at home creating characters and their worlds, displacing actual problems on fictional people, and helping them find ways to dig themselves out of their messes. This is all well and fun when I write for personal stress relief or enjoyment. It’s another monster when wanting to publish it.

 

Me? Put my work before the masses? Subject it to public opinion? This sounds scary!

 

I’m still very young at this, and honored to be a traditionally published author; my first book that I co-wrote with Michael Jensen was released almost two months ago. The feedback and reviews are amazing, and I’m so very glad to know many have found enjoyment in something I made up. Some are less enthusiastic, but this helps me understand what I’ve heard authors say for so long:

Something along the lines of, “Write the story that you will love.”

And this most important piece of advice ever, “Don’t give up.”

Should I combine the two, the possibilities are endless.

I bet the same can be said about your work, too.

• What makes writing enjoyable for you? What’s the best advice you’ve heard an author say? Where would you like to be in your writing journey five years from now?

Thank you for having me over for coffee, Sia!

It was my pleasure to have you visiting David and a big congratulations to both you and Michael!

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, INDIGO, POWELLS,

Two unlikely allies must journey across a kingdom in the hopes of thwarting death itself.

All his life, Nels has wanted to be a knight of the kingdom of Avërand. Tall and strong, and with a knack for helping those in need, the people of his sleepy little village have even taken to calling him the Knight of Cobblestown.

But that was before Nels died, murdered outside his home by a mysterious figure.

Now the young hero has awoken as a ghost, invisible to all around him save one person -- his only hope for understanding what happened to him -- the kingdom's heir, Princess Tyra. At first the spoiled royal wants nothing to do with Nels, but as the mystery of his death unravels, the two find themselves linked by a secret, and an enemy who could be hiding behind any face.

Nels and Tyra have no choice but to abscond from the castle, charting a hidden world of tangled magic and forlorn phantoms. They must seek out an ancient needle with the power to mend what has been torn, and they have to move fast. Because soon Nels will disappear forever.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

MICHAEL JENSEN is the coauthor of the acclaimed YA fantasy novel Woven, released February 2015 by Scholastic Press. A graduate of Brigham Young University's music, dance, and theater program, Michael taught voice at BYU before establishing his own vocal instruction studio. In addition to being an imaginative storyteller, Michael is an accomplished composer and vocalist. He lives in Salt Lake City with his husband and their four dogs.

DAVID POWERS KING is the coauthor of the highly anticipated YA fantasy novel Woven, to be released January 2015 by Scholastic Press. David was born in beautiful downtown Burbank, California where his love for film inspired him to become a writer. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, David also has a soft spot for zombies and the paranormal. He lives in the mountain West with his wife and three children.