Today is my turn to feature REUTS author Carys Jones and her exciting new novel on her blog tour.

I thought it would be interesting to see what Carys drew her inspiration from and how her ideas came to be in such a wonderful book. So, without further ado - over to Carys:

What inspired you to write Dare to Dream?

A while ago I read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. If you’ve not read it, it’s quite a bleak tale about a post-apocalyptic world. You’re never really told what happened to the world, you just endure the exhausting quest for survival with the MC and his son.

The challenge of writing about a destroyed world really appealed to me. But I wanted to give my own story some more context, I wanted to describe what happened to the world and experience the destruction first hand. Then I started thinking about what if someone knew the world was going to end? And what if no one would listen because they were just a fourteen year old British school girl? And from those initial thoughts Dare to Dream was developed.

 

What were the challenges in bringing it to life?

One of the main challenges was writing about a huge event on quite a small scale. The destruction is only ever seen from the perspective of Maggie and her friends. I also needed to make sure that everything that happened seemed plausible with the story right from Maggie’s initial dreams to where her journey ultimately takes her.

 

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Whenever I’m writing I always work to a pretty rigid outline. I plan out every chapter in quite a lot of detail and know how a story is going to end before I’ve even written the first sentence. That said, I sometimes get ideas along the way which I incorporate into the story but nothing ever changes dramatically from the original outline.

 

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

 
It normally takes me around three months to write a book. Sometimes I’ve done it in less time, like when I completed NaNovWriMo last year but that was pretty intense, especially when balancing my freelance writing commitments.

Three months is an ideal time line for me as I need to write daily to maintain pace but don’t risk rushing anything.

 

Did you always want to be a writer? Why?

I think that I always wanted to be a writer. Growing up I loved reading and getting lost in stories. There’s something magical about opening up a page in a book and being transported to another world and I was keen to create some of that magic for myself.

I’ve got a terribly active imagination which writing is a great outlet for.

 

What jobs did you have/do you have before you began to write?

Previously I’ve cleaned buckets in a florist, been a sales assistant in the lingerie section of a posh department store, worked behind the desk of my local cinema and also done some office work for the National Health Service.

I’m fortunate to now be able to write full time which means that I get to spend loads of time with my beloved dog, Rollo (yay)

 

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

Oooh I wish I’d written either Flowers in the Attic or Peter Pan. They are both at quite diverse ends of the spectrum in terms of genre but both are books that stayed with me long past finishing them.

I’ve re-read them both numerous times and fall more in love with them each time! That’s the true sign of a truly great story, one whose appeal doesn’t dull with time or repetition!

 

If you could be character in Dare to Dream who would you be and why?

I think I’d like to be Dawn because she’s such a sweetheart. She’s always got her BFF, Maggie’s, best interests at heart and I love her for that. She was a really fun character to write. Growing up I was more like Maggie, quite closed off, so I like the idea of being someone vibrant and outgoing like Dawn!

 

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character(s) from Dare to Dream?

I think Adelaide Kane from the television show Reign would make a fabulous Maggie! She’s so beautiful and has a real intensity on screen! And she totally nails an English accent!

Brilliant! Thank you so much Carys.


Buy DARE TO DREAM by Carys Jones today!


And here's a little more about Carys

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader's imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo.

When she's not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science-fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

Find more of Carys Jones on her website, like her on facebook or follow on twitter.