Hi Sarah! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! I am so
happy to be hosting you for A Perfection Called Books
Meet The Newbies Event! I am dying to read FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP and I can’t
wait for my readers to read it!
For the readers:
can you tell us a little bit about FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP and the characters?
FEAR tells the story of
sixteen-year-old Bridey Corkill, who’s living on the Isle of Man in 1913. She’s
hated the ocean ever since she was a little girl, when she saw her grandfather
leap from the cliffs and drown with a smile on his face. As the story begins,
Bridey sees a body washed up on the shores of Port Coire, her small town, and
it isn’t long before her friends and neighbors start disappearing in the night.
It’s up to Bridey to convince everyone of the danger in the water before she
loses the people she loves most…
Here are a few things this story
contains that I love: a handsome boy with a mysterious past (Fynn!), kissing,
an old woman who might be a witch (Morag!), lots of Manx culture and mythology,
small-town gossips, sea monsters you may not have heard of, and Bridey’s several
sisters (Grayse, Mally, and Liss!).
Is it a standalone?
If not do you have a title for book 2 yet and if so what are you working on
now?
FEAR is indeed a standalone, but I have more YA fantasy projects in the
works that I can’t wait to share more about as soon as possible! I like to
describe my most recent project as SABRIEL meets GRACELING; it’s a dark,
diverse epic fantasy.
Were any of the
characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
Not exactly! However, I have a younger sister, which made me want to
write a sister book—and that’s how Bridey wound
up with three awesome sisters!
Then there’s Morag, the elderly witch in the book. She’s quite a strong
person in some ways (certainly not in all!), but her inner strength was
inspired by my maternal grandmother, who’s a badass in her own right and who
helped to raise me because we’ve always lived close by.
Who was your
favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
One character
I loved writing was Morag, the island’s witch. She lives in a crumbling cottage
deep in the forest above Bridey’s (the MC’s) village. She’s feared by the town,
but there’s so much more to her than meets the eye. And the things that come
out of her mouth are sometimes cutting, something hilarious, and always wise. I
adore her!
The toughest character to write (though
by NO means my least favorite character in the story—in fact, I adore him!) was Lugh, one of Bridey’s two best
friends. He experiences a lot of loss in the book, and he’s in such a dark head
space sometimes that I found it painful to have to go there with him! Poor
Lugh. I’m such a mean author!
What is your
favorite passage/scene in FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP?
Great question! There’s a scene I love where Bridey goes to her village
market and sees something that the fishermen pulled out of the sea…I won’t spoil what it is, though!
I also love basically every part where Bridey and Morag (the witch)
have an interaction, because her dialogue amuses me :)
What kind of
research did you have to do for the story?
There’s definitely a lot of research involved in
any historical (even one with fantasy elements!). But with FEAR, my research
process was a bit unusual. First, I found some great books from the 1800s on
Manx mythology (mainly dealing with fairies and the Islanders’ customs and lore
surrounding them), and took notes on those! I also ordered some Manx history
books directly from the Isle–I don’t
recommend this though, unless you want to spend a TON on shipping!
I also went to YouTube to look up videos of the
Isle of Man TT. This is a famous motorcycle race (for those who aren’t as
enthralled by motorcycles as I am!) and my awesome biker dad had mentioned it
to me several times growing up. Bikers from around the world flock to the Isle
of Man for this big race around the island each year; it’s actually been
happening since the early 1900s! I watched videos of the TT to get a sense for
the Manx landscape and the accents of the Manx people reporting on the race!
What are you
reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
One of my recent reads was Kali Wallace’s SHALLOW GRAVES, and Laurie
Elizabeth Flynn’s FIRSTS, both of which I loved! Up next on my TBR is THE
MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES by Rebecca Podos, and after that, I can’t wait to read
more books by my fellow debuts!
Who is your
ultimate Book Boyfriend?
A young Sirius Black from Harry Potter!
What inspired you
to write YA?
I write YA because I love to read
YA. There’s something irresistible about the emotions in YA, and the
ability to explore a variety of relationships (not just romantic ones, but
friendships and changing relationships with peers and family!). I think that’s
a big part of the appeal. Too, there’s nothing quite like the intensity of
first love, or that time in your life when there are so many options laid out
before you, so many paths you could take. Another great thing about YA (as
opposed to adult) is the ability to blend genres. In short, YA is where the fun
is! :)
Lightning Round
Questions
If you were to be
sorted by the Sorting Hat, which Hogwarts House would you be sorted into?
Slytherin represent!
Twitter or
Facebook?
Twitter
Favorite
Superhero?
Captain America!
Favorite TV show?
This is a dangerous question ;) Ahem:
Firefly; Grimm; Castle; Killjoys; Dark Matter; 12 Monkeys; Haven
(Basically if it’s on SyFy, I love it)
…And a guilty addiction to the Bachelor.
Sweet or Salty?
I like them together! Chocolate-covered pretzels = bliss!
Any Phobias?
Robots (no, really, I don’t trust them). Also, bugs are my arch
nemesis!
Song you can’t get
enough of right now?
Since I can’t give just one answer when it comes to music:
Hands to Myself- Selena Gomez
Stressed Out- twenty one pilots
Halsey’s entire Badlands album
Upcoming Movie
you’re most looking forward to?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I’m so ready!
Thanks so much Sarah for answering my questions!
And thank you so much for having me, Jaime! J
Author Most Likely to Fill Her Car With Stray Animals Before Making It Home From School!
Nickname: Sunshine
First Day of School: September 2016 (no specific day yet--will update you when I know it later this month!)
Homeroom: Sky Pony Press
Grade: Historical Fantasy
Extracurricular Activities: Captain, Slytherin Quidditch Team, Cheer, Dance, Choir, Horseback Riding
Favorite Class: Care of Magical Creatures
Favorite Quote: "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." --J.R.R. Tolkien
About Sarah:
Sarah Glenn Marsh writes young adult novels and children’s picture
books. An avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The
Hobbit and promised it would change her life, she’s been making up words and
worlds ever since.
When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys watercolor painting, ghost
hunting, and pursuits of the nerd variety, from video games to tabletop
adventures. She’s never met an animal or a doughnut she didn’t like.
Sarah lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, four rescued
greyhounds, and many fish. She is the author of Fear the Drowning Deep, the
Reign of the Fallen duology, and several picture books.
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