Celebrating Debutantes 2017: Now Is Everything by Amy Giles (Author Interview + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! I’m thrilled to welcome new author Amy Giles on the blog as part of Celebrating Debutantes 2017 blog event. Amy answered few questions for me about her upcoming debut YA contemporary novel, Now is Everything. After reading the synopsis of this book, I am intrigue. It seems a thrilling read with secrets and msytery. I can’t wait to read Hadley’s story and find out about the secret of McCauleys.

Following the author interview is Amy Giles’ author bio along with places where to find her online. Then there’s also the book description and where to pre-order copies of Now is Everything which will release in November. And if you would like the chance to win an advance readers copy of Now is Everything, bookmarks and stickers, Amy is giving away one below. Just enter the rafflecopter form a bit further down in this post. I hope you all enjoy the interview.

Interview with Amy Giles

What’s your journey to writerhood been like?
Like many writers, the road to becoming an author was bumpy. Now Is Everything wasn’t my first novel. There are a few in the desk drawer that will never see the light of day—and shouldn’t! But I don’t mourn any of those early attempts. The only way you can be successful as a writer is to keep looking forward, never look back. Learn from your mistakes and find the next idea that will excite you.

What inspired your debut contemporary novel, Now Is Everything?
Now Is Everything poured out of me in a torrent of frenzied writing. I completed the first draft in three months. It started with a news story about a little girl who was the sole survivor of a small plane crash. I imagined the hell she must have gone through, not only crawling away from the wreckage, but leaving behind her entire family, all dead, then walking miles looking for help. I took that hell and went darker, taking every “what if” further and further until it became Hadley’s story of survival.

What was the biggest change you made to the story before it reached an agent/editor/publisher?
The finished book isn’t much different from the draft I sent my agent. I edited and rewrote scenes during revisions, but nothing major changed. Except for one thing: right before I sent it to my agent, I rewrote the ending, a last minute decision, and I’m so happy for it. I think it works much better this way. (For obvious reasons, I can’t tell you anything more!)

What qualities did you love exploring in Hadley as a character? What makes Hadley special for you to tell her story?
Hadley starts off fearful of her father, with good reason. But as the story progresses, she starts to find the courage to stand up to him, first for herself, then for her sister, Lila. Taking those steps with her was not only satisfying for me but also emotional. If you cry reading this book, I guarantee I cried writing those same scenes. While Now Is Everything covers a lot of ground, for me this is a story about the love and special bond between two sisters.

Did you learn any deep, interesting, or shocking truths while working on Now Is Everything, about writing in general, or about yourself?
I learned I can go days without showering (I don’t recommend it). That I can live on carbs and bacon. That boxer shorts are great for writing. That I need to force myself to get up and stretch every forty minutes or else my neck gets so stiff I can’t turn my head. That my family is extremely patient and loving, but not great at helping make healthy meals for me. When I requested a salad, they basically made me a BLT in a bowl, heavy on the B. (It was delicious.)

What are your ambitions for your writing career? Do you plan to write another book in other genre?
I am working on not one, but TWO stories now! One is in revisions, and a new one has me very excited. It is still in the drafting stage, the honeymoon period. Around twenty-thousand words is when I start to second guess myself! I will never rule out writing in another genre. Not that I’d ever compare myself to the incomparable Rainbow Rowell, but she writes what she wants to write, not what she’s expected to write.

And lastly before we end this interview, can you please share a snippet/teaser from Now Is Everything to intrigue us before the book hit the shelves in November.
Of course! From the opening:

Emergency first responders scramble up and down the hill around me like ants, trying to see what can be salvaged. We’re on different frequencies. Theirs is manic and frenzied, searching for life, while I watch without seeing. What I escaped below eclipses everything. Blank eyes. A blood-soaked Cornell sweatshirt. Necks bent unnaturally. Angry fists of heat pounding at my back as I crawled away from the wreckage.
But the sky is a perfect crisp blue, like someone forgot to tell it to wipe that smug smile off its face.
No one survives a plane crash. I shouldn’t be here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Giles is an award-winning copywriter and young adult author. She lives on an Island that is Long with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog.

Find Amy

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Details:

Title: Now is Everything
Author: Amy Giles
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 07, 2017
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover, eBook

Now Is Everything is a stirring debut novel told in alternating THEN and NOW chapters, perfect for Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Niven fans, about what one girl is willing to do to protect her past, present, and future.

The McCauleys look perfect on the outside. But nothing is ever as it seems, and this family is hiding a dark secret.

Hadley McCauley will do anything to keep her sister safe from their father. But when Hadley’s forbidden relationship with Charlie Simmons deepens, the violence at home escalates, culminating in an explosive accident that will leave everyone changed.

When Hadley attempts to take her own life at the hospital post-accident, her friends, doctors, family, and the investigator on the case want to know why. Only Hadley knows what really happened that day, and she’s not talking.

Book Links

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Book Depository | Goodreads | IndieBound | Publisher

Giveaway:

What’s up for Grab?

• ARC of Now is Everything by Amy Giles
  
• Bookmarks and Stickers

The Rules:

• Open International
• There will be one (1) winner
• Winner will be chosen and announced by rafflecopter
• Winner will be contacted thru email & should response within 48 hours
• Ends September 18th, 2017
• Prizes will be sent by the author

To enter fill out the rafflecopter form

Good Luck!!!

Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2017 experience. Click the image below for the full list of schedule and links to each feature post or check out twitter and facebook using #CelebratingDebutantes2017.