Divinity the Gathering author interview

Divinity: The Gathering by Susan Reid

Book Synopsis:

When judgment day comes where will you be? What would you do? For the dark ones it is a new beginning, for all others it is an ending. There is a reason we should never ignore the dark flickering shadows we see out of the corners of our eyes. The disembodied voices that tend to play with our imaginations. They are real. College Sophomore Starling Roberts has known this all her life.

Plagued and tormented with dreams of the end of the world, being hunted by shadows and dark angels and the coming invasion of Earth by the Demons, shadows and ultimately Morning Star; Starling has yet to realize or understand why, let alone know that she is one of among the tens of thousands of chosen divine ones should she choose light. Divine warriors who will fight against the darkness and the beings within to save Earth and humans from their ultimate control. Given her humdrum life and the obstacles, tribulations and loss of her parents during Hurricane Katrina, her own beliefs begin to waver leaving her to question her own purpose and faith.

However, her essence and divinity is different, unique and the reasons remain unknown to all of those in the spirit realm...for now. Destined to join the ranks in becoming a Divine Warrior. She has also become the obsession and target of a planned catastrophic and deadly event among the sinister dark ones led by Morning Star himself to both lure and gather more souls into his new Eden while waiting to reclaim and rule the new abandoned Earth after the Apocalypse.

Star's only hope to remain alive and sane---Camael, a renegade, dark fallen incubus who lusts for her and Drakael-an Angel determined to keep her from him.

This is her Chronicle, pulled and put together from her own personal journals now known as The Book of Starling. Combined with the journals of Camael; Former Chief Angel of all Powers in his own words and at his own personal request.

Hello and welcome to Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom

What inspired you to write your first book?
It started with a really wild yet frightening dream I had about what I interpreted to be the end of the world. There were fires, tidal waves and a bunch of space ships in the red sky. I was there but always as an observer. I wouldn't have thought much about it except that every few weeks, I was having the same, repetitive dream. Naturally I figured it may have been trying to tell me something even symbolically, so I wrote down all the details. From there, the character of Starling came to mind and the story line was born. Ironically, I have not had the dreams since then.

Do you have a specific writing style?
My style of writing is definitely inspirational and I can admit to a fly by the seat method. If I feel it or can imagine it as being a reality, that’s when I begin to research. I am definitely a daydreamer and people observer so many of my ideas and compulsion to write comes from that. I use music to get the creative process flowing. Music also helps me develop the plots, personalities of my characters, their traits, strengths and weaknesses.

How did you come up with the title?
I actually only had the title Divinity at first but when I began to think more and more about developing a story around the dream and my idea of the end of the world, how it was going to end via the demon invasion, I started thinking…well, the side of light needs to be able to come together to both defend and fight back as well and right now, light is outnumbered. I added the gathering to draw point to both sides gathering up their forces in order to come head to head when the time came.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
The main message, if anything that I’d like for readers to grasp is nothing too deep or heavy. The book is definitely fiction and meant to entertain. However, the idea that we are who we are and we can’t help that nor can we help where we came from and who we love but we have complete control over what we do with ourselves and our lives is the ultimate message. Positive change is always possible if you’re willing to make it no matter what the consequences.

How much of the book is based on your life experiences?
That’s actually a good question. I think the struggle that Starling goes through with her own beliefs because of the events in her life and trying to understand her ability to see the shadows and not be fearful has always been something that I have dealt with too. Many people do. I think many people have special abilities to see and hear things that we were never meant to see or hear because they are not of this world and those experiences for me are real.

Are your novels based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
They are based on a combination of personal struggles and perceptions of the world around me, and dreams that I have had. In the Divinity Saga, many of  the dark fallen are representations of either other people, events, places or issues that I have come across or dealt with in my life. Being that I definitely have a great sense of humor as well, I made sure to implement those aspects in some of my characters as well, to keep it not too brooding and heavy.

Which of your novels have influenced your life the most?
I have written many things but Divinity the Gathering Book One is the first novel that I finally had the guts to publish and share with the world. If anything, that definitely influences me to persevere, and continue to do what is good and right no matter how much opposition, ridicule or hate may come my way.

What book are you reading now?
I have many lined up on my TBR list, including Danielle Lee’s The Devil Inside, the 2^nd book to her Dark World Trilogy. She is an amazing writer!

What are your current projects?
Currently, I am working on Divinity Transcendence Book Two. If anything, it will be more action packed and include one of the main reasons why it started out as a YA but ended up as an Adult. (Graphic but not x-rated Sensuality wink-wink)

Do you see your writing as a career?
Right now I see it as a hobby. I still have much to learn and much to practice in the craft of writing. The love of writing is far different from the art of writing but I feel that with a lot of feedback, practice and research I could very well see it as a career for me. I will always love telling a story, seeing others enjoy reading it and reading other amazing works.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No, I wouldn’t as far as the story line goes. Then I wouldn’t be true to what the dream had been about to begin with. The choosing of an editor though, that’s a different story <laughs>.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I never really had any toys growing up as a child and didn’t have cable, so writing and books became an extreme joy and a pass time very early on in my life. I started out listening to music, and then writing my own songs. From there, my love of both reading and writing, began to blossom.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I am currently working on Divinity Transcendence Book Two, the second book of the Divinity Saga. It will definitely be packed with more action, new characters and sensuality. I’ll be taking a bit longer with this one, as a new writer, you definitely learn many, many things especially after the first book.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The most challenging part to me is conveying what I’m seeing in my head into words for everyone to visualize and enjoy, and remembering that sometimes simplicity is best.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Not now but I hope to start soon, that would be nice!

Who designs your cover(s)?
I rely on my talented 16 year old son for that. He shares my passion for creativity and he is so talented!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Making sure the editing was done and done correctly and getting over many writers blocks that extended the process of Divinity the Gathering Book One over a span of three years. I think that’s the norm for many authors though. Some take even longer, but good stories often do!

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up on your passion and dream and keep on writing, no matter what it is. Take all suggestions, advice, and critiques to heart and apply them. It is a constant learning process that I don’t think anyone has ever really perfected it quite yet. You learn something new every day, and when you don’t use it, you lose it.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I would love for people to know that if they enjoy my stories, then that is the most satisfaction and the biggest compliment that any author could ever want. Writing is a passion and an art, but it means nothing without having avid readers, reviewers and fans.

Thank you for your participation.