Interview with author and poet Thom Young / Emily Clarke

My special Friday guest this week is Thom Young. He’s chatting with me about his new YA paranormal romance novel, Fallen (Book 1 of The Fallen Saga).

Bio:

Thom Young is a writer from Texas. His work has been in The Commonline Journal, 3am magazine, Crack the Spine, Word Riot, 48th Street Press, and many other places. A 2008 Million Writers Award nominee for his story Perico. He is one of Amazon's most popular poets hitting #1 in Poetry Anthologies and Short Stories and his latest A Little Black Dress Called Madness hit #1 Poetry in Germany. He's written 4 novels including his best-seller, Fallen (The Fallen Saga, Book 1).

Welcome, Thom. Please tell us about your current release.

Fallen is a paranormal romance that has a dramatic teenager Julie Anderson falling for the dreamy new boy Nick Landers. Nick soon reveals that it is his destiny to marry Julie and her world begins to fall apart. I wanted to write a darker paranormal romance that involved controversial issues that teenagers deal with today and the book has been gotten great reviews and has been well received. I wrote it using a pen name, Emily Clarke, and I plan on making it a series of books.

Julie Anderson never wanted to leave her life and friends behind in Connecticut, but when her father gets a new job in Texas she discovers her destiny. When she meets the devilishly fallen angel, Nick Landers, her life begins to unravel. Nick is different from the other boys and seems to have a crush on her. Julie soon learns that Nick has taken an oath never to fall in love with an earthly woman. Despite Nick's unhealthy obsession with her, Julie finds herself falling for him. When Julie's mother is killed in a car wreck, Julie realizes her own life is at risk and only fate will decide whether Nick kills or protects her.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to challenge myself to write a different genre and after interviewing several authors in paranormal romance they gave me the inspiration to write the book. I gained a lot of respect for the authors of paranormal romance and I liked the idea of using fallen angels so that is how Fallen came together.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I just started writing the second book in The Fallen Series, Forbidden Love, so I am kind of working on some notes and drafts with it right now and getting ideas to put down. I kind of have an idea right now but by the time it’s done it could be completely different.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I never knew I wanted to be a writer but I always liked to write. I always write as necessity but I first started really submitting my writing about fifteen years ago and here came the rejections slips. I see it as a game and stay with it because I love it.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am writing full time right now. I taught English for 14 years but decided to take a break and just write for as long as I can so I need everyone to buy all my books ha. I enjoy writing poetry so I am published in many literary journals and recently did a new poetry book Live Like A Ghost that is a #1 New Release on Amazon in Poetry and Short Stories.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I may write too much if that is possible sometimes I need to get away from writing only to realize that I need to write everyday moments later. I also never plan too much usually draft an idea and whatever I write that’s usually it.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I thought maybe a preacher but I’m glad that didn’t pan out. I really never had many career ambitions except writing which anyone can do so there is a life goal for you and it’s best done with good beer and a blank page.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thanks for the interview and if you like reading something new in the paranormal romance genre I think you’ll enjoy reading Fallen. You can find all of my books on Amazon. Follow my poetry on Instagram and Twitter.

Thanks for being here today, Thom. Happy writing!