Today I’m pleased to welcome author Danielle Rogland to the blog. I hope you enjoy getting to meet Danielle!
1. What made you decide to start writing?
Reading! I was a very high-energy, incredibly talkative kid, and one of the only things that would get me to stay still and quiet was when my parents would read books to me. So I fell in love with books really early on. It didn’t occur to me until later that the books were actually written by someone, but once I got old enough to figure that out, it was all I wanted to do. I started writing stories at about age ten, and I actually wrote the bare foundations of Ignite when I was seventeen.
2. How does it feel to be re-publishing your novel, Ignite? As scary as the first time around, just as exciting, or a little bit of both?
It’s definitely still scary and exciting – I know a lot more about what to expect this time around, but in a lot of ways that just makes it more nerve-wracking. I worry about how the book will do and whether people will like it, but I’m also really happy with my new publisher. I know that this time the story will reach a much larger audience, so I’m sort of on the edge of my seat wondering what that’s going to be like.
3. What do you love the most about the dystopian genre?
I love that while it’s a genre that outwardly appears very bleak and hopeless, when you read dystopian novels you almost always find tucked away in them these strong calls of hope and optimism for the human race. Dystopias are, in a lot of ways, warnings about what might happen to the world in the future if we don’t do our best to avoid things like totalitarian governments, global warming, nuclear war, etc. But you also see in dystopian stories these little glimmers of hope where authors are saying, “Even if things get this bad, humanity is still a stubborn, foolhardy, determined race, and there will still be people striving to survive and make it right again.”
4. Why did you decide to set Ignite in London?
London is a city with a lot of history, and a lot of different types of history – great things have happened there, and terrible things. It’s kind of an eternal city, in a way. I like the idea that no matter how much you blow it up or tear it down, the bones of the city are still standing. And it’s been the head of an Empire before! It’s really interesting how, in this very modern, technologically advanced city, you still have evidence of that, things like Palaces where actual royalty still resides. I thought it was the type of city where an old-fashioned Emperor of an advanced, modern Empire would want to live and rule.
5. What are your favorite ways to connect with readers?
I love connecting with readers and other writers online, talking about what we’re working on and what we love, and swapping ideas and tips. I’m on Twitter and Tumblr a lot, so those are great networks to get in touch with me.
6. What is the best advice you would give to young writers?
Just write – don’t get caught up in what’s profitable or marketable, what other people like, or whether your ideas are good enough. Just write what you would want to read. Self-doubt and self-editing too early on are book-killers! You’ll have plenty of time to improve your writing later on, but first you have to have written something.
7. What can readers be on the lookout for from you next?
I am working right now on a new YA series that involves post-apocalypse pirates, and also have plans for an Ignite sequel (hopefully). I can’t say for sure when either of these things will be finished or released, but they’re under construction!
About the Author:
Danielle Rogland began writing Ignite at the age of 17, and finished at age 21. She is now 25 and lives in Seattle, Washington, where she earned her English degree from Seattle Pacific University, and works in marketing and freelance writing while working on her second novel. She grew up near Portland, Oregon, and was always one of those kids who carried around giant books like The Lord of the Rings to read during recess. She can currently be found frequenting comic conventions, pestering her three younger siblings, or hiding out in her home and posting things on social media. You can follow her on twitter @daniellerogland or facebook @danielleroglandauthor or visit her on her website.
About the Book:
In the ruins of dystopian London, the Empire rules through fear and fire.
Ever since her parents were murdered by the empire’s agents, Jacks has been living on the street as a pickpocket trying to keep away from trouble. When she accidentally witnesses the rebel group ‘The Flames’ in the middle of an operation she is unwillingly swept up into their world, and has to decide if she’s going to go back to looking after herself or join the rebellion and help them fight for the people of London Ruins.
She knows that getting involved was stupid, but does she really have a choice?
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