Apryl Baker comes to Book 'Em!

Book 'Em welcomes Apryl Baker and is proud to host her and her debut novel, The Promise, on the blog.

If you follow my blog then you know I enjoy a good, solid witch tale. Baker definitely delivers in this novel. So, without further adieu, welcome Apryl Baker!

 

1. Can you tell us what The Promise is about in a single sentence? 

Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town, and still gets Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness coming for her?

2. Can you tell us a bit more about The Promise and how it came about? 

I call The Promise my Post-It Note idea. I was driving home from work and listening to Theory of a Dead Man’s “Not Meant to Be.” I passed this little community called New Salem and the image of a girl sitting beside a gravestone popped into my head. I couldn’t shake it so when I got home, I jotted it down on a yellow sticky and stuck it on the wall beside my computer. Over the next few days, I kept jotting down ideas and before I knew it I had a complete outline of a book on a wall of yellow, purple, and pink.

It's essentially a story of friendship and the ties that bind us together. Here is a little blurb that will give you an idea of the story: 

Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in the town Coven. When a stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, NC, everything she thought was true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her sister’s death. Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her. Her fate lies in the very heart of the secret the Coven protects. It’s the reason she was born. Now, betrayed on every side, can she find a way to survive or will she be the catalyst that starts it all? 

3. The Promise centers around the world of witchcraft, not Wicca. Can you explain the difference for us, at least as it pertains to your book? 

Wicca is a religion involving deities. In the world of The Coven series, witches practice witchcraft, not Wicca. They use the Elements for their spell crafting and not prayers to gods and goddesses. They also fundamentally believe that true magic is neither white nor black, but a culmination of the two. We get to see both black magic and white magic at work in The Promise. 

4. Was it fun writing the scenes between Cassie and Ethan? 

LOL, yes. I laughed, I cried, and I blushed. I blushed a lot. They were very near and dear to my heart. My favorite scene between them is when they are lying on her front porch kissing and her Dad walks up and finds them. One of the seventeen year olds who did a test read for me told me when she read that, she dropped the book and felt her own face flame up...lol. What girl wouldn't die of embarrassment to be caught making out by their daddy? 

5. If your book was being made into a movie who would you envision in the leading roles?

• Cassie: Emma Roberts
• Ethan: Jake Abel
• Kay: Phoebe Tonkin
• Jeff: Matt Lanter 

6. A lot of authors have playlists for their books. Do you have one? If so, would you mind sharing a few of the songs? 

Here are a few of my favorites and many, many ideas were born out of these songs. Music inspires a person as much as anything else and helps you to figure out sticky parts that give you trouble.

• Theory of a Dead Man: “Not Meant to Be”
• Dashboard Confessional: “Dusk and Summer”
• Fall Out Boy: “I Don’t Care”
• Thriving Ivy: “Angels on the Moon”
• Buckcherry: “Sorry”
• Dashboard Confessional: “Stolen”

7. Can you tell us a bit about your road to publication? 

It was slightly terrifying...lol. You work so hard on your book. Then you polish it up and send it off on its merry little way only to have the dreaded REJECTION letter sent back to you. It was tough getting all those no's, but with each one, I went back to the book and worked on it. I remember the day I got the email offering to publish it. I jumped up and down and I swear the neighbors heard me screaming. It was great. The road here was hard and riddled with rejection, but so worth it in the end if I can make one person laugh or cry when they read my little sticky note idea. 

8. What is your all time favorite book? 

That's so hard. I love so many different ones. I would have to say my favorite is an old classic, Pride and Prejudice. Though, Kim Harrison's The Hollows series comes in a close second. 

9. What advice would you give aspiring authors? 

No matter how hard it is or how often you find yourself wanting to give up, don’t. When you get told no, go back and just keep working on it. Many agents and publishers will give you good advice on what they didn’t like about it. Find the things that are consistent and rework them. Just keep plugging away and eventually you will find a home for your book. There are great books out there and soon yours could be one of them.

Also find yourself a great writing group. The people there will help you to grow and hone your skills to an art truly worthy of the written word. The best advice I was ever given was to check out www.thenextbigwriter.com. The folks I met there are the main reason I am published today. They are brutally honest, but they will support you and give you the help and encouragement you need to finish your work and make it the best it can be. I owe them a lot. 

10. Where can readers find you? 

I'm always in need of followers on twitter and my blog. All are welcome to come listen to my ramblings and ask questions.

Follow Baker on Twitter @AprylBaker

You can also find Baker on Facebook and her Blog

Check out the book trailer above

On a final note I will say this - Baker's novel is worthy of your time if you too enjoy a bewitching read. She delivers a solid story with this novel, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I truly enjoyed it. You may read my review here.

The Promise is on sale NOW! 

Book 'Em wishes Baker all the best for a bright writing future.

Thank you to Apryl Baker and to Sara Monroe for providing a copy of the novel as well as questions and answers for the tour.