Spotlight / Interview with Diana Murdock, author of Souled

I am really excited to host Diana Murdock, author of Souled on my blog today.

Author: Diana Murdock

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 253

Publisher: Breakfree Press

Amazon: Souled

Contact: Website : Amazon : Pinterest : Twitter 

Synopsis.

Power and Control…

What 17-year-old boy wouldn’t be tempted by the promise of power and control - no matter what form that promise came in? 

Seth knew exactly what he would do with power and control.  He’d be well on his way to a wrestling scholarship, his dad could stop working so hard to make ends meet, and he’d forever have the heart of his girlfriend, Sandpoint High’s most beautiful girl. 

For Seth, the temptation was much too strong to resist. And why should he?  The way he saw it, he had everything to gain.

But when he unknowingly invites another soul to share his body, Seth discovers that not all power is good – especially when it was never his to wield.  And when the soul reveals its true intentions, will Seth have the strength to fight it or would death be less painful?

About Diana:

Single mom, writer, reader, dreamer, cardio-junkie, friend, pantster, calm, wild, lover, fighter, tree-hugger, material girl, relentless, mellow, passionate, zen master, party girl, selfless, selfish.  I am all of these.  Who I am on any given day depends on whether the sky is bright or dark with clouds, if I tripped over the dog or had a great run.  I cannot be contained.  I don’t like boxes and boxes don’t like me. 

Interview:

Welcome to Obsession with Books Diana, Are you able to tell us a little about your book Souled and yourself?

I’m all about the paranormal and metaphysical.  The women in my family are all psychics to some degree or another and seeing spirits, “feeling” entities, believing in “miracles,” was part of my entire life, so writing Souled was a natural step for me.  I was drawn to the area of north Idaho because of my need to learn more and I have many, many friends who are numerologists, spiritual healers, or in witch covens.  There is a wealth of information up here.  Souled is about spirit attachment, of which I have first-hand knowledge of.  Both my son and ex-husband had attachments, so I had the knowledge and the support behind me to carry it into my writing.  As well, there is something about the teen years that I’m drawn to.  It is such a vulnerable time, a time of awakening.  There is so much going on, more than we know.

When and why did you begin writing?

I started out writing poetry when I was very young.  I had a lot to say with no one to hear me.  So I wrote.  As I grew I continued writing but never took my writing to the next level until I had an incredibly inspiring dream that stayed with me until I wrote about it.  My first novel, Again, is the result of that.

Where did the inspiration for your book Souled come from?

My boys and I were sitting around wondering what we could sell on eBay because we needed some extra cash.  My son jokingly suggested that I could sell my soul.  We laughed about it, but that is the seed that took place. 

What is your ideal day as an author?

A day where everything runs smoothly, a day without interruptions or guilt.  As a single mother of two teen boys, those days hardly exist, so I loosely set up my day and work around whatever the day brings.  Some days are more productive than others but I try to get in at least an hour of writing every day.

Do you mind telling us how long it took for you to write Souled?

Writing Souled took about two years.  In the midst of this I had gone through a divorce that bit into my creativity for a few months, so that held it up for a time.

Is there anything about you that would surprise your readers? Any quirks, habits, routines etc.

Pretzels are a main staple when I write.  If my mouth is moving, my brain quiets down.  For whatever reason, I concentrate better when my body is in motion somehow.  I meditate when I run (I’m a cardio-junkie).  I’ve tried sitting still, but that doesn’t work too well.  And, oh.  I don’t sleep much, either.

Are you able to describe what your writing process is like?

I see the story in my mind as a movie.  I write in scenes.  My notes may start as a one-line dialogue and I build around that or it could be as simple as a look or a location.  I’ll then take the scenes and rearrange them like a puzzle and then fill in the gaps. 

Are there any books or authors that have most influenced you?

In my earlier writing, I read a lot of Nora Roberts, and she was a huge influence.  As I switched to YA, I bounced around a lot and enjoyed of a lot of authors, but my style of writing is my own and though I studied the way they wrote, I ended up doing my own thing anyway.

Is there are book you are reading at the moment? And do you tend to favor a particular genre?

I just finished Dreamwalker by Angela Wallace.  She has such an incredible way with words that brings me into her world.  I love anything paranormal.

If Souled was to be made into a movie, who would you chose to play the roles of your main characters?

I’ve always thought the role of Seth should be played by Alex Pettyfer and the role of Dirk to be played by Taylor Lautner.  The others, I haven’t yet thought of.  The music, though, would definitely be headed up by Breaking Benjamin. 

What is up next for you?

A sequel to Souled first and foremost.  I’m also outlining a women’s fiction that has been begging to be written for two years now. 

Quick Questions:

Fave band / television series / movie? Band (s) Breaking Benjamin, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed.  (Television series) I haven’t watched television in a long time.  (Movie) Lord of the Rings.

Coffee or tea? Definitely coffee.

E-reader or hardcopy? Both.

Cats or Dogs? Dogs.

Ideal travel destination? Italy, Greece.

Thank-you so much Diana for taking time to talk to us today!

Thank you for having me! 

Contact links:

Website– Amazon – Pinterest – Twitter