Interview with Arielle Strauss, author of The Wraith series




Arielle Strauss is a twenty-two year old author, actress, and percussionist originally from Freehold, New Jersey. She graduated with a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, where she began to write "The Wraith Trilogy." She's pleased to finally share her first novel, The Wraith, and the sequel, The Huntress, with the world.

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About the Books:

The Wraith - Ophelia Weller never believed in ghosts until the night she became one. But when the aftermath of a frat party on the most haunted campus in America leaves her face to face with her own naked corpse, she really has no other option. Now a wraith, Ophelia is a spirit hidden amongst the living. Forced to conceal her undead identity from the world, and struggling to remain visible to the humans around her, how will she ever manage to convince her dearest friend of the truth? Or muster the courage to tell her beautiful gym partner that she just may be in love with her? And, with no memory of her death, how will Ophelia solve the mystery of her murder?

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  • The Wrath is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

The Huntress - Ophelia's been dead for several weeks, but she's still around. Yet other students at Ohio University are dropping like flies, never to return. Surely the most haunted campus in America is home to other wraiths like herself? Ophelia is determined to find them—and to discover the truth about why she continues to dwell in the world of mortals. But faced with a mysterious clan of ghost hunters closing in, threatening to end her unlife, three meddlesome (and crotchety) divine beings determined to control her new existence, and a best friend with more than friendly feelings for the love of her life, how long will Ophelia be able to hide the truth of her death—and her destiny?

For More Information

  • The Huntress is available at Amazon.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

I found a website called “Antwinowrimo” – the Anti-Twilight Novel Writing Month. I thought this was an interesting motivation to write a book, a paranormal romance that’s better than The Twilight Saga, in only 28 days. I’d read all the Twilight books and enjoyed them, so this, for me, was a challenge.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Once I sat down to write, the ideas just poured forth, so that part was easy. What was difficult was finding the time and energy to write every day and then going back to edit. To make the journey easier, I suggest outlining after you’ve already begun to write. Ideas flow better once you’ve started and set a clear direction for your characters.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

I self-published through I friend I met at school, who has her own publishing company, Escape Artist Press.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

I was pleasantly surprised that I could make something like this happen for myself. I was not a particularly ambitious person, but when it came to these books, I really wanted people to read them. I’m very glad to have worked with the people I did. Everyone has been really helpful and supportive in this process.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I’m working on the final book in The Wraith Trilogy, which will be out in 2015.

Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?

Facebook. That’s actually how my publisher and I communicate, believe it or not. It’s a great way to keep in touch with not only friends, but business partners as well.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

If you’re getting over a traumatic experience, like Ophelia, keep going for the things you really want out of life. Don’t hold yourself back just because fate threw this massive hurdle your way. And if you miraculously find love, like Ophelia, do yourself a favor and hold onto it. Cherish and nurture that love because it’s one more rare, beautiful and amazing thing to live for.
  
Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

Thank you, and please enjoy the read!

1 comment:

  1. Nice post, i like your writing style, is fabulous make me get to the point of the story
    keep the good works and have nice day

    ReplyDelete

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